Xiao Long Center

My kids (now 7 and 4) have been taking Mandarin lessons at the Xiao Long Center since my daughter was in preschool and my son was still in diapers. I can’t say enough positive things about Jennifer, the director, and the wonderful teachers. Guo Qing, the instructor for the older students, and Xia, the teacher for the younger ones, as well as all of the assistants, are knowledgeable, kind, and know well how to engage the kids.
My daughter has taken other Mandarin classes, and getting her to them was a weekly battle. At Xiao Long Center, she runs in to join her class, and delights in making beautiful brush paintings and calligraphy in addition to learning the language. My son is in a drop-​off class for the first time this year, and it’s been an a truly empowering experience for him. He’s counting, naming colors and even writing numbers in Chinese, all with a huge grin on his face.
One of the most unusual features of Xiao Long Center, and a huge positive for us, is the diversity of the student body. Unlike many Chinese classes, Xiao Long Center is a true mix of Chinese American kids whose first language was English, non-​Chinese kids of all races, and kids like mine, who were born in China and adopted into non-​Chinese families. Learning Mandarin with all types of kids – not just kids with Chinese parents or other kids adopted from China – has been a great experience for my family, and we plan to continue to take classes at Xiao Long as long as we can!