The Geurinks: Our Perspective After Eight Years of Mandarin Immersion

Many times throughout recent years we’ve been asked what made us decide to choose ZCS’s Mandarin Immersion program for our children. Our short answer is that we had heard about the benefit of immersion learning and loved the idea of that for our children. Learning that ZCS offered a Christian education in either Mandarin or Spanish helped make our decision to choose ZCS very easy. Given our work experiences, we both saw the benefit of Mandarin Immersion from a business standpoint and enrolled our oldest in Mandarin Immersion kindergarten.

Now that we have been a part of the program for nearly 8 years, we continue to see the benefits.

Now that we have been a part of the program for nearly 8 years, we continue to see the benefits. We currently have four children in the program, with our oldest now in 7th grade and our youngest in kindergarten. Our kids are learning more than just the language. Our entire family has enjoyed learning about and learning to appreciate Chinese culture. We have really loved seeing our kids be able to use their Mandarin language in settings outside of school–both locally and far from home. When we traveled to China to adopt our youngest child, we took our then 1st grader along on the trip. To say that people in China were surprised at his Mandarin language use in only 1st grade is an understatement. He spoke with so many people that he otherwise would not have been able to communicate with. 

To say that people in China were surprised at his Mandarin language use in only 1st grade is an understatement.

We have also loved that in addition to our kids being immersed in Mandarin each day, they receive Spanish as a FLES class. We feel that the school has opened the door for them to continue their Mandarin or Spanish learning if they would like to. 

When people hear that our kids are able to get a Christ-centered education while also learning Mandarin, they can’t believe that we have that opportunity here in West Michigan! While we have no idea where each of our children’s future will lead them, we truly see Mandarin as a gift that they have been given and are thankful to ZCS for that opportunity.

Interested in exploring Mandarin Immersion for your students? You will be shocked by all the benefits to your child. Visit www.zcs.org/mandarin or email Nakisha at ndejong@zcs.org.

泽兰基督教学校 – Escuela Cristiana de Zeeland – Zeeland Christian School is a threeschool – 8th-grade Christian school in Zeeland, MI. ZCS offers a non-traditional English program, the only 100% Christian Mandarin Immersion program in the Midwest (4yr olds-8th grade), the largest and the most established Christian Spanish Immersion program in Michigan (3yr old-8th grade). 

Along with a diversity of program offerings, we are blessed with a diverse staff with 12 different countries of origin represented amongst our faculty. The culture of Zeeland Christian may be most impacted though by the second oldest Inclusion program in North America. Every child is celebrated for their unique abilities and loved as a child of God.