About Us
Our Family Story
We are a locally born Los Angeles Chinese family with three children, and we are both working professionals — I am a Vice-President at a large bank, and my husband works in Corporate Finance. Though we are Chinese, my husband and I did not grow up speaking Mandarin. My husband was sent to a Chinese school in Palos Verdes for five years, but admittedly did not learn much.
In hindsight, he felt it would have been far easier had his parents begun his Mandarin education in an immersion environment 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 believed it would be far easier for them to learn during early childhood.
We were fortunate to find a wonderful home preschool in Monterey Park that immersed our children in Mandarin nine hours a day, five days a week. They became fluent Mandarin speakers as they learned to talk. To push it a step further, we spoke Cantonese at home (though both are Chinese, the two are about as similar as Spanish and Italian).
We were a little concerned when our eldest son entered kindergarten, worried his English might be a bit behind — though his math and reading were already two years ahead of his peers. He adapted quickly, became top of his class and an all-star athlete with many close friends, and now fluently speaks three languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, and English. The grandparents are very happy!
Why We Started Mandarin Tree
We strongly believe that all young children are highly intelligent, and that it is up to parents and educators to help them reach their full potential. We created Mandarin Tree to give our youngest son — and local families — the chance to give their children the gift and advantages of effortlessly learning a second language. A gift that lasts forever.
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of bilingualism, see our Benefits of Immersion page for research and articles on language immersion.
Meet Our Laoshi
Our Mandarin teachers (Laoshi) are native speakers, hand-selected for their experience, warmth, and love of teaching young children.
Jaycee helped develop our Mandarin immersion program and earned a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Cal State Fresno. Born in China, she worked with preschool-aged children in a Reggio Emilia program and previously taught English at one of China’s top high schools, where her graduate program director called her “our highest-achieving graduate student.”
Zhang Laoshi has taught preschool and kindergarten in both China and the United States for over six years. She holds a Child Development and Education diploma, and in China also worked as a professional news journalist and editor. Her interests include piano, song, and dance.
Liu Laoshi has also taught preschool and kindergarten in China and the United States, and has been with us for over ten years. She earned her teaching degree from the Zhengzhou University Training Centre. In her free time she enjoys the gym, cooking, and watching the NBA.
Our Values
At Mandarin Tree Academy, 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 an adventure filled with laughter and discovery. Join us as we build a bright future together, one joyful word at a time.