Dana B.

Dana attained her Hons BA at York University. She studied English and History. In 1993 she received her B. Ed. She studied in Newmarket at York’s satelite campus just off main street in a historic building! She is qualified in Primary Junior education. With a focus on literacy, numeracy and cooperative education. At U of T she attained Senior division English as an AQ course and this lead to many occasional teaching placements in secondary schools in York Region. Her AQ courses in Spec Ed informed her teaching strategies within the classroom. She is an empathetic individual who meets learners where they are. She finds it rewarding to make a difference in children’s develipment.

STEPHANIE I.

Stephanie graduated from the University of Toronto with a Master of Arts in Child Study & Education in the primary/junior grade levels. During her time at OISE, she completed three practicum placements, which were in SK at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute Child Study, grade 3/4 in the TDSB, and her teaching internship / extended practicum was grade 1 in the TDSB. Prior to entering her master’s at University of Toronto, Stephanie was an educational assistant that supported students in KG- grade 8 with academics, social skills, vocational skills, and social emotional learning. Through the combination of her employment opportunities and the unique position of the master’s degree, Stephanie has developed an in-depth understanding on teaching children Ontario curriculum using a child-centred approach that is best suited to each child’s needs. Stephanie truly believes that all children learn best when they feel safe, welcome, and secure, and it is her teaching mission to ensure all students she interacts with feel welcomed and include by developing strong relationships and creating a fun environment. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys camping, kayaking, yoga, and other exercise activities that promote a healthy lifestyle for her well-being.

SHELLEY F.

Shelley has a Bachelor’s degree in Education with a minor in Special Education. She taught full- time in both the public and private school systems until June of 2020.
Shelley’s teaching and previous tutoring assignments have spanned Grades 1-8 and include many years of teaching combined grades with supported integration of students with mild to severe needs.

The highlight of her teaching career spanned a period of several years where she was trained in the International Baccalaureate methodology whose focus was to teach children to develop critical thinking skills within the current subject matter.

The area of study was formulated by the teaching team as a question and then explored in depth largely through the 6 strands of language arts and fine arts in order that all children were able to demonstrate their learning in their preferred modality. Final projects would be carefully and thoughtfully written, designed and built.

Subsequently, other classrooms of children would be invited to come and celebrate the learning that had occurred thereby enhancing and reinforcing not only the quality of learning but the very important idea that learning is meant to be shared. The learners would self-evaluate as part of the overall measure of learning.

Shelley also gained training and experience in an RBC sponsored young entrepreneurs program that encouraged children to develop an understanding of the workings of the business world. From choosing a charity to which funds would be donated to determining products and services to be designed, built and sold, the children came to know that each child had a role/ strength that could be utilized to promote success in business.

Kayla H.

Meet Kayla Hicks, a Speech-Language Pathology graduate student. Kayla grew up in Oklahoma City where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Oklahoma State University. There she taught high school students from Phnom Penh, Cambodia formal grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation of spoken and written English. She also tutored college students in English, Essay writing, and Psychology. Kayla then moved to Illinois to work toward her Graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Midwestern University where she is expected to graduate in May of 2023. Kayla has gained professional experience as a Speech Pathology graduate student who has facilitated evaluation and intervention in neurodegenerative disorders of communication (TBI/ABI, Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke, Cognition, Aphasia, etc.) and children with unique communication needs (Expressive/Receptive Language Disorder, AAC, Autism, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Articulation, Language, Social learning, etc.) Through speech and language intervention, she has been able to foster her love of teaching and support students and adults with unique needs across multiple subjects to meet their educational goals. She has been able to make her students feel more confident in the classroom and their personal life by supporting improvement in writing, reading, vocabulary, language, speech, and math.

Kayla’s experience has allowed her to be flexible and adaptable with all students. She offers a calm, yet welcoming demeanor, infectious joy, candor, and positivity. In her spare time, Kayla loves going on walks, playing games, laser tag, and dancing. Kayla also spends her time helping out at a local dance studio, where she gets to share her love of dance. You can catch Kayla with a big smile on her face, helping someone become their best self.

Samantha M.

Samantha is a current Special Education Teacher for the Toronto District School with over 17 years experience. She holds a Masters of Education from York University, Orton Gillingham Associate trained and Elementary Montessori Certified. Samantha is an engaging, creative educator that creates positive learning experiences and inspires confidence and growth in her learners.

TABATHA W.

Tabatha is a teacher candidate pursuing her master’s degree in Child Study and Education at the University of Toronto. After growing up in Ottawa, she moved to Halifax and completed her bachelor’s degree in Child and Youth Study. During her studies she spent her time working with children in various contexts from daycare and tutoring to special education settings. Following, Tabatha’s career brought her to Toronto where she worked in non-profits in the mental health, leadership, and education field. This experience further sparked her passion for education where she then earned a diploma in Behavioural Science before pursuing her teaching degree. Tabatha prioritizes building strong relationships with students to create learning contexts that best meet student needs and keep learning fun and engaging. In her free time Tabatha enjoys taking pictures of her dog, drinking coffee and reading copious amounts of books from the local library!

Brenda K.

Brenda Kahn graduated from NYU with a degree in political science. After college, she followed her passion for music, was signed to Columbia Records, recorded several albums, and toured across the US and Europe.

After starting a family in 2008, Brenda transitioned from her professional music career to teaching. She fell in love with teaching when she ran a tutoring company in Center Valley, PA that helped students with reading and writing challenges. She also expanded her educational offerings to include middle school creative writing workshops and elementary special ed support.

In 2018, her family relocated to South Salem, NY where she taught middle- and high-school English and History at Fusion Academy in White Plains, NY.

Fusion Academy caters to students with learning differences, and Bren excels at finding creative learning paths for students with special ed needs including ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, giftedness, ASD, and anxiety. In 2021, she was promoted to Director of Homework Cafe at Fusion, where she was responsible for helping students hone their executive functioning skills, while working with teachers to adopt and tailor best teaching and learning practices.

In 2022, Brenda’s family relocated to Boulder, CO. She is thrilled to be working with Prep Academy Tutors where she will continue to foster joy, creativity, and connection with every student.

Kate J.

Kate is a certified teacher in British Columbia, Ontario and Australia. She grew up in Toronto, Ontario and completed the Concurrent Education program at Nipissing University. Graduating with a Bachelor of Honors Psychology and a Bachelor of Education. As well, she completed a Postgraduate course in Special Education and is currently finishing her Masters of Education and Technology. It was during her volunteer teaching experience in Costa Rica that she grew a passion for Special Education and encouraging diverse learners.

Kate moved to British Columbia just over a year ago due to her love of nature, travel, and passion for continuing her learning. During the summer months, Kate does online and in-person tutoring and has previously worked running a horseback riding camp for children.

Kate believes that by building a strong relationship with her students and understanding their abilities, she is better able to meet their needs and grow their knowledge. She also places importance on developing the whole learner, incorporating social and life skills and student interests into her teaching. Kate’s favorite subjects to teach are math, art, and social studies. Kate finds education very rewarding, she greatly enjoys working with children and teens and hopes to continue growing her personal experiences and knowledge.

Eileen H.

Eileen is a Speech Language Pathologist with experience working in the education, healthcare, and private systems across Canada and the United States.

She enjoys working with children and adults with various backgrounds in-person and virtually. Eileen uses creativity when collaborating with families in order to achieve overall speech, language, and communication goals. She holds a special interest in providing services to remote communities and bringing a positive experience to families.

In addition to her MSc. in Speech-Language Pathology, Eileen’s advanced training includes Canadian Hemispheres Level 1-8 (Stroke Competency Series), MBS IMP Certification, SCERTS training, Hanen’s Learning Language and Loving It, and she is currently studying towards her Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy certification. She has taken additional coursework in the areas of trauma practices, neurological approaches for self-regulation, and articulation and language treatments.

In her spare time, Eileen enjoys a variety of hobbies, except needlepoint. She has tremendous respect for those who engage in needlepoint. She is a published author and holds a deep compassion for others and their journeys.

Eileen is a member of College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of British Columbia (CSHBC), British Columbia Association of Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists (BCASLPA), Speech-Language Audiology Canada (SAC), and is a Past member of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA).

AMANDA L.

Amanda is currently doing her Masters in Environmental Studies at York University. Her research looks at integrating more environmental education into mainstream schooling. She believes that this will allow students to learn nature-based coping strategies and for students to be able to practice mindfulness in the classroom.

She has a passion for teaching math and understands that it can be a struggle for some students. She tries to make the lessons as engaging and relatable as possible so students are able to make personal connections with the material. Amanda’s passion for teaching grew as she became more familiar with environmental education and the importance of building a positive relationship with nature. Her ultimate goal is to create a learning environment where her students feel like it’s okay to make mistakes and ask questions.