What do you do at PSS and how long have you been here? I assist in the grade 4/5 class and am also the art teacher. I have been with the school since 2015.

What initially attracted you to work at PSS and what do you value about working here now? I was drawn to PSS when I saw how children are really treated as individuals, each their own unique being, and allowed to learn in their own way. I still value this very much.

What’s something you’ve learned teaching or working here? I have learned connecting to the children is the most important step in being able to guide them.

Which educator has influenced you the most in your life, and how? My mother, hands down. My mother has been a kindergarten/grade 1 teacher for 40 years and when I was young, I would sometimes go with her to her class. I saw how true to herself she was, upholding her ideals to create the experience she wanted for her students.

What do you look forward to in your role here each year? I look forward to seeing and connecting with the children and feel joy in how excited they are to come to school.

What is an example of your approach to nurturing social, emotional, physical and intellectual learning in your work at PSS? I recognize that each child is their own being and needs to do things in their own way. When I see frustration in a child’s eyes, my role is to truly hear them, understand what they need and support them in their own natural way of learning. Children learn so much through their own creative play, I strive to nurture that.

What’s one item on your bucket list? Build my own sauna.

What educational background, or ongoing professional development, do you draw upon in your work at PSS? I have completed courses in social work and ten years experience working with children as a nanny. I have also enjoyed working as a volunteer at Finnish camp and an orphanage, and I am a certified Reiki teacher and practitioner.