Q: Do you know what shuochang is? (explain briefly)

A: More or less. I practice with Jackie all the time, so I think I should know shuochang to some extent.

Q: Why did you let Jackie learn shuochang?

A: It’s because Jackie likes performing on stage. The shuochang club is ideal for Jackie because the school offers an experienced teacher to train Jackie, and he is also able to perform on stage. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Q: Did you notice any changes in Jackie after learning shuochang?

A: That’s for sure. Before he received any formal shuochang training, he just liked learning shuochang. Under Ms. Li’s training, Jackie has improved dramatically in his stage presence and articulation. He is also more poised after getting more on-stage performing experiences. Jackie has also improved his general knowledge in Chinese literature because he needs to memorize quite a number of scripts, and these scripts are helpful in raising kids’ general knowledge, reading proficiency, and script writing abilities.

Q: (Continued from previous question) Is Jackie quick in memorizing the script?

A: Very fast, I would say. Like now the higher grades are required to memorize lots of things, and Jackie is able to handle that quite well thanks to the training he received in shuochang class.

Q: Did Jackie face any difficulties or setbacks while learning shuochang?

A: Too many scripts to memorize. When the teacher sees a student who learns with a positive attitude, cooperates in practices, and performs on stage willingly, that student is going to end up getting a lot more attention from the teacher. As a result, Jackie had to spend more time to get ready. After a while, he started feeling a bit frustrated because other students didn’t need to spend so much time for preparation. But after he found out his on-stage performance was better than that of his classmates’, he felt very happy. And he is now very willing to assume more responsibilities from the teacher.

Q: How did you get him through that difficult phase?

A: I practiced with him. He got a lot of cross talks duo performances, so I would be his partner to go over the script, correct each other’s intonation, and arrange the movements.

Q: Did Jackie have any shuochang performing experiences before? How much time did it take him to prepare before each performance?

A: Yes, he did. He practices at home everyday after he gets the script from the teacher.

Q: Do you think his involvement in shuochang is taking up too much of his time and hindering his school work?

A: No, not at all.

Q: Do you wish to let Jackie continue learning shuochang in the future?

A: As long as he likes it and works hard on it, I’m all for it.

Q: (Continued from previous question) Jackie will be entering sixth grade next year. Will this added schoolwork giving you second thoughts?

A: These are two completely different things. Jackie does not have any plans after school, so we let him choose what he wants to do, like taekwondo, music, or table tennis are activities that he enjoys, and he finds them relaxing. That’s why he has been able to maintain his top ranking at school.

Q: Does shuochang class help Jackie relieve stress?

A: Yes, it helps because Jackie got a sense of accomplishment and a great deal of joy from his performance.

Q: Some parents mentioned that in later parts of the shuochang class, the materials that the kids have to memorize are more sophisticated, and they start to feel pressure piling up. Has that been the case for Jackie?

A: Not really. On the contrary, I actually hope Ms. Li could give Jackie more materials to work with. But I understand that Ms. Li has the entire class to look after, so she has to be fair to every student. When he first started learning shuochang, the biggest challenge for him was not being able to bring the script home. Ms. Li was afraid the kids may lose the script, so she collected the scripts at the end of each class. Jackie would come home telling me he really wanted to memorize the script. We informed Ms. Li about the situation, and she was very pleased to learn that her students were so eager to memorize the script. She agreed to let her students bring home their script for practices. Jackie frequently joins in competitions outside of school. I used to help Jackie write scripts because his script-writing ability was limited due to his young age. I would first ask him for his opinion and then help him to elaborate on the idea to come up with a script for competition. However, I am no longer able to provide Jackie with such help this year, so I asked him if he wanted to stop taking part in the competition. In the end, he expressed his desire to continue in the competition, and he would do it by himself. He has since managed his time well and worked for things that he is interested in. I can see Jackie maturing.

Q: Can you give Jackie a few words of encouragement?

A: Jackie, I will be extremely happy if you are able to work hard on the things you enjoy and be responsible for yourself.

Q: Finally, can you give a few words of encouragement to parents whose children are interested in learning shuochang?

A: I think learning is endless, and the art of shuochang has brought a lot of help to the students. It is not merely a performance, it is helping our kids to gain knowledge, raise their reading proficiency, and improve their articulation. Furthermore, shuochang can make an impact on the lives of our kids. Shuochang offers tremendous help to our kids, and as long as they are interested in shuochang, you should be there for them because anything that they are able to learn will remain theirs eternally.

Q: Can you give other parents some suggestions? (on how to help their kids learn shuochang?)

A: Unless you kid is highly motivated to learn shuochang, otherwise don’t be surprised to see their drive for learning shuochang trailing off. When they start to get lazy about learning shuochang, you need to give them a push. It is only with your help so they can get through this difficult juncture. When they are able to rediscover the fun of learning shuochang, then they will perform even better than before. Therefore, I strongly believe that when kids are faced with a difficult situation, parents must be there for them to get them through difficult time.

Q: Shuochang is included in our middle grade curriculum. Higher grades do not have shuochang classes because of their mounting schoolwork. Do you think higher grades should include shuochang in their curriculum?

A: Chinese class in fifth grade starts to get really heavy with classical literature, poetry, and reading comprehension. Teachers will also ask their students to memorize the text or write from their memory, which are things that kids are never content to do so because it is not easy. However, some shuochang scripts contain historical events, so teachers may use them in Chinese class. This should improve the effectiveness of their learning, and they won’t feel too stressed out.