THE TSOI FAMILY
Cindy and her husband are both working parents and they have 2 daughters together, Christin and Caitlin. The eldest, Christin used to be an iSpeech student and now Caitlin is enrolled on the offline Cantonese Story Narration course.
Christin and Caitlin won ‘Best Storytelling Performance’ award. Are they both quite communicative with each other?
We first enrolled Christin when she was in K2 and through various courses such as
高階思維, 趣味中文認讀 and 情境詞彙 has helped tremendously with her communication skills. We actually thought that we enrolled Christin a bit too late, therefore for Caitlin, we started her at PN. Both of the girls have benefited from the different courses that iSpeech offers.
We have seen increased motivation in Caitlin wanting to learn and is excited to learn. She thoroughly enjoys every lesson and is always happy. When I read with her, she understands that a story has different layers and is able to convey her thoughts and ideas to me in regards to the storyline.
Along with asking for their opinions, we afford them the space to make decisions on their own, ensuring that they feel supported. The iSpeech lessons also tap into the girls’ creativity and appreciate their use of imagination, which is probably a contributing factor to winning the award.
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How do you manage to find reading time with Christin and Caitlin amongst a busy schedule?
It is a struggle as both of the girls have different schedules. We may read 3-4 times a week, but it is hard to do it daily. Our reading time isn’t structured, but we are always mindful to read with them and try to prioritise it. Christin does read independently now and I have found that she has a preference for English books. I let her take the lead and she shows enthusiasm in reading books – her current read is Harry Potter and although I think the language is sophisticated for her age, she enjoys the challenge.
I find myself reading with Caitlin more since she is the youngest and I have found that she has great interaction when we talk about the storyline and characters. She is pro-active in expressing herself and talking about her own ideas to me, which I appreciate since she has been on the Story Narration course.
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Since the girls are at different stages of reading, do you have to keep abreast with which books are suitable for their age?
I like to wander around bookstores and check the latest releases and recommendations. Then I will buy the books online as it is more convenient and I can buy in bulk. Christin’s school will also provide a reading list and I will use that as reference too. Honestly, we don’t visit the library, but I enjoy curating a home library for them.
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In which ways do you bond with Christin and Caitlin?
We use the time before bed to slow down and let the girls confide in us and talk about their day. Through these talks, we gain insight into their developing minds and the depths of their little personalities. Even though we may not be able to read with them daily as much as we would like to, however I find that pillow talk is equally important.
We like going out as a family and taking them to amusement parks and the beach. It is paramount that they have enough time to play and enjoy their childhood. Christin’s homework is manageable at the moment, I find that through homework, children learn to be self-motivated when it comes to reviewing for tests/exams, and initiative and self-discipline. As parents, we have to find the right balance of academics and play. We want them to have a strong work ethic and also find the joy in learning.
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How do you discover and develop their passions?
I believe that each child has their own interests and talents. Nurturing these is the best way to prepare our children for today’s world and important to enable them to discover their purpose.
Christin and Caitlin enjoy music and both play 2 instruments each. It’s key for music to be relatable to the children, rewarding and meaningful to them. I am really happy that they feel they have a connection to music and it is not purely just a task to learn.
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Would you recommend iSpeech alone based on the experience you had at the inaugural Achievement Ceremony?
We have always enjoyed the offline events organised by iSpeech. At the Achievement Ceremony, we felt that the location, being at University of Hong Kong was quite special. The environment at the ceremony was encouraging and positive and all the iSpeech team members genuinely showed care and thought into the activities prepared for the students. We believe in the importance of child-initiated learning, that emphasises the child’s interests, choices, and pace of learning.
Lastly, why did you choose iSpeech for Christin and Caitlin?
iSpeech’s approach to educating children is very different to what I have experienced in so-called traditional methods of drilling information. iSpeech treats every child like individuals, they show them that we honour and appreciate them for who they are; in turn, this helps boost their confidence. Learning how to have conversations is important for children’s development, relationships and wellbeing. iSpeech has helped the girls develop conversation skills by talking and listening with them. The teaching method is very good at prompting, guiding and practising with them.
We understand the trend for online courses and to embrace digital learning, but with so much screen time, we much prefer private in-person lessons at home. We are satisfied with the rate for having private offline lessons where the time is matched to the family’s and the teaching quality is excellent
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Writer's Notes
Sometimes childhood in Hong Kong seems more functional than happy and the Tsoi family are very mindful of this and are conscious in creating a happy balance for their daughters. I had a wonderful time talking to Cindy and was able to talk to Christin and Caitlin too. They were confident in expressing their likes and dislikes and I felt that within the family they listen to their daughters. Child-rearing is a partnership between parent and child and we should realise the individual little beings who not only want to be just like us but are already like us, too: Learning and living and growing, every single day.
October 2024
