Finding Little Bee feels like discovering a hidden gem. Our child gets to be in the outdoors for a…read moregood portion of the day, in the Presidio, with the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop. On top of that, her Mandarin AND English skills seem far advanced among her peers that are not in Little Bee. The parent community is one-of-a-kind and we have made some lifelong friends here. The only downside is knowing that our child will have to leave for kindergarten one day. Little Bee is a special place that our family will always treasure.

Little Bee is a gem. The combination of outdoor time mixed with the warmth of the teachers and…read morefellow kids has our daughter running to school with joy and excitement every morning. I cannot imagine a more enriching way to have introduced her to education.

Little Bee is an incredible preschool, and I could not recommend it enough to prospective parents…read more Our son has attended the Funston (Presidio) location since he was 2 years old. Each class has 3 main teachers + floating teachers, who all care for the kids with kindness and empathy. The campus' location in the Presidio creates an idyllic and beautiful environment for the kids - they go outside to explore nature every morning and we get sent daily pictures and videos of their adventures. We love the Mandarin immersion aspect, and our son is fully bilingual thanks to the teachers' efforts. Sarra, the director of Little Bee, runs a tight and efficient ship. The involved PTA organizes many community events, such as monthly playdates, Easter Egg Hunts, an annual Camp Out, Pumpkin Picking, Santa's Brunch, parents' nights out and more across the Funston and Lombard locations. Beyond just a preschool, this is also a supportive, caring, welcoming community of families and we have met many wonderful friends through Little Bee.

Little Bee is an amazing preschool with a loving and supportive environment. The teachers truly…read morecare about each child, and our daughter thrived here both socially and academically. We couldn't be happier with our experience!

I've had a great experience at TALK English Schools in San Francisco. I started as a beginner and…read morein a short time I noticed a great evolution in my English skill. The educational program is complete: grammar, speaking, pronunciation, listening and reading are always part of every lesson. Teachers help us a lot and the staff members are very friendly and engajed. Frequently, there are many internal and external activities, like English Hangout, International Potluck and special events like a Super Bowl Party, Valentine's Day and Thanksgiving. The activities and events are very useful to practice and learning English.

I would recommend this school for sure! The welcome is very warm and the atmosphere really nice! I…read morelearned a lot during the classes. We talked about very interesting topics, about the news, the exercices are varied! I really appreciate this time in Talk English School, it's like a family! Thank you for organizing activities and discoveries SF!

Professor Lee (Lee laoshi) was a great teacher for me and other adult Chinese language learners…read more Thanks to her, I was able to communicate effectively with my wife's relatives and properly participate in funerals for extended family in China. Previously when working with her, I learned enough to travel on my own in Beijing and surroundings. I highly recommend working with her if you want an intensive, focused program of learning spoken or written Chinese.

My children age 9and 10 had been going to this establishment for over two years . I originally was…read morepleased with the place and their teaching . As time has gone on my kids had not picked up as much of the language as I thought they should , so I had contemplated moving else where ... but the class is super close to there elementary school so we stayed . Then the worst thing I could have imagined was made clear to me. My kids let me know that The owner Celine who instructed my kids had been SWATTING the back of their heads with her hand to get them to pay attention!! I was and am in SHOCK , no body touches my kids. IT was hard enough to frighten them Both and this is why I strongly feel other parents need to know this happened . Please do not be fooled by her kindness this will eventually be to your child's disservice . Also I have emails and voice messages with Celine the teacher apologizing! She even went so far as to have a mutual friend try to get me to forgive and forget! Probably knowing I'd write this very sad true information. Be warned ..

I have two kids at Russian Hill Academy - one is leaving for Kindergarten this fall 2026 (started…read moreat the tail-end of COVID) and the other just started last year in 2025. We had our son in the thick of COVID and were nervous about sending him to daycare. His interaction with people outside our home was limited, not to mention the fear of illness at the time. Jiali and her staff made sure we were totally comfortable with their practices, and they are super clean in general. It is a safe and clean space for kids to learn, explore, and remain healthy. When it came time to send our daughter to daycare, it was a no-brainer. We jumped at the available slot and she has been happy and thriving for the last 9 months. She is in her own class with kids in her age group and has made her own friends. The school does a good job of having the siblings find one another at select points in the day but she also has a strong independence which is important as we prepare for our son to leave RHA. If we could keep our son at RHA we 100% would but alas it is time for him to move on so we will hold onto the remaining time our daughter has there, dearly. The friends we've made will be with us for a lifetime, and we give so much credit to Jiali and her staff for all the heart (and sweat) they pour into creating a community for kids and parents alike.

I truly wish I could give more than 5 stars. Russian Hill Academy was one of the best choices we…read moremade for our daughter, and if you can get a spot, run don't walk!! Our daughter started there at 15 months (before the recent upgrade) and just graduated last year. I credit Jiali and the teachers for teaching our daughter how to walk, potty training her, and giving her both discipline and love in a learning environment. We saw huge differences in her manners, social skills and language skills while she was at RHA. We still can't believe how fluent she is in Mandarin given that we don't speak at home. Jiali and the teachers are wonderful and work hard to develop an educational, safe, friendly and clean environment. RHA's community is also amazing. All the families we met were fantastic and some will be our life long friends. We never expected to have such a wonderful community and develop friendships of our own but that is the type of welcoming and healthy environment Jiali and Randy developed over decades of doing this. When I first met Jiali I knew she had a special touch. As a first time mom I was nervous to leave my child anywhere, but the moment I saw Jiali's calm, reassuring, and encouraging energy, I knew it was the perfect place. RHA is also a great place for parents who have two demanding jobs. They have a full time program and provide snacks lunch and early dinner. They do their best to take the kids to the nearby park, have lots of activities, and practice language, writing and even math. My daughter's TK teacher is regularly impressed with how high she can count and clearly spell her name. Being at RHA really set her up for success already. Overall, we can't say enough amazing things about RHA and highly recommend it if you're looking for a safe and loving place to teach your kids about culture, social skills, manners, and prepare for a bright future ahead. Thank you Jiali!! We miss you!!

Absolutely love this school. The staff is friendly, professional, and truly knows their stuff. They…read moremake you feel welcome from day one and go above and beyond to help you settle in. Highly recommend.

I transferred here from another school, and honestly, it was the best decision I made. This School…read moreis a really clean and welcoming place to learn English and the teachers are super friendly, and the classes actually make learning fun. The director, Henry is a really nice and cool guy who always supports his students and makes everyone feel welcome. I definitely recommend this school to anyone who wants to study and improve their English!

Accredited ESL school with friendly staff and fun students. Especially if you like to hang with…read moreThai people. And I do! Sa-wa-dee! That building on Post st. Is a really cool example of traditional San Francisco architecture too! Good memories.

Intercultural Institute of California (IIC) is a gem for students and professionals of…read moreinternational background. Located at the heart of San Francisco, it offers an accredited English language program with TEFL certified teachers as well as GRE/GMAT and multi-level General English programs. It's unique in that all the teachers dedicate themselves to creating an engaging, respectful and practical communication environment. What is less known is that IIC has a valuable Business English program I enrolled in last summer. Each teacher brought his/her international experience and business skills, which made classroom discussions dynamic, meaningful and fun. The teachers facilitated discussions of environmental, social-cultural and economic issues through not only the textbook, but also newspaper articles, films, debates and field trips. Having been in this diverse community for a year, I become a new person who enjoys expressing myself and connecting with others. It's also worth mentioning that the administration and staff at IIC truly care about students and make themselves stepping-stones for students' success, from transferring into universities to life transitions to career advancement. The school has just expanded and now has an Oakland campus in addition to its San Francisco headquarters. The IIC community has changed my belief that I'm not good enough in English. Everyone can build great relationships and enjoy a successful life through proactive communication. Come to IIC if you desire the same transformation!

Terra has felt like San Francisco's best kept secret for our family. The biggest thing we noticed…read moreearly on was how much our son genuinely looks forward to going to school. He comes home excited to talk about what he learned, what he built, and what he explored that day, which gave us confidence that we made the right choice. We visited a few public and private schools with a strong Mandarin immersion program. What stood out with Terra over time was how balanced the learning feels, both inside and outside the classroom. Academically, he has grown steadily in both English and Mandarin, and at the same time we have seen real growth in confidence, independence, and how he works through challenges. The outdoor program has been especially meaningful for him. Spending time learning outside each week has clearly shaped how he approaches learning. He often comes home talking about things he created or discovered in nature, and those experiences seem to stick with him in a way that traditional classroom lessons sometimes do not. The small class size has made a big difference for our family. His teachers really know him as an individual, including both his strengths and the areas where he needs more guidance. That level of attention has helped him grow academically and emotionally without feeling pressured to fit into a single mold. We have also appreciated how involved the parent community is. It feels collaborative, and communication between families and the school is very open. The after-school enrichment classes like engineering, cooking, and art have been another highlight because they give him more ways to explore interests he might not otherwise try. Terra is a smaller school, but for us that has created a strong sense of connection and support. Most importantly, our son feels happy, challenged, and excited to learn, which is ultimately what we were hoping to find in a school.

My son started in Kindergarten at Terra Schools and I have loved our experience. I've decided to…read moreswitch my younger son from his current pre-school to Terra Schools' pre-school program as well because of how strong I've found it to be. When I went through the Kindergarten application process, I toured a ton of schools across public, charter, and private (independent and parochial). I am the type of person that likes to dig deep and understand all of my options. The reason I ended up choosing to attend Terra is because: - Outdoor Nature: We came from a nature based pre-school and I saw the benefits of being able to regularly play outside. It was tough to find an elementary school that offered dedicated time in nature. Elementary grades at Terra have Earth Ed one full day per week, and pre-school has two full days. Earth Ed is led by Dylan, who has decades of experience and holds a PHD in environmental studies. He's great with the students. They love him. - Strong Academics: I asked every school I toured about differentiated learning, and they all gave an answer. However, Terra was the only one where the logistics made sense to me. They have banded classes for subjects like math and reading, which means that for those subjects, my son is grouped with students that are at the same level as him, not based on his grade or age. For example, he is in Kindergarten but he is in the 1st grade math group. - Quality of Teachers: The teachers go through a rigorous process before they are hired full time. They are highly qualified. They are also loving and caring. My son is excited to run to his teacher every morning (which was not the case at his prior schools). - Language Immersion: We are in the mandarin immersion program, but my son is naturally exposed to some Spanish as well and has enjoyed picking up some of the language. It's unique to be able to give him a multilingual experience in a fun, low pressure way. - Parent Community: There are multiple opportunities to connect with each other including coffee meetups, PTA meetings, mom's/dad's nights, and WhatsApp groups. I have met many awesome families at Terra that I now call my friends. My son is thriving here. I have seen noticeable improvements in his academic progress, his self confidence and his ability to advocate for himself.

What first left an impression on me about Maeve is how she makes you feel so comfortable, which is…read moreessential when learning the craft of acting. I have never felt less afraid to take a risk or make a mistake in front of people than in her class. I later realized she has an incredible passion about the art of acting; which makes learning it even more inspiring and enriching. I have currently filled half of a notebook with little pieces of wisdom. Maeve also gives quality feedback to everybody, no matter their skill or experience level. Everyone is an equal. I already can feel the things I've learned in her class translating into the real world: confidence, truth telling, authenticity, etc. If you're considering taking the Introduction to the Meisner technique class, you can't go wrong!!

I just finished the first intro session (7-10p on Tuesdays) with Maeve. She is a baller. Definitely…read moreone of the best teachers I've ever had--and I've had many. She is passionate, attentive, fair, responsible and honest, yet non-judgmental. She points out growth and places where there is room for improvement. She sees things very clearly. Go take class, if you are excited to change and grow as a person and serious about your education.