Charis Language Immersion Academy is a non-profit language immersion school in Greenville, SC. It provides access to high quality Mandarin and Spanish immersion K-12 education with a focus on STEM and music to students of different backgrounds to make them college-ready and career-successful.

Charis Language Immersion Academy

An Ideal Learning Environment for Children

We commit ourselves to helping students of different backgrounds receive a quality Mandarin-immersion or Spanish-immersion education in Greenville, South Carolina. We see that quite a few children of newly immigrated families, such as those from Mexico and China, are encountering learning difficulties. Our school's specially designed immersion programs by professional linguists provide perfect solutions for them to effectively overcome the hurdle, successfully attain high academic achievement, get equipped for college, and contribute to society. Our project started with Chinese immersion and is extending to Spanish immersion. We also provide high standard music, math, science, and engineering education to prepare students for colleges and their careers.

STEM Education

Since the early 2000s in the United States, the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics become increasingly integrated following the publication of several key reports. The links between prosperous, knowledge-intensive jobs dependent on science and technology and continued innovation to address societal problems have been emphasized. American students are not achieving in STEM disciplines at the same rate as students in other countries. The United States has a comparatively large proportion of underperforming students, and the country is ranked 21st (in a panel of 30 countries) on assessments of scientific competency and knowledge.

It is noted that U.S. educators lack in-depth knowledge of STEM careers and as a consequence, they are not prepared to guide students to those fields. Educators are urged to seek methods to reach the goal of graduating every student with essential STEM knowledge and competencies to succeed in post-secondary education and work and to identify best practices in STEM education.

Charis Language Immersion Academy sees the needs of the country and the next generation. The K-12 curriculum is specially designed by experienced engineers and college faculties to incorporate STEM projects. Students are required to apply knowledge in science and math in projects to reinforce the theories learned and to develop their independent thinking, problem-solving, self-confidence, team-spirit, and talent in engineering and science. On top of this, our school also provides extra-curricular enrichment programs for abacus mental math and robotics.

The school is planning to add computer programming classes, 3D printing classes, and laser etching and cutting classes to the curriculum and enrichment programs in the future to give students an exposure to contemporary technology and needs of the industry, and to prepare them for college and career readiness.

Music Education

Quality music education has been linked with the development of self-control, planning, and verbal intelligence. Studies show that as little as two years of music instruction has multiple benefits. Music training can change both the structure of the brain's white matter, which carries signals through the brain, and gray matter, which contains most of the brain's neurons that are active in processing information. It also contributes to the healthy development of the left and right brains. Music instruction also boosts engagement of brain networks that are responsible for decision making, the ability to focus attention and inhibit impulses, and the life skills students need to make decisions, focus, plan, solve problem, and juggle multiple tasks. Some educators believe that Intensive music instruction is a direct contributor to academic success. Some highest-performing students spend much of their time studying music. Some educators think that education is incomplete without music.

Charis Language Immersion Academy incorporates a quality K - 12 music program inspired by the ABRSM of the UK. We provide the low-income neighborhoods with the opportunity for a quality and comprehensive music education. We also provide optional extra-curricular enrichment musical instrumental classes, such as piano, violin, and cello. Our students are proved to have better focus, memory, and academic results. We are hoping to let ore K - 12 students have the opportunities to learn musical instruments for free.

Teacher Qualifications and Training

At schools, teachers are change makers. So, we employ the best teachers for the subjects. We have native speakers for Chinese immersion and Spanish immersion classes. For math, science and STEM classes, we hire experts, such as experienced engineer, college faculty, and teachers with degrees major in science or engineering, as the teachers. We believe that only good teachers produce good students.