MARIE CELESTE F.

Celeste graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston with a Bachelor of Honours in Arts and Science. She majored in Global Development Studies, a cross-disciplinary department teaching courses exploring politics, philosophy, economics, environmental justice, public relations, global governance, religion, history, geography, and social justice. Celeste was also a concurrent education student working to complete her teaching certification alongside her undergraduate degree. She is entering her final year of teacher’s college, completing three classroom placements and fulfilling her teachable subjects, history and geography. Celeste has been engaged in teaching since she began coaching volleyball at fourteen. This sparked her love for teaching and encouraged her to seek further opportunities. She has worked at Olympia Sports Camp as a counsellor and a summer schoolteacher for their outdoor ed high school leadership credit. She has taught grade nine English, science, and geography, as well as grade twelve English, grade ten world religions, grade ten civics and careers, and grade eleven world history while on placement. Celeste has experience working with elementary school students through her responsibility of caring for students from junior kindergarten to grade five at Pickering Colleges After Care Program. She has worked with the Helen Tufts Society in Kingston, where she was paired with a grade four student whom she met with once a week for tutoring. In her free time, Celeste enjoys being outside with nature, whether walking her dog Aussie, going for a bike ride, or playing pickleball. Celeste is honoured to be a part of a student’s success and learning in the same way her tutors were for her.

Michelle C.

Michelle is a seasoned educator with a passion for fostering intellectual curiosity, is delighted to be your child’s guide on his/her educational journey. With a rich tapestry of experience, Michelle has cultivated a global perspective through living in Budapest, Hungary for over ten years and working as a former UN staff member. As an accomplished educator, Michelle has taught courses for high school and undergraduate students in music and math. With a background in the social sciences, she is passionate about shaping young minds and inspiring a love for learning.

CLAIRE R.

Claire has a BA with a French literature major from U of Calgary and is in her last year of the BEd program at St Mary’s University. She is a New Brunswick native who moved to Calgary when she was 3 and learned English at school. She has taught numerous adults in Continuing Education at Mount Royal College and in the Corporate sector and is returning to her first love, teaching children. She has a passion for reading and writing as well as studying, in her spare time, history, governments, and citizenship. By her bedside you’ll currently find books by Charles Dickens, Thomas Sowell, a random book on the American revolution (it’s better than it sounds) and her favorite dog Tessa. Her husband and 2 boys are into hockey, so obviously, the TV is always on during Stanley Cup finals.

ASHLEY D. S.

Ashley is currently enrolled in her second year at OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) at the University of Toronto for her Master of Teaching in the Primary/Junior grade level. She has completed two teaching placements in a Grade 3 classroom at Hillcrest Community School, and a Grade 5 classroom at Norseman Junior Middle School. It is through teaching that Ashley has been able to foster her love of Science and Math.

During her undergrad, she spent her time volunteering with child-focused non-profit organisations where she mentored two elementary-aged children with Autism and ADHD through weekly cooking classes and collaborated in teaching a weekly conflict resolution and community-building program to a Grade 5 classroom at Swansea Junior and Senior Public School.

Through these experiences, Ashley has developed a deep passion for working with children and guiding them to reach their full potential. Ashley believes that by building a strong relationship with her students she is better able to meet their needs and grow their learning. She finds these experiences enjoyable and extremely rewarding. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, watching anime, and spending time with her friends and family.

AMAL S.

Amal is a goal-driven professional educator with a PhD in Economics and a Master’s in Finance and Banking, boasting 15 years of experience in teaching Economics and Business Administration courses. She is adept at planning, delivering, and adapting course curricula and teaching styles in both English and French to optimize student learning. Amal has successfully instructed and mentored over 60 students in a multicultural setting, employing Active Learning methodologies and integrating technology to enhance classroom experiences.

With a passion for education, Amal has contributed significantly to various educational settings. She has served as a Mathematics and Sciences Teacher at La Citadelle Academy of Sciences and Arts, where she instructed curriculum in French for students in grades 3 to 5, implementing innovative teaching strategies to engage students in a bilingual environment. Additionally, she has worked as a Teaching Assistant at Concordia University, developing and teaching Economics and Business Administration courses. She is also currently involved in the Teaching Assistant Program at the University of Toronto and is a Private French Tutor, providing personalized tutoring sessions to enhance critical thinking skills and concentration in French Immersion programs.

Amal’s academic journey includes a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Pedagogy, with a specialization in Online Teaching and Learning, from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto. She is a multilingual educator fluent in French, English, and Arabic, and her expertise extends to various educational technology platforms.

In addition to her teaching experience, Amal is actively involved in research and community-based initiatives. Outside of her professional endeavors, Amal enjoys connecting with nature, watching birds and pigeons, and indulging her creative side by writing children’s books.

GRIFFIN H.

Griffin graduated from Humber College in 2022, receiving a Bachelor’s of Music with honours. Griffin is currently enrolled at the University of Toronto completing his Master’s of Teaching, where he is set to graduate in April 2025. Griffin is 24 years old and has been teaching music and mentoring students for over 5 years and has experience working with students of all ages.

Griffin graduated from Kelowna Secondary School in 2018 receiving a diploma with honours, as well as the Holland-Rusk Award, the BC Achievement Scholarship, and the BC District Scholarship for Fine Arts. During his time at Humber College, Griffin was awarded the Bernie Piltch Memorial Scholarship and the Yamaha Canada Music Award.

Griffin has recently completed two placements in TDSB schools and has extensive knowledge of the Ontario curriculum, with a focus on the Junior/Intermediate division.

AIJA D.

Aija is currently completing her Bachelor of Education degree through the University of Calgary. She specializes in Elementary sciences, and is confident teaching any subject from K-6. She has her Level 1 Early Childhood Educator certification, and has experience working with students in an elementary school setting from her practicums, volunteer experiences, and class activities.
Aija excels in adapting to diverse learning environments and possesses strong patience, organizational, and time management skills.
Aija is passionate about outdoor and environmental education and is an advocate for play-based and hands-on learning.
Outside of tutoring, her interests include soccer, which she has played her whole life and continues to play today, experiencing new cultures through travel, and spending time with friends and family.

BRYCE R.

Bryce Rodrigues specializes in tailoring curriculum and remedial teaching across diverse age groups. Holding a BA in Psychology and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of South Africa, Bryce brings deep understanding and compassion into his teaching methods. His role at Choice School for Gifted Children showcases his ability to design and implement innovative educational programs that cater to the unique needs of each learner. With extensive experience from teaching in South Korea to remedial coordination in South Africa, Bryce has demonstrated a consistent commitment to enhancing student performance and fostering an inclusive learning environment. His expertise extends to creating engaging content, managing classroom dynamics, and mentoring educators, establishing him as a dedicated advocate for student success and educational excellence.

JAMES S.

James Schultz found his passion for writing as the editor of his high-school newspaper. Under his direction, it fell prey to censorship battles and published only one issue. At university, he spent his time writing bad dystopian novels, and paid a heavy academic price for it. Returning to Toronto to pursue a career in screenwriting, he co-wrote ​Disappearance at Clifton Hill​ with director Albert Shin for Rhombus Media, starring Tuppence Middleton and David Cronenberg. After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019, it was picked up for North American distribution by IFC Midnight and reached #1 on US Netflix. Between his screenwriting and story editing duties, he still finds time to work on his next bad dystopian novel.

Rayan B.

Rayan is currently in teachers college and in the process of completing his Grades 7 – 12 teaching certification at York University with English and Dramatic Arts as his declared teachable subjects.

In the past, Rayan has excelled in his time working at Kumon as a Math and Reading Tutor where he taught learners in pre-school and Grades 1 – 6 and successfully helped them improve their foundational literacy (reading and writing) and numeracy skills (basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).

Outside of school and work, Rayan has also volunteered at the Christian Centre Church’s after school homework club, and Inner City Outreach. Here he helped at-risk Grades 6 – 8 children from the Jane and Finch area gain both the skills and confidence that they needed to perform at their very best, across a variety of different academic subjects.

When he is not busy tutoring his super cool Prep Academy students, Rayan loves to watch movies and shows (he’s a big into cinema), read comic books (he’s also an unapologetic geek) and play chess and poker (not very well though).