Lucy's First Art Project

Today was our last day of the summer quarter of Mandarin class. We had 4 weeks of "Let's Pick Berries" theme, and 4 weeks of "Ships Ahoy" theme. This week was review of all 8 weeks, and it was so cool to see how far we've come! I've learned colors, animals, fruits, action words, "delicious", boats, birds.... wow. I'm really happy with how much I've absorbed.

Lucy on the other hand, struggles with the atmosphere. I honestly think it is the loudness of the teacher, and somewhat lack of ability to modify her behavior depending on each child. Last week Lucy came out of her shell, for the first time, and actually helped put the little flannel fish on the felt board "ocean". She usually helps clean up, and she's eager for snack time. But sadly today she had a rough time again. Clinging to me with every activity, turning her head away whenever the teacher comes to her with something. She even cried at one of the activities. oh dear. Then the teacher was passing out little rubber fish, and Lucy ran up to get one, (yay!), and the teacher gave one to everyone but Lucy. Lucy was standing there with her "gimme gimme" hands open ready to recieve one, and the teacher just keep passing her by. Oh my goodness, I was getting so sad for her! But she did ok, and I just kept putting my hand to my chest (the "I want" sign that the teacher always wants them to use) from my place across the circle with a smile on my face. She got one (without the sign) and came running back to me with a big smile! Then threw the fish near me! Frustrated??

Then the teacher said "I'm hungry" and pulled out the snack tables. But instead of snacks she brought out construction paper, paper bowls, and glue bottles!? What? It didn't really seem the right age for this, but okay....here goes. So the teacher glued the paper bowls to the construction paper. We were making turtles, one of the animals we learned about. Then she brought out markers. YIKES. My red flag was going up! It seemed to me that she wanted the kids to scribble on the backs of the turtles and for the mamas to make the head, arms and legs. Well, Lucy didn't want the marker, so I was talking her thru it, and showing her how. Oh no, the teacher came over and was basically making Lucy take the marker. Then the teacher was drawing over the head that I already drew, adding eyes and mouth, and then a tail, of course saying Chinese words for them. Lucy burst into tears, 2 or 3 times during that darn craft. And the teacher just carried on. Clueless. (We have a different teacher in the fall, who all the other moms have raved about, otherwise we might be done! Oh, yes, she cried twice during the craft, and then poor Adrienne who is ALWAYS happy and outgoing starting crying when the teacher took her marker away....so then Lucy started crying, because she often cries when other kids cry!! Oh dear!) But Lucy did manage to put a little color...on the turtle, and of course on her fingers and her dress. hmm. Can only hope they are smart enough to give us washable markers!

All in all, we have a cute end product, and we can put it in her box of treasures.