Elyssa N.
Elyssa has a Bachelor degree in English from UofG, and her Bachelor of Education from Laurier. Elyssa has been tutoring 1:1 for about 5 years, and she started tutoring at Oxford Learning. Elyssa also became the Education Coordinator at Oxford in Woodstock. She can confidently tutor students in reading, writing, and mathematics up to Gr. 10.
SUSAN S.
Susan has happily been an educator for 20 years, teaching French and English predominantly with the York Region District School Board but also various private institutions. Susan graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Education from University of Toronto (OISE) including her Masters. Moreover, she has taught overseas and traveled in places like India, South Korea, South Americas and has studied in France and Quebec. Susan is dedicated to sports, fitness and dance as she has coached running clubs, dance teams and triathlons events When not teaching, Susan herself travels, competes and works in the triathlon industry which includes Iron Man, Olympic and kids events. She is also a mountaineer having climbed in South America and the USA. Susan is passionate about volunteering in the community which includes social justice and a love for animals and nature. Susan is looking forward to meeting and supporting families and learners in Toronto.
Dr. Ariel Z.
Daniella F.
Daniella grew up in Pennsylvania and obtained her Psychology Degree at Boston College focusing on Child Cognitive research. She later gained her medical degree at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in NYC and is now a dedicated neurology resident continuing her passion for understanding the brain. Her research experience at the Boston College Infant and Child Cognition Lab, allowed her to investigate how children develop their understanding of math through gesture and eye-tracking studies. She also contributed to the creation of “Parkopolis,” a life-size STEM board game designed to promote STEM learning and parent-child engagement in underserved communities, developed at Temple University’s Infant and Child Lab. Daniella’s work reflects her deep commitment to fostering curiosity and confidence in young learners, and she is driven by a genuine love for helping children grow, develop, and become the next generation of thinkers and innovators.
Cynthia P.
Cynthia is a certified teacher with a doctoral degree in education. She has over 20 years experience teaching both in the classroom and tutoring. As a school teacher she worked mainly with middle school students. As a tutor she has worked with students from first grade to the college level. Her years of experience and passion for teaching (and learning) give her the expertise needed to create targeted lessons that support learning and meet her students’ specific educational needs.
Dr. Pellegrini got her doctoral degree from Florida International University. She has a master’s degree in reading and learning disabilities from the University of Miami and a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences. She also studied in Italy where she lived and taught English to high school students and to adults. Cynthia is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian.
Outside of her professional life, Cynthia enjoys gardening, watching documentaries, travelling, playing with her animals, and of course, reading. She often uses knowledge gained from these passions to connect with her students and spark their curiosity for places and things they may know little or nothing about.
Cynthia understands children and has a knack for creating a good rapport with her students. She makes them feel comfortable and makes every effort to celebrate their progress and successes. With her, students are made to feel like new challenges are always surmountable, with a little effort. Cynthia’s students enjoy her classes while working hard to reach their academic goals.
SAHAR P.
Sahar P. is a committed and energetic educator entering her second year of the Master of Teaching program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto. She specializes in the Intermediate/Senior division, with a focus on French and Business Studies. Sahar earned her Honours Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Western Ontario, where she completed a double major in Business Human Resources and French Language & Literature.
With hands-on experience in classrooms, Sahar has taught Grade9 and 10 French—both Core and Immersion—as well as Grade 10 Business during her teaching placements. She also has experience working with younger learners in Grades 1 and 2, supporting their early French language development. Having been a French Immersion student herself, Sahar brings a unique perspective to language learning and understands how to support students at various stages of their French education. Currently, she is serving as a supply teacher at the Toronto District School Board, further enriching her classroom practice while working toward her Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) certification.
Beyond her academic and teaching roles, Sahar has always been actively involved in her school communities. She previously served as the Vice President of Finance for her university’s French Club and mentored incoming students to help ease their transition into post-secondary life. A strong believer in well-rounded development, Sahar has also volunteered as a swim lesson assistant—combining her love of swimming with her passion for working with youth.
She speaks three languages fluently—and proudly claims a few more on the side (if being able to string together some sentences and order food counts, and she thinks it totally does!). Sahar brings this multilingual, multicultural perspective into every learning environment she enters. Her educational philosophy is grounded in the belief that learning should be engaging, empowering, and enjoyable. As she often says, her goal is to be “the teacher I never had”—someone who inspires confidence, nurtures curiosity, and makes education feel fun and accessible.
With one year left until she completes her master’s degree and becomes a certified teacher, Sahar is eager to make a difference in the lives of her students. She takes pride in being a reliable support system and finds deep fulfillment in seeing her students grow and succeed.
DIONNE V.
Dionne is an Ontario Certified Teacher with 18 years of experience with the Toronto District School Board. She grew up in Toronto and completed her Undergraduate Degree from Western University. After graduation, she travelled to Japan where she taught English for a year. It was there that she developed her passion for teaching. Upon returning to Toronto, she completed her Bachelor of Education and Masters of Education from York University and began teaching French Immersion at the Primary/Junior level. Over the years, she has taught a range of subjects and Grades from 1-5, Physical Education and Core French. She has a great sense of humour and loves a good laugh, which she finds is a great way to connect with the kids she works with. She also has a passion for travelling and is always eager to discuss her adventures in the various countries she has visited. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two teenage boys and her friends.
Betty Y.
Betty has a Master’s degree in Teaching and is certified to teach students from the Primary to Intermediate levels. She also holds an Additional Qualification in Intermediate Mathematics. Betty has been teaching with the Toronto District School Board for three years, where she has delivered engaging math sessions tailored to diverse student needs. She is committed to meeting students where they are in their learning and helping them grow with confidence. Betty brings a strong understanding of differentiated instruction and assessment for learning. She enjoys integrating real-life applications and problem-solving strategies and regularly communicates with parents to refine her teaching.
MICHELLE L.
Michelle is a passionate educator with over 22 years of experience helping kids grow curious, creative, and confident. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia, and for the past 15 years, has taught Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 as a Science Specialist at an independent school in Toronto. Before that, she developed hands-on educational programs for camps, schools, and museums—including two science centres, an aquarium, and even a bug zoo (yes, she’s worked with a tarantula or two). Michelle enjoys building strong connections with her students and tailoring her approach to meet their individual learning styles and needs. She offers one-on-one tutoring across a range of subjects, with sessions that are engaging, personalized, and always encouraging – often with a dash of humour. (Why is 6 afraid of 7? Because 7, 8, 9!) She believes that one-on-one tutoring is a great way for students to practice skills, build confidence, and make meaningful progress.
Lucas J.
Lucas Jacob has taught and tutored writing, literature, and reading to grades 6-12 for more than 30 years, in private, public, and public-charter schools across the United States and in Budapest, Hungary, where he was a Fulbright Fellow. He holds a B.A. in English and African/African-American Studies from Carleton College (Phi Beta Kappa; magna cum laude) and an M.A. (with highest honors) in writing and literature from Temple University. Luke has published nearly 100 essays, poetry, and works of fiction in trade journals (including Education Week and Independent School Magazine) and literary magazines (including Southwest Review and Chicagoland’s venerable RHINO). His first two full-length collections of poems have come out in the past six years, from Eyewear Publishing (London, UK) and Next Page Press (San Antonio, TX). He currently serves as co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Media Literacy Education and he is working on both his first middle grades novel and his first mystery novel for adult audiences, which goes to show that even when he is not teaching reading and writing he is…well…reading and writing.