KATIE K.

Katie is a passionate and highly experienced educator and Visual Art specialist who brings over two decades of teaching experience to her work with children and youth. A member of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) and the British Columbia College of Teachers, Katie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) from York University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario. She has continued her professional development through extensive training, including, IB PYP and MYP certifications, and specialized courses in the RULER Approach, YogaFit, and Group Fitness Instruction.

As both a classroom teacher and private tutor, Katie combines her extensive background in the field of education and the arts to design engaging, individualized programs that inspire creativity, connection, and confidence. She is known for her warm and encouraging presence, her ability to foster emotional regulation through art and movement, and her commitment to meeting each learner exactly where they are.

Katie’s sessions blend evidence-based teaching strategies with creative expression, supporting students in developing communication, executive functioning, and self-regulation skills in ways that feel meaningful and fun. Whether she is helping a child explore emotions through art, supporting academic readiness, or building the bridge between learning and real-life experiences, Katie brings artistry, patience, and joy to every interaction.

During her free time, Katie enjoys spending her time with family, her 4 adult children and being outdoors with her senior dog. Katie is passionate about her health and fitness and creating time to read and create art.

SHABANA H.

Shabana is an accomplished educator with a Bachelor’s degree in Education and holds Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) status in good standing. Her qualifications span the Primary/Junior and Intermediate divisions.
With a career dedicated to student growth, Shabana brings over 13 years of classroom experience teaching at high school in Ontario. In addition to her extensive time in the classroom, she served for two years as a Director of Academics, where she focused on curriculum development and instructional excellence. Shabana is deeply passionate about fostering environments where every student can achieve their full potential and experience meaningful academic success.

MAHMOUD B.

Mahmoud is a Science and Humanities educator based in the GTA, dedicated to helping students build the learning strategies and confidence needed for academic and personal success. Mahmoud studied at the University of Toronto, completing a Bachelors Degree in Neuroscience and Mental Health and a Masters degree in Biology and Psychology. During this time, Mahmoud’s love for learning transformed to a passion for teaching, so he served as an educator at the University of Toronto for 6 years, shifting his focus over the last 3 years to support K-12 students in Math, Science and Humanities. Throughout these experiences, he’s taught writing, oral presentation, critical thinking and scientific analysis to hundreds of students, and mentored dozens towards successful university and graduate school applications. Mahmoud prioritizes mindful communication with his students to understand their needs and bring awareness to their strengths, so they can build organic confidence in their improving skills, in a way that transfers to overall personal development. His love for teaching is complemented by active engagement in arts, culture and athletics, including music, poetry, dance, cooking and martial arts.

FARHANA S.

Farhana S. is an Ontario Certified Teacher and the Head of Mathematics at St. Jude’s Academy in Ontario. She is also an IB Diploma Examiner with extensive experience teaching IB, AP, and Ontario curricula and has led mathematics departments at two international schools. Having taught in several countries, she brings a global perspective to her teaching and a deep appreciation for diversity in learning. Farhana once found math intimidating herself, but over time she discovered that with the right tools and guidance, it can be exciting and empowering. That experience drives her passion to be the kind of teacher she wished she had—one who helps students see that math is not something to fear but something to enjoy. She strives to meet every learner where they are, helping those who need confidence while challenging those ready to go further. Outside the classroom, she loves to travel and often jokes that she can say the names of Thai dishes faster in Thai than in English.

DANIELLE D. P.

Danielle is an OCT Certified Teacher who graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Western University in 2020, before moving to Nova Scotia to complete her Bachelor of Education at Acadia University. She has spent the past 5 years in Nova Scotia, where she taught a range of subjects including Music and Band, Health, Drama, English, and Social Studies with students in grade levels K-12.

Danielle always knew she wanted to be a teacher, but her love of teaching was solidified in her grade 12 year, when she did a co-op placement in her local elementary school. She firmly believes that building strong relationships with students is essential in order to help them to succeed. In her spare time, Danielle loves to cook, listen to music, and has been enjoying getting to know the various neighbourhoods around Toronto.

GABRIELA P.

Gabriela is currently completing her Master of Teaching at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, specializing in primary and junior education. As a Toronto native, she also holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education from the University of Toronto.

With several years of hands on experience supporting children’s learning and growth, Gabriela has also worked as an early childhood assistant, private nanny, camp counsellor, and soccer coach, as well as a volunteer in multiple Toronto public and independent schools.

Gabriela speaks French and Spanish, and is interested in language learning and cultural exchange. She believes in personalized, child-centred teaching that builds on each student’s strengths and learning style. Her approach is informed by research-backed strategies learned through her studies and applied successfully in real classrooms. She is known for creating a warm, engaging and confidence building learning environment where students feel supported and motivated to reach their goals.

When she’s not teaching, she enjoys staying active by playing soccer, biking around the city, and exploring new places. Her most recent adventures have taken her to Chile, Costa Rica, and Algonquin Park!

MEHRDAD N.

Mehrdad has been teaching and tutoring students since the age of 18. His experience spans from grade 7 to university level students, with a focus on mathematics (all high-school subjects), coding (along with algorithms) and physics. He has been passionate about these subjects from an early age and actively participated in several related competitions during high school and university.

He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science and has worked as a machine learning software engineer for over five years. Since teaching science has always been one of his favorite pursuits, he has recently shifted his focus from industry back to education and tutoring.

His teaching approach builds on each student’s existing understanding of the subject. He enjoys helping students explore why and how scientific methods are developed, engaging them in connecting the dots through a meaningful and enjoyable learning process.

In his free time, Mehrdad enjoys reading, playing soccer and table tennis, and spending time in nature and with friends.

SHANON H-R.

Shanon recently finished his concurrent education degree at Brock University, earning both his Bachelor of Arts with honours and Bachelor of Education. He is also a recent OCT-certified teacher aiming to work within the TDSB. Shanon speaks French fluently and has been in French immersion since senior kindergarten. Shanon has had experience teaching French from grades 3 to 12 and is more than happy to teach other subjects all the way up to grade 7. He is currently finishing his qualifications to teach elementary! Outside of the classroom, Shanon enjoys a myriad of hobbies. Whether it is video games, anime, drawing, baking, cooking, or working out, he can be caught working with his hands, brains, or both. One of Shanon’s biggest goals was writing in the third person, so this is huge for him. Shanon discovered his passion for teaching after watching how electric his mother’s classrooms were, and he knew this was the path for him. Much like his mom, he aims to foster an environment where everyone feels they belong and can learn as efficiently as possible. He aims to cultivate a fun, safe, engaging, and enriching space within his classroom. He found success with this during his teaching practicums and hopes to bring that into his own classroom someday soon.

TANYA B.

Tanya has worked in and around education for nearly 15 years, teaching workshops within the classroom as well as after school programs for students of all ages. Her specialties lie in the sciences, mathematics, arts, history and social studies. Carrying a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto, she strives to inspire deep thinking within her students and encourage them to draw connections between their learning and real world problems.

At this stage in her career, Tanya is working towards obtaining her Masters of Education in Curriculum & Pedagogy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). She hopes to one day make change within the education system in a way that incorporates more student inquiry and play-based learning. In her teaching, she is able to create such learning opportunities by building relationships with her students and leveraging their interests in their practice.

Outside of teaching, Tanya is also the founder of Mystical Games Academy – a company dedicated to teaching life skills to youth through tabletop roleplaying games (ie. Dungeons & Dragons). In doing so, she creates imaginative worlds and scenarios that challenge her players to problem solve in a fun and collaborative way. They are building lifelong skills through immersive storytelling and gameplay!

NATALIE F.

Natalie F. is an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) who currently teaches at an independent IB school in Toronto. She believes deeply in the value of student-centered and inquiry-based learning, creating classroom experiences that encourage curiosity, collaboration, and critical thinking. With a Bachelor of Education in Primary/Junior and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology, Natalie combines strong pedagogical training with a solid understanding of child development.

Natalie is especially passionate about literacy and mathematics, and she strives to make both subjects engaging, accessible, and meaningful for her students. She integrates culturally inclusive pedagogy into her teaching, ensuring students see their identities reflected in the classroom while also being exposed to diverse perspectives. By using responsive, differentiated strategies, she supports learners in building confidence, developing essential skills, and nurturing a genuine love of learning.

Outside of the classroom, Natalie enjoys reading and exploring new stories, experimenting with baking recipes, and spending quality time with her family and friends. She values creativity, balance, and connection, and brings these same qualities into her teaching. Whether she is planning lessons, working with students, or continuing her own professional growth, Natalie is dedicated to fostering environments where learners can thrive both academically and personally.