How to Choose a Chinese Teacher & School in China | Advice from 2 Mandarin Teachers

Hi everyone! In this episode I'm joined by my dear friend and longtime colleague Qianxing — an experienced Mandarin teacher who has been teaching foreigners and training new Chinese teachers for nearly 20 years. Together we share honest advice on how to find the right Chinese school and teacher in China: why the teacher matters more than the school, how to communicate your learning goals, the difference between 1-on-1 private lessons and group classes, how to request a trial class, and how often you should study to actually make progress. If you're planning to come to China to learn Mandarin, this video is a must-watch before you choose a school! 🎒📚 ⚠️🎧 ⚠️ Audio Tip 小提示: We tried to remove the echo in this episode, but the audio processing ended up a bit harsh, especially at higher volumes through headphones. Please try listening through speakers for a more comfortable experience — thank you! 🙏 这一期我们对音频做了去回音处理,但效果有点刺耳,用耳机大声听会更明显。建议大家尝试用外放收听,体验会更舒服。谢谢理解!🙏 Thanks so much for bearing with us — we'll do better next time! 💛 🏁 Subtitles 字幕说明 (zìmù shuōmíng): We provide CC subtitles in multiple tracks to support your immersion: Chinese: Chinese only Chinese (Simplified): Pinyin + Chinese version (Manually proofread) 其他语言 (Other languages): Translated by AI/LLM for your reference ⏰ Timestamps ： 00:00 Intro 00:56 Teacher vs. school: which matters more? 01:43 Does the teacher's age matter? 02:24 Wen's story: "you're too young" 04:39 Personality & shared interests 06:27 How to find a school: be specific 07:04 Hanzi 汉字: read, type, or handwrite? 09:52 Strict or gentle teacher? 10:33 Always ask for a trial class 试课 11:33 1-on-1 vs. group classes 15:12 How to choose: your goals 16:00 Beginners: 3+ classes per week 17:17 Don't know your level? Schools test 18:50 Zero to basic chat: how long? 19:51 HSK 3 → HSK 4: how long? 20:25 0→1 easy, 1→2 hard 👩‍🏫 About Me | 关于我: Hi! I'm 雯wén (Chloe), a Chinese teacher with 15 years of experience. I create engaging videos to help you bridge the gap between "textbook Chinese" and real-life Mandarin. 欢迎订阅我的频道 — let's grow your Chinese together! 🚀 🌐 Website: chloechineseclass.com 📷 IG: instagram.com/chloechineseclass 🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@chloechineseclass 🔗 Links: Chinese Podcast | Speak Chinese Better: What Pro Teachers Do & Practice Tips (CC SUB):    • Chinese Podcast | Speak Chinese Better: Wh...   How to Use 为什么 (why) : Learn Chinese with Chinese podcast | HSK 2 ｜CC SUB (pinyin):    • How to Use 为什么 (why) : Learn Chinese with ...   How to Use 常常 & 经常 (often) : Learn Chinese with Chinese podcast | HSK 3 ｜CC SUB (pinyin):    • How to Use 常常 & 经常 (often) : Learn Chinese...   Reading Comments! CI Learning Methods,Q&A & Embarrassing Stories | Chinese Podcast（Pinyin CC SUB):    • Reading  Comments! CI Learning Methods,Q&A...   #LearnChinese #MandarinChinese #ChineseListening #ChloeChineseClass #BilingualSubtitles #ChineseWithPinyin #BeginnerChinese #IntermediateChinese #ChinesePodcast #ChineseConversation #LanguageLearning #中文学校