AMBER M.
Amber holds a 2-year early childhood diploma as well as a 3-year international Montessori pedagogy diploma. She is a lifelong learner and has attended many conferences, workshops, and webinars on various Montessori topics, as well as child development.
Amber has been a Montessorian for 16 years and has also worked as a private tutor. Montessori education focuses on the holistic child, with high academics as a byproduct when they enter Grade 1, as it is a very individualized program. These areas include Math, Language, Science, and Geography.
Over her 16 years of teaching, Amber has worked with age groups. She has worked with children who have challenges as well as those with high cognitive abilities. She knows how to adjust her approach to suit the child, whether by changing how a lesson is delivered, knowing when to challenge them, or repeating the lesson in a new, fun way to make the concept easier to grasp. Amber still works as a Montessorian and would like to help more children with her talents, as she believes that all children learn differently, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. She loves fostering a love of learning in all children and will continue to do so for many years to come.
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.
SAMAR I.
Samar Ismail is an Ontario Certified Teacher with a passion for reading, writing, and stories. She has an undergraduate degree in English and Political Science, and a postgraduate in Journalism. Her love of travelling has also led her to teach English as a Foreign Language in Mexico, online to children in China, and to Cambridge, UK where she was a teacher’s assistant. These experiences inspired her to obtain her Bachelor of Education and help students discover their unique strengths and abilities. Samar is dedicated to ongoing professional development and has already completed her Primary ABQ, and she is set to start her Senior English ABQ this fall. Outside of her profession, Samar enjoys regular exercise, reading, and baking.
WARDA S.
Warda is a third-year Mechatronics Engineering student at the University of Waterloo. She has completed multiple internships in various engineering fields from Manufacturing Analyst at Centra Industries, to Software Assurance at i4i, to Sales Engineer at HTS. She is currently on her fifth coop term as a Mechanical Designer at Smith and Andersen. Besides work and school, Warda loves to volunteer and spends her time giving back to the community. She has accumulated over 150 volunteer hours, through participation at summer camps for kids with disabilities and at animal shelters. Warda has prior experience mentoring kids from her coop position at i4i, where she discovered her passion for tutoring. She believes in being a role model to her students, helping them develop both hard and soft skills, that will be beneficial for their future. And when she is not busy working, studying or teaching, she loves to paint and read!
LINDSAY H.
Lindsay graduated from the Concurrent Education program at Brock University with a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies and a Bachelor of Education in the primary and junior divisions. Since then, she has obtained additional qualifications to enhance her practice in Reading and Mathematics along with to teach Intermediate English, Special Education, English as a Second Language.
Lindsay has experience in Canadian classrooms teaching Math, Language, Science, Social Studies and the Arts in Grades 1 through 8. She has also taught and tutored in Namibia, Peru and China.
Lindsay uses her passion and enthusiasm towards teaching and learning to establish a positive learning environment with her students. She believes an environment where questions are encouraged and mistakes are respected is one that will promote success in each child’s learning. Lindsay recognizes that learning is an individual process and thus works hard to tailor her instruction to use each student’s strengths in order to address their needs.
Lindsay has a passion for working with children both inside and outside the classroom. She spends her spare time coaching children’s soccer as well as volunteering in special education settings within her local school board.
CARMEL Y.
Carmel Youkhana completed her Bachelor of Education at Nipissing University in April 2022. Prior to this, she attended Wilfrid Laurier University where she enjoyed completing her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology. Throughout her teenage years, Carmel loved working at various summer camps and tutored English, which is where her passion for working with children began. As she continued to take on teaching roles during her university career, she realized her love for education and learning. For the past year and a half, Carmel has had the pleasure of teaching English to international students ages 3-12 through an online learning platform. She believes in fostering confidence in all her students and has a passion for making learning an enjoyable experience.
During her teaching practicum, Carmel taught students in the intermediate/senior division, specifically grade 8’s and all grades in high school. She has taught a variety of subjects in the classroom but has always had a knack for science/biology and English. Carmel’s job as an English teacher has given her the opportunity to work with a wide range of students in a one- on-one setting, developing her ability to build strong relationships and personalize lessons. She has a strong desire to see students succeed and will guide them to reaching their full potential. Outside of teaching, you can find Carmel hiking, rock climbing, snowboarding, and spending quality time with her friends and family.
SARA D.
Sara is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Sara also holds a post graduate diploma in Human Services Administration from Sheridan College, as well as a Master of Science in Education from Medaille College in Buffalo, NY.
Prior to completing her education degree Sara spent a year in Tokyo, Japan where she taught English to adults and children. She has over 20 years of tutoring experience including all elementary subjects, as well as ESL and math up to grade 10. Sara is currently teaching at a private school where she has been working for 12 years, having taught grades 3, 5, 7, and 8. She also has experience running extra-curricular programs in math and science enrichment, teaching visual art classes for children, and running a summer art camp.
Sara is kind and patient, and she genuinely enjoys helping her students build confidence and find success. She takes the time to get to know each of her students so that she can ensure they are interested in their own learning, and that they have fun! W
MARIAH M.
Mariah is an Ontario Certified Teacher for JK-6 and a graduate of York University. She studied Children, Childhood and Youth Studies with a minor in History, and concurrently pursued her Bachelors of Education degree. Mariah has had a variety of volunteer, placement and work opportunities with children aside from teaching with the Peel District School Board. She volunteered with Nanny Angel Network providing free specialized in-home child care for mothers with cancer. Mariah also worked at Oakwood Academy which provides a unique approach to teaching children with ASD and other needs.
Mariah has a passion for travel and the arts. Mariah did a study abroad summer course in which she could learn more about Greek history, while in Greece. Her love of musical theatre and the arts saw her from attending summer camps, volunteering, and later, working with a local children’s theatre production company.
JOCELYN H.
Jocelyn graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Guelph in 2023 and is now pursuing her Bachelor of Education at Ontario Tech University. With 2.5 years of experience as an Emergency Supply Teacher and after-school tutor with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, she has worked with students from Kindergarten to Grade 8, fostering both academic growth and personal development.
Her experience across multiple elementary schools has honed her ability to adapt to diverse teaching styles and student needs, allowing her to build strong connections and create engaging, supportive learning environments. As an after-school tutor, she has helped students strengthen their math, reading, writing, and vocabulary skills with patience and encouragement.
Jocelyn is deeply passionate about student well-being, prioritizing mental health and emotional support to ensure every student feels valued, confident, and ready to learn. With her enthusiasm, adaptability, and dedication, she strives to make every learning experience meaningful and fun!
ANGELA E-C.
Angela Erskine Cranston is an Ontario Certified Teacher, Child and Youth Practitioner, Fine Arts painter.
She grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. After finishing high school, Angela attended the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Preforming Arts where she completed a Diploma in Painting and Printmaking. She then attended the Mico University College where she completed a Diploma in teaching. Angela taught Visual Arts at the intermediate/senior division in Jamaica before moving to the Turks and Caicos Islands. While still in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Angela jumped at the opportunity when it came for her to teach in the primary/junior division. She taught grade 4 literacy for 4 years.
Through these experiences in and aboard, Angela developed a passion for teaching and working with special needs children. This propelled her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Youth Care at the Humber College, Toronto. After receiving her Bachelors, she decided to go one step further to completing her Master’s in Education with a specialization in special education at the Walden University, Minnesota.
Presently, Angela works for the School Board. She supports the improvement of students with special needs as well as students in the general education classroom. She believes in engaging and building strong healthy relationships with children, youth, and their family.
In Angela’s spare time, she enjoys travelling and spending time with family. Angela also enjoys painting and exhibiting her artworks in galleries. She has shared in several young professional and young generation group exhibitions for Jamaican artists presenting works in Jamaica’s galleries. Angela’s most recent artworks is on display at the Beaux Art Gallery, Brampton.