RILEIGH H.

Rileigh is a passionate and experienced elementary school teacher, originally from Ontario and now living in Vancouver. Rileigh completed an undergraduate degree in Childhood and Social Institutions at the University of Western Ontario, before going on to earn a Bachelor of Education at the University of Windsor. With over 10 years of experience working with children of all ages, Rileigh has developed a keen understanding of how to engage, inspire, and motivate students to achieve their full learning potential. Rileigh has a proven track record of success, helping students improve their grades and develop the skills they need to excel in school and beyond. Besides her work in the classroom, Rileigh is also deeply committed to promoting healthy living and family values. She understands the importance of a well-rounded education that goes beyond academics and strives to instill these values in all of her students. Rileigh has the knowledge, experience, and passion to help her students succeed across all subject areas!

HONEY B.

Honey is a BC and IB Certified Teacher. She grew up in Vancouver and completed her Undergraduate Degree in Media and Communications at Trinity Western University. Honey then went on to get her Bachelors of Education at UBC with a focus on elementary and middle years education, and the Primary Years International Baccalaureate Program (PYP).

Honey’s initial interest in teaching came at a young age when she began to volunteer in a Sunday Church children’s program. As she got older, Honey started volunteering for summer day camps, eventually working for and co-running the camp. This allowed Honey to experience all different age groups from pre-kindergarten to grade 7. During the school year at university, Honey volunteered for a youth program. It was there that she was able to experience working with the high school ages.

After Honey graduated from Trinity Western, she decided to learn a new skill and become a hairdresser but ultimately decided to dive into her passion for education and working with children. Prior to going to UBC to complete her degree, Honey volunteered in both a grade 5 and grade 1 classroom as an educational assistant. Once she began her degree, Honey was placed in an inner-city school in North Vancouver with a grade 6 class. She was able to teach all courses at the grade 6 level, including French. Honey has also had the opportunity to work one-on-one with students who have learning challenges in English and Math during her practicum. She was especially able to connect with these students as she also has a learning challenge that she had to navigate as a young learner (dyslexia).

Post UBC graduation, Honey has been teaching at a local private school in Vancouver. She has spent the year teaching English, Social Studies, and Bible Studies to three separate grade 8 classes. In her current role, Honey gets a chance to work with various types of learners, including students with down syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia, written output challenges, English as a second language, and more. Honey is passionate about meeting learners where they are, setting goals, inquiring into personal interests, and trying new strategies to see growth.

ARZIK B.

Arzik is a BC Certifed Teacher with Master Degree from Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris. She has several years of teaching experience with K-G12 students and adults. Her main goal as a language teacher is to develop learners’ spoken interaction competences, so I focus on all 4 sections of a language (reading, writing, speaking and listening). Arzik’s classes are tailored to her students’ goals and interests. She teaches French language based on BC Curriculum and prepares for DELF/DALF exams, as well as Arzik gives cultural training to students planning to pursue higher studies abroad.

Arzik is enthusiastic about teaching and always involves her students into diverse activities considering their personal interests and incorporating different learning strategies in order to develop critical thinking, creative writing and analyses.

MAHYA S.

Mahya Sanaei is a mother of two girls with a degree in Economics and Business Administration. She was a head of the foreign trade department for a construction company called TarazRah. When her daughter turned 5 she was introduced to a forest school. It was at that moment when she discovered her love for ‘nature and kids’ is her passion. Mahya began working as a forest educator (facilitator) in a Nature School and holds a certificate as a forest educator as well as her ECE certificate. Now where does the tutoring experience come from? Let’s flashback to Mahya’s last year of high school. That’s Mahya’s first experience as a math, chemistry and biology tutor. She was teaching students in grade 10-12 for about 2 years. When she finished university and started working full time at TarazRah, her unconscious mind led her to become a part time English tutor for kids between the ages of 5 to 12 for more than a decade. Connecting the dots, the love of teaching has always been present in her life. After home-schooling her child for a year, now she has a passion to let the world know that each child is unique and as a teacher by respecting these unique characteristics teachers can help the child thrive their best. She would like to teach kids how to be critical thinkers so they can be better problem solvers in their lives. She tries to ask questions to promote thinking that leads the child towards possible solutions all while enjoying the process and having fun in a learning environment.

ORLIN V.

Dr. Vakarelov was professor in Philosophy and Information Studies at Duke University, where he taught classes in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He also taught for the UBC Master of Data Science program, as well as for the University of Arizona, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toronto, and Humber College. He has a Ph.D. in Philosophy and Cognitive Science from the University of Arizona, an M.S. in Logic and Computation from Carnegie Mellon University, and an M.A and B.Sc.+– in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Toronto. After home-schooling his son during high school in Vancouver, and after sending him off to join the class of 2027 at Cornell University this coming fall, Dr. Vakarelov will be able to help other students improve their school experience and support them in their preparation for and transition to university. When not teaching, Dr. Vakarelov runs a technology company that develops web software applications.

REX E.

After graduating from the University of Guelph with a MSc degree, Rex conducted research in horticulture, with a focus on forest seedling production and medicinal plants. He designed experiments to improve plant growth and production, collected and analysed data, and wrote research reports. After 10 years, he changed profession to become a teacher. He has been teaching mathematics for more than 20 years, having taught at Collingwood School, Kwantlen Polytechnical University, Crofton House School, and Brockton Preparatory School. Along the way, he was also doing financial calculations as a mortgage broker. Having applied mathematics in the real world, he incorporates his science and financial experiences into his teachings.

KRISTIE H.

In 2021, Kristie obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from SFU. She is presently studying for her Bachelor of Education with a focus on secondary English at UBC. Additionally, she is completing her certification as an IB educator. The International Baccalaureate (IB) focuses on inquiry and reflective practice, both of which are at the centre of Kristie’s pedagogical stance. In her free time, Kristie likes to read, explore the mountains of British Columbia, and spend time with her loved ones.

REX E.

STEPHANIE F.

Stephanie brings a wealth of expertise and dedication to her role as an educator, with extensive experience working one-on-one with children who face a wide range of learning challenges. Her background includes specialized training in remedial reading programs such as The Wilson Program, Direct Instruction, and UFLI, equipping her with proven strategies to support students in developing essential literacy skills.

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in English from Simon Fraser University and is a qualified EAL (English as an Additional Language) instructor. Her teaching focus spans middle and high school students in Humanities and English composition, as well as Primary and Junior students in literacy and remedial reading support.

In addition to her work locally, Stephanie has also supported numerous students internationally, helping them acquire and refine their English language skills. Her ability to tailor instruction to the unique needs of each learner ensures that every student feels supported and empowered in their academic journey. Stephanie’s passion for education and her dedication to fostering growth make her an invaluable resource for her students and their families.

ABIGAIL F.

Abigail is a graduate of Queen’s University’s Concurrent Education BAH/B.Ed program with qualifications in Geography and Biology and a specialization in School and Classroom Leadership. She has experience with the International Baccalaureate program and students with exceptionalities.

Abigail’s teaching philosophy revolves encouraging students to rethink their perception of a subject area through engaging inquiry based activities. She prioritizes real life connections to spark interest and provide the ‘why’ behind the content.

Abigail was born in Halifax, NS and moved to BC in 2022. She is passionate about sustainability and bee conservation, and loves to try out new recipes, ski, and read in her free time.