New Teacher Profile: Olivia Wang, Modern Languages, Mandarin

adminUncategorized

Originally from China, Olivia Wang came to St. Louis during her undergraduate years through an educational partnership between Guangxi Teacher University and Webster University. She graduated with bachelors degrees in both English and teaching.

Olivia stayed in St. Louis to teach Kindergarten at The Chinese School, one of

three charter schools within the St. Louis Language Immersion Schools (SLLIS) program, an experience she lovingly describes as “herding cats — in a second language.”

During her time with SLIIS, she met her husband, Michael, at an event he attended as a representative of his employer, Monsanto, a SLLIS sponsor.

In her four years at The Chinese School, Olivia worked with students from both city and county,   across race and class background. It was a challenging and “very rewarding” experience for her. When she became pregnant with her son, though, “herding the cats got a little more difficult with the big belly,” she says.

Jacob was born in 2016. Shortly after, Olivia returned to work teaching Mandarin at Lutheran North and South high schools.

The opportunity to come to Crossroads appealed to Olivia for many reasons. She knew the school through a friend’s child, and lives not far away in Clayton. This year, she’s teaching Mandarin 4 and 5.

Outside of school, Olivia enjoys physical fitness, especially yoga and tennis, and being outdoors. She spends family time taking Jacob on field trips around the St. Louis area.