Michael Z.

Hello!
My name is Michael and I am currently enrolled in the Masters of Education program at Ontario Tech University. I have previously completed my honours Bachelor in Chemistry with a minor in biological science. I am passionate about teaching and learning new things, I love finding new creative ways of solving problems and incorporating technology into lessons. I have extensive experience in science courses and I am comfortable teaching students of any age. While I particularly enjoy chemistry and biology, I am also comfortable teaching physics, general science and intermediate math. I also really enjoy learning new technology and I have some experience with coding. In my free time I enjoy going hiking and being outdoors, playing video games, watching tv and movies, cooking and exercising.

MATTHEW B.

Matthew is an Ontario Certified Teacher in the Primary and Junior Divisions. He is a graduate of OISE’s Masters of Teaching Program at the University of Toronto and completed his undergraduate degree at Queen’s University in Drama & English. He loves Jalapeño Cheddar dipping sauce and writing in the third person. Matthew has over 10 years of teaching experience in various classroom and educational settings. He developed his passion for education and working with children as professional actor teaching improv, speech, and drama at Second City Toronto where he also served as the Youth & Teen Programme Coordinator. Matthew is a champion of the arts and the powerful effect they can have on students and their learning experiences. His graduate thesis looked at improv’s powerful effect on creating community in the classroom and helping students with their own confidence, problem-solving, anxiety, and voice. Matthew also worked at Sick Kids Hospital as a Therapeutic Clown, a faithful companion to patients utilizing therapeutic play, relationships, developmental and procedural support, humour and laughter. Matthew has been very fortunate to have teaching experience with students from Kindergarten to Grade 6. As a resident of North Toronto, Matthew was lucky enough to have placements at many schools in the area, including John Wanless, Armour Heights, Sterling Hall, and Crescent. Matthew is passionate about developing a strong community in his teaching and tutoring through supportive relationships. He is committed to working with parents, teachers, and students to create an atmosphere where students reach high levels of achievement and well-being. When not teaching, Matthew can be found serving as the Artistic Director of a local Toronto theatre company, or up north at his new cottage in the Algonquin Highlands.

LILY S.

Hi, I am Lily!

I am an experienced teacher, having spent the last eight years around learning environments from several educational levels.

As a teacher, my goal is always to promote an engaging and innovative lesson so that learners can explore the subject and have a positive experience. To do so, I examine their previous knowledge and investigate their expectations about the topic. This works to create a custom learning experience.

Regarding my academic achievements, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences and a Master’s Degree in Ecology. While developing my research, I took part in some of projects handling the collection and analysis of natural resources data.

From a more personal perspective, been around children and youth has been an exciting experience for me. Finding and nurturing talents and seeing students blossom is the greatest joy of being a teacher.

I am looking forward to helping you reach your academic goals!

SARA V. B.

As a Google Certified Educator, Sara van Beers has extensive training and knowledge regarding assistive technology strategies, programming and skills. She worked as a Technology Consultant for the Halton School Board for over a year before becoming a full time classroom teacher.

Sara has a passion for assistive technology and ensuring accessibility and equitability for students. Through the use of technology, many students not only are able to produce work that would have otherwise been too much of a challenge, but are also much more confident in themselves and their abilities. Because of technology, students are not only able to thrive academically, but also develop critical executive functioning skills that are critical to academic success. Sara believes that with proper support, organization and strategies, any child can become successful.

For many students, applications and extensions can make all the difference in their learning. Simple, Cloud based and streamlined programs can make learning more accessible and easy to manage for students. Because Sara is a Google Educator, many of the programs she uses utilize Google’s platform. Programs such as Google Read & Write for voice to text and reading support, Mindomo for visual learners, Google Keep can give many students the basic and very beneficial support they need. Sara integrates the students learning profile and Psych-Ed (if applicable) to design a program that implements appropriate applications and tools for that student.