Previous

Next

Ask a Question

Summary of Question:	How To Teach Punjabi
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Friday, 9/27/2002 10:13 AM MDT

Sat Sri Akal

How can I encourage my children to learn Punjabi, the thought of them going to classes at a temple does not appeal to them and It's so hard to teach them at home due to so many distractions? Is ther a fun way or approach to adopt? Living in an extended family there are so many distractions such as visitors!

(REPLY) Sat Nam. What a wonderful question! But it's not easy to answer, I certainly have no tested solution, but what comes to mind is: If you can't set up an appointment time at home, in a separate room, where you can teach for one hour every day or every week, or however often you determine to hold classes -- making it an "official" class, not just a casual thing, then how about finding someplace - weather permitting -- outdoors -- in a park where you can take the children on a regular basis, away from the distractions of home. If it's practical, perhaps you could invite other children to join, and really make it a formal class that would then enable you to tell unexpected visitors that a "class is in session" - so that you would not be disturbed? If you are creative and inventive, you might make up word games, using Panjabi terms, or tell them stories in which they have to supply missing words. We will love to know how successful you are - and what system you find works! having children (of course depends upon their ages) draw pictures to illustrate stories from Sikh history, and then write captions is another possibility. Blessings. SP