Philadelphia Chinese Academy
Philadelphia Chinese Academy is an authentic Montessori language immersion school for children ages 0 to 6, located in Center City.
Philadelphia Chinese Academy
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The Philadelphia Chinese Academy is dedicated to supporting children’s academic, emotional, and social development in today’s globalized world. The school works closely with parents to cultivate well-rounded children, focusing on respect, independence, consistency, empathy, language immersion, and habit stacking. These core values are thoughtfully integrated into their authentic Montessori curriculum, creating a nurturing and empowering environment for young learners. With full Mandarin immersion, the academy takes full advantage of children’s sensitive period for language development. Prospective families are invited to schedule a private tour to learn more about how the academy helps children thrive.
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Yuan
I can’t even remember how we first found PCA, but I am so grateful we did. As soon as we transitioned our son from our care at home to PCA, we noticed an incredible shift toward increased independence, self-efficacy, and autonomy within weeks – even as a toddler. We were excited for him to learn Mandarin to speak with his grandparents, but we never imagined that he would exceed our Mandarin speaking capabilities at age 2!
We have absolutely loved all of the teachers who teach him not just language and math skills, but also foster a strong sense of community and shared responsibility. We have been anxiously awaiting to start our daughter at PCA and can’t wait to see how she grows and blossoms there as well.
Finally, PCA has become a wonderful community for us as parents, especially with the thought and intention that goes into parent communication, fostering spaces for parents to meet and chat, and invitation of parents to participate in school events and performances.
We love PCA and can’t wait to see this wonderful community continue to grow!
Zhi L.
Love this place! We wanted Mandarin immersion, that was a fact. But the real Montessori was a delightful surprise. Our son went to a “montessori” daycare before joining PCA, but their “montessori” was nothing like the instruction and expertise found at PCA. The Montessori aspect wasn’t a priority for us when we were first looking into pre-schools, but now I can’t imagine my son without it. He is so independent and helpful, and comes home singing Mandarin song.
Xiao Chi Zhang
If you ask me what is it that brought us to Phildelphia, we’d say: the city and the people. If you ask me what kept us here, PCA would be one of our top 3 reasons. PCA has absolutely transformed our lives for the better. I’ve seen our daughter grow and develop almost at the speed of light when she left her daycare to attend PCA. Within weeks, she developed impressive mannerisms, new-sense of responsibilities, and her Chinese vocabulary began to blossom. The response from the teachers have been nothing but transparent and engaging. The staff genuinely cares about your kids and they help foster an engaging relationship between parents as well. PCA is worth the investment for your children, they are a benefit to the city, and I am delighted for my youngest to join their ranks.
Erica C.
As a second-generation mother, I always felt a sense of embarrassment about not being fluent in Chinese. My own experience with Chinese school as a sixth grader was uninspiring and rigid, making it difficult for me to learn. So when we enrolled my daughter at Philadelphia Chinese Academy at just two years old, I wasn’t sure what to expect—but I was absolutely blown away.
Now, at four years old, her Chinese skills are incredible. The school’s approach makes learning feel effortless, seamlessly integrating language immersion with engaging and dynamic lesson plans. The Montessori component has also had a profound impact on her independence—she loves cooking with us at home, a skill nurtured by hands-on experiences at school, where she helps prep fresh vegetables. She’s even mastering four-digit addition, all taught in Chinese!
Beyond academics, the school fosters a deep appreciation for Chinese culture. Teachers Grace, Jenny, Yasmin, Clare, and Pearl guide the children through Chinese songs and dances, preparing them for joyful performances that bring families together.
At the heart of it all is Dale You, the incredible founder of Philadelphia Chinese Academy. She saw a need in our city and poured her heart and soul into creating a space where children are safe, thriving, and fully prepared for first grade. She goes above and beyond, even offering parents the opportunity to observe 20-minute sessions of the school day and ask questions, fostering a sense of transparency and trust.
The school’s expansion is beyond exciting, and the sense of community among parents is just as special. Through playdates and friendships, we’ve built lasting connections, making this journey even more meaningful.
Philadelphia Chinese Academy is truly a gem in our city, and I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of a LOVE Award.
Philly Family Community Member
Our daughter attended PCA for a year before Kindergarten and continues to go there for after care. We started our younger son at PCA as soon as he was old enough to attend. We chose PCA for many reasons – my husband wanted our kids to have Mandarin immersion, and I was interested in the Montessori aspect. We’ve been extremely satisfied with our experience at the school. The kids have had wonderful, patient teachers who care about the students. We’ve seen them become confident Mandarin speakers, improve their gross and fine motor skills (our 2 year old peels and cuts carrots!), grow their social skills and etiquette, become more self sufficient, and develop long lasting friendships as part of the PCA community. Our daughter was well prepared for Kindergarten. We love seeing the pictures and videos of the kids (old and young) playing, working, and eating together. We’re amazed to see that even the toddlers concentrate on their work, and the older kids are reading, writing, and stringing together sentences in Mandarin. The school brings parents in several times a year to see the classroom and celebrate various holidays, and the kids have performed songs in Mandarin. It is clear that a lot of thought and effort goes into these events, and I appreciate that it teaches the kids how to work toward a goal and gives them a chance to celebrate their progress. PCA has taught us parents that our kids are capable of even more than we imagined. We feel very lucky to have this school in our city.