Language Class Teachers
Yanhe Gao
KindergartenYanhe Gao is the teacher of Kindergarten class. She is from Beijing and graduated from Beijing University of Technology. She taught in Beijing for 6 years. After coming to the United States in 2010, she worked as a tutor in the Westchester area and taught in American, Russian, Jewish and mixed Chinese families for 8 years. She has rich experience in Chinese learning for adults, children and middle school students, and has proficient reading, speaking and writing skills. Focus on infiltrating Chinese traditions, history and food culture in class. She has taught in New York Huaxia Chinese School for 6 years, first grade Ma Liping and second grade Standard Chinese. Since 2017 she teaches at CSSW . She taught sixth grade Easy Step Chinese at Scarsdale middle school and she also taught at ABC Language Center after-school Chinese classes in Larchmont School District for 4 years.
Jenifer Kuo
Advanced Class JingJing Li
2nd Grade Qian Li
8th GRADE Horvath Lin
5th GradeHorvath Lin is the head teacher of 5th grade. She received her B.A. from Shanghai International Studies University, M.A. from University of Michigan and Ph.D. from University of Southern California. She teaches Mandarin at multiple Chinese schools, after-school programs and summer camps in Westchester. She has taught students of different ages and varied cultural and family backgrounds. She strives to make learning Mandarin relevant to students and help them to develop skills as well as appreciation of both Chinese language and culture.
YoYo Liu
2nd gradeMiss YoYo Liu is the teacher of 2nd grade. She graduated from National Taichung University of Science and Technology & Fashion Institute of Technology. She is a fashion designer & Jewelry development and production manager. She began teaching in CSSW from 2001. As a Chinese teacher, she focuses on: Hope to guide students through lively and interactive teaching methods, Interactive teaching instead of unidirectional indoctrination hope students to be interested in what they are learning every time. Her son is a current student of CSSW.
Yihsin Moskowitz
1st Grade
Mengxiao Shi
6th GradeMengxiao Shi Ph.D. has been teaching in CSSW since September 2008 as a 6th grade teacher. He is an Analytical Chemistry at Estee Lauder Companies, New York. Mr. Shi graduated in 1989 B.S in Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing, China & in 1998 Ph D. in Organic Chemistry of City University of New York. One of his daughter graduated from CSSW & the other one is a current student.
Sophia Shih
Board of Directors and NurseryAs a former graduate of Chinese School of Southern Westchester, Sophia has always been an active member in the CSSW community. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in Business Administration, she worked in retail operations, but also returned as a Teacher’s Assistant for several years at CSSW. Currently, she is serving her 3rd year as a CSSW Board Member and has 2 daughters who are also students at CSSW.
Andrew Tan
4th GRADE
Lily Tian
Pre-KLily Tian is the teacher of Pre-K class. She graduated from the Department of Literature of Nankai University in 1984. She has been teaching in Chinese schools since 2005 in New York City. She won a certificate of merit from Association of Chinese Schools.
Susan Yang
7th gradeMiss Athena Susan Yang is currently head teacher of 7th grade and intermediate conversation class. She graduated from Albany University in 1992, major in Business & Chinese. She has taught in CSSW for 10 years. Teaching Chinese to students, drafting lesson plans, creating learning materials, assigning homework, evaluating classroom performance, grading tests, updating teaching course material, attending school staff meeting, designing Chinese instruction and curriculum on culture, stimulating Chinese reading and writing skills, and teaching solid pronunciation in Chinese phonetic systems and Chinese Pinyin.
Hongying Zhao
Curriculum Director and 3rd GradeMiss Hongying Zhao joined CSSW in 2018 & she is now the Curriculum Director and 3rd grade teacher. She graduated from Shenyang University English Specialty with a Bachelor degree & a Master Degree from Takusyoku University Economics Specialty. She is now a financial advisor of New York Life Insurance Company. Her hobby is Chinese cultural study.
Cultural Class Teachers
Philip Tambakis
Kung FuPhilip Tambakis is a 35th generation secular Shaolin disciple, educator, and musician. At Shaolin Temple Overseas Headquarters Westchester branch, he trained under Shifu Chuek Ho Kwong in Shaolin Kung Fu, Qi Gong, and Chen style Tai Ji Quan. Expansion and refinement of Shaolin Kung Fu and Qi Gong is ongoing under Shifu Lan Chao Hai at the New York Shaolin Temple Kung Fu Center纽. Recent performance link: http://www.shaolin.org.cn/newsinfo/84/110/23324.html
Ling Zhu
PaintingMs. Zhu is the teacher of Chinese Painting class. She has the Master of Arts degree from Academy of Arts & Design in Tsinghua University, Master of Public Art education in Central Academy of Fine Arts with National Putonghua Level Test Grade A (announcer) level. She has many years of art teaching experience. Ms. Zhu is good at customizing aesthetics since her art and design experiences have brought possibilities to children, teenagers and adults. She has combined abundant art courses with practice and theory such as painting and photography, comprehensive materials, art design and art history. She has put a variety of rich painting process, drawing, color, art design and other basic techniques and methods into the teaching with the students’ actual conditions. At the same time, she always focuses on the cultivation of students’ imagination and creativity.
| Class | Teacher |
| Conversation – Adult | Yoyo Liu |
| Conversation – Cantonese | Eric Cheng |
| Kung Fu | Philip Tambakis |
| Tai Chi | Philip Tambakis |
| Chinese Painting | Ling Zhu |
| Origami | Su-Yin Zhang |
| Chess | Jason Chen |
| Table Tennis | Dev Joshi |
| Dance – Classical | Jingjing Li |
| Dance – Hip Hop | Griffin Kong |
| Yo Yo | Mali Gueye |
