Looking for Chinese Immersion Preschool near Albany or Berkeley
I have just moved to Bay area. I am in the process of searching high quality dual English and Chinese Immersion Preschool for my 6 month old son (Expected to send him in when he's 2.). I heard that the high quality one may have a long waiting list and likely need referral. High quality to me means not purely play-based. I would expected a certain amount of things to learn. The expected outcome from that preschool should well equip my son to enter good Kindergarten or elementary schools. It would be great if anyone could share your thoughts and experience. Thanks!!
A frustrated new parents.
Jun 21, 2021
Parent Replies
Hi "frustrated new parents" -
Two options I am exploring myself and they are very different. 1) Pacific Rim International School in Emeryville (PRINTS for short) -- it's Montessori-ish and language immersion (Mandarin) focused. They are open year round and have a huge campus. So far the research experience has been great for us but I will warn you (as everyone has) that it is on the more expensive end. You can understand why after exploring but it's still a big price tag. 2) Albany Sunflower Daycare is an at-home daycare with small class size that begins around 1yrs old. The instructor is experienced, has a defined curriculum, and seems very loving. GL!
Hi there, we have two kids at AIM, who each started when they were three. It is a Montessori Mandarin-immersion program, so the classes are of mixed ages. Out of all of the schools we visited prior to choosing AIM, we found AIM to be the most academically rigorous, but with a nice balance of playtime and opportunities for social interaction with the other children. The children learn Traditional writing and reading, and their Mandarin speaking skills have become much more sophisticated when speaking at home. Only Mandarin is spoken throughout the day when the kids are at school, except for their music class, which is taught by an English speaker. In addition to learning how to read and write in Chinese, they learn how to write in cursive, geography, math, and a host of other daily life-type activities (laundry, cleaning, food prep, etc.). Speaking with parents who have older children who graduated from AIM's preschool program, their kids found kindergarten/first grade to be a breeze. Though, with AIM being a Montessori school, kids are encouraged to stay for their kindergarten year.
The teachers are patient and kind, and really take care with the children. Also, the school's response during the COVID lock-down was amazing. They took every precaution to keep the entire AIM community safe, and once they reopened, were able to stay open with no outbreaks occurring. This is just to say that they put attention and care into all aspects of the school and community, and I believe that our children will be well-prepared for wherever they move onto afterward. Good luck with your search!