Student in Paris has been missing lessons here and there for various reasons (health, etc.), and is starting to forget more and more of her Chinese (and English since she moved back to Paris because of Brexit).
As she’s 78, I think it’s already remarkable that she should want to be carrying on at all with the gruelling routine of learning Chinese. I’ve always said, “It’s attitude, more than aptitude, that counts.”
During last week’s lesson, as she was discovering more gaps in her Chinese, she started to apologise.
My attitude about students learning Chinese is that unless they’re taking an exam, in which case they’ll just have to knuckle down and get on with it, what’s most important is for them to enjoy the learning.
With this student, the most elderly in my current small clutch, it’s even more important that she should not be reminded yet again of her failing memory.
So, to help lift her out of her depression about this, I said to her, “If students don’t make mistakes, I’ll be out of a job!”
She laughed — long and loud.
(London / Paris, 2022)
No comments:
Post a Comment