Nazia M.
Nazia is an ECE and she grew up in Pakistan and then moved to Bahrain. She travelled around the world and finished her postgraduate education at the University of Nottingham. Later, she moved to Canada and pursued her career as an Early childhood Educator. She has worked with all age groups, from kindergarten to high school. Currently she is working in the Peel District School board and works with children with autism, learning difficulties and developmental disabilities at the high school level. She has several years of tutoring experience. She believes all children are gifted in their style and need support to reach their full potential. She provides interactive lesson plans, videos, games and worksheets. In her free time, she spends time with her children and friends. She loves to travel and enjoys cooking.
Samran M.
Samran is a passionate and dedicated Ontario Certified Teacher with seven years of rich teaching experience, both locally and internationally. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English Literature and Creative Writing from York University, followed by a Bachelor of Education, where he specialized in English. His ongoing commitment to professional development led him to further specialize in ESL, Special Education, and Reading, culminating in a Master of Arts in English Literature and a Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing from York University. Driven by his deep love for learning and teaching, Samran’s journey naturally steered him toward Special Education and literacy remediation. His focus lies in supporting students who face unique challenges within public schools. At his previous school, Samran taught in an intensive literacy intervention class, where his expertise helped bridge achievement gaps ranging from one to five years. He firmly believes that every child has the potential for success, regardless of their circumstances, and that building meaningful rapport is key to making students feel valued and capable.
Samran strives to create engaging, student-centered learning environments where each lesson is infused with student interests and strengths. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of providing timely, meaningful feedback that fosters academic, social-emotional, and behavioral growth. Over the years, Samran has worked with students across a spectrum of exceptionalities, including ASD, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, OCD, Tourette Syndrome, and more. He has also earned eight additional qualifications in Special Education, ESL, Reading, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Outside the classroom, Samran’s passion for creativity and learning continues. He is an avid reader, a creative writer, and runs a small Etsy shop where he sells prints of his original artwork. He also stays active by going to the gym and playing badminton.
LEAH S.
Leah is an Early Intervention Specialist. She has 20 years of experience teaching children with special needs (autism, ADD/ADHD, developmental delays, and other learning differences/disabilities). Leah is able to assess needs, create individualized program plans, skill building and acquisition, school readiness, parent coaching and capacity building, tutoring, and provide case coordination and service navigation for children and youth 3 to 21 years of age.
Leah completed her diploma in Early Childhood Education and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. After graduating, Leah discovered her passion for teaching children 4-6 years of age with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI). Leah has worked in residential settings and day treatment school based programs with children and youth ages 12-19 (with various diagnoses) assisting/teaching academic, behavioural, social, and life skills.
Leah approaches teaching that is child-centered and holistic. She believes that all children have the capacity to learn. Leah uses various strategies to facilitate individualized learning such as preference assessments, task analysis, visual cues/supports, positive reinforcement, assistive technology support, breaks, workload manageability, etc.
She reviews school IEP’s to ensure consistency in learning objectives, strategies and accommodations specific to a child/youth’s learning profile. Leah truly finds joy in seeing the happiness and pride that a child/youth exudes when they are able to work through their learning obstacles.
AMANDA B.
Amanda is an Ontario Certified Teacher with Specialist qualifications in Accessible Education, who is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Counselling Psychology. She graduated from York University’s Concurrent Teacher Education Program in 2006 with Primary/Junior qualifications and an Urban Education certificate. After graduation, Amanda also obtained her Intermediate qualification, and has supported students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 10. In her 18+ year career with Peel District School Board she has made a point of teaching and learning in a wide variety of roles to broaden her skillset and best support her students. These positions have included Lead Special Education Teacher, Contact Teacher, Intermediate Math Lead, Equity Lead Teacher, and Intensive Support Program Teacher, among many others. She has had the opportunity to teach every elementary subject at least once – even French! Amanda has presented workshops on a variety of topics to teacher colleagues, families, administrators, and superintendents, and she has run culturally-based programming for elementary Indigenous students in PDSB. One of her major areas of professional interest is the impact of emotion regulation and sensory processing on learning readiness.
As the parent of two autistic children with very different support needs, and as someone who has been diagnosed with both ADHD and autism herself, Amanda is passionate about empowering learners of all ages to become strong self-advocates. She believes this is most effective when students understand how brains learn, when they have thorough and accurate strength-based self-knowledge, and when they’ve created personal “toolkits” of accessible strategies discovered through guided experience. Pedagogically, she values truly getting to know her learners and believes mutually positive relationships are the basis of teacher-learner success.
Outside of teaching, Amanda spends her time cycling, practicing yoga, going on outdoor adventures with her kids, and continuing her lifelong journey of reconnecting with her Indigenous culture.
Yin L.
Yin is a dedicated and experienced educator with over 13 years of classroom teaching experience. With a strong foundation in the Science of Reading, Yin has consistently demonstrated a commitment to fostering literacy and academic growth in students.
Yin holds a Master of Education in Leadership and Policy from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), further enhancing her expertise in educational strategies. Additionally, Yin has pursued a range of additional teaching qualifications, including Special Education, Part 1, Writing, Part 1, Librarianship, Part 2, English as a Second Language, Part 1, Reading, Specialist, and Mathematics Specialist. These qualifications emphasizes her versatility and dedication to meeting the diverse needs of students.
Farin M.
Farin has over 10 years of experience teaching in the classroom, grades K-12. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of San Diego, her Multiple Subject Credential and Masters of Education from National University, and her Special Education Credential from Cal State San Marcos.
She takes a passionate pride in nurturing and guiding students so they will develop a love for learning that enhances their abilities and thus become contributing citizens in their community. She has a patient, yet firm and consistent demeanor, which has allowed her to be successful in reaching students with varying needs and learning abilities.
She is well versed in the IEP process, assessing students, and able to support parents and students with special education needs.
Kate R.
Kate is a certified teacher with her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and certifications in Special Education K-8 and Early Childhood PK-4. Along with her Bachelor’s degree, Kate recently obtained her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. Kate has always had a love for supporting various learners inside and outside of the classroom.
She has worked in various settings, including preschools, mental health settings and alternative learning settings. Kate loves sports and the outdoors, she takes her passions and creates hands-on and engaging lessons geared to all learners.
DUSTIN O.
Dustin is a BC Certified Teacher for Twice Gifted Students and currently teaches grade 5/6. He has taught and tutored children from grade 1-9 and has worked as an interventionist for children with ASD and their families. Dustin formerly worked in an engineering career, but he did not find this career rewarding. After taking a leave, he discovered his passion for education in a daycare and pursued his teaching degree at the University of Saskatchewan. He is also currently completing his Master of Special Education online at Vancouver Island University, which qualifies him to administer Level B testing in K-12 schools in BC. He moved to Vancouver with his partner in 2020 and enjoys flying back home to visit twice a year. Dustin’s extensive experience with children of varying abilities has emphasized the importance of personalized support and tailored lessons to each child’s unique strengths and challenges. Dustin prioritizes empathy, patience, and flexibility in addressing diverse learning needs effectively. When Dustin’s not guiding students through the intricacies of learning, you might find him devouring comfort food, swapping tales with friends, or on the beach playing volleyball. Otherwise, he’s likely curled up at home with a stack of tear-jerker novels, tissues at the ready. He insists it’s just allergies, but we suspect it’s the heartwarming endings that get to him.
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.
KERRY-ANN B.
Kerry-Ann is a certified teacher with over 18 years teaching experience. She has a BA Hons. in Language Arts, with a specialist in both Special Education & Sociology and additional qualifications in Teaching English Language Learners.
Kerry-Ann has experience working with exceptional students and developing individual education plans base on student’s learning style and need.
A favourite quote of Kerry-Ann is:
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Nelson Mandela