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.

Raemyn is excited to be joining the Prep Academy Tutors team in the role of Franchise Support Manager. She has been working with Prep Academy for over two years. Raemyn is a certified teacher who is familiar with the curriculum guidelines and expectations over various grade levels, and she specializes in teaching English and Social Sciences. Raemyn majored in Educational Studies and graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Education degree. Raemyn is passionate about creating a safe, inclusive, and better educational experience for students. In her free time, Raemyn enjoys watching hockey, traveling, and spending time with her family

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.

Alec is an Ontario-certified History/Social Sciences teacher and current M.A. History student at the University of Toronto. Before moving to Toronto, he completed his Bachelor of Education at the University of Ottawa, specializing in Grade 4-10 History. Before that, he graduated from Queen’s University in 2016 with an honour’s degree in History and World Religion. He began teaching ESL to students of all ages in 2016 while living in Europe. He speaks French and a little Spanish and loves learning new languages. He has taught Grade 3-4 Core French, Grade 7/8 Language Arts, History, and Health, and Grade 6/7 English Literacy in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB). He also taught various subjects – primarily English, Social Studies, and Physical Education – from kindergarten to Grade 10 in the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE). In his spare time, he loves to play music with his siblings, especially guitar and bass. He also loves to play and coach basketball and is a huge Toronto Raptors fan. He has some suggestions for how the team could be improved but does not have the influence to secure a meeting with management. Since 2010, he has been a support worker for an individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their family. What he loves most about teaching is seeing students gain confidence in themselves.

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.

Alexandra graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care and a minor in sociology. While at Ryerson, she had the opportunity to complete two full year practicums that allowed her to work as a child and youth worker in schools and residential home care facilities. This opportunity allowed her to gain skills in designing and implementing developmental, preventative, and therapeutic activities to meet the needs of children and youth facing adversity. Alexandra then went on to complete her Masters of Teaching in the primary/junior levels from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. Alexandra is currently working as a supply teacher for the Toronto Districts School Board which has provided her with an abundance of knowledge and experiences. Furthermore, Alexandra has additional qualifications (AQ) in Special Education Part 1 and Reading Part 1. Alexandra believes in creating a learning environment that reflects, celebrates, and validates the diversity and complexity of all children. In her spare time, Alexandra enjoys being active and adventurous, and spending time with her family and friends. Alexandra loves to travel to experience new cultures and create memories with loved ones. One of her favorite countries she has travelled to is Croatia.

Amir is a science teacher and his goal is to become a “science entertainer” in the future. With a strong background in all sciences, he shares his passion for science with his students. He graduated from McMaster University’s award-winning program, Integrated Science, with a concentration in biology and a minor in mathematics. Amir has completed his thesis in cellular neuroscience, studying the development of the auditory circuits in the brain. In his spare time during undergraduate, he would pop into a microbiology lab to study the defence mechanisms of plants against bacteria. He has a very diverse academic background as he has completed research projects in wildly different fields; from particle physics and planetary exploration to forensic studies and wine science. Academics and teaching aside, Amir analyzes data for a company that makes farms, buildings, and factories “smart”. He also is a visual merchandiser for Zara, yes, he also knows about fashion. In terms of hobbies, he enjoys spending time with friends and going on spontaneous adventures. He cooks for meditation and thinks about the meaning of life and the vastness of the universe before falling asleep at night. Amir’s favourite pastime is watching, writing, and if it weren’t for COVID, performing comedy. He thinks humour is the key to a rich life and this philosophy bleeds into his teaching style. Speaking of his teaching style, Amir cares about the fundamentals in every topic. He will try to find the gaps and holes in students’ background knowledge before teaching new concepts. He will teach students science using pop culture references, analogies, and tangible examples instead of merely conveying facts and formulae. He is the guy who puts “cool” in “school” and takes out the redundant “h” for “humdrum”.

Anamika’s love for STEM learning began as a young girl, where she turned her family bathroom into her laboratory and would do “experiments” in the sink with soaps and shampoo galore. Currently, Anamika is a Master of Science Candidate with the Biology department at York University. She graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honors Bachelor of Science, double-majoring in Human Biology and Psychology. She is qualified to teach all levels for science, and Grades 1 through 10for math.

Anamika has previously worked with children ages 5+ in her role as a summer camp counselor, peer mentor, and has valuable skills obtained through her various volunteer positions, and research positions. Her interest in teaching has been further enriched through her role as a teaching assistant for introductory and advanced university-level biology courses.

Her desire to engage students from different educational and neurodiverse backgrounds follows her into the classroom. Anamika believes in tailoring the learning experience of her students to their interests and utilizing various methods to convey information to help her students develop learning strategies and resilience in the classroom. Anamika is always looking to be a better teacher, collecting certifications and attending workshops to engage students in an online classroom, develop learning skills, course design, etc.

Originally from Boston, Anamika has made Toronto her home for the past 8 years. In her free time, she loves to bake, watch movies, do yoga and hang out with her dog Gervais!

Andrew is an immigrant from China who has immersed himself in Canadian society and culture. In Canada, Andrew lived in Ottawa where he pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science and a minor in Mathematics. He has been working as a tutor for about 2 years now. He has tutored for over 200 hours ranging from primary to undergraduate level, main subjects including Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics. Through his tutoring experiences, he has developed a deep passion for working with young children and decided to pursue teaching as a career. Now, he is pursuing a Master of Teaching in the Intermediate/Senior levels degree from OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) at the University of Toronto.
Through his tutoring experience, Andrew found out that students’ interest and curiosity along with positive reinforcement from the educator are required for them to succeed.
In his spare time, he enjoys long-distance walking, cycling, hiking, outdoor activities, and spending time with his friends and family. Oh! He also likes to watch animations such as Detective Conan and Food Wars!

Angelina studied mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Due to her strong performance there, she was hired by the math department to help tutor and mentor students in Calculus II. Through this opportunity, she fell in love with tutoring specifically and being able to help students 1 on 1. From there, she began tutoring independently with even more success. Angelina has helped students get into U of T, Waterloo, UBC, and more. Students, with her help, have moved up whole letter grades and improved significantly on standardized testing. Aside from tutoring, Angelina is also working on research and plans to obtain a master’s degree in educational psychology or cognitive science.

Angelina grew up moving around between different countries and experiencing different school systems. For high school, she attended an international school in Thailand where she obtained an IB Diploma. She always loved math and science but one of the best parts of high school and university was always being able to share that with others. Now, working as a tutor, it is incredible to not only continue sharing that but to see the students’ she always believed in achieving their goals.

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 a recent graduate from the University of Toronto, having completed his Honours Bachelor of Science in Conservation, Human Biology and Geoscience. As you can tell, he’s quite the STEAM fan and has shared his education by working at the Ontario Science Centre for the past 10 years! He is currently a Host Scientist and Science Educator, delivering curriculum-connected science and math programs to both the general public and school groups. You might also see him in Ministry of Education videos and hopes to be the next Bill Nye! He has been with Prep Academy Tutors since 2018, focusing on tutoring and helping students understand and excel in the maths and sciences. He knows firsthand that confidence in the course and balance are key factors in reaching success and is eager to help his students master those same skills! In his spare time, he enjoys playing chess, creating art with photography and furthering science literacy!

Athiya is a confident and self-motivated OCT certified instructor with the ability to communicate complicated subjects in a straightforward and innovative manner. She can also bring forth the potential and essential abilities required to respond positively and successfully to a diverse group of individuals while always exhibiting and keeping a professional attitude because she is “Special Education” qualified. Athiya’s ambition is to integrate her life experiences with the capacity to educate with compassion, empathy, and enthusiasm. She would like to be provided a platform where she can easily employ innovative and enjoyable methods to convey the curriculum to students in the social media era. Athiya is convinced that she will be able to do all of this since she has the drive, talents, and enthusiasm to be an excellent teacher. Athiya is an asset to your organization and will continue to excel in her profession with her qualifications and more than 15 years of teaching experience. Athiya’s personal work and professional experiences have demonstrated her superior organizational abilities. Athiya is a proactive, motivated team leader with excellent prioritization skills. Her ambition is to be an outstanding candidate in the area, and her growing leadership abilities have allowed her to broaden her devotion to assisting others.

Beth is an Ontario Certified Teacher within the Primary/Junior division. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Anthropology and Philosophy. Beth then traveled to Asia, where she discovered her passion for teaching. She taught English in Taiwan for over eight years before returning to Canada in 2012 to become a certified teacher. Beth received a Bachelor of Education from York University in the Urban Diversity program at Regent Park in 2013. She has since volunteered as a classroom teacher in Regent Park, worked as a childcare provider for two pre-school aged children, and most recently returned to Taiwan last year to complete a one year contract teaching grade one using the Ontario curriculum.

Beth is an experienced teacher with a strong commitment to students and their learning. Having worked with children of all ages, she believes in creating an atmosphere where students participate actively in their learning. She feels students should see themselves reflected within the curriculum in order to enrich their learning experience. As a teacher, Beth also strives to provide a variety of differentiated instruction and positive reinforcement to support student achievement and learning.

In her spare time, she loves listening to music and enjoying the outdoors. She is also passionate about the arts and is an avid storyteller.

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.

Caroline is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She grew up in Guelph, moving to Toronto work as a High School Science teacher. She graduated from Brock University with a degree in Concurrent Education, majoring in Physics and a minor in Chemistry. Caroline has always wanted to be a teacher, from as far back as she can remember. She especially loves helping children make connections and discovering the spark of learning. Caroline recognizes and adapts her teaching approach to best accommodate the child’s learning style to ultimately foster a love for Science. In order to achieve this, she believes in building strong relationships with her students through creating a safe and an inclusive environment. During her years of teaching, Caroline has had experience with Physics at both the University and International Baccalaureate level. Teaching students at various levels has taught Caroline the importance of open communication between the teacher and student. In her spare time, Caroline loves skiing with her family in the winter and taking her dogs for long walks in the summer.

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.

Cynthia grew up in Calgary, and moved to Toronto almost 10 years ago. She studied at McGill University receiving a Bachelors Degree in Economics and Finance. She’s spent her entire career working in commercial real estate, working in both lending and development.

Her interest in teaching started since she went to university- tutoring for a private company in Calgary during her summer’s back from school, and eventually in Toronto for Prep Academy.

Cynthia really enjoys the collaboration between student, parent and teacher and the witnessing the progress made in each student she teaches. Much like the relationships she fosters in her daily 9-5, she brings the same energy, excitement, and trust with her to students and their families. She strives to ensure that her students come out of the sessions more confident, and interested in the material.

Dasha graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science of Language. She successfully completed a post-graduate certificate program in Speech and Language Sciences at Brock University. She is currently completing her Master’s of Clinical Science in Speech-Language Pathology with a minor in Audiology. Dasha has a strong passion for working with individuals with communication challenges to improve their quality of life. As she completes her Master’s program, Dasha is accustomed to creating interactive and individualized lesson plans that fit the needs for each of her clients in therapy sessions. Many of Dasha’s work experiences involve working with children with various disabilities in the academic and respite capacity which she thoroughly enjoys and finds extremely rewarding. In her spare time, Dasha enjoys a tasty fish taco, eating at new restaurants, going to the gym, hiking, and spending time with her friends and family!

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.

Elena is a young and energetic French Teacher. She has a Ph.D in French Studies from Western University (2015) as well as a MA in Comparative Literature from University of Nice (France). Elena completed her BA in Education in Romania. Her teaching experience includes numerous French language and literature courses taught as an instructor in the last 17 years in several universities across Ontario. Starting 2020 she worked for the Remote School of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, in charge of French Immersion Grade 5, Grade 6/7 and Grade 7/8. In 2022 Elena started working with Francophone School Board as a French and Social Studies Teacher in a Secondary School.

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

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.

Hannah Dolan is a temporary Ontario Certified Teacher. Hannah has worked with students ranging from kindergarten, to middle school and high school students. Hannah received her Bachelor of Kinesiology (Honours) degree from Brock University in 2021. It was her passion for both recreational and competitive sports that drove her into the world of coaching. From hockey to soccer to basketball, it was through coaching that she discovered her deep love for educating and empowering children to realize their full potential. When she made the decision to pursue a career in teaching, she chose Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario for the Bachelor of Education program for the Junior/Intermediate levels. She was given the opportunity to teach in a Grade 8 classroom at John Sweeney Catholic Elementary School for the 2021-2022 school year, where she taught Language, Science, Financial Literacy, Drama, and Physical Education. Hannah’s bubbly personality, as well as the significance she places on building rapport with her students, makes them comfortable asking for help and understanding the material. She has always loved working with children and looks forward to all of their ‘Aha!’ moments. Hannah will spend the summer traveling to both Eastern and Western Canada to teach and facilitate secondary and post-secondary students about non profit organizations and social enterprises that support social justice initiatives.

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.

In 2019 Hayley graduated with a Bachelors of Education from Saint Francis Xavier University; later that year in July Hayley moved to Australia where she began to work as a substitute teacher. Hayley then moved on to receiving a full- time position teaching at a Special Education school up until April of 2021. Hayley is certified to teach primary aged students and has experience teaching and helping students with exceptionalities develop and learn. She plans on undergoing a training session on the Wilson Reading program and working closely with the Remedial Reading program. Hayley plans on getting her Master’s of Education in the next 2 years.

Hayley holds her standard First Aid & CPR. She also is certified in diabetes, epilepsy and anaphylaxis training. Hayley has a passion for working with kids and tutored for the last 2 years of her High School career at The Bishop Strachan School as a Peer Mentor. Hayley also tutored for a total of 5 years while she was in University completing both her degrees. Hayley is dedicated to helping all students succeed no matter the age or grade. Hayley is very patient, energetic and fun-loving!

Ian grew up in Calgary, completing a BA and MA in Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, before moving to Toronto, where he completed his PhD at the University of Toronto’s Department for the Study of Religion in 2017. Along the way, Ian also studied Sanskrit at the University of Pune in India and worked for several years in the research department of a Bay Street financial services firm.
Ian has been teaching at the university-level since 2009, in the areas of Religion and History, most recently at the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario. He is passionate about teaching students to read, write, and, most importantly, think critically about the world around them. Seeing students master their course work is amazing; seeing students become effective, organized ,and dynamic young men and women is even better.
In his spare time, Ian enjoys reading spy novels, the occasional Netflix binge, running, playing basketball and coaching his twin boys’ baseball team.

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.

My name is Jacob Friest and I am a 36-year-old OCT qualified teacher. I have over nine years of experience in education that includes teaching, mentoring, coaching, and developing individualized programs. Prior to my time with the TCDSB and YRDSB, I taught at Ascot Vale Special School in Melbourne; Oakwood Academy- an additional needs school- in Mississauga, ON; and Jack Tizard SEN School in London, England. I have also taught in Uganda and India while working alongside local educators. Furthermore, I have several years of experience working 1:1 with students between the ages of 4-21.
I began my education in Windsor, ON and completed my Bachelor of Arts in Burnaby, BC, at Simon Fraser University. I then received my B.Ed. with Distinction from the University of Western Ontario. During my years living in Vancouver, I found my passion in life: to teach, help children and young adults, and experience the world. I have now travelled to over 60 countries and profoundly enjoy exploring new areas and cultures. Other than travelling, my interests include: cooking, hiking, music, nature, reading, sports (especially hockey), and exploring the many ravines and parks with my wife and dog Nabi.
I thoroughly enjoy being a teacher, leader, tutor, guide, mentor, and coach. There is no greater satisfaction than helping another individual discover their potential and realize their own dreams and goals. Lastly, I enjoy working in a team environment and offer a positive and vivacious personality to any task.

Jacob Friest

Jenny is a K-12 Ontario Certified Teacher who has specializations in Math and French. Jenny is currently a secondary teacher working with Halton District School Board and Toronto District School Board teaching Core French, French Immersion, Mathematics and Mandarin. She has experience and certifications in SSAT Prep, and IB programs and taken on various roles; teacher, mentor, tutor, coach and supervisor. Jenny believes that all students will succeed when given the right tools and resources based on the needs of the student. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, cooking, badminton, volleyball and exploring new music.

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

Jerrica is an Ontario certified teacher. She obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto where she studied English Dramatic Arts and Cinema Studies. She then attended Trent University in order to obtain her Bachelor of Education. Her teaching qualifications include English and Drama at the intermediate/senior level. She also completed an additional qualification course at York University in order to teach dance at the high school level.
She has many years of teaching experience both in the traditional classroom setting as well as in dance and yoga studios. She has completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training certification and also teaches meditation. Her professional background in wellness and yoga equip her with the knowledge and skills to help students achieve a healthy work/life balance and understands the importance of practicing self-care and mindfulness. She feels these practices are also vitally important life learnings for students alongside their academic education/achievements. She is a warm and caring teacher. Jerrica has a passion for the performative arts and storytelling. She is an animal lover (and a vegan) with a passion for environmentalism. She is a highly creative person who is actively involved in the Toronto creative arts and film community. In her spare time Jerrica enjoys walking the beach with music, drinking tea, creating art, writing, reading, as well as watching/analyzing films. Most of all, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, her husband, closest friends and loved ones (including her dachshund dog, Raven, and Himalayan cat, Emelio).

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

Julia is a passionate and enthusiast teacher who is currently pursuing her Masters of Teaching at OISE. A Toronto native, Julia lived for seven years in Halifax, Nova Scotia. There she attended the University of King’s College and Dalhousie and graduated with First Class Honours in Theatre and English. Before pursuing her Masters, Julia worked in Theatre on both the administrative and creative side. Her favourite role was as director where she found immense joy in discovering the unique gifts and perspectives of every team member and fostering these gifts through collaboration and play. She finds this same joy in teaching; Julia loves the process of understanding her students and helping them see how they can extend their gifts to every subject. She rejects deficit-based thinking and believes academic growth is a matter of unlocking the inherent potential in each student. For her Masters, Julia is conducting research into successful and total inclusion of neurodivergent students and she is passionate about re-imagining how we support students with intellectual, developmental and learning disabilities.

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.

Karen is an Ontario Certified Teacher since 2014 and is currently teaching a Grade 2/3 class. She grew up in Toronto and speaks English anad Cantonese. After graduating from Queens University with a focus on Arts-Based Education, Karen pursued her two passions; teaching children and travelling. She started her teaching career overseas in Vietnam and Cambodia. In 2017 she moved back home to Toronto and has since been teaching at various schools across the Toronto District School Board from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Her favourite subject is Mathematics and in her spare time she enjoys tutoring children to discover a love for mathematics. Karen has tutored 1-on-1 for the past 6 years both online and in-person. She builds a strong and positive relationship with children that ensure engagement in learning and developing strategies for problem-solving, reading, writing, etc.. For more information on Karen’s additional qualifications, her OCT number is 652670.

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!

Lesley, or Les as she likes to be called, is a certified teacher of 22 years.  Les came from Montreal to complete M.A. courses at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and then completed her teacher certification as well as specialist courses in Special Education. She later acquired a  Masters in Social Work at U of T with a focus on children and families.
Les loves kids and likes people. She is a kind, energetic and creative person who would like to share her love of teaching with younger learners in the earlier grades.  Les has a profound love of books and reading and art. Even before she had her own child, Les began to collect children’s books and is happy to have a little library of her own.
Les is experienced working with students with diverse learning styles and challenges (including learning differences / disabilities, attention issues and anxiousness).  She is well-equipped to build an effective plan to support young learners on their journey to tackling reading, language and numeracy skills. Les has excellent people skills and will communicate clearly with parents about their child’s progress. She employs creative strategies and engaging resources for learners. Les has a patient, friendly and playful approach to teaching.

Lina Wu is an Ontario Certified Teacher with basic teaching qualifications in Junior-Intermediate. Born and raised in Toronto, she moved to St. Catharines to complete her studies in Concurrent Education at Brock University. Throughout her six-year program, she completed her teaching internships with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, Peel District School Board and the Toronto District School Board. After graduating in June 2022 and receiving her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees, she continues to immerse herself in the education industry and works at a Montessori School. Lina is always hungry for growth (and a platter of sushi). She has additional qualifications in Primary Education and Special Education to further her knowledge and grow as an educator. In her spare time, you can find her spending time with her loved ones, exploring the city, or playing her cello/ piano. Her friendly personality and her quick rapport with her students allow them to feel comfortable asking for help and understanding the content. Lina has always loved working with children and looks forward to all of their ‘Aha!’ moments. Tutoring is something she would like to continue to do outside of her regular teaching position.

Lindsay Séguin is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She grew up in Scarborough, Ontario and completed a Bachelor of Arts, Honours Degree, with a double major in English and History, at York University and was on the Dean’s Honour Roll. Her studies included a year abroad at the University of York in the U.K. which led to many great friendships and amazing travel opportunities. As well, she completed a Bachelor of Education at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (known now as Ontario Tech University) with Highest Distinction. In addition to travelling during her year of study in the U.K., Lindsay has taken the opportunity to continue to explore the world following the completion of her degrees. She has also pursued new teaching interests through the completion of additional qualifications, most notably in the areas of French as a Second Language (Parts 1 and 2) and Guidance and Career Education. She has also completed Wilfrid Laurier University’s mental health in the classroom certificate so that she can better meet the needs of her students. Lindsay possesses the qualifications to teach from Kindergarten to grade 12 and has experience teaching at both the elementary and secondary levels, but is currently teaching full-time at the secondary level. Lindsay is dedicated to helping her students thrive and grow so they can meet their full potential. For this reason, in addition to her teaching responsibilities, Lindsay is involved in extracurricular sports and student associations in her school. In her spare time, Lindsay enjoys hiking, skiing, paddle boarding and swimming, as well as spending time with her friends and family.

Margarette is a second-year student at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. She recently graduated from Ryerson University with a degree in Early Childhood Studies and has completed six placements with children ranging in age from toddlers to school-age. During her final undergraduate placement, she participated in a specialized program focusing on early reading intervention strategies with grade 1 and 2 students. In this program, she assisted children who had not been successful in their first attempt at reading and helped them to become fluent and competent readers. She enjoyed the experience so much that she decided to further her education and pursue a career as a teacher. While working with kids, she uncovered a love for photography and cooking. She has now begun collecting film cameras and documenting various moments in her life while also learning how to cook. She enjoys preparing a full meal for her family in her spare time, from appetizers to dessert. Margarette enjoys trying new hobbies and learning as much as she can. She plans to incorporate her enthusiasm for exploration and her desire to gain knowledge of all sorts into her classroom. Margarette continues working with children while participating in practicums. She has completed a total of two practicums, the first with grades 4/5/6 and the second with grades 1/2. She finds these experiences enjoyable and incredibly rewarding

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.

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.

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 completed her Bachelor of Education in the Intermediate/Senior grade levels at Nipissing University. 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 studied abroad in Wales, and she managed to teach herself some Welsh in addition to travelling to 8 countries while living there. Rachel returned to Canada in 2019. She joined the TDSB as an occasional teacher. Rachel has taught Grades 1-3 in the French Immersion Program. Rachel enjoys supporting student learning as a tutor outside of her teaching day. She approaches learning holistically, helping her students 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. Outside of 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 graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. She completed her Master of Teaching at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto in 2022. In her placements, she delivered engaging and effective lessons in Math, Literacy, Science, Social Studies, and Physical Education, taking a special interest in helping students succeed in science and math with a hands-on and interactive approach. Given the opportunity to be an ESL teacher, Rebecca dedicated herself to each of her student’s success by leveraging their strengths and interests. Furthermore, Rebecca has additional qualifications in math and special education which informs all aspects of her teaching practice. She believes that all students have the ability to learn, succeed, and reach their goals. In her spare time, Rebecca loves to play tennis, bake, and try new restaurants.

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.

Ruchi has taught high school students in various countries including Canada, Qatar and India. She is proud of teaching at Merrick Preparatory School (https://www.merrickprep.com/academic-staff) in Ottawa with a focus on SCH3U, SCH4U and SNC2D. In addition to in-person classes, she has also taught online courses at Queen’s Elite Academy (https://queenscanada.com/) using Moodle as the learning platform and taught enhanced science and math courses at Reidmount Saturday school (https://www.reidmount.com/).

Focusing on basic concepts in Chemistry, Physics, Math and Biology, Ruchi is happy to have helped many students who eventually got admissions in top universities in the UK, Canada and the US.

Ruchi is passionate and enthusiastic about educating youth, and is dedicated to providing the best experience to all her students. Her teaching techniques are based on the individual needs of the students. A small baseline data testing conducted on the first day helps to design the methodology of the next line of action. She incorporates a variety of creative tools and teaching practices to enhance student involvement, and through innovative means and the integration of new technologies, she inspires students to love learning science and math at various levels.

In her free time, she loves to work out and cook for a healthy lifestyle.

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. Sakshi is currently teaching Grade 8 and Grade 9 advanced math. Sakshi has completed a training in Principles of Healthy Child Development and served as a Residence Don for the DEEP Summer Program at University

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. 

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.

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.

Trisha Lee is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson), where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies, with a minor in Sociology. She is currently in the first of two years at York University for Bachelor of Education. She will become an intermediate/ senior Teacher with the qualifications to teach Family Studies and General Social Science courses. Trisha has a background and passion for working with children and youth with disabilities and learning exceptionalities. She worked at the Geneva Centre for Autism for many years in the Group Services department as a Shift Leader. During her time at this organization, she had the pleasure of working one-to-one with individuals to learn and complete the goals set out by the families. She created strong rapport with the clients and families, through communication to help them achieve their goals and succeed to the fullest. Outside of work Trisha enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as reading and exploring nature. Trisha is currently a volunteer in an after-school program, where she helps students from grades three to eight with their homework and reading skills. She really enjoys helping others to understand material they may have learned in school and caters to the various learning styles of the students she helps.

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.