ERIN B.
Erin graduated from a thesis-based Masters program in Physical Activity Sciences at Université de Montréal, with a specialization in Sport Psychology. She is bilingual and completed the majority of this degree in French. Previously, Erin attended StFX University, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Human Kinetics in the Pre-education stream, with a minor in French and a pair in Fine Arts. She is highly knowledgeable in the French language and in the areas of academic and scientific writing. Her primary teachables include French, English, Health, Science, and Art. Outside of school, Erin is a competitive track and field pentathlete and heptathlete, with a diverse athletic background in soccer and hockey which she competed in for over 15 years.
Erin has experience working with children of all ages as a track and field coach, gymnastics coach, lifeguard and swim instructor, and Fit 4 Life Student Leader.
Olivia D.
With over five years of experience in tutoring and program coordination, Olivia has developed a diverse skill set in leading and implementing academic support for children of all ages. In addition to private tutoring, Olivia has experience in Montessori settings, teaching French at The Clover School and Casa Vera Montessori. Olivia has completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from York University. She is on her way to achieving her Bachelor of Education at York University in the Primary/Junior cohort as well. Her tutoring experiences include leading weekly French Classes to students with The French Tutor Co. and working as an academic Tutor with Extra Ed Inc. While Olivia is comfortable working with all ages in Language Arts and Social Sciences, she continues to focus on Primary/Junior teachable’s, able to support students in any subject grade 8 or below in English or French.
SAM N.
Sam has been an educator for over 10 years with public, private and international experience. Sam completed the concurrent education program at York University in 2014, where he taught and tutored middle and high school students for two years. Upon graduation, Sam moved to England for two years where he taught in the public school system. After returning to Canada in 2016, Sam began working in the international private school system. He currently works at Willowdale High School, where he has been since 2018. Initially the lead English teacher, Sam has now taken on larger responsibilities in an administrative role within the school. Although his specialty is Intermediate an Senior English, Sam has experience teaching history, geography and social sciences. Sam currently develops courses in his administrative role, most recently developing courses for Canadian Geography and Nutrition & Health.
In his spare time, Sam enjoys reading, films, martial arts (he is an avid practitioner of eskrima), plays ball hockey and is also a long-distance runner.
LIRA M.
Lira believes in creating an inclusive learning environment for students. Lira has completed her Bachelors of Science in Biology and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Education. Lira can tutor students from grade 4-10 in math, literacy and science.
SARAH G.
Hi! I’m Sarah-I have a Masters degree in Education, working towards my Ph.D in Sociology-I am interactive, life long learner, and feel that it is imperative that students feel ’empowered’ to learn and want to learn more.
CAITLIN M.
Caitlin has an Honours Bachelor degree and a Master’s of Museum Studies from University of Toronto. She is currently completing her Master’s of Teaching from Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at University of Toronto. Her background is in museum educational programming, and she is also an experienced tutor.
ANGELO K.
Angelo Kontos is enjoying a long and rewarding career in education. Angelo has worked in a variety of roles for over twenty years, including being a Global Studies and English teacher, and curricular head. After gaining several years of experience teaching and developing courses, Angelo realized how important it was to a school to have passionate and caring vice-principals and principals, so he made a rewarding transition into administration and works as a secondary school principal with the Peel District School Board. He thrives on the daily challenges of leading a busy high school and the energy of his students. Angelo is a passionate learner, and often says the best school leaders always think of themselves as teachers first. Before completing his teaching certification, Angelo earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours Degree with York University. Over the years Angelo has added several qualifications to his professional practice, including specialists in Writing and Contemporary Studies. Angelo loves writing and he recently self-published a novel called The Tournament. In his spare time, when he is not writing, Angelo is reading, exercising, or taking his adorable but highly sensitive dog for walks.
KYLE X.
Kyle is a multilingual professional with a wealth of experience in leadership, networking, and tutoring. He was born in East Asia, speaks English, Cantonese, and Mandarin fluently, and is actively learning Italian, Arabic, Spanish, French, and Korean. With six years of tutoring experience teaching students from primary, university, and ESL adult backgrounds, Kyle is passionate about teaching English, social sciences, history, and economics as a result of his academic background. His love for teaching is evident in the way he connects with his students and fosters a positive learning environment. Kyle’s leadership skills are also impressive, having founded and served as the chapter president of My Networking Club, a registered charity where he managed a team of over 20 executives to craft growth plans for six key events that connect university students to industry professionals for networking, mentorship, and internship opportunities. Under Kyle’s leadership, the club achieved membership growth of over 100 members and 300+ attendees from top companies in Canada. Kyle’s academic achievements are equally notable, with a GPA of 3.9/4.0 and a place on the Dean’s Honor Roll at York University. With a genuine passion for education, coupled with his leadership skills and academic achievements, Kyle is poised to make a significant impact in his future endeavors.
TESSA S.
Tessa Soleski is a BC Certified Teacher and has recently moved to Vancouver. She grew up in Windsor Ontario, moving to Peterborough Ontario to complete an Undergraduate Degree in English and Psychology . She also completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Education. Tessa grew up with a deep love of travel and took the opportunity to explore the world following the completion of her degrees. As an oldest sibling to 3, Tessa has always been passionate about helping others. It is through teaching that Tessa has been able to foster her love of Literature, Social Sciences and working with kids and teenages. In her spare time Tessa works one-on-one with children ranging from 6 years through highschool. She has supported the improvement of their reading, writing and vocabulary skills in both French and English. Tessa believes that by building a strong relationship with her students she is better able to meet their needs and grow their learning. As a mentor she continues to develop strategies for working with children. She finds these experiences enjoyable and extremely rewarding.
Tessa graduated from Trent University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology. After her teaching degree she has spent the last two years teaching a wide variety of subjects to students of all ages, levels and backgrounds. Being bilingual has had so many benefits, not only during her travels but also professionally! She understands how frustrating learning a new language can be and has found ways to make it as enjoyable as possible for her students.
Alongside having years of tutoring experience, Tessa also tutors students where she fosters engaging, personalized one-on-one interactive lessons. Additionally, Tessa has an AQ (additional qualification) in special education which has deepened her understanding and strategies for her students of diverse abilities. Tessa truly believes that engaging students using their curiosity and interests is crucial in helping them gain the confidence they require to succeed. In her spare time, Tessa enjoys being surrounded by nature, which is what brought her to this beautiful province! She also enjoys reading and spending time with friends and family, and dogs.
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.