Bear Cub Mandarin

Immersion Preschool Academy, Infant & Toddler Center


小  熊  學  園

 

Serving families from Arlington, Lexington, Winchester, Waltham, Boston, Brookline, Newton, Needham, Natick, Somerville, Cambridge, Weston, Medford, Bedford, Lincoln, Concord, and Belmont. 


“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”

- Frank Smith



About Bear Cub Mandarin

Bear Cub Mandarin Immersion Preschool Academy, Infant & Toddler Center in Arlington, MA is a boutique program offering a Mandarin immersion environment in all our classrooms- infant, toddler, preschool, and afterschool programs- through a Reggio Emilia-inspired, play-based, child-centered education.  

Bear Cub's children, ages 3 months to 6 years old, are given a space developmentally safe and appropriate to explore, collaborate, observe, and experiment guided by native Mandarin-speaking teachers. Outside of circle time meetings and class activities, teachers look for and create moments to enhance each child’s experience and to provide Mandarin language exposure in context and real-time.

Children are born with the ability to learn any language. Experts say that children should begin to learn a foreign language from a young age, and the younger, the better. Inspired by the profound Reggio Emilia’s "The Hundred Languages" - the belief that children are natural communicators - Mandarin is offered as one important means by which children may explore and experience the world. Whether you are looking to introduce Mandarin as a second or third language, or to reinforce the language spoken in your home, we encourage you to consider Bear Cub Mandarin as the place to facilitate your child’s world of learning and exploration.

“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.”

- Flora Lewis

Philosophy

We believe that young children are powerful, capable, and autonomous individuals. In our child-centered environment, teaching is both intentional and flexible, and children are recognized as unique people with their own feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Our Reggio Emilia-inspired Mandarin immersion program provides children the opportunity to hear, learn, and use complex language, and our curriculum supports diverse learning processes and a wide range of school-readiness goals. Our knowledgeable and well-qualified teachers come from diverse backgrounds and share a deep love for young children. Through careful observation, our teachers create the optimal learning habitat for each child, with just the right amount of coaching. We are devoted to forming sincere connections and building meaningful relationships with each of our preschoolers, and always seek opportunities to encourage and cultivate their social and emotional skills.  

Facilities

We offer brand new facilities at 1042, 1052-1056 Massachusetts Ave, Brattle Square in Arlington, MA, custom designed to reflect the principles of our curriculum philosophy and to enhance the learning environment. Every detail, from the floor to the ceiling, has been meticulously considered and attended to with the utmost care and intention.

Our Story

Finding a calling that transcends passion and inspiration can take years, but in December of 2018, the vision struck. Puzzle pieces from our lives started to take formation and we realized our calling to offer a unique and important opportunity to our community. Realizing that such a lifestyle and immersion in language is greatly beneficial and advantageous for our own children, we have combined efforts to establish Bear Cub Mandarin Immersion Preschool Academy with a desire to offer the invaluable opportunity of a Mandarin immersion program to the children in our community, and to establish a legacy through language that may ultimately impact the global community. As parents, it is our hope to provide the best upbringing, training, and opportunities to our children as we prepare to launch them into the adult world that is waiting for them. We invite you to join us and co-create the legacy for our next generation.

The Chang Family

MaeLynn Arnold and Hao-Ming Chang are co-founders of Bear Cub Mandarin Immersion Preschool Academy. They run a bilingual (Mandarin and English) household with their four children. MaeLynn holds a B.M. and an M.M. in violin performance from Boston University and is a Suzuki certified instructor. Hao-Ming Chang holds a Ph.D. in molecular oncology and immunology from New York University School of Medicine.



                                  

Please contact vicky@bearcubmandarin.org to inquire about openings. Enrollment is open year-round and offered based on availability. There are currently no openings till Fall 2025.                                      

Once an approximate start date is established, a place may be held by submitting a deposit. 

*Deposits are non-refundable under any circumstances but may be used towards the last month's tuition when the required 60 days notice is given*

*Tuition must be paid every month to maintain your enrollment. There are no refunds, discounts, or breaks in tuition fees during extended family vacation or travel.  

Schedule a tour to experience our unique Mandarin Immersion programs!

Class Schedules

Preschool Programs 

Age 3 to 5 years old

Five Half Day

V

M + Tu + W + Th + F

8am ‑ 11:45am or

1:15pm ‑ 5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $1,850 / month*

Three Half Day

III

Mon + Wed + Fri

8am ‑ 11:45am or

1:15pm ‑ 5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $1,134 / month*

Two Half Day

II

Tuesday + Thursday

8am ‑ 11:45am or

1:15pm ‑ 5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $798 / month*

Five Full Day

V

M + Tu + W + Th + F

8am ‑  5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $2,750 / month*

Three Full Day

III

Mon + Wed + Fri

8am ‑  5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $1,900 / month*

Infant and Toddler Programs

Age 3 months to 35months

Infant: Five Full Day

V

M + Tu + W + Th + F

8am ‑  5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $3,150 / month*

Toddler: Five Full Day

V

M +Tu + W + Th + F

8am ‑  5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $3,150 / month*

*Transition schedules to move up to the next classroom are arranged by the director as space is available*

Afterschool and School Break Programs

Age 5 - 8 years old

Enrollment is first come first served as space is available. 

Please check the calendar link for info about Bear Cub Mandarin breaks and holidays. 

Afterschool Program

I,II,III,IV,V

M + Tu + W + Th + F

2:30 ‑ 5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $65/ day**

School Break Programs

I,II,III,IV,V

M +Tu + W + Th + F

8am ‑  5pm

Year-round

Tuition: $150/ day**

*The deposit is one month's tuition fee which may be used towards the last month's tuition when the required 60 days' notice is given. Deposits are non-refundable under any circumstances. 

**Afterschool and school break program openings on a first-come-first-serve space-available basis. Schedule and tuition to be determined and paid in advance to confirm and hold the place.   

For the school calendar of events, holidays, and breaks, please go to the calendar page. 



Careers at Bear Cub Mandarin

Teacher / Lead Teacher/Infant and toddler Teachers/Teacher Assistant

Full and part time positions with competitive salaries/benefits.

If you are excited about the opportunity to help shape and design our Mandarin immersion preschool, please consider joining our team!

We are looking for teachers and lead teachers to collaborate in designing our (Reggio Emilia inspired) emergent curriculum, establish close and effective relationships with our students and their families, provide an assessment of students through documentation, and contribute to cultivating the best schedules and opportunities for both our teachers and students.

** Our teachers must be native Mandarin speakers, have a degree and background in an early childhood related field, and be EEC certified. **



Contact Us

We invite you to get in touch by emailing us at contact@bearcubmandarin.org

To learn more about our program or for inquiries about tours and openings, please write to vicky@bearcubmandarin.org

School Address


Brattle Square1042 Massachusetts AveArlington, MA 02476

Phone #: (781) 819-0898