Martha B.

Martha has a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration and focus on Reading and Literacy. With a background in education, Martha has experience developing and enhancing reading curricula to empower students academically throughout their academic studies. She also has experience preparing students for academic rigor by assessing social-emotional attitudes and overall well-being regarding reading and literacy. Student engagement is critical to academic success. Martha strives to educate students comprehensively and holistically.

Going by “Marsha” as her nickname, Marsha attended Louisiana State University for an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, while minoring in English, Sociology, and Women’s and Gender Studies. Educating to empower all those within her reach has always been her passion, as she believes that wisdom, knowledge, and understanding can eliminate barriers to prosperity, and provide a safety net that will impact generations. Knowledge is a powerful tool. Reading critically and analytically is a fundamental tool that paves the way to excel in all other subjects.

Marsha’s passion, commitment, resilience, and tenacity in serving students and families are interwoven into the fabric of her Being. She considers it an honor and privilege to provide families with high-quality tutoring. Marsha provides students with comprehensive tutoring which entails tailored academic support to assist students in thriving beyond their expectations.

Leila “Sunny” H.

Leila holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and has over 10 years experience teaching in public elementary and middle school settings as well as homeschool classrooms. Currently, Leila uses her passion and expertise for engaging emerging and struggling readers with one on one explicit instruction. Adhering to the philosophy of The Science of Reading, which addresses all components of language (spelling, phonics, writing, and oral communication along with reading) her passion is connecting with the individual student and developing an engaging and personalized curriculum that fosters their desire to learn. Leila utilizes an approach that is centered around games and personal connection. She believes educational success should also include parental involvement and finds creative ways to incorporate learning into family life and uses positive communication to work as a team within the family unit. By closely monitoring progress and careful attention to observable and measurable data, Leila teaches in a method that is specific to each individual’s needs and interests.

Johanna D. F.

Johanna is thrilled to be joining the Prep Academy Tutors team. With over 20 years of teaching experience, she brings a strong background in French language and literature education. She began teaching French at the elementary level before starting to teach courses at the University of Toronto (where she completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in French literature), at Mount Allison University, and at York University.

Johanna’s passion for teaching extends beyond the classroom, as she is also an active researcher in the field of teaching and learning. She has presented at national and international conferences on topics such as language acquisition, experiential and task-based learning, technology-enhanced learning, and digital gaming in language learning. She also led workshops focused on using technology to motivate and engage students, particularly in language learning.

In the classroom, Johanna emphasizes active learning through communicative tasks and projects, while also reinforcing the importance of grammar and language structure for mastery. As a tutor, she tailors instruction to students’ individual needs through targeted exercises and a variety of proven teaching methodologies. Whether through traditional grammar drills, reading exercises, or informal conversation, her goal is to help students build confidence and successfully advance on their learning journey.

Johanna looks forward to working with you and your child to foster their interest in French and support their academic success.

Mia F.

Mia has a Bachelor of Education degree from McGill University.

She has worked for one year as a teacher at St. George’s Elementary School and is currently in her second year of teaching at Solomon Schechter Academy.

Her specialties include English and math for students at the elementary level. In addition, she has worked as a student teacher at Lower Canada College and Akiva where she supported the teacher’s objectives, planned, prepared and implemented original lessons and activities.

Mia believes that there is not a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to teaching would like her students to feel welcome and safe from judgment. She understands the need for differentiation and always tries to integrate multiple learning styles and techniques in her teaching.

Chris L.

Growing up in Cardiff, Wales, Chris was drawn to the outdoors despite the city’s amenities. As a child, he joined outdoor clubs, cubs, scouts, and played various sports; fostering a love for new activities, challenges, and meeting people. This passion led him to the Sea to Sky region, where a temporary visa turned into a lifelong adventure. For Chris, the satisfaction of overcoming a challenging target, problem, skill, or puzzle has always been worth the effort, work, and occasional pain and frustration

While in university, Chris worked at a summer camp in North Carolina, where he helped campers grow physically, socially, and emotionally, sparking his interest in academic teaching. In 2013, he earned a BA in education from the University of the West of England, Bristol. Through this course, he was incredibly fortunate to have extensive placements in a range of settings, with a range of grades. Chris has worked in both traditional and non-traditional settings; in schools with everything imaginable and schools with almost nothing; and taught from the very youngest learners up to adults in their golden years.

Chris blends educational theory with his active outdoor background to create engaging, multidisciplinary learning experiences, emphasizing hands-on learning and understanding rather than doing. He strives to find creative ways to show that learning is real rather than a lesson in a room. Chris loves finding opportunities to get outside and do something, rather than learn about something. He encourages movement, noise and active participation. Critically and fundamentally, Chris believes in teaching a person at their own individual level and to their own individual needs, encouraging everyone to take ownership of their learning and to support them in overcoming challenges to aid understanding and ability.

Making mistakes and finding things hard is the first step to learning something. If it was easy, were we learning, or just completing tasks?

ELECTRA W.

Electra is currently pursuing a Master’s of Child Study and Education at the University of Toronto. She has completed a Bachelor’s of Early Childhood Studies with a minor in English accredited by Toronto Metropolitan University. Through her Master’s studies, Electra has completed a teaching practicum in a kindergarten classroom and is currently completing her second practicum in a grade four classroom. In her undergraduate studies, Electra completed placement experiences in a grade 1/2 classroom, a kindergarten classroom, and an EarlyON Child and Family Centre. Electra has a plethora of diverse employment experiences with respect to teaching and learning. Electra has hired, trained, and managed instructors for Engineering Outreach programs (STEM-based additional programming). Through this employment, Electra reviewed curriculum outlines, activity sheets, and material requests for grades 3 to 8. Electra has experience as a Senior Program Instructor for Engineering Outreach programs, where she created, developed, and delivered STEM programming to students from grades 1 to 12. Moreover, Electra has experience as an Emergency Supply Teacher, where she covered the duties and responsibilities of absent teachers ranging from kindergarten to grade 12. Electra has extended knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy, and best practices. She is culturally responsive and always incorporates an equity lens into her practice. Electra is highly experienced with children with exceptionalities and always implements strength-based approaches that consider the whole child.

Marisa T.

Marisa is a dedicated tutor and accomplished student currently pursuing a double major in Political Science and Economics at McGill University. With a strong academic foundation and a passion for education, Marisa has honed her expertise across a wide range of subjects, including Math, English, Economics, and History.

Her teaching experience is rooted in years of involvement with academic clubs, debating, and leadership roles, including participation in Model UN and organizing TEDx events. These opportunities have allowed Marisa to develop clear and effective communication skills, as well as a deep understanding of how to break down complex concepts into manageable steps for learners of all levels.

Marisa’s teaching philosophy emphasizes adaptability, ensuring that each session is tailored to the unique needs and learning styles of her students. She is known for creating a positive and supportive environment where students feel encouraged to ask questions and tackle challenges confidently. Her approach includes structured lesson planning, targeted exercises for difficult topics, and engaging activities for younger learners.

In addition to her academic achievements, Marisa has extensive experience helping students prepare for exams, improve grades, and build a strong understanding of their subjects. Her goal is to make learning less stressful and more rewarding for every student she works with.

SARAH R.

Sarah is currently a student at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in the Masters of Teaching program. She has a particular interest in mathematics education and a consciousness of math anxiety and shame within the math classroom, as she is currently working on research on math anxiety in BIPOC students. Sarah truly believes that every student is capable of learning any subject and believes in the importance of building students’ confidence. So, she focuses on connecting with who students are to teach them in a way that works for them.

Before coming to OISE, Sarah taught dance and gymnastics to kids aged 4-12 in a summer camp setting. In practicum experiences, Sarah taught in a grade 5-6 gifted classroom, a grade 7-8 literacy, history, and art classroom and a grade 8 science classroom, with a concentrated focus on math skills within science. With these different age groups and experiences, Sarah has learned the needs of different age groups and is well-equipped at adapting to these different needs. In the future, she hopes to use what she has learned to teach in a junior or intermediate level classroom setting (grades 4-10).

In her personal life, she enjoys baking, watching movies, and seeing live music. She also is active in the UofT community as a Varsity Blues cheerleader.

SHANIA M.

Shania (she/her) is a University of Ottawa graduate with a Bachelors in Political Science with a focus on International Relations and Imperialism. In addition to her background in the Social Sciences, Shania has a wealth of experience in teaching Mathematics, English, and French at different levels.

She started as a volunteer tutor at ELI Africa — a non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational programs to underprivileged children in Africa — before joining the Tutor Doctor team in Ottawa. Throughout her 7 years of experience, Shania has found a passion for helping students, fuelling their creativity, and boosting their self-confidence. Specialising in teaching French and being natively trilingual, she understands how hard it can be to navigate learning a new language and hence, she looks forward to making learning fun for students by integrating their hobbies, literature, and different types of media into lesson plans.

When she’s not going on whirlwind adventures in Downtown Toronto, she’s crocheting, reading, or café-hopping. Her favourite coffee shops (for now) are Rustle & Still and Dark Horse. Her favourite books are Nicola Yoon’s The Sun is Also A Star and Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus.

EMILY S.

Emily received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Western University in 2022 and is a teacher candidate in the Master of Teaching program at OISE at the University of Toronto. She has extensive experience working with children in the classroom setting, with practicum experience surrounding EMPOWER reading intervention, as well as UFLI and math intervention. She has worked with children in a sport setting for the past 10 years, and is passionate about creating an environment in which children are inspired to be their best selves. In her free time, she loves reading, being active, and spending time with her cats!