About Us
We are a locally born Los Angeles Chinese family with 3 children. We are both working professionals. I am a Vice-President at a large bank, and my husband works in Corporate Finance. Though Chinese, my husband and I unfortunately did not grow up speaking Mandarin. My husband was sent to a Palos Verdes Chinese school for 5 years, but admittedly did not learn much. In hindsight, he felt that it would have been much easier if his parents were to have begun his Mandarin education in an immersion environment and at an earlier age. So, when our children were born, we wanted them to learn Mandarin for two reasons: our culture and the ever-increasing global economy. We felt that it would be better and much easier for our children to learn Mandarin during their early childhood. We were fortunate to have found a wonderful home preschool provider in Monterey Park that immersed our children in Mandarin 9 hours a day/5 days a week. Our children easily became fluent Mandarin speakers as they learned to speak. To push it a step further, we spoke Cantonese to our children at home (for those of you who do not know, though both are Chinese dialects, they are about as similar as Spanish and Italian). Quite frankly, we were a little concerned when our eldest son was entering kindergarten, as we felt his English speaking skills were a bit sub-par (though his math and reading were 2 years ahead of his peers). However, he adapted very easily and quickly, is top of his class, an All-Star athlete, and has many great friends. He now fluently speaks 3 languages (Mandarin, Cantonese & English). I must say, the grandparents are very happy!
We strongly believe that all young children are highly intelligent, and it is up to the parents and educators to help them fulfill their maximum potential. We decided to develop Mandarin Tree to provide our youngest son and local parents with an opportunity to give their children the gift and advantages of effortlessly learning a second language. A gift that will last forever!
If you are still interested in learning more about the benefits of being bilingual, please see the “Additional Research” tab for more interesting articles on language immersion and learning a second language.
Our Laoshis
Jaycee, the former Director of the Mandarin Tree Academy earned a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education from Cal State Fresno University. Born in China, she most recently worked with young preschool aged children at a Reggio Emilia program. While in China, she taught English to high school students at one of the Top 3 high schools. Per the Director of her Masters degree program, Jaycee was identified as “our highest achieving graduate student!” We are very honored and thankful for Jaycee’s assistance in helping us develop our Mandarin immersion program.
Zhang Laoshi has worked as a preschool/kindergarten teacher in both China and the United States for over 6 years. She received her Child Development and Education diploma from the School of Child Development and Education. During her time in China, she also worked as a professional news journalist and editor. Her additional interests include piano, song, and dance.
Liu Laoshi also worked as a preschool/kindergarten teacher in both China and the United States. She received her teaching degree from the Zhengzhou University Training Centre. She has been with us for over 10 years. During her free time, Liu laoshi enjoys going to the gym to stay fit and healthy, cooking, and watching the NBA. We are very happy to have Ms. Liu as part of our team.
Our Values
At our Mandarin immersion preschool, we believe in the power of language and culture. We nurture strong minds and inspire young hearts. Our native Mandarin speaking teachers create a warm, engaging environment where children learn, explore and grow. Every day is an adventure filled with laughter and discovery! Join us as we build a bright future together, one joyful word at a time!