{Monday Memory} First Grade

 Mr. Orange started First Grade this past August.  Last spring we were informed that he had been accepted into a Chinese Immersion program.  We were thrilled, Mr. Orange, not so much.  He was not thrilled about switching schools, having to learn Chinese, going to First Grade (he thought he would have his kindergarten teacher for first grade too), etc.  Once we told him that he would be on a traditional school schedule - 3 months of summer vacation, instead of going back to year-round school - 3 weeks of summer vacation, he started to warm up to the idea.

Now that there are only three months left of school, I am so glad that we decided to have him do this program.  It has not been easy - there have been difficulties with one of the teachers (luckily she had a baby and decided not to come back), it's not the neighborhood school, so getting Mr. Orange to and from school can be a trick, there is extra homework on the Chinese side of things that he would not have otherwise, some days he says that he absolutely does not want to do this anymore and there are tears, tears, and more tears.

On the positive side of things I think his Chinese teacher is amazing.  I honestly don't know how she does it.  :)  Mr. Orange has made a class full of friends.  According to him all of the girls love him.  He is reading above grade level in english.  His math scores are awesome - that says something since it is taught in Chinese.  He is friendly to his classmates (and talks waaaaay too much in class).  Although he says he doesn't want to speak Chinese, he is fascinated with China and their culture.  He is constantly telling me new facts about China, pointing it out on a map, drawing pictures of pagodas and dragons, having me read books to him about China, and when he plays pirates in his room he slips in chinese words here and there.

There are times when I look at Mr. Orange and I can't believe how grown up he is.  I listen to him read, or go through his spelling lists with him (he is getting 17/14 on his tests lately!!), or listen to him speak Chinese and it amazes me how much things change in such a short amount of time.  I swear he was a baby yesterday and now he is a boy.