AMANDA B.

Amanda is an Ontario Certified Teacher with Specialist qualifications in Accessible Education, who is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Counselling Psychology. She graduated from York University’s Concurrent Teacher Education Program in 2006 with Primary/Junior qualifications and an Urban Education certificate. After graduation, Amanda also obtained her Intermediate qualification, and has supported students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 10. In her 18+ year career with Peel District School Board she has made a point of teaching and learning in a wide variety of roles to broaden her skillset and best support her students. These positions have included Lead Special Education Teacher, Contact Teacher, Intermediate Math Lead, Equity Lead Teacher, and Intensive Support Program Teacher, among many others. She has had the opportunity to teach every elementary subject at least once – even French! Amanda has presented workshops on a variety of topics to teacher colleagues, families, administrators, and superintendents, and she has run culturally-based programming for elementary Indigenous students in PDSB. One of her major areas of professional interest is the impact of emotion regulation and sensory processing on learning readiness.
As the parent of two autistic children with very different support needs, and as someone who has been diagnosed with both ADHD and autism herself, Amanda is passionate about empowering learners of all ages to become strong self-advocates. She believes this is most effective when students understand how brains learn, when they have thorough and accurate strength-based self-knowledge, and when they’ve created personal “toolkits” of accessible strategies discovered through guided experience. Pedagogically, she values truly getting to know her learners and believes mutually positive relationships are the basis of teacher-learner success.
Outside of teaching, Amanda spends her time cycling, practicing yoga, going on outdoor adventures with her kids, and continuing her lifelong journey of reconnecting with her Indigenous culture.

 

 

Beverly Y.

Beverly graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Harvey Mudd College and an Master’s of Education from Boston University.

She is a Certified Teacher who has worked with elementary and middle school students in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States.

Beverly’s diverse teaching experience has shown her that building relationships with students is the most important step in meeting their educational needs.

She believes every student is a “math person” and prioritizes developing number sense and critical thinking during her sessions. Beverly is excited to help students find learning strategies that work for them and encourage their curiosity about math.

In her spare time, Beverly enjoys hiking through autumn landscapes, solving jigsaw puzzles, and pondering why students have contentious arguments over whether a hotdog is a sandwich. (She’s inclined to say, “Yes,” per the Merriam-Webster definition.)

Ashley W.

Ashley W. was born and raised in a small town in Vermont. She discovered her passion for teaching at a young age and has devoted her life to nurturing young minds ever since.

Ashley is a certified elementary school teacher with 22 years of classroom experience. She has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Lesley University and has taught every grade from first through eighth.

For the last 10 years, Ashley has been teaching abroad in both Rome and Barcelona, working with students and families from many different cultures and countries.

Ashley’s superpower is supporting students that need reinforcement with foundational skills in reading, writing, and math.

As a tutor, Ashley brings a wide variety of disciplines and learning styles to each lesson — and finds unique ways to make learning fun and enjoyable.

Wherever possible, Ashley works closely with families and classroom instructors to ensure her students make as much progress as possible.

By choosing Ashley as your child’s elementary tutor, you are investing in a dedicated, experienced, and passionate educator who is committed to unlocking your child’s full academic potential and fostering a lifelong love of learning.

STEPHANIE F.

Stephanie has a B.A. in History, and minor in English from Simon Fraser University. She is also a qualified EAL instructor. Her specialty has been supporting middle and high school students in Humanities and English composition as well as Primary/Junior students in literacy and remedial reading support.  She has also worked with many students internationally on English acquisition.

Hannah F.

Hannah is an Ontario Certified Teacher specializing in primary, junior and intermediate instruction.

Hannah grew up on Georgian Bay and moved to Toronto to complete her Bachelor of Arts in History and French at York University, Glendon.

Hannah prides herself on being an enthusiastic and involved educator with a commitment to cultivating learning opportunities that are hands-on, meaningful, and engaging. She possesses a wide range of teaching experience with students from kindergarten to grade 8 in virtual, classroom, and even outdoor settings.

Hannah currently works as an Occasional Teacher with the Simcoe County District School Board and an Outdoor Educator at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto. Hannah hopes that with her teaching she can foster civic and social responsibility and encourage future stewards of the Earth. Hannah’s passion for learning has even brought her to Windsor Castle, England – working with leaders like Jane Goodall to create programming opportunities for youth.

Along with a commitment to helping student’s meet their academic goals, Hannah believes that social-emotional well-being and relationships should be at the forefront of all her teaching.

Hannah F.

Hannah is an Ontario Certified Teacher specializing in primary, junior and intermediate instruction.

Hannah grew up on Georgian Bay and moved to Toronto to complete her Bachelor of Arts in History and French at York University, Glendon.

Hannah prides herself on being an enthusiastic and involved educator with a commitment to cultivating learning opportunities that are hands-on, meaningful, and engaging. She possesses a wide range of teaching experience with students from kindergarten to grade 8 in virtual, classroom, and even outdoor settings.

Hannah currently works as an Occasional Teacher with the Simcoe County District School Board and an Outdoor Educator at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto. Hannah hopes that with her teaching she can foster civic and social responsibility and encourage future stewards of the Earth. Hannah’s passion for learning has even brought her to Windsor Castle, England – working with leaders like Jane Goodall to create programming opportunities for youth.

Along with a commitment to helping student’s meet their academic goals, Hannah believes that social-emotional well-being and relationships should be at the forefront of all her teaching.

Andrew S.

Andrew Samuels is currently finishing his second Bachelors Degree.  His first Degree was in Psychology with a Bachelors of Education to follow. Andrew has worked as a full time educator within the private sector for two years with a main focus of Math, English, and HPE. Andrew is currently in his last semester at York University. In addition, Andrew has tutored with several companies in the past. Andrew has also worked at Papillon Learning Centre focusing on academic improvements with students on the spectrum. Furthermore, Andrew has maintained a honours level GPA sitting at a 8.0+ while attending York University. Andrew was a high jumper and represented Canada on a national youth level. With obtaining a full track and field scholarship to Florida International University, Andrew was on the student-athlete Dean’s list while studying towards his bachelors in psychology. Andrew’s current plan upon graduating is to teach and tutor in efforts to help enhance students academic abilities and potentials. Andrew will also be pursuing his Master’s of Education part time upon graduation this spring.

Ryan W-B.

An OCT member since 2009, Ryan graduated with a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto and is qualified to teach Primary/Junior levels. He also earned an Additional Qualification in Reading, with an aim to obtain his Special Education Part 1 AQ in the summer.

Although his undergraduate degree from York University focussed on Literature and History, Ryan has developed a proficiency in the Intermediate STEM curricula of Math and Science. He enjoys the chance to bring these traditionally stuffy subjects to life.

Ryan believes that all students can benefit from individualized education plans. As a parent and homeschooler of two neurodivergent children, Ryan has learned to adapt his teaching methods to meet the unique learning styles and personal interests of his students. He is always eager to collaborate with caregivers and support staff to identify each student’s particular intersections/identities/developmental histories so he can craft lesson plans that compliment any longstanding learning goals.

Beyond his formal experiences in education, Ryan has held a variety of creative writing positions. He has been an editor for multiple magazines, a freelance entertainment writer, the leader of graphic novel workshops at the Toronto Public Library, and a contributor to dozens of international poetry publications. He is a proud member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and uses he/his pronouns.