Bilingual in Cantonese and English, Ms. Yan was born in China but raised in New York City from the age of three. Over the course of ten years, she has taught children of various ages, from preschool to fifth grade in New York City and San Francisco. She earned her master’s degree in education from Bank Street College of Education. Ms. Yan believes that every child has the potential to learn beyond expectations when they feel safe, loved, and excited to learn. In her free time, she loves to hike, camp, practice yoga, and complete 1000 piece puzzles. Ms. Yan joined the Advancement Team in 2022.

BEGAN AT CAIS 1999

With a wellspring of enthusiasm, Yang Laoshi gets children singing and smiling their way through the day. An alumni parent herself (Aaron ’07), Yang Laoshi has been teaching kindergarten at CAIS since 1999. Originally from Beijing, Yanmei also taught Kindergarten for over ten years in her hometown upon graduation with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She loves singing and dancing, and her hobbies include gardening, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

BEGAN AT CAIS 1999

We are celebrating Yang Laoshi’s 22nd year educating and supporting students at CAIS. Prior to joining CAIS, Yang Laoshi served as editor for the Taiwanese National Math Curriculum and as math master teacher and consultant for the Taiwan Province. She continues to bring her expertise not only to her classroom, but to her peers as well.

Began at CAIS 2014

See School Spotlight—Annie Yu

Began at CAIS 2019

Daisy Yu speaks fluent Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. She grew up in China, and immigrated to the United States 10 years ago. This year is her fifth year at CAIS and she is in her fourth year of college. Her major is Childhood and Adolescent Development. Having worked in the CAIS Auxiliary Program, at the Oak Campus Front Desk, and the Advancement Team, Daisy brings her CAIS experience to our Preschool team.”

BEGAN AT CAIS 2020

Zhang Laoshi joined CAIS in 2020 having taught Mandarin and coordinating the Mandarin immersion program for the previous five years at Pacific Beach Middle School. Prior to that she held teaching positions at Harvard University, Columbia University, and Mesa College. Zhang Laoshi holds an M.Ed. from Harvard University, an MA from Peking University, and a BA from Beijing Language and Culture University. In addition, she has presented at numerous conferences and received a number of awards for outstanding teaching.

Began at CAIS 2023

Ms. Zheng had the diverse experience of growing up in both Guangdong, China, and San Francisco. In her daily life, she enjoys reading financial news, exploring information about various companies, spending time with her friends’ pets, and traveling to less popular places/destinations. In the future, she hopes to dedicate her extra time and energy to assisting shelter animals and helping those around her.

BEGAN AT CAIS 2018

Zheng Laoshi began at CAIS as a long-term substitute and quickly impressed the community. She deftly managed the pivot to Distance Learning and is now an integral part of the Middle School Chinese language faculty! She came to us as a recent graduate of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in Chinese teaching, and had most recently taught at the Santa Catalina School in Monterey; she also has much expertise in curriculum development.

Began at CAIS 2021

Zhuang laoshi served as a Chinese teacher and Art teacher  at St. Mary’s Chinese Language School and Sky Kids SF. In 2018, she made the decision to study early childhood education courses at City College and have since completed all the required courses and obtained the California Early Childhood Teacher Permit. She joined CAIS in 2021. Zhuang Laoshi graduated from the Department of Art and Design of Tsing Hua University and has been engaged in interior environment design for 18 years. These experiences have given her design thinking and often bring it to her teaching. She loves Chinese art, and enjoys integrating these artistic elements into Chinese and art courses, which is helpful for children to understand Chinese culture in the process of playing. In free time, she likes to travel, especially visiting art galleries in various cities.