KAREN C.

Karen is an Ontario Certified Teacher since 2014 and is currently teaching a Grade 2/3 class. She grew up in Toronto and speaks English anad Cantonese. After graduating from Queens University with a focus on Arts-Based Education, Karen pursued her two passions; teaching children and travelling. She started her teaching career overseas in Vietnam and Cambodia. In 2017 she moved back home to Toronto and has since been teaching at various schools across the Toronto District School Board from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Her favourite subject is Mathematics and in her spare time she enjoys tutoring children to discover a love for mathematics. Karen has tutored 1-on-1 for the past 6 years both online and in-person. She builds a strong and positive relationship with children that ensure engagement in learning and developing strategies for problem-solving, reading, writing, etc.. For more information on Karen’s additional qualifications, her OCT number is 652670.

KEVIN W.

BETH C.

Beth is an Ontario Certified Teacher within the Primary/Junior division. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Anthropology and Philosophy. Beth then traveled to Asia, where she discovered her passion for teaching. She taught English in Taiwan for over eight years before returning to Canada in 2012 to become a certified teacher. Beth received a Bachelor of Education from York University in the Urban Diversity program at Regent Park in 2013. She has since volunteered as a classroom teacher in Regent Park, worked as a childcare provider for two pre-school aged children, and most recently returned to Taiwan last year to complete a one year contract teaching grade one using the Ontario curriculum.

Beth is an experienced teacher with a strong commitment to students and their learning. Having worked with children of all ages, she believes in creating an atmosphere where students participate actively in their learning. She feels students should see themselves reflected within the curriculum in order to enrich their learning experience. As a teacher, Beth also strives to provide a variety of differentiated instruction and positive reinforcement to support student achievement and learning.

In her spare time, she loves listening to music and enjoying the outdoors. She is also passionate about the arts and is an avid storyteller.

JULIA S.

Julia is a passionate and enthusiast teacher. She a graduate of the Masters of Teaching at OISE. Julia is currently working with the TDSB as an occasional teacher. A Toronto native, Julia lived for seven years in Halifax, Nova Scotia. There she attended the University of King’s College and Dalhousie and graduated with First Class Honours in Theatre and English. Before pursuing her Masters, Julia worked in Theatre on both the administrative and creative side. Her favourite role was as director where she found immense joy in discovering the unique gifts and perspectives of every team member and fostering these gifts through collaboration and play. She finds this same joy in teaching; Julia loves the process of understanding her students and helping them see how they can extend their gifts to every subject. She rejects deficit-based thinking and believes academic growth is a matter of unlocking the inherent potential in each student. For her Masters, Julia is conducting research into successful and total inclusion of neurodivergent students and she is passionate about re-imagining how we support students with intellectual, developmental and learning disabilities.

IAN R.

Ian grew up in Calgary, completing a BA and MA in Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, before moving to Toronto, where he completed his PhD at the University of Toronto’s Department for the Study of Religion in 2017. Along the way, Ian also studied Sanskrit at the University of Pune in India and worked for several years in the research department of a Bay Street financial services firm.
Ian has been teaching at the university-level since 2009, in the areas of Religion and History, most recently at the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario. He is passionate about teaching students to read, write, and, most importantly, think critically about the world around them. Seeing students master their course work is amazing; seeing students become effective, organized ,and dynamic young men and women is even better.
In his spare time, Ian enjoys reading spy novels, the occasional Netflix binge, running, playing basketball and coaching his twin boys’ baseball team.

LINDSAY S.

Lindsay Séguin is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She grew up in Scarborough, Ontario and completed a Bachelor of Arts, Honours Degree, with a double major in English and History, at York University and was on the Dean’s Honour Roll. Her studies included a year abroad at the University of York in the U.K. which led to many great friendships and amazing travel opportunities. As well, she completed a Bachelor of Education at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (known now as Ontario Tech University) with Highest Distinction. In addition to travelling during her year of study in the U.K., Lindsay has taken the opportunity to continue to explore the world following the completion of her degrees. She has also pursued new teaching interests through the completion of additional qualifications, most notably in the areas of French as a Second Language (Parts 1 and 2) and Guidance and Career Education. She has also completed Wilfrid Laurier University’s mental health in the classroom certificate so that she can better meet the needs of her students. Lindsay possesses the qualifications to teach from Kindergarten to grade 12 and has experience teaching at both the elementary and secondary levels, but is currently teaching full-time at the secondary level. Lindsay is dedicated to helping her students thrive and grow so they can meet their full potential. For this reason, in addition to her teaching responsibilities, Lindsay is involved in extracurricular sports and student associations in her school. In her spare time, Lindsay enjoys hiking, skiing, paddle boarding and swimming, as well as spending time with her friends and family.

ALEXANDRA P.

Alexandra graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care and a minor in sociology. While at Ryerson, she had the opportunity to complete two full year practicums that allowed her to work as a child and youth worker in schools and residential home care facilities. This opportunity allowed her to gain skills in designing and implementing developmental, preventative, and therapeutic activities to meet the needs of children and youth facing adversity. Alexandra then went on to complete her Masters of Teaching in the primary/junior levels from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. Alexandra is currently working as a supply teacher for the Toronto Districts School Board which has provided her with an abundance of knowledge and experiences. Furthermore, Alexandra has additional qualifications (AQ) in Special Education Part 1 and Reading Part 1. Alexandra believes in creating a learning environment that reflects, celebrates, and validates the diversity and complexity of all children. In her spare time, Alexandra enjoys being active and adventurous, and spending time with her family and friends. Alexandra loves to travel to experience new cultures and create memories with loved ones. One of her favorite countries she has travelled to is Croatia.

CAROL ANN C.

Carol Ann is an Ontario Certified Teacher. She has focused her more than 25 year career on two distinct curriculum areas: Special Education (Grades 6,7,8, all subjects) and English as a Second Language (Grade 7 through University). She has also been a School Librarian for grades K-5. Teaching in these areas has taken Carol Ann to many parts of the world. Her classroom in the Bahamas sometimes had goats walking through. In Greece, the siesta meant she started work at 4:00 pm and finished at 10. In New Zealand, kea birds pulled the rubber windshield wipers off her car in school parking lots. Along the way, she earned a Masters of Education degree (in Toronto) lectured at several universities (Monash and University of Sydney in Australia). She earned her PhD. while traveling regularly between Rhodes and the University of Toronto. Her students were her very best teachers. Everywhere she went students, despite differences in culture and language, responded positively to to her belief in them as capable learners.

ABBI I.

Abbi has a Bachelor from the University of Toronto, majoring in Cognitive Science, with minors in English and Philosophy. She then went on to complete her Bachelors in Education at Queens University. Since graduating, Abbi has been part of the Toronto District School Board, where she has worked in a variety of K-6 classrooms for the past 4 years. Specialising in Educational Technology, Abbi’s teaching centres around special education, and cross-curricular connections. Currently, Abbi is a Grade 2/3 teacher.

MARK G.

Mark is a Primary/Junior Ontario Certified Teacher from Toronto. He graduated from the University of Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English, and he completed his Bachelors of Education at Queen’s University. Mark has continued his professional development in teaching by taking additional qualification courses in Primary/Junior Math and Reading, as well as Intermediate English. These studies have helped Mark expand his teaching strategies to help students build on their mathematical thinking, reading, writing, and vocabulary. Mark also has experience as an ESL teacher through TDSB’s Teaching English as a Second Language program. Reading and writing has been a lifelong passion for Mark, and he is always excited to share that passion with his students.

Mark’s passion for teaching started with soccer coaching. This job showed Mark how satisfying teaching can be, in making lessons fun and engaging, as well as watching students progress with each session.​ ​This passion carried over to his practicum experience teaching in Toronto as well as his time as a supply Educational Assistant in Ottawa. Working as a teacher, especially as an Educational Assistant, gave Mark an insight into how impactful a 1 on 1 interaction can be. Mark firmly believes in the importance of getting to know his students on an individual basis. Mark uses students’ individual interests to attach meaning to their learning, and caters the lesson to fit the individual needs of that student. Mark finds his inspiration in teaching by helping students forge their own path as lifelong learners.

Outside of the classroom, Mark enjoys being active and continues his in-home workouts though he misses intramural sports very much. He is an enthusiastic supporter of all the Toronto sports teams. Mark is looking forward to working with his students at Prep Academy.