Rising Stars: Meet Xiqian Luo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Xiqian Luo.

Hi Xiqian, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
Hi, my name is Xiqian Luo, or – as my students and their parents often call me – Teacher Rosie. For many years, I have been a teacher and private tutor working with Chinese American families on the Westside of Los Angeles. Over the course of my experiences, what became evident to me was that there was a real need for a high-quality daycare program focused on teaching Chinese language and culture. 

Not only do I believe that fluency in multiple languages, best acquired at an early age, will become an increasingly valuable skill in a global, interconnected world, I think helping young children gain an understanding of their cultural heritage may be even more critical. For many ethnically Chinese families in West LA, providing a welcoming environment for children to learn Chinese language and culture is tremendously beneficial to the child and the parents. And, of course, I want to provide the highest quality of care and education possible because I believe that is how I would want my child to be taught. 

When it came time to choose a name for my new school, I struggled to find one that really resonated. Since this school was such a personal undertaking and passion for me, I wanted to find a name that also had a deep personal meaning to me. After much thought, I finally decided on the name Purple Magpie Mandarin. Purple Magpie is a direct translation of 紫鹊 from my birthplace, the stunning and historic rice terraces of 紫鹊界 (Ziquejie), now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Purple Magpie Mandarin connects my past to my future and reminds me of the rich history, culture, and heritage of China. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a new business always comes with struggles. Fortunately, the combination of my prior background and our decision to focus on providing Chinese – immersion services enabled us to grow steadily through word of mouth and referrals. 

Our biggest challenge early on was hiring qualified staff; finding Chinese native speakers who had experience working with young children willing to commute to West LA took some time. Many of the teachers we interviewed had to deal with long commutes from the South Bay or the San Gabriel Valley. Other teachers would require work authorization sponsorship and we sometimes end up reliant on the H1B lottery system. Luckily, as we have grown, we have put together an amazing and stable team of teachers! 

As we look forward, we would love to expand our school to work with more families in the area. Over the last year, dozens of families have come to tour our school and asked to be added to our waitlist. We are currently looking at larger locations to expand our capacity. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a Chinese-Immersion preschool, from the beginning, we have been focused on two aspects: providing high-quality care and teaching Chinese language and culture. The school is structured around weekly themes with interactive crafts, activities, and lessons to engage each student in learning; themes range from the Chinese Zodiac to snow sports and everything in between! 

We are proud of the amazing progress our students have made. Over the last two years, we have been able to see how students have grown from understanding only a few words of Chinese to being able to read aloud Chinese story books all on their own. By emphasizing an immersion environment, students are able to accelerate their language acquisition and achieve a much higher ability level versus bilingual schools that might only offer a 30-minute Chinese lesson a day. 

We are also very proud that we are helping our children feel comfortable in their own skin. Our families have diverse backgrounds, and it is critical that we continue to provide a welcoming environment so that no one feels like an outsider or ashamed of their heritage or their skin color. 

Our progress over the past two years has been amazing, and I am so grateful for all of the love and support I have received from our families! 

How do you define success?
For us, success is defined as providing high-quality childcare and education in Chinese language, culture, and traditions to all interested families. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.purplemagpiemandarin.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purplemagpiemandarin/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purplemagpiemandarin/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/purple-magpie-mandarin-los-angeles