Primary School
Salimah Hariyani
Grade 2 Teacher
Salimah Hariyani
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
Bringing more than 20 years of teaching experience to OWIS, Salimah Hariyani holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pune and a Post Graduate Diploma in Child and Adolescent Psychology from Jnana Prabodhini. She has spearheaded workshops on Inquiry, Pedagogies, Transdisciplinary Approach, Assessment in PYP, and more.
Salimah started her illustrious career at the State Board in 1998 and remained at the institution until 2004. She transitioned to the IB Primary Years at Symbiosis International School from June 2007 until moving to Singapore in 2015. She also taught young learners at the British Council, Napier Road Centre.
Salimah believes “every child is unique, every day is different, and so every year is exciting with new challenges, opportunities, and learning.” These unique opportunities and helping children see the world around them brings her back year after year to teach brilliant young minds. “I want to help young learners attain their goals. Their progress gives me immense happiness, satisfaction and the drive to continue learning.”
The OWIS methodology is very special to Salimah. She believes in a strong PYP structure, and the OWIS student-centric environment is the perfect match. Salimah believes her commitment to students and the OWIS focus on holistic learning will help children realise their dreams.
When Salimah isn’t nurturing student growth, she enjoys reading and physical fitness. She strengthens her mind and spirit by participating in water sports and walking. Always the learner, she spends a good deal of her personal time upgrading her education through online media.
Devika Bhutani
Grade 2 Teacher
Devika Bhutani
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
Devika graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Post Graduate Certificate in the IB Primary Years Programme and a Cambridge International Certificate in Teaching and Learning. She also obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising and Communication Management from the University of Mumbai (India).
Having taught children from Nursery to Year 5 in International schools in India and Singapore, her style of teaching is an amalgamation of the different curriculums she has been part of, including both the Cambridge Primary and the PYP.
As a teacher, Devika understands that every child has a unique learning journey and she cherishes being a part of this both as a facilitator and observer. It also gives her immense pleasure to interact with students of different age groups and cultural backgrounds to share their enthusiasm. She believes that 'when one teaches, two learn’.
She is excited to be a part of such a dedicated, competent team at OWIS and to contribute towards the holistic growth of her students. The teaching and learning environment generated by the PYP at OWIS provides numerous opportunities for creativity, initiative and personal growth.
Devika likes spending time with her daughters outside of school. She also enjoys experimenting and making her own creations through cooking, baking, sketching and painting.
Bharti Dadhwal
Grade 3 Teacher
Bharti Dadhwal
designation
Grade 3 Teacher
education
bio
Bharti is a passionate and dedicated teacher who comes to OWIS with several years of teaching experience. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from India and a Cambridge International Certificate in Teaching and Learning from Singapore.
She has taught Early Childhood and Primary students from ages 4 to 11 in India and Singapore.
Bharti firmly believes that teaching should be learner-centric and that the role of a teacher is to inspire all young learners to take control of their learning. She endeavours to engage young minds in authentic learning experiences through exploring concepts and solving problems in their own creative ways. This will lead to students developing self-confidence and pride in their learning and in every incremental achievement.
She hopes to instill respect and compassion for different cultures that will enable young children to become active and informed global citizens.
As a curious learner of the world, Bharti expands her mind by travelling - embracing and learning about different cultures and ways of life.
Deepali Dharia
Grade 2 Teacher
Deepali Dharia
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
In Singapore since 2014, Deepali originates from India (Mumbai) where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Diploma in Pre-school Teacher Training. Subsequently, she attained her Postgraduate Certificate and Master’s Degree in Education (major in Leadership) from the Monash University, Australia. Deepali has been an early childhood educator since 2003, with experience in teaching at international schools.
The time spent with learners at school has developed Deepali’s perspective of valuing each child as an individual as well as a part of a community. It also aligns with her own motivation to be a lifelong learner. Viewing the learner as the prime focus, including their interests and needs, assisting learners to achieve their goals, preparing them to be independent thinkers, involving them in authentic and relevant learning has been what Deepali strives for during the many years of teaching the early and primary years.
She believes OWIS' pedagogical approach is effective, balanced, creative and engaging and closely aligns with her own approach. Deepali’s beliefs on children taking ownership of their learning are reflected in the goals of the school too.
Apart from teaching she loves cooking and painting with her daughter. Deepali also enjoys travelling to different places, meeting new people and discovering diverse cultures.
Joann Hernandez
Grade 1 Teacher
Joann Hernandez
designation
Grade 1 Teacher
education
bio
Students need to have an analytical mind and deep understanding of the sciences. That’s where Joann Hernandez steps in and brings a bit of excitement to science. Joann earned her degree in the Philippines in 1997 and taught multiple grades in government schools.
Her expertise encompasses chemistry, hands-on-science, drama, speech and phonics. She was a special invitee to teach Drama, Music, Movement and Story-telling to teachers in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Joann believes building a solid foundation and developing one’s emotional quotient are the most important factors to lifetime learning. She encourages children to use their knowledge in everyday scenarios, outside the classroom as well.
Joann is a devoted mother who travels around the world during the holidays. She spends her time immersing her children in international cultures and beliefs. Her goal is to teach tolerance, respect, and compassion.
Manpreet Kaur
Grade 1 Teacher
Manpreet Kaur
designation
Grade 1 Teacher
education
bio
Manpreet hails from India and has extensive experience working with young children. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Arts from Delhi University, a Diploma in Montessori Method of Education from Modern Montessori International in London and PostGraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Sunderland in the United Kingdom.
Manpreet believes that a teacher’s job extends beyond teaching and that teachers play an important role in nurturing students with important life skills that enables them to deal effectively with challenges in everyday life. For her, teaching is more than just imparting knowledge to students; inculcating students with values that support them to achieve life goals is even more important.
Manpreet enjoys reading, listening to music, meditation and trekking with her family. She and her husband are proud parents to their young daughter. She feels that trekking is their family bonding time and at the same time they learn to adapt to various natural conditions. Manpreet is excited to be a part of the OWIS family!
Serinder Kaur
Grade 2 Teacher
Serinder Kaur
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
Serinder graduated from Nanyang Technological University with a Bachelor of Science in Education with Mathematics Specialisation. She has taught in MOE schools for over 13 years. Serinder has taken on a variety of leadership and coordination roles during her teaching career, which included organising a variety of activities for a large number of students.
Serinder views teaching as an invaluable profession. Building positive and constructive relationships with students is one of the key reasons why she chose to teach. She feels these are the kind of relationships that can effectively change a life and bring the most out of an individual. She believes her role as a teacher is not only as an educator but also as a guide and mentor for her students.
Serinder is happy to be a part of the OWIS family and always looks forward to learning from her colleagues.
Travelling is one of Serinder’s favourite pastime. She enjoys travelling with her family and has so far travelled to Europe, Australia and many parts of Asia. Time with family is important to Serinder. She and her husband are proud parents of two young boys.
Samurdhi Rupasinghe
Grade 1 Teacher
Samurdhi Rupasinghe
designation
Grade 1 Teacher
education
bio
Samurdhi earned her Degree in Social Studies from the Open University, Sri Lanka and also has a Diploma in Teaching Early childhood and Primary Education which involved more than 6 years of studying, observing and teaching students from different age groups. It also involved various methods of teaching.
Samurdhi has eight years of experience as a Primary school teacher and also as an English Language Teacher in Sri Lanka.
She is a passionate teacher who believes that teaching and learning should be a joyful experiences in a friendly environment that encourages lifelong learners. She values individuality and the balanced development of physical, mental, emotional and social skills in students.
Samurdhi believes in differentiated learning techniques for each child in order to bring out their individual capabilities. She finds the OWIS community and the vibrant school atmosphere allow students and staff to grow in many aspects. She loves being a part of the OWIS family as she admires the school’s impact on kindness.
When Samurdhi is not engaged in teaching, she enjoys her time as a volunteer, loves nature and healthy food and takes trips with her husband. She also loves movies which are based on books.
Sue Lynn Tan
Grade 1 Teacher
Sue Lynn Tan
designation
Grade 1 Teacher
education
bio
Sue Lynn is originally from Malaysia. She has over 5 years of teaching experience in an IB International School. She first started teaching in Malaysia before moving to Singapore. She has taught in Uplands International School of Penang before moving to Fairview International School in Kuala Lumpur. She has worked in a variety of settings with children aged 5-12 years. Here at OWIS, She is the homeroom teacher for Grade 1 as well as teaching EAL (English as an Additional Language).
[Course & Subjects]
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program - Early Childhood 1 to Grade 5 : Science, Language, Arts, Mathematics, Personal Social and Physical Education and Social Studies.
Krithika Venkataramani
Grade 1 Teacher
Krithika Venkataramani
designation
Grade 1 Teacher
education
bio
Krithika started her career as an E-learning Instructional Designer in 2000 writing storyboards and courseware for children. With rich experience in content development, she transitioned to teaching young children from 2014. Prior to OWIS, Krithika taught primary students in other Singapore international schools.
Krithika graduated with a Bachelor of Science. She also possesses a PGCEI from the University of Nottingham and the Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers.
Krithika believes in life-long learning, the spark for which is ignited during the early years of a child’s life. She also believes that a classroom environment should be challenging with opportunities to share ideas, solve problems and time for children to reflect on their own learning. OWIS provides an excellent platform to develop open-minded communicators, reflective thinkers, inquirers and competent global citizens. Krithika looks forward to facilitate such a learning journey for her students at OWIS.
She is passionate about art and yoga. Kritika loves spending time with her family and traveling during her spare time.
Rachelyn Gordon
Grade 1 Teacher, Grade 1 Coordinator
Rachelyn Gordon
designation
Grade 1 Teacher, Grade 1 Coordinator
education
bio
With versatile educational experience spanning more than a decade, Rachelyn Gordon is one of OWIS’ top-performing teachers. Her advanced education, experience, and numerous contributions speak volumes about her commitment to education. She holds a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from James Cook University in Australia and has taught at more than six academic institutions over her career.
Rachelyn started her career as a freelance speech and drama teacher in 2015 for the Act 3 International & Periwinkle School and as a pre-school literacy and drama educator at Bambini Childcare. During this time, she wrote and produced numerous theatrical performances and concerts. Her career highlights include her role as the English language creative writing educator at The Writer’s Place and pre-service teacher at four academic institutions with distinction.
Teaching gives Rachelyn the opportunity to fulfil her dreams and expose students to diverse cultures. She believes a strong curriculum that incorporates STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics), literature, and world cultures is necessary for a well-rounded education.
She believes OWIS provides students with the tools necessary for continual growth. The school’s vision for collaboration, service, and being one with the world resonates strongly with her own personal values.
An avid food connoisseur, Rachelyn loves to explore new dining experiences in Singapore. She also spends much of her free time writing children’s literature, enjoying theatrical performances, and dancing.
Vishwany Ballgobin
Grade 2 Teacher
Vishwany Ballgobin
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
Vishwany is originally from Mauritius. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Early Education & Care from Open University of Mauritius, Certificate of Proficiency in Early Childhood Education from Mauritius Institute of Education and Certificate of Pre-Primary Teacher Training from TEFL Academy.
Vishwany has 13 years working experience in the field of Education. She has been teaching at various levels in elementary school. Before joining OWIS, she worked at Fukuoka International School, Japan for 6 years where she developed a passion for Inquiry based teaching. Since she has had the opportunity to function in a variety of educational settings, she easily adapts to new situations and faculty concepts.
Teaching has always been her passion and Vishwany believes that a good relationship between a teacher and her students is built on a strong foundation of mutual understanding, respect, and trust.
Outside school, she enjoys spending time with her husband and travelling.
Gail Storey
Grade 2 Teacher
Gail Storey
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
Gail holds a Master's Degree in Education from Andhra University (the oldest university) in India. She has taught in international schools in Abu Dhabi and China before coming to Singapore.
Throughout the course of her teaching career, she has had wonderful opportunities in teaching diverse group of students, ranging from those with learning disabilities, those who performed at their age and those who were gifted.
With a strong passion for child learning and development, Gail's dream is to create a classroom atmosphere where children feel safe, happy and valued.
Gail looks forward to teaching at OWIS to develop a positive learning environment with solid commitment to the social and academic growth and development of every student.
Gail is an avid dog lover. She also loves cooking, road trips and exploring unknown places.
Angeline Swee
Grade 2 Teacher
Angeline Swee
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
Angeline has over 20 years of teaching experience in both local and international educational institutions. She is a Singapore trained teacher in both local and international schools in Singapore. She has also taught in International schools in Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. Angeline has experience teaching the Singapore, British, and Australian Curricula, and has taught students from Year 1 to 12 with a broad spectrum of learning abilities and needs. Previously, she had taught IELTS, IGCSE and WACE programme to students from diverse backgrounds to prepare them for their further studies to Australia, Canada, the UK and US.
Angeline completed her Masters of Education with the National Institute of Education (Singapore) and has been keeping up with the latest development in education. Working in different countries has allowed her to interact extensively with learners from diverse backgrounds.
Angeline is happy to be teaching at OWIS which encourages teachers to enhance students' learning experience and give them a strong foundation of learning to reach their full potential.
Angeline is a firm believer in holistic education and inculcating good values. She wants her students to be independent learners, problem solvers and critical thinkers with integrity and kindness to make a difference in the world.
Fiona Watson
Grade 2 Teacher
Fiona Watson
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
Fiona who is originally from Northern Ireland graduated from University of Brighton with a BA (Hons) in Physical Education with QTS. She has been working as an educator for the last 20 years and has taught across various subjects at all age levels, from Early Childhood through to Post 16, in both England and Northern Ireland.
Upon moving to Singapore, 8 years ago, Fiona has been teaching primary level in an international setting. She is currently developing her teaching career by undertaking a Diploma in Special and Inclusive Education.
Fiona is passionate about inclusive education and believes that every child belongs in a classroom community learning alongside each other and can benefit from an individualised approach to learning.
Fiona has 2 young daughters who keep her very busy! Fiona enjoys reading, travelling with her family and has a love of sport.
Jing Fang (Jessica) Xia
Grade 2 Teacher
Jing Fang (Jessica) Xia
designation
Grade 2 Teacher
education
bio
Jessica Xia was born and raised in Singapore. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Studies from Monash University, a Diploma in Pre-school Education Training from MMI and TESOL fron London Teacher Training College.
Coming from a family of educators, Jessica is firmly rooted in her belief that education is one of the major tools in helping young children to sculpt their futures of becoming tomorrow’s engineers, scientists, astronauts, entrepreneurs … anything that they want to be.
Equipped with substantive teacher training for children aged 1-8 years old, she has been teaching for more than 20 years, both locally and overseas in wide-ranging international school settings. She is committed to student-centred learning, and believes that an educator's mission is to make school enjoyable and exciting by providing a positive learning environment that welcomes exploration, creativity and inquiry in support of the development of the whole child.
Jessica enjoys Peranakan cuisine, swimming, cooking and pottery!
Braden Cobb
Grade 2 Teacher, Grade 2 Coordinator
Braden Cobb
designation
Grade 2 Teacher, Grade 2 Coordinator
education
bio
Braden is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico and has been teaching internationally since 2009, particularly in South Korea where he also met his lovely wife. Braden earned his degree in Bachelor's of Business Administration from the University of Mexico, Masters of Education from the Framingham University, Massachusetts and a K-5 Teaching Certificate from the University of West Florida.
Braden has been teaching since 2009 in South Korea and in Shenzhen, China.
Braden believes that a classroom that allows students to take an active role in their education will yield the best results. By teaching students how to be inquisitive and take risks, we are providing them with a very powerful tool. Helping our students to understand what they already know and how to connect that knowledge with new information is a skill that will help them both inside and outside the classroom. The ultimate goal in education is to create an environment where students can take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it to real world situations.
Braden is a big kid trapped in an adult body. Teaching gives him the opportunity to never stop learning, but also to have fun with his students on a daily basis as they learn new concepts and ideas together. Being able to interact with young learners is always entertaining and rewarding.
Braden enjoys cooking and likes Korean BBQ, tacos and cheesecake!
Rónán Donohoe
Grade 3 Teacher
Rónán Donohoe
designation
Grade 3 Teacher
education
bio
Ronan hails from the Republic of Ireland. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Dublin City University, is TEFL-certified, and has obtained certification in Math, Geography and Digital Media in the classroom.
Ronan's educational philosophy is that everyone contributes - as a student, a teacher and a learner - in his classroom. He believes in being open and finds that he regularly has things to learn from his students, just as his students learn from him. His wonderful experiences as a student and his love for knowledge inspired him to become a teacher.
Ronan joined OWIS because he wanted to be a part of OWIS' culture of kindness. He affirms that the values of OWIS align with his own and he is always happy to meet new students and teachers at OWIS who come from various cultures and backgrounds.
Ronan has a special love for pineapples and golfing!
Nausheen Gilani
Grade 3 Teacher
Nausheen Gilani
designation
Grade 3 Teacher
education
bio
Nausheen hails from the city of Nawabs: Hyderabad in India. She holds a Master's Degree in Teaching from University of London, a Master's Degree in Arts Education from Institute of Ismaili Studies, a Master's Degree in Psychology and Bachelor's Degree in Education from Osmania University and a Bachelor's Degree in Arts from Shadan Degree College for Women.
Nausheen feels at home in Singapore after moving here, because of the warmth shown to her by Singaporeans. Nausheen was a full time teacher in India, teaching humanities to secondary students.
Nausheen's teaching philosophy is based on collaboration which encourages an inclusive environment. Through her teaching, she hopes to be an example and role-model for kindness; and inspire acts of kindness, care and love from and between the children, which gives them a sense of belonging in the class. Nausheen was inspired to be a teacher by her experience at London, which taught her to value each individual in a class as unique and a contributor in her/his own way.
She identifies with the OWIS motto of being "One with the world". In her free time, Nausheen loves traveling and spicy Indian food!
Melissa Perham
Grade 3 Teacher
Melissa Perham
designation
Grade 3 Teacher
education
bio
Melissa hails from, as she puts it, the small State of Vermont in the USA. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Champlain College and a TESOl Certificate from American TESOL Institute.
Wanting to broaden her horizons after living in Vermont for a couple of decades, Melissa decided to experience different cultures and countries first hand. She has lived in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Egypt, prior to moving to Singapore. These opportunities have allowed her to meet a plethora of lovely people from all over the world.
After trying different 'office' jobs, Melissa (for whom, children have been a constant in life) realised that she was happiest when informing and guiding children. She feels challenged to be a better person each day, a positive role model and a life long learner. She has been living her true passion when teaching and declares that there is no such thing as being bored in this job!
Her philosophy is to teach to the whole child; meeting each child where (s)he is at; providing lessons that are appropriately challenging while also peeking the child's interest in wanting to learn.
Melissa loves "Mango with sticky rice" and Photography!
Inmaculada Rodriguez
Grade 4 Teacher, Grade 4 Coordinator
Inmaculada Rodriguez
designation
Grade 4 Teacher, Grade 4 Coordinator
education
bio
Inma graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education International Teacher Education for Primary Schools. She has taught in different local schools in Spain and Denmark and international schools in Sweden, Portugal, Denmark and Tanzania.
Inma believes that children are the future! Her most important task as a teacher is to ignite the spark that leads to a lifelong love of learning. She likes providing her students with a welcoming environment based on an atmosphere of caring, respect and risk-taking where mistakes are seen as positive steps of the learning process. She encourages her students to take responsibility for and reflect upon their own learning to support them towards becoming independent and engaged learners.
She is happy to be a part of the OWIS team because it is very diverse and inclusive, truly showing internationalism and multiculturalism.
Inma likes hiking, scuba diving, traveling and trying different cuisines from around the world.
Ekta Sabharwal
Grade 3 Teacher
Ekta Sabharwal
designation
Grade 3 Teacher
education
bio
Ekta holds a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and Education from India, an International Educator's Certificate for IB Qualification from University of Windsor in Canada and is currently pursuing an English Diploma from London Teacher Training College.
Ekta has been teaching for more than 16 years and has taught at various international schools in Singapore for the last 9 years.
Ekta firmly believes that teaching is a learning journey and teachers who demonstrate curiosity, generosity and reflective thinking encourage students to achieve their goals. She strives to motivate students in ascertaining their inner strengths and discovering what truly inspires them. She encourages students to learn more actively and independently by nurturing a curiosity that goes beyond the formal curriculum, and a love for learning that stays with them through life.
Ekta is excited to be a part of OWIS family. She likes the culture of kindness within the school and feels that small acts of kindness can change the world. She strongly believes in inquiry as a leading pedagogical approach here which helps students understand how they learn best so that they become lifelong learners.
Ekta enjoys cooking new recipes and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves dancing and listening to music.
Anjali Rathi
Grade 3 Teacher, Grade 3 Coordinator
Anjali Rathi
designation
Grade 3 Teacher, Grade 3 Coordinator
education
bio
Anjali Rathi attended prestigious IB institutions in Delhi and Mumbai. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Mumbai. Anjali worked for corporations earlier but soon discovered she needed something more in her career and made the transition to the education field.
At OWIS, Anjali is the Grade 3 coordinator and believes students are like clay, ready to be moulded by teachers and parents alike. Teachers are uniquely positioned to help students realise their aspirations. Timeless stories from her students and tales of their day inspires Anjali and keeps her coming back to the classroom for more.
Setting an example inspires children to learn, and Anjali takes up this challenge every day. She loves learning new things and spends her time reading and gathering information. Anjali is often found in the classroom preparing for the next day, but she does enjoy cooking and travelling to new, exciting places.
Deepak Balakrishnan
Grade 4 Teacher
Deepak Balakrishnan
designation
Grade 4 Teacher
education
bio
Deepak has over 17 years of teaching experience both in local schools in Singapore and in International schools in Jakarta. He graduated from Edith Cowan University, Perth back in 1996 with a Bachelor’s in Business. He also has a Diploma in Education where he graduated from the National Institute of Education, Singapore. He taught in local schools for 5 years and in Jakarta for another 11.
His experiences include teaching Maths, English, UOI and P.E. in the Primary years.
Deepak believes that children are the heart of the matter when it comes to education. He believes that values, skills acquisition and character building are important. This is so because every child needs to be prepared for life. We live in a world where there is much change and uncertainty hence it is crucial for children to build transferrable skills that will be with them for the rest of their lives.
Deepak loves reading. He likes books on Educational management and leadership and self-help books. Sports is another area of interest for Deepak. He plays football, pool and is an avid runner. Deepak loves to travel and has been to many countries around the world.
Vanessa Burke
Grade 5 Teacher
Vanessa Burke
designation
Grade 5 Teacher
education
bio
Vanessa is an experienced and dedicated educator who has been teaching in schools across the world for over nine years. She is originally from Australia. Vanessa holds a Bachelor's Degree in Primary Teaching/Arts, a TEFL qualification, and a Diploma of Education (Primary Teaching) from Macquarie University. She is also currently completing a Master of Education degree, majoring in International Education with The University of Sydney. She has taught a diverse range of students in London, Moscow, Tatarstan, as well as in her native country of Australia.
One of Vanessa's career highlights includes developing an initiative to promote the use of an online learning management system for staff at her previous school. Teaching allows Vanessa to inspire and engage her students in tasks and activities that build collaborative skills and a relational understanding of concepts.
She believes that adapting lesson resources to cater to various learning styles is a crucial component in helping her students make personal connections with the information taught, and subsequently having the self-confidence to apply their knowledge to future contexts. Vanessa is passionate about ensuring a holistic approach to the curriculum and students in the classroom. She strives to cultivate supportive learning environments that foster her students' academic, social and emotional wellbeing.
Vanessa is truly a world-traveller: she loves going to new places and learning about new cultures - so far, she has been to forty countries, and counting! She also enjoys volunteering at animal shelters, hiking, watching documentaries, reading about interior design and playing tennis. Vanessa is very excited to begin her new stint at the OWIS Nanyang Campus and she looks forward to exploring life in Singapore!
Jessica Saiya
Grade 4 Teacher
Jessica Saiya
designation
Grade 4 Teacher
education
bio
Jessica Saiya was born in the USA, near Chicago, to Puerto Rican parents. She earned her degree in Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education at Bethel University.
After experiencing her own struggles with educational excellence as a child, she learned as an adult that the potential for skills is to be built based not on natural talent or predisposition but more so on a child's drive and pursuit. She believes that children need not be limited by levels, age or ranking but instead provided with as many opportunities to practise and try again. They should be surrounded by rich vocabulary and exposed to a wide-range of valuable experiences.
One of the main inspirations to become a teacher was the joy she always had in being around and serving children. She enjoys helping others through education in order to improve their quality of life. Her mother too, who is still involved in education, is a beautiful example to her.
Jessica looks forward to working alongside her kind and qualified colleagues at OWIS. She is excited to instruct her students in developing their talents with inquiry-based experiences.
Jessica takes pleasure from reading the Bible, running and listening to music. She also enjoys a good cup of dark coffee, a simple breakfast of eggs, salads and a good Indian subji!
Preema Thomas
Grade 4 Teacher
Preema Thomas
designation
Grade 4 Teacher
education
bio
Preema holds a Bachelor’s degree both in Commerce and Education, and a Master’s degree in English Literature from the Jiwaji University, India. She started her teaching career in 1994. Over the course of her teaching career, Preema has taught in India for 10 years, and in IB schools in Indonesia and Tanzania for over 6 years. She has also attended many IB-PYP workshops.
Preema always had a passion for teaching, as she believes that education is the key to success. She tailors her lessons to ensure that all her students achieve their potential and are able to become well-rounded individuals.
Learning is a life-long journey and Preema believes she always learns something new from every group of students she teaches. She strongly believes in the value of outdoor and inquiry-based learning. For her, all children are unique and special in their own way and each one of them has unique strengths and varied learning styles. Preema actively encourages students to believe in themselves and realise their potential to achieve personal excellence in all aspects of their life.
Preema spends most of her time with her family, listening to music, watching football with her teenage son and loves to explore new dining experiences in Singapore.
Adrian Deller
Grade 5 Teacher, Grade 5 Coordinator
Adrian Deller
designation
Grade 5 Teacher, Grade 5 Coordinator
education
bio
Adrian James Deller is originally from Leamington Spa, UK. He holds a PGCE in Primary (Specialised in Mathematics) from The University of Exeter and a Bachelor's Degree in Quantity Surveying (Hons) from Birmingham City University.
Prior to becoming a teacher, Adrian worked as a quantity surveyor for 10 years. He took a break to spend more time with his two daughters when he relocated with his family to Malaysia. It was during this time he became involved in running a toddler activity group and decided to become a teacher. He started his career in teaching at a junior school back home and then at an international school in the Bahamas prior to moving to Singapore.
A strong believer in the value of learning as an active process, Adrian aims to provide opportunities for concepts to be experienced through inquiry and understood in context. He also believes that it is important to build relationships with the children in his class, get to know their interests as well as what motivates them to learn. Adrian plans to cater carefully for the individual needs of his students and to both support and extend all students at each level of ability.
Adrian likes working in a busy and stimulating international school like OWIS, with its unique values and an experienced and innovative staff body.
Adrian enjoys playing football, table tennis, scuba diving, tennis, cycling, travelling and reading. He also likes to eat anything spicy!
Andrea Tsoi
Grade 5 Teacher
Andrea Tsoi
designation
Grade 5 Teacher
education
bio
Andrea is originally from Hong Kong but spent her teenage years studying in Toronto, Canada. She has a passion for English Literature and earned her degree in Bachelor of Arts in English, Minor in French with Honours (Second-Upper Division) from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and a Professional Diploma in Guidance and Counselling.
Andrea aspires to create an engaging and inspiring learning community where everyone can shine in their own way. She believes that every child is uniquely talented and she looks forward to helping every student become kind, open-minded individuals. Andrea wanted to become the teacher she wished she had, when she was growing up.
Andrea looks forward to her time as an educator at OWIS and embarking on a journey of inquiry with her students.
Andrea enjoys travelling, hitting the gym and brewing coffee!
Rachel Holmes
Grade 5 Teacher, English Coordinator (Primary)
Rachel Holmes
designation
Grade 5 Teacher, English Coordinator (Primary)
education
bio
Rachel holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in Primary Teaching. She is experienced with meeting the diverse needs of students in her care.
Originally from the UK, Rachel has been teaching for thirteen years. For nine years, she taught the British curriculum in UK schools which included six years as Head of department. She has also taught international students in Russia and Malaysia.
As a classroom educator, Rachel encourages independent learning and fosters an environment to facilitate this. She enjoys creating resources and activities which enhances students' deep understanding of concepts. She is dedicated to ensuring that students are enthusiastic about their learning and try their best. Rachel finds that becoming a teacher at OWIS is an amazing opportunity for her to join with other staff and pupils to create a wonderfully diverse and friendly school community.
Rachel is a mother of one which takes up most of her time! When she gets a moment, she enjoys reading contemporary and classic literature, drawing, painting and using mixed-media. She also enjoys visiting new places, and meeting new people.
Karen Brooks
Grade 5 Teacher, Mathematics Coordinator (Primary)
Karen Brooks
designation
Grade 5 Teacher, Mathematics Coordinator (Primary)
education
bio
Karen is Australian-born and has a total of 24 years of teaching experience across Australia, Scotland and Singapore. She holds a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Education from Edith Cowan University and a TESOL Certification from Aberdeen College. She also holds a BA in Primary Education.
Karen's main focus as an international educator is to:
- Develop students to think beyond their current situation and be internationally minded people
- Instill in pupils an ownership of a deeply rooted set of profiles and attributes; so that this becomes their foundation for all future endeavours
Karen strives to unlock the hidden potential within each child, and to mould him/her into one who can contribute back to their global and immediate society.
Looking at how OWIS started and has grown, Karen believes the school and her share the same philosophy of educating young minds - by ensuring every kid gets the best out of their education path.
Karen plays tennis, dives and travels extensively. She also enjoys lamb chops and curry!
Erika Manu
Grade 4 Teacher
Erika Manu
designation
Grade 4 Teacher
education
bio
Erika was born and raised in Winconsin, USA. She has 22 years of teaching experience and this is her 15th year teaching in Singapore. She has taught elementary art at Singapore American School and at various international schools in New Zealand, Egypt, China and Japan.
She endeavours to let students discover things on their own. She mentors their skills and provides materials but lets them do the research, have their own ideas, their own path of inquiry, experiment, plan, etc. She encourages each child to have a personalised outcome based on their own critical thinking and problem solving. She believes that the emotional wellbeing of the child must come first before real academic learning can take place.
Erika’s parents were both teachers and she thought she never wanted to be one. However, when giving swimming lessons to children when she was in University, she realised that she loved working with children and she could help them blossom in creativity. She is still in touch with all her students from her first batch of students 22 years back and firmly believes there is a special bond formed between teachers and students.
She has 3 boys aged 12, 10 and 7 and loves to go on long nature walks at the local reservoirs and identify wildlife with them. She also paints and does art as well as breaking up fights between her 3 boys! She attends International Baptist Church on Sundays.
Traudel Noronha
Grade 5 Teacher
Traudel Noronha
designation
Grade 5 Teacher
education
bio
Traudel is a Mumbaikar (from Mumbai - India’s bustling financial capital) who moved to Singapore 6 years ago. She has been teaching in Singapore for the last four years. Teaching is Traudel’s passion and her goal is to empower children to think for themselves and make their own decisions. She is a firm believer in Nelson Mandela’s quote 'Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world'.
Traudel is a certified National Geographic Educator. She has been awarded, twice, the Blue Ribbon Award for encouraging creativity in students and organizing the SCSA (schools) Competition as part of the Sony Creative Science Award 2018 and 2019, held by the Science Centre and Sony in Singapore.
According to Traudel, teaching is not a profession but a vocation. Her mother was a teacher and watching her go to school daily, with a smile on her face, fascinated her. Traudel’s love for teaching children coupled with her passion for creativity is her driving force each day. She strongly believes that if you do what you love, you will never have to work a day in your life, and that’s exactly what she is doing every day!
Traudel is blessed with two lovely children and enjoys practising yoga, whipping up a culinary delight and unleashing her creativity through D-I-Y projects in her leisure time.
Syahira Chishty
Grade 1 Teacher
Syahira Chishty
designation
Grade 1 Teacher
education
bio
Born and raised in Singapore, Syahira studied at the University at Buffalo (SIM) where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication. She has also completed her PGCE from the University of Sunderland. She has worked in international schools in the United Arab Emirates for 3 years.
As an educator, her philosophy is to make learning come to life. She believes children learn best when they are actively engaged and involved through real-life experiences and a hands-on approach.
Syahira was inspired to teach by her own mother, who is also a teacher. She understands that each child learns at a different pace and it is important to cater to their needs and abilities in order for them to reach their highest potential. She looks forward to working with the diverse community of teachers and students at OWIS.
She strongly believes that teachers should demonstrate kindness by being good role models to their students. She defines herself as a “Teacher by day, foodie by night!” She enjoys trying new cuisines from all around the world, loves to stay active and drink LOTS of coffee!
Rowan Grigoropoulos
Grade 4 Teacher
Rowan Grigoropoulos
designation
Grade 4 Teacher
education
bio
Originally from Norfolk, England, Rowan has been living in Singapore for more than five years. She has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Westminster, a Master of Science from the University of Ulster and a Master of Teaching from Monash University. She has authored and co-authored a number of scientific articles in medical journals and has presented at international scientific conferences.
Rowan believes that her role as a teacher is to open minds and show children possibilities, nurturing their curiosity and giving them the tools to ask and seek answers to questions, never taking what is presented to them for granted. She strongly believes in teaching students how to examine both past history and the present with a critical eye, looking at topics from all angles and perspectives, with an aim to see the whole picture. Through this, she hopes to help shape individuals who are empathetic, socially just, and kind 21st century citizens and future leaders.
In her previous career, Rowan trained new scientists who entered her department and discovered that she enjoyed it immensely and was also good at it. Later, when she had the opportunity to carve a new career path for herself, she moved to teaching. She loves working with children, their sense of imagination and curiosity and feels that her eyes are opened daily with them.
Rowan loves swimming, visiting nature parks and the local playgrounds with her two children. Along with her husband, she coaches children’s rugby on weekends.
Julie Ge
Bilingual Teacher
Julie Ge
designation
Bilingual Teacher
education
bio
Julie is originally from China and has been working as a teacher for more than 7 years. She has a BA in English Linguistics and Literature from the Northeast Normal University and a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from NIE, Nanyang Technological University. She is an active participant in IB workshops and discussions regarding curriculum development, teaching methods and IB language acquisition (Chinese) professional training. Staying abreast with evolving teaching methodologies associated with languages is very important to her.
Julie is happy to have received the Outstanding Volunteer teacher award from China MOE as well as the Creative Teacher Award and Popular Teacher Award from Canada Pattinson School.
She has a steadfast belief that her job as a teacher is to help her students be prepared for anything in life. As a 21st century educator, she believes the teacher’s role is to guide learners to think critically and creatively. Her passion for teaching Chinese as an international language stems from offering students the chance to open their minds to new cultures and backgrounds. Having had the opportunity to work with students from various cultural backgrounds and different international curricula, she wishes to instill a truly international mindset in her students.
Julie is an outgoing person who enjoys traveling, food, jokes, poster designing and dragon boating! She has also been an active volunteer for associations taking care of stray dogs in Singapore.
Irum Shah
Primary School Cover Teacher
Irum Shah
designation
Primary School Cover Teacher
education
bio
Irum is originally from India and moved to Singapore in 2017 from Shanghai, where she lived for 10 years. Irum has a Master’s Degree in Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Science from the University of Kashmir, India.
She also holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education from the Institute of International Teachers Training, India. She has a TEFL certification from Jioa Tong University, Shanghai, China and a diploma in Intensive Chinese Language course from Shanghai Maritime University, China.
Irum believes that children are very resourceful and her job as a teacher is to facilitate their learning by allowing them to follow their curiosity and enquiring nature. She believes in giving her students a voice and ownership of their learning. She strives to create a learning environment for students where they build critical thinking and cognitive skills, make connections, reflect and achieve their personal and social goals.
Coming from a family of educators, Irum’s mother inspired her to be a teacher. As the Head of High school, Irum’s mother taught her to always practice kindness and be a lifelong learner. Irum believes that teachers have the power to change the world by creating responsible global citizens.
Irum has three beautiful daughters and enjoys reading, travelling and photography.