With over a decade of experience teaching Mandarin Chinese at independent schools, Betty Bienert joins Waterford as the newest addition to the high school Chinese program.
A native of Changchun, China, Betty began training for a career in foreign languages at age 13, when she was selected to study at one of China’s specialty language schools established to support the country’s opening up to the West. She later attended the Foreign Language School of Changchun University and graduated with honors with a degree in English Language, with a focus on teaching and international business.
After college, Betty moved to the United States to marry her husband, Phil, and began a career in business. She worked through a series of successful corporate roles in the retail and technology space until leaving the workforce for the birth of her two girls. It was during this time that she (re)discovered her interest in teaching. As she researched and applied how to successfully raise her own children to be multilingual and multicultural, she found herself being asked to share her knowledge of Chinese language and culture as a volunteer at local schools in California and Florida.
This newfound passion for teaching quickly became her full-time career when the family moved to Atlanta, and Betty was asked to join the foreign language department at Woodward Academy. In her first year of teaching, she was named a Star Teacher for the State of Georgia, and during her time at Woodward, she rebuilt the Chinese curriculum, adding new cultural activities, class immersion trips, and exchange programs.
When the family moved from Atlanta to Phoenix, Betty joined the faculty at Phoenix Country Day School, first as a part-time teacher, then taking over a program that spanned 7 levels of Mandarin Chinese for grades 7 to 12.
Betty’s move to Utah is the 7th with her family, and she is excited to take advantage of all the outdoor activities the Salt Lake City area offers with 4 full seasons. During her spare time, she also enjoys traveling to different parts of the world with her family.