Learning by example

Li Yinuo, one of the three founders of the ETU School, said she and her peers learned from other innovative schools throughout the founding process. One of their models was AltSchool, an educational startup that features personalized study and which Li's eldest son attended for a year before the family returned to China. The school was established in San Francisco by Max Ventilla, one of the founders of Google Plus, in 2014.

Li said ETU is different from AltSchool: "ETU pays greater attention to the teachers' personal and professional growth."

She believes teachers play a key role in children's development, particularly very young children. "Good teachers have a long-lasting, positive impact on children's lives," she said. That's the reason the professional development of its teachers is central to the ETU approach.