How did you hear about Pistachio Mandarin Language Centre?
I was on the Internet searching for Mandarin lessons for my children and saw the Pistachio Mandarin Language Centre website appear. I really liked the website because it had a lot of great information, plus a range of options you could choose from to learn Chinese.
We were pleased to see there was a Saturday morning class to choose from and living on the North Shore we also had to consider location and travel time etc, so it was perfect for what we were searching for.
What were the main reasons you wanted your children to learn Mandarin?
I’m Chinese myself but I grew up in New Zealand. My parents have been here for 45 years and whilst I grew up understanding Cantonese, there weren’t a lot of opportunities then to use the language so I lost a lot of it along the way. It wasn’t until I graduated and shifted to Asia, including Hong Kong for 8 years; that I picked the language back up again. I believe there’s a real advantage to speaking Chinese, hence the reason I want my children to learn Mandarin. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to learn not only the language, but also the culture and history.
What does your child enjoy most in the Mandarin lessons?
My oldest child is quite shy and reserved and at first was a bit of a “deer in the headlights” and with lockdown last year he attended one group class but then the lessons went online.
Due to his nature he wasn’t thriving on the online group class, so we decided to book him in for one on one classes as well. The results have been fantastic! His confidence is growing and he absolutely loves his sessions with Andrea, his tutor. He would have a session with her everyday if he could as he loves it that much. It’s the way Andrea tutors that is making all the difference.
She has this amazingly warm approach where she encourages him to give it a try so she doesn’t correct him as such. She creates an environment where he feels brave enough to give it another go if he doesn’t get it right the first time. He absolutely loves the way she makes him feel. Andrea picks up on his body language and he is thriving working with her as his one on one tutor.
Would you recommend Pistachio Mandarin Language Centre?
Absolutely! The fact that our son is enjoying the Mandarin lessons and seeing his self-confidence growing is a massive success in itself. Thank you Andrea, you really do have a gift in bringing out the best in your students.
