Why Mandarin?
“I knew that by investing in our children in this way, we were giving them a unique gift that only ZCS could provide. It would be something they could use and enjoy their whole life."
When Ben and Cara Wickstra were deciding on a pre-school for their oldest son Owen, they knew their passion for language immersion would be a factor. Zeeland Christian’s Spanish Immersion program had been up and running for a few years at this point, so it seemed like a great fit to them. But after completing three-school in Spanish, Cara was challenged to explore Mandarin for her son by another family and was immediately interested.
“There was no pressure to commit to either language at that point. We were so grateful that we had the flexibility to explore both during his pre-school years and decide what was the best fit for Owen. Needless to say, he instantly took to Mandarin! We loved the culture in the classroom so much that we decided to choose Mandarin for all four of our children.”
It was rare to find a program in Mandarin that was from a Christian perspective and not taught in a large city. They both knew that understanding the language would give their children incredible opportunities and prepare them for having a future in the greater global economy.
“I knew that by investing in our children in this way, we were giving them a unique gift that only ZCS could provide. It would be something they could use and enjoy their whole life,” said Cara.
Fast forward 10 years, and the Wickstra kids are thriving in their Mandarin studies at the school. Instructed by teachers who have a heart for Jesus, they are learning the Mandarin language and culture in an environment that is both loving and compassionate.
“I was initially concerned that I would have a hard time letting go of control since Ben and I don’t speak any Mandarin. I knew that we wouldn’t have the option to jump in and overly-guide or direct them. As a result, our kids are becoming self-motivated problem solvers because they know that mom and dad can’t help with schoolwork. It’s been such a joy to watch their confidence grow as they learn something that even their parents don’t know!”
Immersion students are taught to read, write and converse in the program’s target language by being constantly immersed in it all day by their teachers. They learn their new language in much the same way that they learn their first language, through meaningful communication.
“Learning Mandarin as an English-speaking adult is very difficult, but these kids say it is so easy for them! Their brains are like a sponge as a child, and studies have shown that introducing a second language at a young age makes acquiring fluency much more achievable.”
Mandarin Immersion is an excellent opportunity for students to see the world through a new lens and challenge a child’s way of thinking.
“The language requires a lot of memorization and can be challenging at times. But it becomes an excellent opportunity for kids to learn the rewards of hard work and persevere through those moments with humility. These learned skills are then transferred to other areas of life and prepare immersion students for a multicultural world that awaits them. My kids have learned to view all people from all nations as loved by God, and I am so thankful for the gift of trilingual education that Zeeland Christian has given to them!”
![image0[1]](https://www.zcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/image01-scaled.jpeg "image0[1]")
“My kids have learned to view all people from all nations as loved by God, and I am so thankful for the gift of trilingual education that Zeeland Christian has given to them!”