Sishu Mandarin Chinese Language School — Local services in New York

I had been scrolling and searching (a little aimlessly, I admit) for a local school that taught Mandarin and came across Sishu Mandarin by chance. I took a look at the reviews, and looked at the website for a couple of days before deciding to take a free trial lesson to see if I would enjoy it. I was contacted by the founder of the school, Tian, almost immediately and set up the free lesson for a week later. We met, and immediately I felt as though Tian was very kind and patient and I thought that someone who felt passionate about teaching others would employ others who felt the same. I made my decision to book a class package within 48 hours and I'm incredibly happy I did. Sishu has different class packages available; from 15 lessons to 60 lessons with the option to be remote/online or in person, and while it seems a little pricey, it's definitely worth the money. I've been learning mandarin for almost 3 months now and I have been enjoying every lesson so far. I really like the teaching style and since I booked the private online lessons (since the school is located in NYC and I'm in Central Jersey), it's helpful to have that one-on-one attention to help with my retention and learning. I'm very much looking forward to booking another class package once my current one is complete. (Side note: don't hesitate to try if you feel like you're too old to learn a new language. Anyone can learn a language at any age as long as they put in the work in and out of the classroom. The teachers put a lot of effort into growing your knowledge but you also have to put in the extra time to learn.) If you're looking for a quality education for yourself or your child, Sishu Mandarin is definitely the...

I was nervous about studying Chinese formally because I’ve heard it’s tough to get started in reading and writing - but Sishu Mandarin is so welcoming and understanding of different skill levels!! I joined their in person classes and the sense of community each week really helps to alleviate any nerves with everyone helping each other, and the instructors here go at a great pace even for absolute beginners. They start with the basics to make sure you learn right, and the difference between a real class versus just an app is HUGE. They even provided all the materials free with a digital textbook& workbook unlike some other learning classes.

Tian and his team are kind, knowledgeable, and great teachers who know how to break things down to keep the learning moving at a good pace. Can’t wait to feel confident speaking/ reading to put my Chinese skills to the test soon!! The classes in FiDi are in a gorgeous quiet building that also doubles as a traditional clothing shop during the day, an extra perk if you want to experience cultural...

The Sishu Mandarin Chinese Language program is a breath of fresh air! After visiting Taiwan with no Mandarin skills, I instinctively downloaded Duolingo, which helped jump start my vocabulary, but left a huge gap in foundational grammar, feedback, and interactive learning that led to my introduction to the Sishu Mandarin program via a Meetup class with lead instructor, Tian Zhou. The online class was a productive hour with an intimate group of students and instructors that focused on a challenging but accessible topic with drills and real world applications. The format of seeing everyone’s faces and everyone having a chance to speak and participate in the lesson while reviewing a shared screen of instructional text in Pinyin/Chinese characters gave the feel of being in a live classroom with the convenience of meeting online. Tian was also attentive and patient in answering all of our questions. I’m confident that Sishu Mandarin will help me meet my language goals. I’m looking forward to the online cultural...