Serena L.

Serena is a friendly and enthusiastic tutor with a broad range of experience working with kids, teenagers and adults. Her specialty in the Sciences but is passionate about all areas of education. Serena has a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Ottawa in Biology as well as a Master’s of Science degree from the University of Guelph.

In her free time, Serena is active in the community and plays or coaches in softball, dodgeball and martial arts. As a student who once needed extra help before thriving academically in her later years, Serena understands that students all have the potential to succeed and is excited to help students find their own excellence.

Matt P.

Matt is a Junior and Intermediate Ontario Certified Teacher working during the school year with the Simcoe County District School Board. He graduated from Queen’s University with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History, and he completed his Bachelors of Education at the University of Ottawa. Matt has continued his professional development in teaching by taking additional qualifications courses in Special Education and Math at the Intermediate level.

Matt has experience teaching at the Vienna European School in Austria where he implemented and instructed a competitive international curriculum to students aged 10 to 14. He also spent time teaching Junior grades at Stouffville Christian School where he coached the hockey, volleyball, basketball, softball and track and field teams. Since he was young, Matt has spent numerous years as a camp counsellor and sports instructor where he has been harnessing his passion and commitment to working with youth. Through an intense teaching and tutoring schedule, Matt continues to expand his teaching strategies by building strong foundations with his students in areas such as reading, writing and math.

While teaching in a classroom has allowed Matt to develop an enthusiastic and engaging approach to teaching, he understands that true growth and development in fundamental learning areas comes through 1 on 1 interaction. Character growth and relationship building are integral pillars for Matt’s teaching style and certainly help foster a more productive and successful learning environment.

Outside of the classroom, Matt is a sports-driven individual whose love for physical activity is often intertwined with his teaching. He is an enthusiastic supporter of various hockey, basketball and football teams and enjoys sharing these passions with his students. Matt is thrilled to join the Prep Academy team!

Noah M.

Noah graduated from the University of British Columbia Okanagan with a Bachelor of
Mechanical Engineering. This was followed by a Master of Applied Science, specialization in
Mechanical Engineering, at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. He performed
research in the Laboratory of Solar Energy and Fuels studying the fabrication of the materials
used to create thin-film solar cells, an emerging renewable energy technology. Noah has held
previous tutor positions for students at the high school level, as well as worked as a teaching
assistant for multiple courses during his post graduate study. Noah currently works as a math and science tutor in the Okanagan, fostering a passion for teaching and continual learning. In his spare time, he enjoys running, cycling, and rock climbing.

Joshua L.

Josh is a Certified Teacher, having completed his Bachelor of Education at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Having an Undergraduate Degree in Biology and a Minor in English Literature gives him backgrounds in Science, Math, and Language Arts to draw from as a tutor. He believes in having a strong relationship with students as a means to build their confidence, using their interests to inspire their curiosity, and developing good study habits. Alongside learning all sorts of weird and wonderful trivia, Josh also enjoys playing guitar, creating and performing songs, playing video games, badminton, and being awestruck by the vastness of space.

AMBER A.

Amber is a passionate programmer with an academic background in computer science. She loves programming teaching others about computer science. Along with computer science, Amber has a strong background in mathematics, English, geography, history and science. She has tutored students in a variety of subjects, and she is excited to continue to help students reach their academic goals!

ORLIN V.

Dr. Vakarelov was professor in Philosophy and Information Studies at Duke University, where he taught classes in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He also taught for the UBC Master of Data Science program, as well as for the University of Arizona, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toronto, and Humber College. He has a Ph.D. in Philosophy and Cognitive Science from the University of Arizona, an M.S. in Logic and Computation from Carnegie Mellon University, and an M.A and B.Sc.+– in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Toronto. After home-schooling his son during high school in Vancouver, and after sending him off to join the class of 2027 at Cornell University this coming fall, Dr. Vakarelov will be able to help other students improve their school experience and support them in their preparation for and transition to university. When not teaching, Dr. Vakarelov runs a technology company that develops web software applications.

Jan M.

Jan possesses master’s degree in science. He is in his second year of completing his master’s degree in teaching (in the junior and intermediate level) at the University of Toronto (U of T). Jan is currently employed by U of T Scarborough within the Department of Environmental Science as a lecturer. He teaches a masters level course titled Aquatic Ecology and Biomonitoring. For the last 20 years he has worked with students ranging from grades 4 to grade 12 and at the University level. He also works as a coach and as a mentor preparing high school and university students for interviews, helping them with resumes and cover letters, as well as task and time management strategies so that they can be more successful within their chosen career paths. He enjoys fishing, camping, playing soccer and kick boxing

EMILY V.

Emily is a graduate of the Master of Teaching program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. She is currently a supply teacher in the Durham District School Board and the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. Emily is from Ajax, Ontario and was an elite level competitive swimmer throughout her elementary, high school and undergraduate career. She competed at Olympic Trials and won MVP at her conference championships in the NCAA for the University of Denver. Originally wanting to be a med student, it wasn’t until she took a science communication course that she realized she wanted to change the course of science education. Emily aspires to dismantle systemic barriers, make learning accessible for all and make education personally meaningful. When she is not working, she can be found nose deep in a book with her cat on her lap or watching a Leafs game with family and friends. Emily works to involve student’s personal interests in their learning as that is what helped her excel in her own academics.

Ruby S.

Ruby has a PhD in experimental medicine and a Masters in regenerative medicine. She brings over 15 years of experience as an educator and has worked with students in elementary school all the way to medical professionals. She has worked with students in an one-on-one format, small groups and large classes. Ruby engages with her students through virtual and in-person formats. Ruby also provides tailored support for ACT, SAT, and SSATs. She applies various strategies honed over a decade of experience in standardized test preparation to support and coach her students. With her tailored approach, her students gain the confidence to strategically tackle test preparation material and critical thinking skills to effectively apply their core knowledge.

HARMANPREET B.

Harman is an Ontario Certified Senior Teacher that Specializes in Mathematics and Science and works with students from Junior kindergarten to high school at ROTMAN ARTS & SCIENCE SCHOOL, Vaughan . Harman graduated with her Masters in Mathematics, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Education

her approach to teaching is to focus on helping her students understand and master the material, rather than just memorize formulas or techniques. She believes that this is a key to long-term success in any subject.

To achieve this, Harman uses numerous teaching methods and resources in her lessons. This might include interactive investigation, problem- solving exercises, or visual aids such as diagram graphs or flow charts. She also encourages her students to ask questions and actively participate in the learning process, this helps them develop a deeper understanding of the subject and makes the learning process more enjoyable.

Knowing that there are different learning styles, Harman makes an effort to tailor her lessons to individual needs and learning styles. For Example, if a student is more visual, she might use more diagrams and flow charts in her lessons, while if a student is more hands-on, she might use more interactive or problem-solving exercises .

In her spare time, she loves to draw sketches, cook and spend time exploring nature.

Overall, her goal as a tutor is to share her knowledge and expertise in a way that helps learners succeed.