CAVELL B.

Cavell is a highly skilled and very experienced teacher. She has her Master’s in Curriculum Design and has been an Educator for over 20 years. Cavell is very passionate about helping children succeed and find their way to discovering how they can be a successful learner.
Cavell’s expertise covers a broad range of skills and her career has been vast and full of adventure. Cavell has been from one side of Canada to the other, as a classroom teacher, an Education Consultant for the Yukon, and as an Education Coordinator here in Alberta.
Cavell’s energy for learning and building relationships with her students shines through in every conversation. Cavell’s knowledge in curriculum allows her to be able to assist in many academic areas across a broad range of ages. She welcomes early learners as well as those children in the higher grades.

SHABNAM S.

Shabnam is a theoretical physicist with a PhD from Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, Italy. She has worked as a researcher in different universities and countries. Before moving to Toronto, she lived in Singapore for more than six years and worked as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Quantum Technologies. She has taught undergrad students at universities such as Bilkent University, National University of Singapore and Yale-NUS college. In early 2019 she transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship. Currently she is a Co-Founder and Director of a start-up in Toronto.

In addition to her teaching experience at university level, she was a Math and Physics tutor right after finishing her high school until she became a PhD student. She has her way of simplifying scientific subjects for students to help them learn gradually and develop their logical thinking and problem solving abilities. Even in her entrepreneurial role she enjoys working with the interns a lot.

Shabnam has travelled to several countries and has friends from many different nationalities. Canada is the fifth country that she lives in. In her free time she enjoys cooking, exercising and dancing. When music plays she cannot stand still.

KELTIE B.

Mahala V.

For Mahala, teaching and working with young learners has always been her passion. She completed her undergraduate degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, majoring in Youth and Child Studies with a minor in Psychology. In 2019, Mahala earned her Master of Teaching degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, with a focus on primary/ junior education.

Having struggled as a young student due to her own learning challenges, Mahala has become very passionate about the importance of instilling a love of learning at a young age as well as a strong academic foundation. During her undergrad, Mahala volunteered with the Grand Erie District School Board and the ‘Strong Start to Reading’ program, an approach that supports the literacy skills of students in JK-grade 2. It was here that Mahala developed an interest in language acquisition development, prompting her to take the Reading and Kindergarten Additional Qualifications courses in order to better understand how she can support the language and literacy development of young learners.

Mahala ensures to do her best to support her students to help them reach their full potential. She believes in the value of fostering meaningful relationships with her students while creating a safe and supportive learning environment. By taking a collaborative approach to learning, students’ interests, opinions and ideas can be at the forefront of learning, making connections between the material and real life. With a lot of patience and enthusiasm, Mahala is happy to support students in Kindergarten through grade 6.

JENNY W.

Jenny is a graduate of the Masters of Teaching program at OISE, University of Toronto. She studied Biological Sciences at the University of Windsor and is passionate about STEM outreach. She has engaged with a wide range of youth in diverse environments as a program coordinator, workshop facilitator, tutor, teaching assistant, and more. Her favourite type of teaching involves interactive, hands-on activities that spark curiosity in students, guiding them to make their own learning connections. Jenny believes in student-centered teaching and understands the unique strengths each student brings. She practices a growth mindset, supporting and encouraging her students to recognize their potential and capability. When her nose isn’t buried in a book, Jenny enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking and biking wherever she can. She loves photographing nature and her camera has a permanent spot in her backpack during these adventures. As a result of her abundance of mountain and tree photographs, she is often the source for desktop and mobile screensavers for her family and friends. As thanks, they often let her win at board games

TINA M.

Tina recently graduated with a Bachelor of Education in (specialization in mathematics) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Calgary. Tina has experience working with students in K-12 and while most of her teaching has been with the Calgary Board of Education, she also completed a teaching exchange in Brisbane, Australia. Throughout her time at university she was heavily involved on campus, taking on leadership roles within student government, as a student researcher, and most recently, as an Executive on the Education Students’ Association. Tina enjoys sharing her love of science with students of all ages and was a STEM instructor for three years with Minds in Motion, a science outreach non-profit. In her career as an educator, she hopes to encourage future generations of students to pursue careers in STEM.

RICKY T.

Ricky was born and raised in Calgary. Upon completion of his chemistry degree at McGill University, he went on to obtain his teaching degree, specializing in senior chemistry and physics, at the University of Toronto. His previous experience working as a teaching assistant and residence assistant confirmed his love for supporting student development and mentoring youth.

Ricky understands that no two students learn the same and is actively conscious of diverse learning styles. It is with this mindset that he strives to be responsive, tailoring learning to every student’s needs. A safe and supportive environment, strong rapport with students, and building confidence and self-management skills are also key elements of his teaching approach.

Outside of the classroom, Ricky enjoys bouldering, choreography and searching for the perfect cinnamon bun.

MEAGHAN H.

Resilient, kind, and innovative primary educator with a passion for helping others in hopes of fostering a curiosity for lifelong learning among Canada’s youth. Meaghan is committed to developing positive relationships within the classroom, connecting students to the outside world through the power of knowledge while upholding both the highest academic and ethical standards. She approaches learning through a holistic lens, placing equal emphasis on both academics and social-emotional learning. Meaghan incorporates nature and physical activity into daily life, both in a personal and professional setting. Her strong ability to work well in dynamic team environments is demonstrated through years of participation within successful sports and academic teams.

PEDRO T.

Pedro Tironi is a professional musician, music therapist and teacher candidate from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. He grew up in Chile, where he completed a Bachelor in Arts, minor in Classical Guitar Musical Performance at the University of Chile. He moved to Barcelona, Spain to complete a master’s in music at Catalonia College of Music. Pedro grew up surrounded by books, music and nature which lead him to develop a strong intellectual curiosity and took the opportunity to continue studying and travelling. He moved to Argentina to complete an Undergraduate Degree in Music Therapy at Buenos Aires University. It was during his stay in Argentina that he discovered his passion for teaching and working with children. Pedro has worked as a music therapist supporting the strengths and needs of children, youth, and young adults with learning disabilities, communication challenges, motor disabilities and mental health issues. When he decided to pursue teaching as a career Pedro moved to Toronto where he is currently in his second year of his Master of Teaching at OISE, University of Toronto. It is through teaching that Pedro has been able to discover the interconnection between math and music and foster his love of Math. During one of his practicums, Pedro taught Math at a TDSB school grade 6 class encouraging students to learn math through interactive and hands-on experiences that integrated arts and music. In his spare time, Pedro continues developing as a musician and works one-on-one with children ranging from 4 years through adults teaching piano, guitar, and music theory. He has supported the improvement of their math skills, concentration, socio-emotional skills and music skills and attitudes. Pedro believes that by building a strong relationship with his students he is better able to meet their needs and grow their learning. As a mentor Pedro continues to develop strategies for working with children integrating creativity into the learning process. He finds these experiences enjoyable and extremely rewarding.

SHEENA G.

Sheena holds a B.Sc. honours in Biochemistry and an M.Sc. in Bioscience, Technology, and Public Policy. She is extremely passionate about teaching, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree. Sheena has over 10 years of experience teaching and mentoring K-12 and university students in various roles, including that of a course instructor, research assistant, career advisor, tutor, and STEM educator. Owing to her achievements in academia and in the community, Sheena has received many prestigious awards, including a Governor General’s Gold Medal. In addition to classroom instruction, she also has extensive experience tutoring distance education students through platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. She is also multilingual and fluent in speaking, reading, and writing English, Punjabi, and Hindi.