你好！Nǐ hǎo!
I'm Jun, a Mandarin teacher and language enthusiast based in Toronto, Canada.
I've been teaching Chinese language and culture for over a decade, and hold a B.A. in Teaching Mandarin as a Second Language, and a M.Ed in Curriculum Design and Teaching Methodology.
As a life-long language learner myself, I know what it’s like to feel stuck and lost when learning a second language. I still remember my first day in the U.S. when I tried to order at Subway: I completely froze, clueless of what the waiter was asking, despite the fact that I had been learning English for 10 years in China.
Now after having lived and taught in three different countries to students of all levels and ages, from elementary school to university courses, I'm fascinated not only by the differences among cultures, but how much we share in common as human beings.
Language is the carrier of our thoughts. And learning a new language is the best way to understand another culture, as well as its values and philosophies. By doing so, we broaden our perspectives and enrich our life.
My passion has always been to help people connect with one another. This is also our approach at Stickynote. We don't learn a language purely through head-down study, nor by tapping through apps. We learn by connecting with people, through creative acts of communication. That's why Stickynote is all about building community together. We share our worlds and deepen our understanding of each other as we learn to communicate more fluently in Mandarin Chinese.
Oftening geeking out on neuroscience and psychology, it is also my passion to bridge the gap between academic studies of language acquisition and pragmatic process of language learning. We will not only integrate the latest scientific findings in the course design, but also share tips that help you turn knowledge into practical skills efficiently.
