QUENNIE G.

Quennie is a French native speaker from Montreal who is passionate about helping students build confidence in both French and English. She graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Education and is currently a French Immersion teacher with the Toronto District School Board, where she teaches Grade 2/3. Quennie has furthered her learning by obtaining a Specialist in French as a Second Language Pedagogy and completing Additional Qualification courses in Mathematics Pedagogy. She has experience supporting students in literacy, including phonics and reading recovery in both French and English and has worked with learners of varying needs and abilities. Quennie values the importance of language learning as a bridge to new opportunities and perspectives, and she enjoys making lessons engaging, interactive, and tailored to each students’ strengths.

When she’s not in the classroom, Quennie enjoys travelling to new destinations, discovering new restaurants in the city, staying active at the gym, and exploring her interests in fashion and beauty.

Marie A-P.

Marie is a French native speaker who holds a Master’s degree in Law from France. She brings a strong academic background and extensive teaching experience to her practice. During her graduate studies, she worked as an educational assistant in a French high school, where she collaborated with teachers on curriculum development and classroom preparation. This early experience provided her with a solid foundation in instructional design and student support.

Since relocating to Toronto five years ago, Marie has specialized in teaching French as a second language. She works with a diverse student population, ranging from children aged 5 to 15 to adults preparing for French language proficiency and immigration examinations. Her instructional approach emphasizes rigor, clarity, and adaptability to the needs of learners at different levels.

Marie is committed to fostering an engaging and productive learning environment. She continually informs herself on curriculum developments and new teaching techniques to ensure her lessons remain effective and current. She also places strong emphasis on maintaining open communication with parents, regularly providing feedback on student progress. Through her academic training and professional experience, Marie has developed expertise in guiding students toward linguistic proficiency and cultural understanding, equipping them with skills for both academic success and practical application.

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.

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.

AVA T.

My name is Ava T. I am a student teacher at the University of Winnipeg in the Integrated Education Program. I am currently obtaining a major in French and a minor in Psychology with a focus in the Senior Stream. My specialized areas include French (all ages), English (all ages) and Kindergarten to grade 5 general school work. I have lots of experience working with students from ages 6-11 as I was a CSI Instructor through Boys and Girls Club Canada. I independently ran a classroom while guiding and assessing students on their academic standing. I modified my lesson plans to better accommodate diverse needs, all while making it a fun summer program! I believe learning should be fun and there is always room for mistakes, that’s how we improve! I strongly consider reading and writing a key component not only in education, but in daily life as it’s transferable into everything we do. I grew up speaking three languages and I believe that bilingualism is such an important skill to have. I grew up as a French Immersion student myself, and It has brought me numerous opportunities both professionally and socially. In my spare time, I love doing Portuguese cultural dancing for Folklorama, reading, walking my dog and spending time with friends and family!

Maggie O.

Maggie is an Ontario Certified teacher. Her family emigrated from Ireland to Canada when she was nine years old. Now Maggie lives in Toronto with her eleven year old daughter Aisling and Sammy, their Nova Scotia Duck Toller puppy. Maggie is known for her kind and patient humour and her compelling confidence in children. With strengths across the curriculum, she describes her teaching practice as evidence-based, guided-inquiry as influenced by her lived experiences as a student, parent and academic. For example, her primary school language learning in Irish Gaelic and high school exchange in France, where she completed the Baccalauréat de langue et litterature francaises, planted seeds for her later interest in ethnomathematics and culturally responsive teaching. In 2003 Maggie graduated with a BA in Fine Art History from the University of Toronto, and went on to teach yoga and mindfulness in newcomer, youth and justice-adjacent facilities. Twenty years later she completed an Honours BA in Political Science and Indigenous Studies also at U of T, where she became a learner of a local Ojibwe language (Anishinaabemowin). This June 2025, she will receive an MA in Child Study and Education from the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, OISE, U of T. During this degree, Maggie’s studies focused on themes of student equity, motivation and peer-based learning and she further developed her knowledge of play and arts integration. Additional defining characteristics include her unreasonable enthusiasm for diving into icy cold water, and her favourite sock colour being tie-dye-rainbow. This summer, Maggie and Aisling are competing in their first triathlon events.

CHLOE B.

Chloe is a third-year Biological Science student at the University of Guelph with over four years of tutoring experience. Since 2020, she has worked one-on-one with students aged 3 to 12, providing academic support in a variety of subjects, mainly French and English. She’s worked at Oxford Learning Centre in Guelph, where she continues to assist students with homework, foundational skills, and personalized learning activities. Her approach blends patience, structure, and creativity to meet each student’s individual needs. With a strong academic background and a passion for education, Chloe is committed to helping students build confidence and achieve academic success!

Justin B.

Justin is a certified teacher originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, who relocated to British Columbia to pursue his teaching career. Before heading West, he earned a Bachelor of Science (Honours in Biology Research) and a Master of Science (Research-Based Thesis in Pathology) at Dalhousie University.

As a lifelong athlete, Justin grew up playing competitive hockey. Through years of coaching, he discovered his passion for teaching young people, which ultimately led him to a career in education. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Education at Acadia University in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley.

During his academic career, Justin was awarded over $100,000 in research and academic scholarships and contributed to eight research publications, including three as a first author.

In his spare time, he enjoys snowboarding, playing hockey, golf, and volleyball, and road-tripping across the country with his family. As an intermediate French immersion teacher, Justin is passionate about building strong relationships and creating a supportive learning environment where all students can thrive.

Victoria W.