Chapter Ten
There were people who asked Yang Zhu before whether this matter was cancelled or not, Yang Zhu told them that Ning Meng Yao was preparing to give the children books. Only then were they a.s.sured, some women even brought the watermelons from their house to give to Ning Meng Yao.
When they went over, they indeed saw Ning Meng Yao and Yang Le Le very busy at the courtyard. The table was filled with books that had just been finished.
"Finally, all of them are finished," Ning Meng Yao stretched her waist and pounded her own shoulder.
"That"s right. When are you planning to start teaching?" These past few days, Yang Le Le"s relationship with Ning Meng Yao was becoming much closer, she also learnt a few words, making her very happy.
Ning Meng Yao pondered, "You go back to tell Uncle Yang to let the villagers bring their children tomorrow. I will register their names then distribute the books to them."
"All of them?"
"No, only three books. Wait until they finish learning those then I will distribute the rest." Ning Meng Yao shook her head. She thought of a modern way of teaching and wanted to try using it.
Yang Le Le nodded her head in agreement. All of them had been copied and if a child threw it away, then Yao Yao would need to copy it again although it was harmless.
When Yang Le Le came back home in the afternoon, she told Ning Meng Yao"s intention to Yang Zhu and he immediately notified the villagers to gather and share this good news.
In the morning of the second day, not few people stood in front of the door to Ning Meng Yao"s house. There were children and other household members, coming over to take a look after hearing about the books distribution.
Ning Meng Yao opened the door and greeted the crowd and let them formed a line to go forward one by one.
Yang Le Le stood by Ning Meng Yao"s side. Whenever a name was noted down, Yang Le Le would give three books to that child.
There were a total of twenty six children. They all hugged their books happily and rubbed them, not wanting to put it down.
"All of you take the books here by tomorrow morning, do you understand?" Ning Meng Yao looked at the blissful children and laughed.
"Understood."
After receiving the books, the villagers all took their children back home. When they went back, they impatiently opened the books and looked at the beautifully written words. They all felt that Ning Meng Yao was really good. These three books must have costed a few hundred wen to be able to buy them. Although these were copies but they also took a lot of her time.
On the second day, the children that registered ate breakfast early and waited at the gate; letting Ning Meng Yao who wanted to start later had no choice but to let them in to her walled courtyards that had tables and chairs.
"Sit according to your heigts." Ning Meng Yao looked at a few children as she warmly smiled a smile that carried some seriousness.
After that, Ning Meng Yao started teaching them how to read the book using the method of reading while pointing at the words. They read a word while pointing at a word.
They spent around an hour like that, reading all three books. After reading all of them, Ning Meng Yao then taught them how to write simple words.
In front of every child were a sandbox and a branch. Ning Meng Yao took a regular long brush the length of the branches and let all the children saw her grip.
When their posture was incorrect, she would lend a hand to correct them.
After waiting for every child to successfully grip it, Ning Meng Yao used charcoal to write on the board the word "人" in a big size.
She spoke as she explained to the children and the children in the field listened very seriously. When Ning Meng Yao told them they could practice, all of them impatiently wrote.
Lin"er had the highest qualification. He looked at the word on the board and wrote only twice for his word to be neat. It was also because the word was simple.
After the children learn to write the word "人", Ning Meng Yao taught them the word "之" which was quite difficult to the children. When they couldn"t write it, Ning Meng Yao guided them with her hand and they was able to write it in their second and third try.
After the word "之", it was "初". This word was difficult to write. After an hour, only two to three children was able to write this word, Lin"er and Little Mu included.