Private Tutoring in Downtown & East Toronto

Adrian is a seasoned executive with more than 18 years experience building, leading and motivating teams in a diversity of industries: Waste Management, Capital Markets, Manufacturing, Interactive Gaming and Equipment Rental Solutions.

His strengths include developing and executing on strategy, growing revenues, fine-tuning operational efficiencies to produce consistently profitable revenue and cross-enterprise collaboration to devise and implement initiatives that impact bottom and top-line results

I am the founder and CEO of Prep Academy Tutors (formerly Write at Home Tutoring ) where we bring qualified teachers into your home and provide thorough weekly reports based on our collaborative goals for your child.

Upon completion of my undergraduate degree at Western, I completed a M.DPE from OISE, U of T and was employed for 3 years at OISE running an infant developmental lab, before embarking on my tutoring business.

SPECIALITIES: CHILD PSYCHOLOGY | EDUCATION | PSYCHOMETRICS | INTERPRETATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL TESTING | EDUCATIONAL GOAL SETTING AND MEASUREMENT |SPECIAL EDUCATION

Our mission at Prep Academy Tutors is to attract and build a network of franchises made up of people who recognize the importance of community, and share a passion for education and business. We strive to deliver the educational tools required for students to not only build self confidence, but achieve higher levels of academic excellence and success.

Abbi has a Bachelor from the University of Toronto, majoring in Cognitive Science, with minors in English and Philosophy. She then went on to complete her Bachelors in Education at Queens University. Since graduating, Abbi has been part of the Toronto District School Board, where she has worked in a variety of K-6 classrooms for the past 4 years. Specialising in Educational Technology, Abbi’s teaching centres around special education, and cross-curricular connections. Currently, Abbi is a Grade 2/3 teacher.

Alex has been teaching and tutoring for over ten years in the Toronto area. He has developed extensive experience in a large range of High School math courses (including Advanced Functions and Calculus & Vectors) and University math courses (such as first Calculus courses from the University of Toronto and York University). During this time, Alex completed his undergraduate work in Astrophysics at U of T, and a Master’s degree in Astrophysics from McMaster University; these degrees are in addition to a degree in Engineering from McGill

Allie is an Ontario Certified Teacher with a Masters Degree in Developmental Psychology and Education. With over 10 years of experience in the field of education, Allie has taught Grades 1, 2 and 5 and currently teaches Grade 3 in Toronto. Alongside teaching her own class, she is also a Special Education Resource Teacher for students in kindergarten to Grade 8. Allie strongly believes that every child is capable of success. She works closely with each student to provide individualized support and active encouragement which is reinforced by establishing and maintaining close communication with families. Allie is dedicated to teaching the holistic student and creates engaging lessons that are centred around students’ interests and experiences. In her free time, Allie enjoys travelling, painting, dancing, and reading as many books as she possibly can. Though during the school year, she can usually be found on the couch with Netflix and her dog, Charlie.

Andrea is an Ontario Certified Teacher currently working in the Special Education field. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art at the University of Guelph before moving out East to complete a French Immersion program at L’Université Sainte-Anne. Following this whale watching filled adventure, Andrea returned to Ontario and received her Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa. With another itch to travel Andrea took her passion to teach in Korea where she had the chance to hone her skills in teaching both English as a Second Language (ESL) and Kindergarten. Upon returning to Canada Andrea was presented with an opportunity to expand her expertise by entering the world of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) as a teacher for students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Through this position she has learned new teaching techniques for various learning styles and also received her certification as a Registered Behaviour Technician (RBT). Andrea continues to seek out any chance to learn herself, and hopes to spread this passion for learning through all avenues of teaching. After school, Andrea enjoys a warm welcome from her dog Echo and her two cats Cosmos and Ariel. She spends her free time trying to protect her scattered artwork from the previously mentioned cats and binge watching the latest TV series on Netflix.

Arghavan is a recent graduate of McMaster University, having recently completed an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences degree. Over the years, Arghavan has demonstrated immense strengths in the sciences, having received highest achievement awards in Chemistry and Biology during her last year of secondary education. Her learning and time-management tactics have always provided her with advantages in her academic endeavours, and she gained an especially keen interest in sharing her knowledge and techniques with others during secondary school. Through partaking in academic tutoring activities to elementary school students during her free time, Arghavan’s passion to teach flourished, allowing her to fine-tune her instructing abilities. Eventually, Arghavan pursued tutoring opportunities in secondary and post-secondary settings, where her subject specialties were university-level maths and sciences. She has also had experience in teaching Farsi to beginners, and this stems from her passion about her intricate native language and culture.

Alongside tutoring, Arghavan has experience interacting with diverse people. She has spent her free time volunteering for a variety of services, including for seasonal community events, stem cell drives, as well as clinical volunteering within SickKids Hospital. With aspirations to pursue a career in healthcare, she embodies the traits of a medical professional such as empathy and compassion. She also enjoys playing the piano, learning about computer programming, as well as exploring the world of digital arts and media.

Inspired by her own mentors’ methods of guidance, Arghavan is eager to foster learning, in a collaborative way, to highlight her students’ strengths and encourage them to tackle any academic obstacle in an efficient way.

Aryan is a recent graduate from McMaster University with a degree in Health Sciences. Currently, continuing with his interest, he is applying to medical school and hopes to stay in Toronto. Aryan’s passion for tutoring dates back to high school, where he started as a volunteer for Harbord Collegiate’s tutoring centre. From there, Aryan decided to pursue a private tutoring business on his own, coming up with personalized study material and strategies for students mostly referred to him by his teachers. Upon moving to Hamilton to start university, Aryan spent 4 years volunteering for Frontier College, tutoring children age 6-11, mostly focusing on reading comprehension and writing skills. He also managed to tutor his peers in university-level courses he had experience with. In his 4th year, Aryan was hired to be a Teaching Assistant for the second year Health, Attitude, and Behaviour course within his program. As the Health Sciences program focuses on self-directed learning, Aryan gained professional experience in facilitating a teaching style that engages students directly with their own learning and success. From early on, Aryan has been able to develop a personalized model for each of his students. He has always been receptive to feedback and strived to formulate his teaching style in the best way that suits his students’ concerns. In his spare time, Aryan enjoys playing and watching soccer. As a music enthusiast, he also spends time playing the guitar.

Ashley is an Ontario Certified Honours Specialist Physics Teacher with experience teaching Mathematics and Chemistry. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph where she majored in Physics and minored in Mathematics. During her undergraduate degree she worked on Physics Education Research and was a member of the Curriculum Development Team for the Physics Department. Her passion for Science, Mathematics, and teaching were evident from a very young age and she has over 15 years of tutoring experience. She prides herself in making STEM accessible to every learner through everyday applications. Ashley completed her teaching degree at Queen’s University and has worked with multiple different curricula throughout her 8 years of teaching, including Ontario and IB. Ashley also loves to travel; she took advantage of her time teaching in London to travel to over 30 countries. Ashley believes developing relationships with her students and rooting key concepts in students’ experiences allows for a deeper connection to the subject matter.

Athi is currently a student at the University of Toronto finishing a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences, double majoring in Neuroscience and Conservational Biology and minoring in Astrophysics with plans to continue his education with a Masters of Teaching at OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education). He has worked at the Ontario Science Centre for the past 5 years as a Senior Recreational Programs Assistant, where he runs several recreational and educational programs and events such as the ever popular OSC Day Camps, a science camp geared about educating children about relevant science topics in an engaging manner. Alongside this position, Athi has also been tutoring high school sciences and maths since…well since he was in high school! With a strong background in teaching and experience working with and mentoring students from ages 4-19, he knows that confidence in the course and balance are key in reaching success and is eager to help his students master those same skills. In his spare time he enjoys playing sports, at one time he knew how to play 7 instruments, and is a huge fan of competitive napping.

Caio is a teacher from New York with six years’ classroom experience at the intermediate and high school levels. He has experience teaching multiple strands and levels of English, from intermediate ELA to AP; additionally, he has supported students on the college application process, including reading and writing prep for the SAT and ACT exams. He’s currently pursuing another Master’s student at the University of Toronto, and holds a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Education.

Carol Ann is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She has focused her more than 25 year career on two distinct curriculum areas: Special Education (Grades 6,7,8, all subjects) and English as a Second Language (Grade 7 through University). She has also been a School Librarian for grades K-5. Teaching in these areas has taken Carol Ann to many parts of the world. Her classroom in the Bahamas sometimes had goats walking through. In Greece, the siesta meant she started work at 4:00 pm and finished at 10. In New Zealand, kea birds pulled the rubber windshield wipers off her car in school parking lots. Along the way, she earned a Masters of Education degree (in Toronto) lectured at several universities (Monash and University of Sydney in Australia). She earned her PhD. while traveling regularly between Rhodes and the University of Toronto. Her students were her very best teachers. Everywhere she went students, despite differences in culture and language, responded positively to to her belief in them as capable learners.

Charles Ziegler is a graduate student at OISE in Language and Literacies Education. After graduating from the University of Guelph with a degree in English literature, Charles taught middle school ESL classes in Gwanggyo, South Korea specializing in TOEFL preparatory reading and writing. Charles enjoys reading, writing literature reviews, and playing jazz piano.

Claudia is a certified Ontario teacher and graduated from OISE with a Master of Teaching in 2020. She also has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Waterloo, majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Psychology. During her undergraduate degree, she had a chance to be a Teaching Assistant in a 2nd year chemistry lab, where she truly found her love of teaching and working with students. Claudia is currently teaching Science at Branksome Hall, in Toronto, with many years of tutoring under her belt. She has qualifications in Senior and Intermediate Science, Chemistry and Senior Math. Through tutoring, Claudia has seen the difference one-on-one support can make and strives to support students through their learning in science and math. Claudia believes that when a child feels safe and supported, they thrive and can be successful in all domains of life. In her free time, Claudia enjoys going to the gym, playing and watching hockey and hopes to travel more in the future.

Hailing from the Emerald Isle, Conor graduated from University College Cork with a Bachelor of Education in Sports Studies and Physical Education in 2013, with a minor in Mathematics. Conor has a real passion for Tutoring and has been doing so since 2007. Upon graduating, and teaching in Math, PE, and various extra curriculars in two separate schools in Cork, Conor moved to Ottawa, Canada. There, he was a substitute teacher in Aylmer, Quebec, teaching a range of subjects from History to Math to Science and Art, all the while continuing tutoring students who really needed a helping hand.

Outside of the classroom, Conor works in Real Estate and is passionate about sports and activities. He is an avid rugby player (and fan), playing provincially with the Atlantic Rock in 2014. Recently he has switched to American Football as a kicker, and has attended several NFL and CFL tryouts,

Specializing mainly in Mathematics, Conor believes that a strong connection between a Tutor and student is the first path to achieving great results. For the second path, we will need a calculator!

Crystal is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She completed her Undergraduate Degree in History and her Teacher Education at Lakehead University. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, she now lives and works in Toronto. Crystal grew up in a family of educators and took every opportunity to follow in their footsteps. From babysitter, to drama camp assistant, to youth programming facilitator, Crystal has had her fair share of teaching and working with children. However, it was through the role of Community Outreach Coordinator that she discovered her passion of teaching children in one-on-one settings. It is through these unique teaching opportunities that Crystal is able to make learning as experiential, self-directed, and meaningful as possible! In her spare time, Crystal volunteers with an organization called Future Possibilities for Kids where she works one-to-one with children ages 9-12 on leadership building activities and the completion of a community based Goal of Contribution. She empowers students to be the best they can be by building their confidence, understanding their needs, and supporting their growth. Finally, she believes that each student, given the proper support and resources, can achieve their own version of success.

Crystal’s work as a teacher and mentor have included classroom settings as well as individual tutoring. She is currently working with the Durham Regional District School Board. Additionally, Crystal is a trained EQAO and OSSLT teacher. She worked with Grade 3 and 9 students in preparation for the benchmark assessments. Crystal developed and implemented balanced literacy activities and assessed student learning. Her work with the OSSLT preparation test focussed on preparing boys with the tools and experiences to help them read and write more effectively.

Crystal continues to pursue ongoing professional learning opportunities. She has completed mentorship programs that shared strategies for guiding student choices and planning for post-secondary learning. She has completed her Junior Division ABQ as well as her Junior Math Additional Qualifications.

David graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies. He completed his Bachelor of Education at the University of Toronto in the Intermediate/Senior grade levels. For the past 30 years he taught junior Science, senior Biology, Geography, Environmental Science and Cooperative Education at Dunbarton High School in Pickering at all levels including Grade 9 and 10 enriched Science. His approach to teaching is to infuse each lesson with an inquiry based hands-on experience, and to connect curriculum content to meaningful real-world events in areas such as sustainability, busines, and research. As a Co-operative Education teacher he coached many students on their career explorations and worked directly with partners in a wide range of sectors, from the trades to research. He is the recipient of five teaching awards, is an avid cyclist, and is currently riding out the pandemic in an off-grid cabin near Algonquin Park with his human family, and his non-human family of trees, birds, squirrels, deer, foxes, wolves, moose and bears (who are asleep now).

David is an OCT certified Teacher. He graduated from Queen’s university with a degree in physics in 2015. From there, he decided to pursue a career in teaching and went on to complete a Masters of Teaching from U of T in April of 2017. He has spent time teaching in both Toronto and Seoul, South Korea. He loves learning new math and science concepts, and he is excited about helping others succeed and work towards their educational goals. He believes that all students are capable of personal success if they are given the right opportunities and have a strong work ethic. In his spare time, David loves to play sports, go camping, watch movies, and travel! He is consistently thinking about 1 of 2 things: Where to travel next, and how to solve that tough quadratic equation.

Debbie grew up in Kitchener, where she attended and graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a BA in Honours English. The perfect opportunity arrived last year when she could fulfill her passion for travelling while obtaining her Postgraduate Certificate of Education in Wales, UK. During her time there, she taught in both a Kindergarten and grade 3 class and this confirmed her love for teaching. Debbie is passionate about seeing children reach their full potential through building their confidence, supporting and challenging them to reach their goals and igniting a passion for lifelong learning. In her free time, Debbie enjoys cooking, going to the gym and having a good laugh with friends.

Ellie graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Studies. She then went to complete her Bachelor of Education in Primary/Junior at University of Ottawa in 2014. Ellie has a wide variety of experience working with children in school settings, over 4 years of summer camp and in childcare working as a Registered Early Childhood Educator. She has worked with children from pre- school to grade eight in the areas of mathematics and literacy. From these experiences she has developed the passion for teaching children and ensuring that they are able to reach their goals and success’ in life.

Ellie is a certified teacher and academic coach. Ellie has experience teaching all subjects to students from grade 1 – grade 8 in a classroom and one-on-one. Through academic coaching Ellie is able to help students learn strategies for studying, organizational skills (note taking, writing and reading strategies) and time management skills. Ellie believes that these are all essential for students to have to become independent learners that they will use to reach their academic goals throughout their education. Additionally, Ellie is a trained SSAT coach who enjoys guiding students though the preparations for the test-taking process.

One of Ellie’s strengths is math and she is passionate about helping students find the confidence and strengthen their understanding in math concepts. In her spare time, she enjoys playing on her basketball team, watching her brother play hockey and spending time with the family.

Emily Agnew is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She grew up in a small town in New Jersey and taught drama and music during the summers at her local theatre, which ignited a love of education and outreach. Emily went on to receive a Bachelor of Music and spent her twenties traveling the world as a singer, dancer, actor and puppeteer. She transitioned into teaching, receiving a Masters of Science in Education, with a focus on literacy in disadvantaged and racially marginalized communities for her graduate thesis. While in graduate school, she was awarded a fellowship to teach reading in the New York City Public Schools. In 2011, after completing a summer music program at Yale University,  she moved to Toronto. In addition to teaching in the elementary grades, Emily has taught art, music, and drama specialties where she has proved to be an enthusiastic and innovative teacher.

Recently, Emily took part in a virtual forum ‘Anti-Racist Education and Parenting: The Life-Long Journey’ with Nastassia Subban to learn about how to model anti-racist education, address racialized communities and work for equity within the schools. She also participated in a virtual choir project, ‘Qilak’, with Indigenous composer Andrew Balfour, and in the summer of 2021 completed a Certificate in Indigenous Canada through University of Alberta. Emily enjoys reading, hiking, singing and being with her family

Emily is an Honours Social Work student at McMaster University in the final year of her degree. She grew up in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, (otherwise known as “The Middle-of-Nowhere”) but currently lives in Peterborough, Ontario. She is a very social and friendly person who has always been passionate about working with children and adolescents. This passion is what drew her to become involved with Frontier College and volunteer for three years tutoring elementary and high school-aged students within the city of Hamilton. During this time Emily found that she greatly enjoyed teaching and discovered a talent for guiding others in their own academic pursuits. One of her greatest strengths as a tutor is her ability to build a strong partnership with her students where they can work collaboratively to reach the student’s goals. The personal assets that she is proud to have is her love of learning and academics, her ability to creatively adapt learning methods to each individual student, and a wealth of patience for the challenges that learning presents.  In her spare time, Emily enjoys downhill and cross-country skiing, sewing, and trying to keep her houseplants alive.

My name is Enrique Ramirez, I am a French as a Second Language (FSL) and Math teacher from Toronto, Ontario.

 

My Bachelor of Education was conferred as part of the first Consecutive cohort of French teachers trained at the Glendon campus of York University. I also earned my undergraduate double major in French Studies and Math (along with the Trilingual Certificate of Excellence in English, French and Spanish) at the same campus. 

 

I started my Masters of Education (with a focus on math teaching) at the end of August 2020.

 

From October 2019 to June 2020, I completed a work year abroad in southwest France as the official English language assistant and Spanish tutor. My duties principally entailed leading classroom activities and reinforcing the teacher’s lessons, in both the elementary and secondary levels, at “Lycée Jean Taris” in the Bordeaux Academy school board.

 

I look forward to bringing my strengthened French skills to the classroom when I teach FSL (and math in French) along with elementary and junior school subjects in an english or francophone classroom environment.

Fangna is a French tutor. He enjoys teaching Math, Science and Humanities in French. Fangna is as eager to learn as to teach. He graduated Law school with specifications in Public Law and got his post-graduate in the same field. He went on to get a Masters Degree in Political Science with specifications in Diplomacy and International Security.

Fangna discovered his passion for teaching early on in academic career. He has tutored at the college and high school level in support of subject learning and exam preparation. Additionally, Fangna has taught summer school language courses for French and English as second languages.

Fangna prides himself on being able to explain and break down complex topics to his students. He enjoys helping people reach their goals and above all their full potential. Early on his father taught him to always be part of something bigger than himself and to always give back to the community.

Fiona is an Assistant Professor in the School of Early Childhood Studies at Ryerson University, a Research Scientist at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and an Assistant Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. Fiona completed her Masters and Doctoral Degrees at the University of Toronto in Health Psychology. Fiona’s research is dedicated to enhancing the psychosocial wellbeing of children living with chronic illnesses and disabilities. She has worked with medically complex children, such as children with cancer, cystic fibrosis, and congenital heart disease, for decades. Fiona is also in the 4th year of the Psychotherapy Training Program at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto where she one day hopes to open a practice dedicated to the psychotherapy needs of children and families living with disabilities. Fiona has authored over 40 research articles that further knowledge of the psychosocial lives of children with long-term illnesses. 

Fiona grew up in Toronto but spent time living between Canada and South Africa during the apartheid system. Fiona’s great love for education was instilled by her parents at a very early age who taught her to “shoot for the moon, for even if you miss, you will still land amongst the stars”. Fiona has educated thousands of University students across three Canadian Universities. She believes in cultivating critical thinking, curiosity, and a life-long love and passion for learning. 

In her spare time, Fiona loves to engage in creative writing and reading. As well, she is an avid runner and yogi. Her favourite pose is warrior pose! Fiona also loves to travel and often spends summertime with her partner travelling around Europe. Finally, due to her parent’s political influence, Fiona is dedicated to social justice and inclusion for marginalized communities who face systemic barriers in society. As such, Fiona is dedicated to the democratization of education for children. Fiona hopes to work with your child in a family-based approach to education and pedagogy. Fiona’s heroes are Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, and Toni Morrison because they lived with the courage to tell the truth.

Genevieve in an Ontario Certified teacher. She is qualified to teach Math, ESL, Economics, Business, Law, Accounting, Social Science, Philosophy and Special Education. She has over 10 years’ experience tutoring students both online and offline. Genevieve enjoys helping students of all ages achieve their full potential, from elementary to post-secondary.

Hailey is Masters Student at the University of Toronto (OISE). She graduated from The University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Cultural Studies), before starting her journey towards her Masters of Teaching. Hailey is qualified to teach all english, math, social studies, science and arts at the elementary school level. In addition, Hailey has spent many years working with learners with ASD and has been trained in one to one ABA therapy as a Behaviour Interventionist. In addition to teaching, she remains active in the community by volunteering in classrooms. Hailey is an active person who loves yoga, hiking and cooking!

Hannah is a Primary/Junior teacher in the TDSB. She is a graduate of Carleton University and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education where she earned her Masters of Teaching. She is working to be a math specialist in the TDSB. This past year, Hannah worked at two different schools and landed in a grade one position, which she absolutely loved. Hannah’s approach to teaching and learning is about creating relationships where students feel safe and heard. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys running, riding her spin bike and walking her roommate’s dog

Harris is an OCT certified teacher working towards a career in data science. Born and raised in Honduras, Harris has a Masters degree in Physics and a Bachelors degree in Mathematics. Harris has two years experience teaching high school in Toronto and a total of 12 years of combined tutoring experience dating back to his Undergraduate years. During Graduate school, Harris taught physics labs to pre-med students and gave lectures in physics to first year physics classes. His experience spans from tutoring math (grades 9-12 and first year university) and physics (grades 11-12, IB and first year university), tutoring grade 10 science, grade 11 computer science, grade 12 data management, and grade 12 calculus from the TDSB curriculum. Given his data science pursuit, he can also be of assistance with beginner’s Python programming language as well. Most computer science courses in high school are moving towards teaching object-oriented programming. Harris is a huge fan of comedy and sports so he uses both of those aspects to connect with students.

Helena is from Ireland originally. She started learning French at a young age with a neighbour who was a local tutor and immediately fell for all things French. She attended University College Cork where she undertook a Bachelors Degree in French and History. During her time at UCC, she completed an Erasmus programme in France. It was after completion of her Bachelor degree that Helena decided to pursue a career in teaching. She went on to achieve a Masters degree from University College Dublin and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from Trinity College Dublin. Helena taught Secondary School French and History in Ireland from 2007-2014. She thrives on the classroom experience and thoroughly enjoys passing on her passion for French and History. During this time, she also worked in India as a volunteer teacher with the HOPE Foundation. Helena moved to Canada in 2014. Through her many years of teaching both in Ireland and in Canada she is quick to recognise students’ needs and requirements. Having had her own tutor for many years, Helena recognises the importance of engaging students’ curiosity and assisting them in reaching their full potential. In her spare time, Helena enjoys travelling, going to the movies, reading, running and trying out Toronto’s endless stream of new restaurants and coffee shops.

Huma received her undergraduate degree in English from Queen’s University in 2009 and her Bachelor of Education from Trent University in 2015. She has received additional qualifications in teaching English Language Learners and Kindergarten. Huma has delivered goal-oriented curriculum lessons in classrooms from Kindergarten to grade 6; she has taught digital literacy through game design; and, she has sensitized her students to the magic in their lives through science and art programs. Huma believes in a holistic approach to education: only through focusing on the whole child can we ignite students’ passions and natural abilities. Huma’s lessons will take your child on adventures through uncharted lands, form friendships, learn life-lessons, and feel unmatched freedom—all through the pages of treasured books.

Idi M. has turned his passion for outreach and community service into a career of education and recreational programming. His work with children started with running soccer programs, various camps, and instructional programs such as Kids Can-Bike. His desire to become a teacher was intensified through soccer programs he coordinated between 2006 and 2013. In 2013, shortly after completing his Bachelor of Education at University of Toronto (OISE) and becoming an Ontario Certified Teacher, Idi entered into the world of education as a primary teacher in Kuwait. Teaching in the middle east proved to be a highly rewarding experience. Working in the private school sector, you meet students who are expats like yourself. Primarily Idi delivered the Ontario curriculum with the support and leadership of Ontario trained and experienced principals and colleagues. Teaching in a K-12 school allowed him to increase his love of teaching Language Arts and Math. But there was more to the work than delivering instruction, assessments and support in the classroom.

The most rewarding part of the work is always to engage students in a manner that meets their learning needs. The goal is always to foster or maintain their joy of learning. Idi’s greatest strength is his ability to create an open line of communication with parents and students. Hearing and empathizing with the needs of others is essential in creating a positive learning environment. This philosophy comes from years of working with children with vast learning needs. It also comes from the ample one-on-one tuition that comes with overseas teaching. Students were often able to improve in their class work after having their learning challenges addressed through greater dialogue and a more appropriate pace. Subjects and concepts can seem overwhelming until the better method is employed to make the material more attainable. This is where his patient approach proves vital. He has spent the last four years teaching and travelling. Exploring various countries in Africa, Asia and the Gulf has broadened his world view. It helped cultivate his belief that no two students are alike and everyone can learn. Idi’s interests include basketball, reading, travel and spending time with family and friends. All this is to say that Idi M. has the skills, experience and insight to serve as a great contributor in the role of educator.

Ilana is an Ontario Certified Teacher who is currently the French teacher for students in grades 4-8 at Danforth Gardens Public School in Scarborough. Before becoming a teacher, she began her love for learning when she attended Ottawa’s Carleton University in the Journalism Program. From there, she moved to Montreal and fell in love with the vibrant culture and the immersion in a language other than English.

When she finished her studies, she decided to explore more of the world and other languages, and backpacked through South America for 7 months with her then-boyfriend, now-husband. When they returned to Canada, they kept up their explorations and moved across the country to Victoria, British Columbia where she completed a diploma in Environmental Restoration. For the final piece of the diploma program, she wrote a children’s novel. She connected with teachers so that she could read excerpts from her book and teach young people about the importance of the environment. This is when she realized that she wanted to become a teacher!

As we know, Victoria is far from Ottawa and Montreal which is where Ilana’s family is from. So, she applied to OISE’s (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) Master of Teaching program so that she could be closer to home and become a teacher. Two short years later, she was hired as a permanent teacher, and she could not be happier!

As the French teacher, co-lead of the Green Team and Student Council, and coach of various sports, everyday is a busy one. However, her initiative, strong communication skills and ability to prioritize and effectively manage multiple tasks, make it a very enjoyable workplace. Her co-workers tell her that her outgoing personality and sense of humour make it a pleasure to work with her. She is a positive, solution-oriented person with excellent writing and communications skills, in both English and French.

Outside of work, she volunteers with environmental organizations, such as Rain Gardens United. In this role, she attends community farmers’ markets to do outreach work. When she is not working and volunteering, she is either hitting her peers with foam balls in her dodgeball league, or exploring Ontario’s rivers and hiking trails with her husband.

Ivan is an Ontario Certified Teacher. He graduated from the University of Toronto with a Honours Bachelor of Arts with High Distinction, Major in Political Science and Minors in History and Philosophy respectively. As well, he received a Master of Teaching from OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) at the University of Toronto, specializing in Junior/Intermediate grade levels. Ivan discovered his passion for teaching and inspiring while volunteering as a Study Group Leader for the Historical and Cultural Studies Student Association at the University of Toronto. From there on, Ivan has pursued a variety of teaching experiences. He has taught at the University of Toronto as a Teaching Assistant for the courses: Introduction to Metaphysics and Introduction to Ethics. He has taught in several classrooms, ranging from Grade 4-10, as a teacher candidate, cultivating students’ interest in math, science and history. He has created and taught enrichment classes for Grades 9 & 10 in Creative Writing and Literacy. He works with children of all ages in one-to-one tutoring sessions in Math, Literacy and Science everyday, inspiring them and helping them become their best selves. Ivan believes that it is important to cultivate the strengths of his students and to explore the topics they are curious about as deeply as his students desire to. Ivan is deeply invested in the growth of each of his students and nothing could be more rewarding than to aid in that process. In his spare time, Ivan enjoys reading, mixed martial arts and gardening.

Jaslyn graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelors degree in elementary education and a minor in Spanish. Jaslyn combined her love of travel and education and studied additional Spanish courses while living in Barcelona for two months. Jaslyn grew up in a very busy house living with her grandparents, parents and two siblings. Jaslyn’s parents are originally from India and have instilled in her the importance of education and seizing opportunities. Jaslyn has thoroughly enjoyed teaching for 5 years in Alberta. She has taught a variety of grades from pre-kindergarten through to grades 2,3,4 and 6. She has encountered many different types of learners with very challenging needs and believes each child has the right to learn and a teacher’s job is to provide every opportunity she can for the learning to be successful. Jaslyn has been instructed on many different reading programs and is able to professionally assess and administer them. Jaslyn has followed her passion for language and is currently pursuing a Masters in Education with a specialization in Language and Literacy at York University. She has the unique ability and experience to see the perspective of the learner, teacher and now academic. Jaslyn believes language and the ability to communicate is foundational. A child’s education can only be as good as her ability to understand and communicate what she or he has learned. Jaslyn believes mentoring is like building blocks; we build on the work that was done before and we seek to expand on and improve it. In her spare time, Jaslyn enjoys yoga, running and fashion. She is currently signed up for a half marathon.

Jennifer is an Ontario Certified Teacher at the intermediate and senior level, and is certified to teach Chemistry and Physics. She studied chemistry and concurrent education at York University, graduating with Honours. She has taught chemistry and physics throughout her high school placement during her undergrad, and has experience working with math classes from grade 9 to 11. Jennifer is currently working at a private school teaching grade 11/12 chemistry and grade 11 functions. Aside from working at schools, Jennifer has experience leading academic camps in the summer with students ranging from Grade 3 to 8, and has been consistently volunteering with children aged 1.5 to 5 years for more than 12 years.

Jennifer believes that all students have the potential to succeed in their studies and uses different strategies to make the understanding more clear for her students. Her volunteer experiences as well as providing after-school help for students has assisted in her development of various approaches to help each individual students.

Aside from teaching, Jennifer enjoys physical activities, such as Ultimate frisbee and fencing, as well as baking.

Jenny is a graduate of the Masters of Teaching program at OISE, University of Toronto. She studied Biological Sciences at the University of Windsor and is passionate about STEM outreach. She has engaged with a wide range of youth in diverse environments as a program coordinator, workshop facilitator, tutor, teaching assistant, and more. Her favourite type of teaching involves interactive, hands-on activities that spark curiosity in students, guiding them to make their own learning connections. Jenny believes in student-centered teaching and understands the unique strengths each student brings. She practices a growth mindset, supporting and encouraging her students to recognize their potential and capability. When her nose isn’t buried in a book, Jenny enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking and biking wherever she can. She loves photographing nature and her camera has a permanent spot in her backpack during these adventures. As a result of her abundance of mountain and tree photographs, she is often the source for desktop and mobile screensavers for her family and friends. As thanks, they often let her win at board games

Jesseca has completed her Bachelor of Education degree with a focus on the Primary and Junior divisions at York University. Jesseca has a background in an Honours Biomedical Science program from which she graduated with distinction. Jesseca’s passion for teaching grew out of her time as a counsellor and head counsellor at a local summer camp. Additionally she teaches programs including STEM, public speaking, ballet and soccer at her local community centre. Through the success of the programs and watching her campers flourish, Jesseca realized that she wanted to pursue a career in education. Although she has a focus on the Primary and Junior divisions, her enthusiasm for science has brought her to tutor high school and junior division sciences. Jesseca has a passion for working with people of all ages, and enjoys baking and cooking when she has time. Although she can only make pasta for now, it’s as she says: practice makes progress

Julie is a writing and literature professor at a Toronto college with a Master of Arts in English from McGill University. After completing her B.Ed at Queen’s University in 2005, Julie began her teaching career as a high school English teacher. Following her desire to travel and live abroad, Julie spent a year teaching ESL at an international English school in Dublin, Ireland. While living in Dublin, Julie travelled throughout Europe and visited sites full of literary history, such as the homes of James Joyce in Dublin, Victor Hugo in Paris, and John Keats in Rome. These experiences convinced her that she was not finished being a student, so upon returning to Canada, Julie decided to pursue her MA and wrote her thesis on James Joyce’s short story collection, Dubliners. For the past 10 years, Julie has been helping college students improve their writing, analytical, and academic skills.

Kathleen is an Ontario Certified Teacher and is qualified to teach students from Kindergarten to Grade 10. She completed her Master of Teaching at OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) in the Junior/ Intermediate division, with a teachable subject of Visual Arts. Initially, Kathleen began her undergraduate degree in the fine arts, but after teaching pottery at a residential camp for children with learning disabilities and Autism, and leading Reggio-Emilia inspired art lessons at her campus daycare, she realized that teaching is her true calling. She ultimately declared Child, Youth and Family Studies as her major, and Visual Arts as her minor at the University of Guelph, earning her Bachelor of Applied Science in 2019. Her background in the arts inspires a creative approach to teaching, while her in depth understanding of child development and neurodiversity roots her ability to create developmentally appropriate lessons in theory. Her experiences in teachers’ college placements and supply teaching have allowed her to apply her skills to teach a range of subjects, such as Math, French, English, Social Studies, and the Arts. In her spare time Kathleen enjoys spending time outside and trying any and every creative hobby! She keeps herself busy by experimenting with papermaking, sewing, drawing, and painting.

Kristie Cairns is an Ontario Certified Teacher who has taught both internationally and in Canada. She has called Toronto home for nearly her whole life, growing up in the city and completing a double degree program at the University of Toronto, receiving both her Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts. Always believing in the power of education to provide exposure to and understanding of different cultures and with a desire to put theory into practice, Kristie realized her adventurer nature by teaching in Beijing, China and Jeju island, South Korea. In these locations, Kristie taught at a private boarding school and an international girls school. It is with a special fondness for these two places that Kristie remembers first growing her elementary expertise and gaining an appreciation for the place of meaningful, culturally-relevant curriculum and teaching for the well-being of learners.

Having taught and travelled abroad for three years, Kristie returned to Toronto and joined the faculty of a prominent independent school where she has taught in many roles including as a teacher-librarian, Grade 5 teacher and most recently, a Senior Kindergarten teacher. Over the course of her teaching career, Kristie has thrived in working with elementary students and has a genuine enthusiasm for guiding students in their foundational learning in the early years. Kristie greatly enjoys teaching reading, writing, vocabulary acquisition and developing social-emotional competencies, but is able to deliver a wide range of elementary curriculum. Kristie has lived the experience of working with students in a virtual learning format as a result of current times and has been commended by parents for connecting with learners despite the obstacle of screens. Even at this moment in time, Kristie strongly believes that building connection with students through engaging learner interests and wonderings is key to helping students feel heard, understood and better able to succeed in both realms of academia and personal development. Kristie enjoys writing stories, rock climbing, spending time with her dog and has been known fondly by students for her ever-changing hair colour!

Leo is a British ESL teacher who has experience teaching in
educational institutions around the world. Leo worked as a team coordinator
at Enterprise Rent a Car for two years before deciding he wanted to
experience other parts of the world. After gaining as English Teaching Training Certificate at International House London, Leo moved to South Korea to teach English to middle school students in an after school academy. Leo quickly rose to Head Foreign instructor, spending his time teaching lessons and collaborating with other staff to improve the lessons and teaching techniques implemented within the school. After two years Leo moved to Canada, he is currently residing in Toronto teaching in a language school. Leo engages and supports student learning using instructional tools and programs to meet the needs of his students. In Leo’s spare time he likes attending amateur standup comedy shows and going to Jiu-jitsu classes, ie watching strangers choke and being choked by strangers!

Maeve holds an honours Bachelor of Science and is currently is completing a Master of Teaching at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). She is well verse as a teaching practitioner and a researcher, having completed a thesis during her BScH and remains actively involved in research at OISE to date. Maeve has over 5 years experience tutoring math, science and French to students grades 1-12. Her teaching philosophy involves customizing approaches to meet the needs of individual students, and instilling a belief in all students that they can succeed. Maeve believes encouraging self-awareness and intrinsic motivation by having students take an autonomous role in their own learning through regular student-led goal setting. She is passionate about fostering self-efficacy, and building capacity in a supportive environment. In her spare time, Maeve enjoys hoisting herself up a wall or mountain, a sport some people refer to as rock climbing.

Manni earned his PhD in Chemistry from McMaster University. After a few years of working as a Teaching Assistant and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, his love for teaching led him to obtain his BEd from OISE (University of Toronto). For the past 30 years he taught Chemistry for Grades 11 & 12 in TDSB schools. He has implemented the AP Chemistry program at Jarvis Collegiate Institute and has prepared the students for the AP College Board exam for several years. In addition, Manni has taught grades 9, 10 & 11 Math in TDSB Summer schools for a number of years. He has a passion for teaching in a caring manner. Manni has been loved by his students for his excellent teaching methods and knowledge. He has been successful in building confidence in his students by going the extra mile. Manni enjoys doing yoga, going to the gym and watching sports, especially the Jays.

Maria is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Studies. She completed her teaching degree at OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education), with an Early Years focus. Maria is qualified to teach Primary/Junior grades and is currently employed with the TDSB (Toronto District School Board). This year, she was given the opportunity to teach in an Intensive Support Program (ISP). She is the teacher of a Junior MID (Mildly Intellectually Delayed) class, which is comprised of 12 students of various needs, abilities and interests. Maria jumped at the opportunity as she has a passion and experience in special needs education, and is always looking to further develop her teaching. Over the years, Maria has completed various Additional Qualification (AQ) courses including: Reading Part 1, Kindergarten Part 1, Mathematics Part 1 and Special Needs Part 1. Maria pursued these specific courses in order to strengthen her teaching practice and guide her language and mathematics programming. By 2021, Maria’s goal is to complete her speciality in Special Education. She will be enrolling in Part 2 and Part 3 of the Special Education AQ course this summer and fall.

Maria’s schooling, as well as her personal and professional experiences have built the foundation of her beliefs. Maria truly believes that using student curiosity and interests is critical when engaging students and achieving success. She urges teachers and others to value student voice and input, as it is an integral part of teaching and learning. Maria believes that students are truly valued when they are put at the centre of their learning; only then, will student confidence and self-esteem flourish.

In her spare time, Maria enjoys playing sports such as soccer and volleyball as well as spending time with her family; whether it’s watching movies or playing games.

Marie is a teacher candidate from York University’s Faculty of Education for Intermediate/Senior division. She will be graduating with qualifications in Computer Technology that will allow her to teach Computer Networking and Computer Engineering. Marie has had a unique opportunity to teach in two school boards: Waterloo Region District School Board and in Toronto District School Board for Computer Engineering in grades 9-12. Through these opportunities, Marie strives to become a role model for young women to consider STEM as a viable option and to help all students become successful by identifying and eliminating barriers. She motivates students to realize their capabilities and empowers them to become their most successful and unique selves. Marie is confident in her ability to learn new concepts, communicate clearly, and ensure consistent instruction with detailed feedback that assist students.

Marie also has a Bachelor of Technology degree with 2+ years of experience in industry as an Application Developer. By having worked in industry as an Application Developer, Marie is able to pinpoint lesson content that will prepare students for real world work. She continues to keep herself updated through doing online courses and practice questions in her free time. Continuing to learn new languages and development techniques are important to Marie and critical for long term success for her students.

During Marie’s days off, she enjoys going hiking, camping, and leisure paddles on a lake. She realizes that as important technology is for the convenience of everyday life, it is also important to take a break and enjoy the simplicities in life.

Mark is a Primary/Junior Ontario Certified Teacher from Toronto. He graduated from the University of Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English, and he completed his Bachelors of Education at Queen’s University. Mark has continued his professional development in teaching by taking additional qualification courses in Primary/Junior Math and Reading, as well as Intermediate English. These studies have helped Mark expand his teaching strategies to help students build on their mathematical thinking, reading, writing, and vocabulary. Mark also has experience as an ESL teacher through TDSB’s Teaching English as a Second Language program. Reading and writing has been a lifelong passion for Mark, and he is always excited to share that passion with his students.

Mark’s passion for teaching started with soccer coaching. This job showed Mark how satisfying teaching can be, in making lessons fun and engaging, as well as watching students progress with each session.​ ​This passion carried over to his practicum experience teaching in Toronto as well as his time as a supply Educational Assistant in Ottawa. Working as a teacher, especially as an Educational Assistant, gave Mark an insight into how impactful a 1 on 1 interaction can be. Mark firmly believes in the importance of getting to know his students on an individual basis. Mark uses students’ individual interests to attach meaning to their learning, and caters the lesson to fit the individual needs of that student. Mark finds his inspiration in teaching by helping students forge their own path as lifelong learners.

Outside of the classroom, Mark enjoys being active and continues his in-home workouts though he misses intramural sports very much. He is an enthusiastic supporter of all the Toronto sports teams. Mark is looking forward to working with his students at Prep Academy.

Merin is pursuing a Masters in Teaching (MT) from the University of Toronto within OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education). She is currently in her first year and is hoping to be an Ontario Certified Teacher for the Junior/Intermediate/Senior grade levels. Merin is also a former undergraduate from Ryerson University with a Bachelor’s in Chemistry (BSc) where she was placed on the Dean’s List and received Honours for finishing a Thesis Project in her fourth year. During her time at Ryerson, Merin was given the opportunity to lead peer-facilitation sessions with Undergraduate Science students seeking help in their Chemistry courses. She was responsible for constructing weekly lesson plans, provided one-on-one help and prepped students for midterms and exams by making mock tests and quizzes. Merin has also taught Mathematics to students from Grade 3-6 within the DPCDSB (Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board) as an initiative to help schools with their EQAO preparation. Her passion for teaching first arose when she was the main leader and captain of her dance team during High School. She has been part of a professional dance team since she was 12 years old where she engaged in team-building skills and obtained an interest in teaching others while continuing to learn new styles to build her expertise. With all of her experiences with teaching, Merin hopes to teach Science courses in an engaging way to help students build their interest in STEM courses.

Michael has an honours Bachelor of Arts in Outdoor Recreation Parks and Tourism, and a Bachelor of Arts in History. Michael completed his Bachelor of Education in 2019 at Lakehead University

Michaela grew up in Timmins, moving to London to complete an undergraduate
degree in Nursing from the University of Western Ontario. As well, she
graduated from OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) at the
University of Toronto with her Master of Teaching degree in the
Junior/Intermediate grade level with a teachable in Science. During the
summer months, Michaela coached soccer and worked as a tutor for literacy
and math for students ranging from Kindergarten to grade 6. Michaela has
worked with children in many environments as a pediatric nurse, a teacher,
a tutor, a camp counsellor and a soccer coach. It is through these numerous
experiences that Michaela has found her passion for teaching and working
with children. Michaela truly believes that promoting student curiosity and
exploration is crucial in helping students gain the confidence required to
succeed. She is a dedicated teacher who is committed to assisting students
in meeting their educational goals. In her spare time, Michaela enjoys
playing volleyball and spending time outdoors, as well as spending time
with her friends and family.

Monse Saborio graduated from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto with a Master of Teaching. She also completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Cincinnati, a Master of Music from Shenandoah University, and a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of English from the University of Costa Rica. With more than 10 years working in the educational field, Monse believes in creating a caring, inspiring, and engaging environment for students to thrive in their academic learning in all subjects. As an Ontario Certified Teacher, Monse is able to connect the Ontario curriculum to tailored lessons that respond to each student’s individual needs. Each session is focused on supporting the student’s individualized needs along with a plan to motivate and engage students. Furthermore, Monse is also a trained musician and she plays and teaches percussion and piano. She also teaches Spanish. In her spare time, Monse enjoys playing music, baking and travelling. Monse is enthusiastic about tutoring and is looking forward to providing support, encouragement, and instilling confidence in all her students.

After completing her Bachelors of Science degree at York University, and her Masters of Science degree at McGill University in Pharmacology, Negar pursued a career in healthcare, specifically as a research coordinator. Her current position at St. Michael’s Hospital involves patient recruitment, data management, manuscript preparation, and financial budgeting. In high school, while the “cool kids” were skipping class to go to the movies, Negar was at the library doing math homework because how else was she supposed to find the probability of getting in trouble if she did the same?! Her love of math and working with kids has led her to pursue work as a tutor. She is kind, patient, and has a deep passion for working with children and guiding them to reach their full potential. She believes in building a strong and trusting relationship with her students in order to meet their needs and grow their learning. Outside of math, her interests lie in sports (GO RAPTORS GO!) and traveling (she has been to over 10 countries). In Negar’s words: “Math may not teach me how to add love or subtract hate but it gives me hope that every problem has a solution”.

Nick is a Grade 5/6 teacher at a private school downtown Toronto and has 4 years of teaching experience. Nick has a Bachelor’s in Education from Queen’s University, specializing in Primary Junior. Nick has an undergrad degree from the University of Ottawa with a Major in Geography and a Minor in Sociology.

Niousha Started her post-secondary studies in Mechanical Engineering. Later due to her enthusiasm for teaching, she switched programs and graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Science with honors in Mathematics for Education. She is currently completing her Bachelor of Education in the Intermediate/Senior grade levels at Nipissing University which will be her second degree. She completed her teaching internship in the Embank Junior Academy, where she taught in a split Grade 7 and 8 classroom with a few students working at grade level 4 and 6 for math. During this time, she voluntarily stayed in the classroom during all lunch and snack breaks to give personalized one-on-one support and help students who had fallen behind in math catch up. While completing her undergraduate degree, Niousha was given an opportunity to tutor a group of grade 8 gifted students to prepare for the Math Kangaroo Competition. Knowing that the students sacrificed their weekends to be in her classes, she filled the class time with all kinds of fun games and activities such as pretend auctions and dice rolling competitions for learning probability. Before Niousha started tutoring, she worked as a Mad Scientist for a year and taught tons of safe science activities including explosions, launching a rocket, and making slime. Through her experiences, Niousha has developed a deep passion for working with children and youth and guiding them to reach their full potential while having fun. Alongside having years of teaching experience at primary and intermediate levels, Niousha also tutored students at university and high school levels where she ran personalized interactive lessons. Niousha believes that education should adapt to students’ readiness and interests in order to enhance their curiosity and confidence and that it is the teacher’s job to learn about their students, make these adaptations and engage them in an effective learning environment. In her spare time, Niousha enjoys painting, sculpting, and resin art, as well as spending time with her friends and family.

Olivia is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She grew up in Toronto and attended the University of Toronto where she completed her Undergraduate Degree as well as her Bachelor of Education. She also has a Master of Arts in Dance Performance in Traditional Irish Dance from the University of Limerick, Ireland. Olivia is a competitive Irish dancer and has been dancing since the age of 7. Through dance, Olivia discovered her love of working with children. Olivia loves to travel, and has frequently with her family. She frequently travels to Tegucigalpa, Honduras to a children’s home where Olivia works with the children in a variety of ways. Olivia has a passion for special education, this has come from her travels as well as her early teen volunteer work at the Spiral Garden summer camp (operated at Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital). She has spent many summers volunteering with children with special needs and through that experience has discovered her love of teaching. Olivia has taken several additional qualifications in special education to deepen her knowledge of teaching and how best to meet the needs of her students. Olivia is also fluent in French, having spent many years in French education. Olivia is an energetic individual who believes that creating a positive relationship with a child is the best way to engage them in learning. Olivia loves to connect with her students through common interests.

Pedro Tironi is a professional musician, music therapist and teacher candidate from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. He grew up in Chile, where he completed a Bachelor in Arts, minor in Classical Guitar Musical Performance at the University of Chile. He moved to Barcelona, Spain to complete a master’s in music at Catalonia College of Music. Pedro grew up surrounded by books, music and nature which lead him to develop a strong intellectual curiosity and took the opportunity to continue studying and travelling. He moved to Argentina to complete an Undergraduate Degree in Music Therapy at Buenos Aires University. It was during his stay in Argentina that he discovered his passion for teaching and working with children. Pedro has worked as a music therapist supporting the strengths and needs of children, youth, and young adults with learning disabilities, communication challenges, motor disabilities and mental health issues. When he decided to pursue teaching as a career Pedro moved to Toronto where he is currently in his second year of his Master of Teaching at OISE, University of Toronto. It is through teaching that Pedro has been able to discover the interconnection between math and music and foster his love of Math. During one of his practicums, Pedro taught Math at a TDSB school grade 6 class encouraging students to learn math through interactive and hands-on experiences that integrated arts and music. In his spare time, Pedro continues developing as a musician and works one-on-one with children ranging from 4 years through adults teaching piano, guitar, and music theory. He has supported the improvement of their math skills, concentration, socio-emotional skills and music skills and attitudes. Pedro believes that by building a strong relationship with his students he is better able to meet their needs and grow their learning. As a mentor Pedro continues to develop strategies for working with children integrating creativity into the learning process. He finds these experiences enjoyable and extremely rewarding.

Rachel is a graduate from teacher’s college with a passion for education and a willingness to succeed. Rachel has just returned from studying abroad in Wales, and she managed to teach herself some Welsh along with travelling to 8 countries while living there. She’s is finished her Bachelor’s of Education and on the road to becoming a certified teacher in Ontario, but whilst getting that done she is also looking to help some energetic, smart, and playful kids understand what they’re learning in school to the best of their ability. Rachel speaks both English and French fluently, and also has a background in tutoring both Math and English from working at a Kumon Centre as well as her teacher training. Including teaching Rachel’s passions include keeping active, baking, hiking, and singing with her sister. She’s been to 18 countries in her life so far, and can’t wait to share her stories with anyone willing to listen!

Rebecca is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She grew up in the East End of Toronto, with wanderlust to see the world. She moved to Sydney Australia, to complete her undergraduate degree at the University of Western Sydney, in Social Science, with a minor in Biology. After completing her undergraduate degree, she moved to British Columbia and worked at the Ahousaht Youth Cultural Centre, in a remote indigenous community of the coast of Vancouver Island. It was during her stay in Ahousaht that Rebecca discovered her passion for teaching and working with children and youth. Having decided to pursue her teaching career, Rebecca returned to Australia to complete a Graduate Diploma in Education at Murdoch University, specializing in Humanities and Science at the Intermediate and Senior level. Rebecca remained in Western Australia as a fully employed teacher with the Department of Education, and taught in various schools around the South West for 8 years. Rebecca taught students from grades 3-12 in the subject areas of Humanities, Science, Math, Health and Career Education as well as led and mentored students one on one to improve literacy and life skills.

Through Rebecca’s teaching experiences, she has developed a passion for assisting students to achieve their personal and academic best. Rebecca’s personalized, student centered approach to teaching enables young people to increase their skills and confidence to become active, engaged, lifelong learners and achieve their full potential. In her spare time Rebecca enjoys kickboxing, swimming and spending time with her friends and family.

Reem is an Ontario Certified Teacher who is qualified to teach Primary, Junior, and Intermediate grades. She has a Master of Teaching from OISE at the University of Toronto. Before moving to Toronto to pursue her master’s degree, Reem lived and taught overseas. She has a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Pharmacy and Biotechnology. Reem’s teaching philosophy revolves around her belief that all learners can experience success, and that it is the teacher’s responsibility to find and utilize the appropriate tools to achieve this. She also believes that learning is a two-way street, where both the learner and the teacher can learn from each other. Reem enjoys providing fun and engaging lessons that foster a safe and encouraging learning environment for her learners. Outside of the classroom, Reem’s other passions include working with animals, travelling, and spending time with her beautiful 20-year-old Siamese cat, Nessie.

Sakshi completed her Masters in Teaching with a final placement at Central Technical School. Her previous placements were at Bloor Collegiate Institute and Applewood Heights Secondary School. Prior to participating in this program, she completed her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science while working as a peer tutor for first year Chemistry. Her teachables are Biology and Chemistry and Math. She currently works as a Science Lab Support for the University of Toronto. Sakshi has completed a training in Principles of Healthy Child Development and served as a Residence Don for the DEEP Summer Program at University of Toronto. She is also current on AODA and WVPR and has a strong understanding on differentiation instruction and learning. She takes on a student centered approach to her teaching and works to benefit the student.
Her hobbies including event planning for cultural events, reading and spending her free time watching Netflix. She is interested in learning about different cultures and so, is a very outgoing and enthusiastic individual. Sakshi always has a positive outlook and brings that spirit with her wherever she goes.

Samantha has been an Ontario Certified teacher for 7 years, specializing in the Primary/Junior Division. She has been teaching with Halton Catholic District School Board for 4 years and overseas in Surrey England, prior to that. She has taught Kindergarten, Grade 3, 5 and the arts (music, dance & drama). Specifically, she excels at teaching phonics, reading, writing and math from kindergarten to grade 5. She graduated from York University with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Brock University with a bachelor’s degree in Primary Junior Education. She also has 6 additional qualifications, 2 of which allow her to teach Philosophy and Social Sciences at a Senior level.

She believes strongly that children thrive when they feel confident and supported. She draws from a plethora of resources, knowledge, and experiences to provide individualized lesson plans that meet the student at their level. She ensures her students always have access to the learning while still pushing them to fulfill their potential. She promotes a growth mindset by bringing attention to the student’s progress and small victories. She crafts her lessons to encompass her students’ learning style, whether it be visual, kinesthetic, auditory, verbal, or logical. She integrates the students’ interests and makes their learning engaging and fun. This has led to an increase in multiple grade levels, for previous tutor clients. She loves watching as her students grow a newfound confidence and bloom as they reach their academic goals.

Sanya is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She grew up in Montreal, attending McGill University and graduating with a Bachelor of Kindergarten/Elementary Education. After a year of teaching in Montreal, Sanya decided to move to Toronto to pursue her career in teaching within the public school system. Within 2 weeks of moving to Toronto, Sanya was offered the opportunity to teach a Grade 1 class and jumped at the occasion, giving her great experience working with primary students. As well, she has additional qualifications in ESL (English as a Second Language) and is currently completing a second additional qualification in Reading (Part1). While living in Montreal, Sanya worked one-on-one with high school students helping with Math, Science, English, History and French. She loves working with students one-on-one and as a classroom teacher is able to see firsthand the benefits of tutoring support. During the summer months, Sanya enjoys travelling and is taking part in a summer program which involves taking high school aged students on a travel trip for 3 weeks. Sanya finds it extremely rewarding to work with students and really enjoys getting to know her students to help them succeed. In her spare time, Sanya likes to take part in outdoor activities like hiking, playing hockey, and running. In addition, she likes to try new foods and restaurants in the city of Toronto, and has an undeniable love for warm ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies.

Shahram has been quite the globetrotter from an early age. He was born in Tehran, Iran; raised in Copenhagen, Denmark; socialized and educated in Toronto, Canada, which he now refers to as home. To date, Shahram has lived in 6 different countries (Denmark, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) and traveled to 62 others.  

Shahram received an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Sociology and also a Bachelor of Education from the University of Windsor. Additionally, he completed his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Management with a certificate in International Baccalaureate (IB) Administration from Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia. Prior to making the transition back to Canada, Shahram taught internationally at prestigious private schools for nearly a decade. These schools followed the Ontario, British Columbia and IB curricula and framework. 

As​ an extremely passionate educator, ​Shahram’s teaching experiences have helped him refine a personal teaching philosophy and pedagogy in education that combines the importance of inclusion within the classroom, ongoing feedback, respect, and creating meaningful student-centered lessons. Shahram’s defining characteristic as an educator revolves around the joy, pleasure and passion that ​he receives from teaching beyond the required curriculum. He branches off into various learning atmospheres by becoming actively involved in the development of the ​​whole child.​​ The ‘aha!’ moment in students and seeing everything begin to click for them provides him with an immense pleasure and continuously drives his passion and pedagogy as an educator. It is important to nurture a child’s creative abilities to develop a sense of themselves, understand others and the world around them, and navigate information so that they can confidently take risks and solve problems. ​Reflection​ and ​introspection​ are fundamental components of Shahram’s pedagogy and also his own personal growth and commitment to lifelong learning. 

Shamya graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Social Work in June 2020. She is currently completing her Masters of Arts in Child Study and Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, at the University of Toronto, with a specialty in Primary/ Junior grade levels. Shamya is a student teacher in a grade 4/5 classroom and has experience teaching students from the ages 3-12, in a variety of spaces. Shamya is a patient, positive, creative and outgoing educator who is always seeking new opportunities to work and learn with children. She has worked with students over the years as a summer camp inclusion counsellor, a Go Girls mentor with Big Brothers Big Sister of Toronto, in after school programs, as a classroom volunteer, a family programs facilitator at the AGO, and most recently as a primary classroom assistant at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Laboratory School. Shamya’s personal teaching pedagogy is inquiry- based, therefore she structures her lessons using child centered practices that focus and are built on the basis of the students’ strengths, needs, interests and goals. She loves to support children in acquiring the confidence, skills and knowledge they need to become successful students and human beings in our society. She has a deep educational background and experience supporting students in the improvement of their reading, writing, and math skills. Shamya loves to teach because it allows her to support, learn and grow with students as they continue on in their educational journeys. In her spare time she loves to engage in group fitness classes, trying new recipes and spending time with her friends and family.

Shanelle is an Ontario Certified Teacher with Primary/Junior qualifications. She grew up in Toronto and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto where she majored in English with a double minor in Drama and Film Studies. She then moved on to obtain her Bachelor of Education at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. After completing her Bachelor of Education she decided to explore new territory and made the decision to move to Australia. She spent 3 years living in Melbourne working as a primary school teacher. Throughout her time teaching, both as an occasional and full time educator, she continued to develop her love and passion for teaching. Shanelle has a great deal of experience working in direct-instruction where she supported the improvement of reading, writing, vocabulary and math skills for students with a variety of learning needs from grades kindergarten to grade 11. She currently works as an occasional teacher for the Toronto District School Board. During the summer months, Shanelle has worked as an instructor for a summer arts program which teaches Language, Math and Social Studies with a focus on artistic expression. Shanelle recognizes the importance of getting to know the whole child in order to best cater to their learning needs. She believes there is plenty of value in establishing a fun and safe learning environment in order for students to reach their highest potential.

Shannon Pappas is a Queen’s University Teacher Candidate who graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Global Development and from a Master’s of Education in Social Justice Education from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Originally from Ottawa, Shannon is a bilingual French-English speaker with teaching specialized for the primary/junior levels with strong abilities up to high school level Social Sciences, History, and English subjects. She is an enthusiastic and compassionate person who has spent years involved in sports, camping, and teaching swimming lessons. Her passion for working with children evolved from the many years she spent working at a summer camp. Having recently added a chocolate lab puppy to her family she is thrilled to see what opportunities lay ahead this year.

Shara earned her PhD in Pharmacology from University of Alberta during which she won several national and international awards for her scientific presentations and research. Immediately after her PhD, her love for teaching led her to Centennial College where she taught Biology and Anatomy. Shara has an extensive experience of about 10 years of privately tutoring students in person and online. Her way of teaching, motivating and building trusted relationships with her students is reflected in her former students reaching out to her for guidance and help during their college and undergraduate years. Shara believes “It is important to remember that although all students have the ability to reach their maximum potential, the same style of teaching may not apply to all students. Adapting teaching style to unique needs of students in order to effectively enhance and support learning is crucial in ensuring the success of the students.” As a national debate champion Shara is able to communicate complex concepts in an engaging manner that helps her capture the attention of her students. Science immensely excites her and as an effort to promote science education and research to high school students, she volunteered for the Let’s Talk Science Workshop every year held at University of Alberta. In addition, her kind and caring nature often leads her to volunteer at senior homes; building crafts with independent and assisted living seniors. Shara actively practices empathy and incorporates the understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the tutees to bring out the best possible outcome.

My name is Tanja and I am a passionate about education and building a strong learning environment. I have been teaching for 9 years and have been a part of three independent schools. I have worked with students from JK to grade 12 and and grateful for this spectrum of experience. I have also been an active tutor during my spare time and enjoy being able to work one on one with a student and build a relationship which leads to a safe space for learning. Beyond the classroom I am an active individual. I enjoy both indoor and outdoor sports. I am a retired National Team Rugby player and have always embraced the work ethic and positive team attitude characteristics this allowed me to grow. However, I must say my favourite part of my day is walking my white lab, Kaia. Looking forward to working with your family.

Tanya P. is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She graduated from Trent University with a Bachelor of Arts in History with Emphasis in Education in 2015. While at Trent University, Tanya tutored two students for the student-run-organization, Trent Students for Literacy. In addition, she was also the coordinator of the Reading Circle for Trent Students for Literacy, where she supervised university students, who promoted literacy to children between the ages of two and five. In 2017, she graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Education with Emphasis in Urban Education in the Intermediate/Senior grade levels. Having been a teacher candidate in Ontario, Tanya has volunteer experience within the Toronto District School Board and the Thames Valley District School Board.

Shortly after graduating in 2017, Tanya was given the opportunity to teach in a grade eight classroom on a fly-in reserve in Pikangikum, Ontario. Tanya accepted the position due to her passion for Aboriginal education and her strong desire to understand and support students by promoting a positive self-representation of themselves and their culture. While in Pikangikum, Tanya led a school group called, Girls Club, where she supervised and led weekly activities for girls in grade seven and eight to overcome barriers, build confidence, and develop positive relationships. Tanya invited guest speakers from within the reserve to share resources with the students. Through these experiences, Tanya recognizes the importance of incorporating students’ perspectives and knowledge into lessons and school community in order to make learning meaningful and relatable. Tanya currently teaches high school for a private school in the North York area. She teacher history, geography, civics, careers, drama, and a few social science courses.

Taylor is currently a second-year student at the University of Toronto, studying for her Master’s in Teaching. She has built her lessons and assessments around the foundations of the Ontario curriculum and achievement goals for different ages in various subjects. She has completed two in-class practicums in Ontario. Her first placement was in a grade eight classroom where she taught literacy, health and physical education, and social studies. Her second placement was in a grade five classroom where she taught art, science, and literacy. The outbreak of Covid-19 began at the end of her second placement, and she was involved in helping the students learn new social distancing rules and safety precautions. Taylor previously worked for two years in Japan teaching English to students of all ages, though most of her classes were with young students. For many kindergarten students, she facilitated the transition from learning with parents in the classroom to being comfortable going solo in their learning environment. Her teaching philosophy is people-first; all students are different, and lessons need to be built around the student’s individual needs. As she builds a relationship with her students, she strives to incorporate their personal interests into lesson plans and learning material in order to keep learning fun and engaging for the child. She likes to encourage students to set their own goals and be proud of their growth under her instruction. Outside of teaching, Taylor is passionate about travel and culture! She loves visiting new countries, trying new cuisines, and being enriched by cross-cultural sharing. When she isn’t travelling, Taylor spends too much time pampering her cat, Mister.

Tina recently graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelors in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering. She is now pursuing a Master’s
with a focus in clinical engineering, in hopes to pursue work in industry or academia. Her appreciation for teaching was cultivated when she began
tutoring in her high-schools academic help program. She went on to teach professionally throughout her university degree, serving as a course
teaching assistant, as well as a private tutor in a variety of academic subjects. Her areas of expertise lie in the sciences, math and technology at a primary to first-year university level. She also has experience tutoring the CARS section of the MCAT after scoring in the 98th percentile herself. Tina believes in a teaching style that focuses on catering to the students’ needs and uses feedback in order to improve. She also believes in fostering long-term learning habits and strategies that are applicable beyond the subject being taught. In her spare time, Tina likes to do graphic design and play the piano.

Tonya was born in Ukraine and moved to Canada in 2000. She holds a Master’s Degree in Linguistic from Odessa State University, Ukraine.

Tonya is Qualified as a Linguist, Teacher of English Language and Literature. She is certified by the Ontario College of Teachers (473290). In Canada, Tonya completed her Basic Qualifications in Intermediate and Junior Divisions-Dramatic Arts. In addition, she took Junior and Primary Divisions courses and is qualified to teach grades K to 12. She completed the 3-part Special Education Specialist course, as well as Literacy and Reading, Additional Qualification courses in Primary and Junior Mathematics (Parts 1 and 2), and ESL (Parts 1 and 2). 

Her career as an educator began in Ukraine, where she had taught English as a Foreign Language for 10 years. In Canada, she now has 10 years of a successful Special Education Teacher career as well as an Elementary Homeroom Teacher in Northern Ontario, Nunavut and Toronto.

Tonya is not only passionate about teaching but also about traveling, adventure and meeting new people. 

She has helped many students catch up with current grade level expectations, enhance grades, boost confidence and establish effective study routines. Tonya firmly believes that every child can succeed when taught in accordance with their unique learning style and abilities. She always strives to establish a personal connection with her students and empowers them to become independent lifetime learners.

Vini has a degree in Electrical Engineering. During university, he specialized in programming and logic. He worked with software consultancy for a while and now he is pursuing a degree in Game Development. For the past 18 months, Vini has been using his industry experience and his knowledge of math and programming to instruct kids and teenagers in robotics. During his work with robotics, he developed a great way to communicate with young minds and started tutoring not only so he could help kids boost their grades, but also so he can improve their creative thinking and get them to achieve their full potential. Always in a good mood and with good energy, Vini is constantly trying to improve in order to share his knowledge with his students in an efficient way. In his spare time, Vini likes to play video games and watch sports, which means he can have a fun ice-breaking conversation after every tutoring session with both student and parents about the latest video game released or the latest football game.

Vinuja graduated from the University of Toronto with a Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Sociology, and History. She is currently at OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education where she is completing a Master of Teaching degree with a focus on the Primary/Junior grades. She will be an Ontario Certified Teacher in June 2022. Since the start of her post-secondary journey, Vinuja has taught, tutored, mentored, and led a range of age groups towards accomplishing their academic goals. After completing her first position as a Summer Program Director for young children, she knew teaching was her calling. Since then, Vinuja has worked in education based roles including volunteer teaching in a downtown public school, tutoring students with literacy needs, programming academic activities and lessons for a daily after school program, and others which shaped her love for education. Most recently, Vinuja was a student teacher with the Toronto District School Board. She taught in an online Kindergarten class, creating differentiated lesson plans to accommodate learners and providing culturally responsive/relevant content. Through these meaningful experiences, Vinuja developed a stronger skill set to work with students and their families. She believes that engaging students through their identity, creativity, and curiosity helps them gain confidence and succeed in future endeavours.