二十五年的实验－1
一颗母亲的心

陈碧华 执笔
2009年3月17日

早餐桌上尔嘉兴奋的告诉我，他刚刚查了电子信件，史丹佛大学也给了他研究所入学许可。这是两个礼拜以来，继麻省理工和柏克莱大学之后，第三所学校传来的好消息，而且有的学校还给予五年全额奖学金和学杂费全免的优渥条件。望著尔嘉兴奋的脸庞，感觉窗外的阳光特别灿烂，心中的喜悦岂是笔墨可以形容？在经济海啸中，尔嘉一个土生土长的台湾学生，竟然可以击败来自各国的竞争高手，不但取得入学资格，而且还可以替我们省下千万元花费，更重要的是我长达二十五年的实验，终于可以宣布大功告成。

二十五年前公费留考出国的锡东，在取得康乃尔大学的博士学位之后，放弃康乃尔提供的正式职缺，决定返国贡献所学。当时尔康正就读幼稚园，尔嘉即将出生，我MBA研究所尚未完成，带著ㄧ心的不满与懊恼返台定居。

 

尔康虽不满五岁，但说得一口纽约腔的英语，回到台湾别说没有说英语的对象，连教英语的学校也没有，所有幼稚园依旧保留打骂式的教育，天性敏感的尔康，每天找尽各种借口不愿意上学，外加对台湾潮湿炎热的气候不适应，全身长疮流脓。ㄧ个人见人爱的漂亮小男孩，竟然折腾成这个样子。在心疼孩子，对台湾教育充满失望，又愤怒锡东个人的决定，我暗暗立下心愿，我绝对要让我的孩子保留他的英语能力，随时我们可以重返美国，继续未完成的学业！

在美国友人Dotor Zinaman夫妇的建议下，我在自家的客厅开始了我的实验，我希望自己能把美国的教育搬回家来，让孩子拥有双语能力。我们的尔康和两个朋友的孩子就这样开始了我这个没有厘头的实验，有时上课，怀里还必须抱著没人照顾的尔嘉。坦白的说台湾当时只有制式的成人英语教学，国外也没有任何案例可供参考，我其实脑筋一片茫然，唯一拥有的就是心中那把熊熊烈火，想要保留尔康英语能力和尔嘉学好英语的机会。

靠著自己的想像力，我自己收寻资料，编写教材，甚至绘制图画，学唱英语儿歌，任何只要是能让孩子觉得有趣的方法我都会尝试。或许这颗母亲的心让孩子觉得温暖，尔康尔嘉几乎是照单全收我精心制作的实验。为了让他们真正可以自然使用英文，我坚持只用英语和他们交谈，我的「铁腕政策」的确很有功效，只是在外常常得到旁人异样的眼光，在家里锡东有时会抱怨工作一整天，脑筋已经停摆，还需听英文，所以他是家里唯一说中文的人。如果家里有访客，往往一头雾水搞不清楚这是一个什么奇怪的家庭，道地的鸡同鸭讲！

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A Twenty-Five Year Experiment 1
A Mother’s Heart

By Bih-Hua Chen
March 17, 2009

At breakfast Chia told me excitedly that he had received an email from Standford University the night before about admission to study at its graduate school.  This was the third graduate school in two weeks after MIT and Berkeley accepted his application.  Looking at Chia’s brilliant smile, I felt the sun was extremely bright today.  There were no words that could express my feelings.  What a great honor for Chia to have this privilege to study at a world top school with a full scholarship.  Most importantly, I can finally claim that my twenty-five year experiment is well completed and my hypothesis has been proven correct.  The earlier, the better in learning English.

Twenty five years ago, Shyi-Dong decided to return to Taiwan to serve his country after he completed his doctoral studies.  I was very upset with his decision because I was just half way through my graduate studies in MBA and Kang was happily enjoying his kindergarten.  In addition, Shyi-Dong already got an excellent job offer from Cornell University which would guarantee our family a good life in the States.  However, I had no choice but follow him.

Kang was five years old and spoke like an American boy with a New York accent.  I felt sad that I couldn’t find any school in Taiwan to continue and keep up his English skills.  In addition, all the kindergartens in Taichung still ran in a very conservative way focusing on repetitive drills and the memorization of facts.  Every morning Kang made up all kinds of excuses to avoid going to school because it was painful for him.  To make things worse, the hot humid weather caused Kang severe skin infections.  Seeing him suffer in this new life and worried about him losing his English ability, I was very frustrated and angry with the situation I was in.  Deep in my heart I swore that I would bring Kang back to the States one day.

After hearing all my complaints, my best American friend, Mrs. Yve Zinaman, suggested that I should establish a school which could meet my own needs.  In a few months, I set up my own program in our living room to help Kang along with two other friends’ children to learn English.  It was such a modest start because there was no equipment and resources.  I was the only teacher, only administrator and only janitor in this tiny home school.  At times I had to teach the kids while Chia was fidgeting in my arms because there was no one to look after him.  I had no idea where to head for and what to do.  The only thing I had was the burning desire that I SHALL RETURN.

With my own imagination, I collected materials, designed the curriculum, learned the children’s songs and drew pictures for the lessons.  I tried everything I could to arouse the kids’ interests.  Slowly but steadily, Kang and Chia absorbed everything I taught and we had fun learning the language together.  In order to let them get the exposure to English as much as possible, I used English only with them all the time.  It was certainly a challenge and at times Shyi-Dong complained that he was sick and tired of hearing English at home after a long day’s work; but fortunately, he was too busy with his research work to complain. It seemed that my stubbornness in keeping up Kang’s English did work.  I felt I had a magic wand in my hand and I could easily help Kang and Chia pick up the language.

 

儿童双语幼稚园：
康乃尔&康尔嘉英语【官方网站】http://www.ecornel.com.tw
康乃尔&康尔嘉英语【facebook粉丝团】http://www.facebook.com.tw/cornelfans
康乃尔&康尔嘉英语【Youtube影音网】http://www.youtube.com/user/corneltai

英文有声书杂志：
彩虹时间儿童英语故事有声月刊【部落格】http://www.wretch.cc/blog/CRainbowTime
彩虹时间儿童英语故事有声月刊【facebook粉丝团】http://www.facebook.com.tw/rtfans