Ms. Chen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese from California State University, Los Angeles, a Master of Arts in Chinese from San Francisco State University, and a Master's in Teaching from the University of Washington.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌‍​‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‍‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​​‍‌​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

As a Primary and Middle School Mandarin Teacher at BASIS Independent Bothell, Ms. Chen’s goal is to create a language-rich environment where students feel empowered to express themselves in Mandarin and discover meaningful cultural connections. “Language learning is a journey of exploration, creativity, and connection,” she shares. “My classroom is a space where students learn through communication, stories, and authentic cultural experiences.”

Ms. Chen was drawn to BASIS Independent Schools for their academic excellence, supportive learning environment, and strong emphasis on world languages and cultural literacy. She values the school’s commitment to high standards and joyful learning, which aligns with her own teaching philosophy.

She believes students learn best when they are actively engaged and supported, and she brings language to life through the use of visuals, music, games, and hands-on cultural activities. One of her favorite classroom units invites students to create their own Mandarin-language travel itinerary—booking flights, packing a virtual suitcase, and planning sightseeing adventures in Chinese. “It’s always exciting to watch students apply language in real-life contexts while exploring the world through Chinese,” she says.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Chen loves to travel during school breaks and explore new cultures and cuisines. Recently, she has begun learning different dance styles on the weekends, including Chinese traditional dance and jazz. She also enjoys singing—it’s one of her favorite ways to relax and have fun!