Berkeley Parents Network: Shu Ren International School (Berkeley, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network

Shu Ren International School (Berkeley, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > K-12 Schools > Shu Ren International School

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oct 2008

We are asking parents' input on Shu Ren International School. We visited the school with our 4-year-old daughter and really liked their environment. But since it's new, we would like to hear from Shu Ren's parents about the teachers and the kind of progress their children are making. We are hoping this would help with our decision making. looking for info

My son has been at Shu Ren in the Pre-K class since it opened in September and we are extremely pleased with the school so far. He has been very happy to go to school every day. Overall, it has been a very creative and stimulating place for him and he has been thriving there.

The curriculum is based on the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, which is centered around themes, and so all the day's activities are interconnected and relate to the particular theme they are working on (right now the theme is My Body and so they learn songs, do art projects, read stories, play games, etc about various parts of their bodies.) The day is quite structured (compared to play-based pre-schools) but they seem to have plenty of time for free play and to play outside. But the best part is the Chinese immersion. Even though my son was fluent in Chinese before entering Shu Ren, he was always more comfortable speaking English in new situations, but his Chinese has really taken off since he's been there. The teachers are warm, thoughtful and making a good effort to create an active and dynamic environment, even with just a few students. They also are great at communicating with parents. Our son's teacher writes up a summary of what they did in the classroom each week and posts it on a blog with photos for parents to see. I've also heard great things about the kindergarten/1st grade teacher.

The one downside is that enrollment is low (there are currently six students in the pre-k class, some of whom are part-time), but that is changing as new students have been enrolling almost every week. I highly recommend Shu Ren to anyone who wants their child to learn Mandarin, or just wants a small, warm, creative environment. shu ren mom

Our son has been attending Shu Ren for about a month and a half now and it has been a remarkable experience. Friends of ours who speak Mandarin are so surpised to hear him speak in beautifully pronounced Mandarin because they know that he didn't speak a word of Chinese just a couple months ago.

He absolutely adores his teacher and comes home singing songs everyday. In fact, he likes the songs so much that he sings to himself while we're in the car or running errands. I have no doubt that he will soon be completely fluent in the language.

Our kindergarten teacher, Kai Yao is amazing and just a natural at teaching. She laughs a lot with the children and seems to enjoy their company as much as they enjoy her's. We are delighted and grateful to have such a supportive and engaging learning environment for our child. Shu Ren Parent

Our daughter started part-time at Shu Ren a few weeks ago, and we have been pleased with her experience so far. The teachers and administration are very committed, smart, and enthusiastic. They have been flexible about enrollment (full-time, part-time, half-days, full days, etc). Class size is small so far. We would love to see more students so the school will be successful and sustainable! camille

Oct 2008

Re: Chinese school in Albany?
There is a new Chinese immersion school in Berkeley, Shu Ren International School, which also has after school Chinese classes that are open to the community. Our son is currently a student there and it is a great school with wonderful teachers and a friendly, warm atmosphere. They are having an open house next Wednesday, October 29. Their website is: http://shureninternationalschool.com/ and phone number is (510) 981-0320. The address is 1333 University Avenue, Berkeley. Shu Ren parent

If you're interested in a very good Mandarin language program, you may want to check out Shu Ren International School at 1333 University Avenue in Berkeley, which also offers after school classes. My daughter goes there for a beginning Mandarin Chinese class twice a week. Because the school is new, their enrollment is pretty low right now, so it's like getting a private class for the cost of a group class. You can contact them at 510-981-0291 or 510-981-0320. Their website is shureninternationalschool.com. Amy

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