Shu Ren Int'l School of Berkeley Early Childhood - Jefferson

Archived Q&A and Reviews

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Thoughts on Shu Ren pre-K summer camps?

March 2015
I'm thinking about enrolling my 3.5 year old son in one of the pre-K Shu Ren summer camps, although he does not attend the school and doesn't speak Mandarin (understands some though). If you've had any experience with their summer camp, would you recommend it? I think it's about 24 kids and a 1:8 ratio? Thanks! El Cerrito Mom

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Hello,
I'm a current Shu Ren preschool parent who sends my kids to the summer camps and can
definitely recommend them to non-Shu Ren families. There's always quite a high proportion of
non-Shu Ren kids, some of whom have little Mandarin exposure, and certainly not all are
fluent. I cannot praise the immersion model highly enough-- little minds catch on so quickly,
and research shows consistently that it's the best way to learn. All the teachers are fluent
native speakers. And while it is full immersion, the teachers know enough English to use it
sparingly in certain situations (resolving a conflict or comforting a child if Mandarin isn't
working). They do have a max of 24 students and maintain at least a 1:8 ratio, but I've found
attendance varies from week to week over the summer, and sometimes there are fewer students
than this. 1:8 would be the minimum. My kids have a great time (come home with fun artwork,
new vocab, singing songs they learned, etc) and seem to make new friends easily, play with
everyone, etc. My daughter asks eagerly, ''Is it a school day today??'' The teachers are
really deliberate in integrating the group (old and new students), properly introducing
everyone, and yours would definitely not be the only new faces.
Happy Kids, Happy Mama

 

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Nov 2014

RE: North Berkeley placement for a 2 year old?

Hi, Re. preschool for a 2-year-old, I wanted to recommend our preschool, Shu Ren International School in N Berkeley. I'll start off by saying it is Mandarin-immersion, so you have to be into that, but they have a 2 y.o. class, and we've been very happy there. Due to licensing requirements kids can't start until their 2nd birthday, but they have had students join the class throughout the fall and early winter. It's a small class size (last two years it's been ~8 kids and 2 teachers). Potty training not required, but they pick it up fast from peers if they're not! This all might be moot if you have no interest in language immersion, but I'll just add that our child had no experience with the language before starting but it was not a difficult transition (little brains catch on SO quickly) and now my child is pretty bilingual already! And finally, while it might be ''preschool'' there is a good balance of structure, play, skills and fun. There don't seem to be too many options for this age out there, but we've really liked our experience w/ the school so far. Best wishes Happy Mama

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Jan 2013

Re: Reviews on GMIS and AIMS for a 3 yr old 
I went through the process of choosing a Mandarin preschool just last year and, after touring and learning more about all of the choices, we chose Shu Ren International School.

Why? 
1. 100% Mandarin 
2. Warm, caring, gentle teachers 
3. Incredible community

After the first 4 days at Shu Ren, my son came home singing songs non-stop in Mandarin. He had only minimal exposure to the language before starting at Shu Ren. A week after his first day, he told me he loved a certain teacher. A month later he became sad on weekends because he couldn't go to school. He LOVES Shu Ren. The transition from home to preschool was seamless. His understanding of Mandarin is now immense. He can understand almost everything his teachers say. That's the benefit of 100% immersion.

As a parent, the teachers keep me updated almost daily on my son's progress. We talk about goals for him and the teachers have even shared their own teaching goals. They're very open and accessible and I can't say enough about how warm and loving they are; all of them.

The administration runs the school very well and keeps parents well informed about anything and everything in the school. They are very accessible as well, always keeping their doors open, literally and metaphorically.

I can't say enough about Shu Ren. I know you asked about GMIS and AIM, but take a look at Shu Ren as well. They're not to be overlooked. nina

 

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July 2011

Re: Preschools near a BART station
Shu Ren International school is just a short walk from the N. Berkeley Bart stop. But more importantly is a dynamic and thriving pre-k thru 8 mandarin immersion school right here in Berkeley! The teachers are so very wonderful, and the days are spent not only with creative play (preK), but your child will learn an invaluable life skill of learning Mandarin! www.ShuRenInternationalSchool.com We couldn't be happier! Happy Shu Ren family p> 

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Jan 2011

Re: Preschools friendly for kids with nut allergies 
My sons' school, Shu Ren international School in Berkeley, is 100% nut free and has a great preschool. It is taught all in Mandarin and is theme-based learning, following the IB curriculum. My children come home with tons of artworks and are very happy there. You should go check them out. They are located at 1333 University Avenue. They will also be at the preschool fair this weekend in Oakland. Happy Shuren Parent

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Jan 2011

I have seriously been considering Shu Ren International School for my preschooler based on their preK 100% Mandarin immersion model and the few tours that I have gone to. I like their passion for education and dedication(from what I've seen) to their students and the Inquiry Based Model of Education. I would like to get some feed back from parents that are attending Shu Ren currently. I think that equipping my child with Mandarin is going to be advantageous and just want to hear what other families like about Shu Ren. thanks! anon

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We love Shu Ren! My son started in Pre-K and we are thrilled with all the teachers he has had, the dedication and thoughtfulness of the school administration, and the nurturing, creative environment. It is the only school in the area to offer full Mandarin immersion, meaning 100% Mandarin in Pre-K, then one hour of English a day in Kindergarten increasing each year until a 50/50 split is achieved around 3rd grade. The children respond so well and naturally to this environment and even students who do not speak any Chinese at home are now fluent. The teachers are warm and engaging, and they have a wonderful Kodaly music class every week as well as PE and loads of art. The small class size allows each child to work at their own pace and to get a lot of individual attention, which is so important when they all start at different levels of Chinese. In the elementary grades, the school bases its curriculum on the International Baccalaureate system and is planning to apply to become an IB school. The curriculum goes in-depth into the individual subjects and I am constantly amazed by how much my son in learning. But they also track students progress in English and Math according to state standards, and I know many of the students are now reading and doing math above their grade level. We are so pleased to have such a wonderful, caring school where my son can get a challenging, rigorous education that will truly make him bilingual and bicultural, as well as a well-rounded student and a critical and creative thinker. happy shu ren mom

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My sons attend Shu Ren currently. The preschool is wonderful this year, filled with music, dancing, and art projects and all taught in Mandarin. If you want your child to learn Mandarin, the earlier you start exposing him/her to the tonal language, the easier it will be for them to pick it up or rather not lose that ability to hear the nuances of the language. We've been very happy with the way the preschool was re-organized this year, bringing in more parental involvement (if desired) and we all enjoy the music recordings the teachers make for us to continue learning/hearing what will be taught that quarter while we are in the car or at home. I highly recommend our pre school to anyone. I'm sure if you want to talk to any parent, go to the school around 8:45 am and see who is hanging out there in front chatting. I'm sure you would get the same perspective from any parent. Parent to 2 happy Shuren Kids

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We are a first year family at Shu Ren and come from a non-Chinese speaking family. Our oldest son is in the Kindergarten class and we are so happy with his education and the overall experience with Shu Ren. His Mandarin is amazing for only having four months exposure to it. He speaks with little to no accent and has excellent character recognition. I know immersion programs can worry parents as many fear it will put their child behind other children who are not in immersion programs. We haven't found this to be the case at all. Our son skills are progressing exactly how weC-d hoped they would, in English and Chinese.

The school has far exceeded our expectations on a number of levels. The class size is small and my son gets lots of individualized attention. His kindergarten teacher is amazing and has helped my son feel very comfortable and excel in his learning process. Our son is a little shy, and his teacher has really nurtured him and encouraged him with his Chinese. He is doing so well, that he is now teaching his mother Chinese! The inquiry-based method they use for teaching is excellent. As a matter of fact, the school is striving for accreditation with a very well known International education method and currently uses their system to define the curriculum. We can already see how it has encouraged our son to be an independent thinker and look at the world from a more global view, even at 5!.

Additionally, our son attends the aftercare program for one hour, three times a week. During this time, he is able to work with another great teacher, who assists him with his Chinese homework. Something my wife and are not able to do. The Aftercare teacher is great about helping him with his homework first, with lots of play afterwards. Overall, we have had no issues with the fact that we are unable to help our son with his Chinese homework.

The founder and head of the school, Jie Moore, has done an excellent job of providing a learning environment that is attentive to the emotional well being of the kids while still providing academic excellence. She is attentive to the issues that arise and is truly dedicated to providing the best education for all of the students.

Overall I would rate Shu Ren an A+ and highly recommend this school.

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My child has been to two Mandarin/English schools. She is currently enrolled in Shu Ren International School.

I like Shu Ren not just because of the Mandarin and Chinese culture aspect of the education, I also like it because: 1. She gets a lot more personal attention from the teachers. Teachers are very kind. She was very timid at the previous school, but now is much happier and more confident. 2. Besides the recess playground time, they offer PE classes, and Music classes. She was very happy to do yoga, zumba, sing and dance. 3. Shu Ren not just focus on Chinese culture, they also teaches cultures, histories about other regions. So overall, I am very happy with the school, so is my child. Happy Parent

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When I was selecting schools for my son, I looked at all of the Mandarin immersion programs in the area, including SF. I wanted a true immersion model, because my research and personal experience tell me that it is most effective way to become fluent in both languages.

In addition, I wanted a nurturing environment, with at small student to teacher ratio, as well as a focus on the whole education, not just on the Mandarin. I found that Shuren is the only one providing a true immersion education. You can find more information on their website about the definition of immersion. (www.shureninternationalschool.com)

Moreover, I am very impressed that they have found such qualified teachers. The bios on their website provide some insight into their skills. In addition, they've been extremely open to communication with parents. Finally, the principal and founder is following the International Baccalaureate model, and plans apply for candidacy. It seems to be the model of the future, as most of the top US high schools are IB schools. There is also a lot of focus on enrichment programs. Currently, the students have Kodaly music classes as part of their regular curriculum. It is a growing school and has been open 2 years. I felt comfortable with the school's philosophy and the founder's passions in executing her vision. At the end of the day, I am confident having entrusted my child to them.. Shuren Parent b

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Oct 2010

Re: Chinese Immersion for Chinese/African American child 
If you are in the East Bay, there is a fantastic Chinese immersion preschool right here in Berkeley, Shu Ren International School. The Pre-K is taught in 100% Mandarin, and the student body is very diverse. Their website is: http://shureninternationalschool.com. They will host an open house in mid-November. shu ren parent

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June 2010

As the parents of a former student at Shu Ren, we feel obliged, as a service to parents searching for a preschool, to retell our experiences, as they were not positive.

After our interview and initial visits, we were incredibly high on Shu Ren. We liked the layout of the school and the seeming professionalism and commitment of all there. We were indifferent to the IB program they're intent on running, but we figured that, for a preschool, the Mandarin immersion would be perfect. When we arrived in the fall, however, cracks in that image began to appear. We were sold on a small class (around 8 students) of one age group with a high degree of supervision. What we found in the fall was a class of 24 students ranging from 2.5 to 5 years old packed into the same room that previously housed 8. We were told that extra staff would be brought in to deal with the influx, and they were, but the calm environment we'd seen the year before was never to be had. In our estimation, the teachers were overwhelmed by this large a group of students and virtually everything that one would expect from a school suffered because of it.

The kind of attention to one's child that one would expect from a small class environment was non-existent. Teachers were too busy trying to manage crises to guide and develop each child to the fullest of their potential. On top of that, the level of communication between teachers and parents left much to be desired. When incidents happened, we were either told about them in only the most cursory way, or weren't told about them at all until weeks or months later. As if that wasn't bad enough, knowing the kind of stresses this many children was placing on the teachers and the students, the management of Shu Ren continued to take in yet more students as the year went on.

In sum, we regret being swayed by the surface attractiviness of Shu Ren (and this includes the Mandarin immersion aspect) and not paying closer attention to what truly mattered to our child: a calm and nurturing environment. Concerned

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I am writing in response to the review of Shu Ren posted in the last newsletter. I am sorry to hear that parent had a negative experience there, but as a Shu Ren parent for two years, I wanted to offer another perspective. My son was in the Pre-K class last year (with the same main teacher as this year) and we were very happy with the class, the teacher, the curriculum, and, overall, the environment of the school. The teacher, while young, was warm, enthusiastic, and energetic. This year, the school did grow significantly (as one would expect of any successful school in its second year) and in some ways the administration and teachers were unprepared for the sudden increase in class size. Yet the administration has been very responsive to parent feedback and open to acknowledging what did not work well, and has presented specific plans to deal with those issues. Among those changes, a new, more experienced Pre-K teacher will be brought in to work with the current teacher to better manage a bigger class size.

The sudden growth period is now over for the school, and we expect that from here on out the talented administration will be able to focus on continuing to develop and grow the school in a healthy and consistent way. My son is now finishing his Kindergarten year at Shu Ren, and my husband and I have been truly impressed by the staff's dedication to language immersion, which cannot be matched by any other local school. Even more important that that, however, is the energy, enthusiasm, intelligence, and creativity we have seen consistently from all the staff and teachers. In contrast to the previous reviewer, we have found Shu Ren to provide, above all, a very calm and nurturing environment, which is in fact the most important reason we chose the school. Happy Shu Ren parent

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May 2010

Re: Need great preschool three days a week 7:30-5:00 
My son currently goes to Shu Ren International School's Preschool program. It is a play-based, theme-oriented program all taught in Mandarin. Even the kids without any Chinese re-inforcement at home are now speaking Mandarin. My son has loved going to school since he started there over a year ago and he will be in their kindergarten class next year. My second son will be in the pre-K program next year too. They are currently located in Berkeley on University, but this fall will be moving to South Berkeley/ North Oakland area. Their schedule runs from 8:30am to 3pm, but they have free care from 7:30-8:30am and they have extended care to 6pm. If you are interested, just give them a call to schedule a tour so you can see for yourself what a great school this is. Their website is www.shureninternationalschool.com. And their number is (510) 981-0320. Good luck in your search. I remember how hard it is. Christine, Shu Ren Mom

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May 2009

Hi -- I'm looking for feedback on Shu Ren's preschool and/or after school program, particularly from parents whose children did not already speak Mandarin upon entering the school. Did your child learn Mandarin within the first year? Are the teacher(s) nurturing and loving? I want my child to learn Mandarin, but I don't want to sacrifice the wonderful, caring environment he currently is in. Thanks! Global Mom

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My son has been in the preschool at Shu Ren since the fall and we love it. He's been happy there since the first day and looks forward to going to school every morning. The teachers and staff are all nurturing and loving with the children, and it's a very friendly, warm atmosphere for parents and students. The Pre-K class has seen a lot of changes throughout the year since it has grown from 2 students to almost 20, but despite the constant stream of new students, the teacher has done a great job making everyone feel welcome and comfortable. My son spoke Chinese before he went there, but his comfort level with the language has improved greatly and he now tells me he likes Chinese more than English. I know that the children who didn't speak Chinese when they came have learned quickly, especially those there full-time. The teachers are very good about communicating with parents, and they post photos and updates about what they do in class each week on a blog. It's a wonderful school and we highly recommend it. Happy Shu Ren parent

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Neither my wife nor I speak Mandarin and so our duaghter did not know any Mandarin starting school at Shu Ren. Our daughter has been going to their preschool for a little over a month. She is enrolled full time program (7:30AM to 6:00PM). So far we have had very good experience with the school. I think they have amazing teachers. Their main preschool teacher Meng-Pei Chen is wonderful with kids. The school's director Jie Moore is very knowledgeable about education. Their after-school program is also excellent. My daughter always feels happy about going to the school and she always seems very happy when I pick her up in the evening. This means a lot to me. As an added benefit, our daughter likes to try to teach us Mandarin when she comes home. Overall, I feel lucky that such a school exits close to where we live. I would whole heartedly recommend it. Nilabh

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We simple love it. My son began without knowing how to speak any Chinese and is now fluent. The transformation has been amazing. The kids are happy and the teachers are passionate and I can tell they care a lot about the kids they teach. There is a regular blog that tells you about their ''inquiry'' for the week with photos of their activies and it helps us feel involved even though we're not there. We feel very fortunate to be a part of a community that is growing beautifully. Shu Ren parent

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Hi, My son started at Shuren preschool as a part-time student in January and within 2 days requested that I switch him to full-time there. I think the environment is extremely nurturing as he loves all his teachers, especially the head pre-school teacher Pei Pei, and has made several friends there. Although he did speak Mandarin prior to starting there (solely with me at home), his Mandarin has improved dramatically since starting at Shuren. I really like the constant Mandarin exposure. In addition, there are other children that he speaks Mandarin to as well, so he's not just getting Mandarin strictly from the adults. The times when my son acts up, I have seen the teacher patiently distract and respectfully discuss with him the conflict at hand and then come to a mutual agreement with him. However, what I like most about Shuren is actually how well informed they tend to keep the parents. I never feel like I am not a part of his education. I feel very comfortable and welcome in the classroom which is always full of the children's art projects. Parents get a weekly newsletter from the teacher with pictures of their activities and descriptions of the songs they are learning, etc... In short, I can highly recommend that you give Shuren a try. If you have more specific questions, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Christine

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Feb 2009

Re: Bilingual/Immersion Preschool that teaches Chinese 
I don't know about Starlite, but I can strongly recommend Shu Ren International School, a new Chinese immersion school in Berkeley. My son is in the pre-school (pre-k) there and we have been extremely happy with the teachers, his language development, and the community that is being built up around the school. The pre-k classes are 100% Mandarin; English will be gradually introduced in Kindergarten and higher grades. The teachers are warm, knowledgeable and creative, and it's been a very stimulating and loving environment for our son. Teachers communicate very well with parents and even keep blogs where they update parents every week on what the kids do in the classroom and post photos. Their website is http://shureninternationalschool.com/ and phone number is: (510) 981-0320. I recommend you check it out. shu ren parent