Meet Our Classroom Teachers

Now in her second year at Pear Tree, Caoilann leads Kindergarten/Grade 1 with a warm, well-structured approach to early learning. A fully qualified primary teacher with a Professional Master of Education (Primary), she brings experience across Irish primary and secondary settings—including a 2023–24 classroom role in County Meath—where she designed student-centred lessons, integrated educational technology, differentiated for diverse needs, and built strong home–school partnerships.

Her professional strengths sit squarely in the early-years fundamentals that set children up for long-term success: phonological awareness and early phonics, rich oral language and emergent writing, number sense and mathematical talk, fine-motor development, and social-emotional learning. Within Pear Tree’s theme-based method, she combines clear routines with playful, guided exploration so young learners connect core skills to meaningful experiences, grow in confidence, and develop the collaborative habits that make school joyful and secure.

Amy joins Pear Tree’s early-years team with more than a decade supporting young learners in Hong Kong primary schools. She has served as a class teacher, English teacher, and SEN teacher, and contributed to a STEM team developing hands-on programs for early grades. As a school-based student counsellor, she partnered closely with families and staff to strengthen children’s social-emotional growth—experience that pairs naturally with K/1 readiness and wellbeing. A fluent trilingual (Cantonese, Mandarin, English), Amy brings rich oral-language practice and culturally responsive communication to her work with emerging readers and writers.

Her classroom background centers on inclusive, differentiated instruction; early literacy (phonological awareness, phonics, and talk-rich routines); number sense; and playful inquiry that makes core skills stick. She also draws on training in visual arts and computational thinking to design age-right, hands-on tasks that build confidence, curiosity, and foundational learning habits within the Pear Tree Method.

Kaia joins Pear Tree’s early-years team with a strong K/1 focus shaped by recent classroom work in local BC schools. As a Grade 1 Teacher Candidate at Dr. Annie B. Jamieson (VSB) and a Kindergarten Teaching Assistant at Ridgeview Elementary (West Vancouver), she designed and supported inclusive, student-centred lessons and built warm partnerships with families. She has also served as a Cultural Assistant in UBC’s Work Learn program, creating engaging activities for English-language learners and helping international students thrive.

Rooted in equity-minded, culturally responsive practice, Kaia brings strengths in early literacy (including UFLI training), rich oral-language routines, number sense, and social-emotional development. Having lived in Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the Netherlands, she draws on a global perspective and bilingual fluency (English/Japanese, with advanced French) to support diverse learners and to make early learning joyful, inclusive, and skill-rich.

Tina is an experienced primary educator now in her third year at Pear Tree. She earned an Honours BA&Sc (Interdisciplinary Studies) and a B.Ed. (Primary/Junior, Concurrent) from Lakehead University and recently competed her Professional Master of Education (Classroom Specialist) at Queen’s University. Her background spans Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, including Grade 2/3 leadership in BC and primary roles in London and Melbourne supporting diverse learners. She has also served in relief and long-term placements that strengthened her work with multilingual learners and varied needs.

Across roles, Tina has refined a practice grounded in structured, teacher-scaffolded inquiry, clear routines, and inclusive, differentiated support. She brings calm leadership, precise planning, and a cross-curricular lens that fits naturally with Pear Tree’s theme-based, hands-on method. Her strengths include early literacy and numeracy, formative assessment, and building the collaboration and confidence that help young learners thrive.

Now in her third year with Pear Tree, Makayla brings a strong early-elementary background and recognized classroom excellence. A graduate of the University of Alberta’s Bachelor of Elementary Education program, she began her career teaching Grade 4 in northern Alberta, where she was honoured with the Edwin Parr Award (2022) for outstanding first-year teachers. Her school leadership extended beyond the classroom, including science-fair coordination and running an after-school sports club—experiences that reflect her energy for student engagement and community life.

Makayla’s professional strengths centre on early literacy and numeracy, differentiation, and inclusive supports. She has formal training in Structured Word Inquiry, which complements Pear Tree’s theme-based approach by giving young readers a precise, inquiry-driven pathway into word meaning and structure. Colleagues know her for calm, organized leadership and careful planning that helps students build confidence, collaborate effectively, and connect core skills across subjects.

In her first year at Pear Tree, Collette brings 14 years of classroom experience across Jamaica and the United States. At Glenmuir High (Jamaica), she achieved a 98% CSEC Mathematics pass rate (2016–17) and led service initiatives with the Red Cross Society. In Vance County Schools (North Carolina), she designed inquiry-driven, cross-disciplinary units, integrated educational technology, and used individualized learning plans that contributed to consistent student growth and strong family engagement. She also holds specialized training in supporting diverse learners and inclusive practice.

Collette’s strengths sit at the intersection of mathematics pedagogy, project- and inquiry-based learning, and assessment for learning. She pairs clear academic goals with targeted supports and reflective planning—an approach that aligns naturally with the Pear Tree Method’s theme-based, hands-on model. Currently completing an M.A. in Leadership, she adds a collaborative mindset and evidence-informed decision-making to our upper-elementary team.

Alison joins Pear Tree’s upper-elementary team with graduate training from the University of California, Berkeley (M.A. in Education + Multiple Subject Credential, Developmental Teacher Education). Over the past 15+ years, she has taught Grades 3–5 in Berkeley Unified (CA) and Bellingham Public Schools (WA), served as a Teacher on Special Assignment integrating social studies across IB PYP units, and supported new teachers as a university instructor and supervisor at Western Washington University and the University of Oregon.

Her background blends upper-elementary literacy and writing workshop, mathematical reasoning, and inquiry-driven unit design shaped by PYP practice. A recipient of Berkeley Public Education Foundation grants and Alpha Delta Kappa’s Scholarship for Excellence in Student Teaching, Alison brings an equity-centred lens, collaborative leadership, and a steady focus on the habits students need for secondary school—all well aligned with the Pear Tree Method.

Aoife joins Pear Tree with 10+ years in leading independent day schools. Most recently Head of Mathematics and Head of Years 7–8 at St Paul’s Cathedral School (London), she led curriculum, mentored teachers, and supported scholarship entries to top UK senior schools. Earlier, at The Lyceum School, she combined KS1 teaching with Assistant Headteacher duties, managing whole-school assessment (CAT/Progress tests) and contributing to staff recruitment and policy. She has also taught in early years, giving her a full view of the foundations children need as they move through primary and into the middle years.

Now based in Vancouver, Aoife has taught across subjects as a Teacher-on-Call at Crofton House and consulted for ed-tech provider Atom Learning on instructional design. She brings a rare blend of mathematics leadership, pastoral care, and data-informed practice—well suited to Pear Tree’s theme-based, hands-on method and high expectations for student growth.

Nina joins Pear Tree with 4+ years of classroom support experience across Kindergarten to Year 6 in Australian public schools. At Dianella Heights Primary (Perth), she worked in inclusive settings delivering IEPs/IBPs, supporting regulation with visual aids, PODD books, and Zones of Regulation, and collaborating closely with teachers and specialists. Her background also includes ESL tutoring in Italy and community programs that used expressive arts to build confidence, resilience, and language—experience that pairs naturally with Pear Tree’s theme-based, hands-on learning.

Nina’s strengths sit at the intersection of student wellbeing and learning: trauma-informed and neurodiversity-aware practice, creative small-group intervention, and clear routines that help children gain independence. Bilingual in English and Bosnian/Serbian, she brings strong cultural sensitivity and calm, relationship-centred support to every class she serves.

Jennah rejoins Pear Tree after assisting in our summer programs in 2020, bringing a background that blends classroom support, tutoring, and child-centred community work. She has worked with learners from early years through secondary, including one-on-one support for students with additional needs and small-group academic help. Her experience spans school resource settings, youth programs, and family childcare—giving her a calm, practical approach to routines, regulation, and building trusting relationships with students and parents.

Grounded in social-science training, Jennah focuses on inclusion, clear communication, and steady, step-by-step progress. She’s known for being organized, empathetic, and unflappable—qualities that fit naturally with the Pear Tree Method’s hands-on, evidence-driven learning. As an associate teacher, she supports targeted small-group work, learning evidence capture, and day-to-day consistency so every class runs smoothly.

Marina joins Pear Tree from Tarragona, Spain, completing a 360-hour international practicum as part of a Double Bachelor’s in Infant and Primary Education (English specialization) at Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Fluent in Catalan and Spanish with B2 English, she brings strong early-years and primary experience, including recent traineeships at La Llar d’Infants Municipal La Taronja and La Salle Tic-Tac, plus a placement at The British School of Costa Daurada. Beyond school, Marina has worked with children since age 15 as a tennis, athletics, and dance instructor, camp leader, and tutor—pairing high energy with careful planning and clear communication.

Her strengths include playful, age-right lesson design, early literacy and oral-language routines, and inclusive, relationship-centred support. Certified in First Aid/BLS with AED and registered as a Monitor for sports and recreational activities (ROPEC), she brings a safety-first mindset and a calm, team-oriented presence. Marina aligns naturally with the Pear Tree Method’s theme-based, hands-on approach and is eager to contribute to classroom learning while continuing to grow as an educator.

Martina joins Pear Tree from Tarragona, Spain, completing a 360-hour international practicum as part of a Double Bachelor’s in Early Childhood and Elementary Education (English specialization) at Universitat Rovira i Virgili. She brings recent placements across early-years settings—Escola Bressol El Poniol (ages 0–3) and Escola Montsant (ages 3–6)—with a forthcoming K/1 placement at Escola Joan Rebull. Beyond practicum work, she has led extracurricular programs for ages 8–13, supported holiday learning activities, and volunteered as a reading mentor and language partner for newcomer teens.

An honours student (GPA 9.34/10) with C1 English and B1 French, Martina pairs strong academics with warm, organized classroom presence. Her strengths include playful, age-appropriate lesson design, early literacy and oral-language routines, number sense, and inclusive, relationship-centred support. Certified in First Aid/BLS with AED, she aligns naturally with the Pear Tree Method’s theme-based, hands-on approach and is eager to contribute while continuing to grow as a new educator.