Our Founder
Jessica Decaillon
Founder & Lead Educator at Wonder Spark Learning
Ms. Jessica is an experienced educator with over a decade of teaching experience, specializing in elementary STEM education and Mandarin Chinese language instruction. As the founder of Wonder Spark Learning, she is passionate about sparking curiosity and creativity in children through hands-on, interactive lessons that inspire a love of learning.
Jessica holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and has completed advanced certifications in Classroom Strategies for Inquiry-Based Learning and Learning, Knowledge, and Human Development. Her teaching style incorporates a variety of educational philosophies, including Montessori, Waldorf, and Classical methods, creating holistic learning experiences tailored to diverse learners.
With a background in both in-person and online education, Jessica has taught over 800 students on Outschool, earning an impressive 5 star rating. She is skilled in integrating technology tools like Google Classroom, Kahoot, and Nearpod to deliver dynamic virtual learning experiences.
Jessica’s classes are known for being engaging, interactive, and fun, with a focus on building students’ confidence and critical thinking skills. Whether she’s teaching STEM, Mandarin Chinese, or hands-on art projects, her goal is to help learners explore new topics in meaningful ways that connect to their everyday lives.
Our Teachers
Xiting Dan
Dedicated Mandarin and English Teacher with TCFL, TESOL, and TEYL Certifications.
Xiting holds a bachelor's degree in English from Sichuan University and has extensive experience teaching both English and Mandarin. In China, she taught English in public schools and private language academies, as well as worked as a private tutor for adult Mandarin learners. Passionate about language education, Xiting is dedicated to creating an engaging and effective learning environment that helps students achieve their language goals. To further enhance her teaching expertise, she has earned certifications in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL), Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL). Outside of teaching, she enjoys cooking authentic Chinese cuisine and expressing her creativity through drawing.
Lauren (Yixin) Ran
Expert Mandarin Educator with a Master’s in Developmental Psychology
Lauren is a passionate Mandarin teacher with a strong background in bilingual education and developmental psychology. She has worked with students from ages 2 to 17, giving her a deep understanding of how different age groups learn best. She holds a master’s degree in developmental psychology from Columbia University, as well as a CDA credential.
As a native Mandarin speaker with a Level 1 Putonghua Proficiency Certificate, Lauren brings both linguistic expertise and cultural depth to her classes. She has also worked as a host for large events and holds certifications in translation and interpreting. Before becoming a teacher, she was a journalist at a TV station in China and now runs her own social media channel, keeping up with modern Chinese slang and trends to make sure her students learn natural, up-to-date language.
Lauren loves making her lessons fun and interactive, incorporating songs, stories, and real-life conversations to help students connect with the language in a meaningful way.
Junjun Li
Professional Mandarin Teacher with Expertise in Poetry and Language Education.
Junjun is a professional Chinese language teacher with extensive experience teaching students of all ages, from preschoolers to teenagers. She tailors her lessons to accommodate different skill levels, ensuring that each student progresses at their own pace.
With expertise in Mandarin instruction, Junjun specializes in everything from foundational pinyin and character recognition to more advanced lessons in classical and modern Chinese poetry. She is passionate about making Chinese learning both fun and engaging, using poems and stories to spark students' curiosity and deepen their appreciation for the language and culture.
Beyond teaching, Junjun enjoys playing the piano and guitar, arranging flowers, and painting.