Continuum Continuum 2020 | Page 37

The art of teaching Chinese Sevenoaks was amongst the first schools in England to offer Mandarin, in response to just a handful of children who wanted to learn it. Now it’s in real demand. Over 125 students, and counting. Learning the characters is key of course; how to read them and write them. So naturally our dive into the culture also involves attempts to teach Chinese calligraphy. Lettering or art form? You decide. If you’re not fluent, this phrase means ‘seven oak trees’.