fbpx

Our Team

Our Director

Kelly Farrell, B.A.H, OCT

Kelly Farrell, B.A.H, OCT

Founder & Executive Director

Kelly Farrell is the Founder and Director of Oak Learners circa 2016. She is dedicated to supporting learners of all ages and abilities reach their goals and love the learning journey. Kelly’s philosophy of education is based in the understanding that every child has the capacity to excel and succeed when they are given the tools and taught the skills to help them on their journey.

Kelly is an OCT Certified teacher and has worked in classrooms and alternative learning environments since 1996 and as a certified teacher since 2004, working with students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Kelly has a passion for empowering students to develop confidence through building on their strengths to support their difficulties, particularly those with learning exceptionalities, including Learning Differences, ASD, social emotional needs, and anxiety.  Kelly subscribes to the tenants of Montessori, Reggio-Emilia and Constructivist methods of teaching and is always looking for ways to bring these strategies into the 21st Century through technology and environmental education. 

Throughout her teaching careers, Kelly has been teaching, leading, and connecting students and staff with a global community of educators leading the way in 21st century personalized learning. In 2014, Kelly was awarded “Project of the Year” at the Water Docs @School Film Festival for her Inquiry-Based Learning project, “Kids Against Road Salt“.  This project has been used to train new teachers on the benefits and processes behind inquiry-based learning. Kelly’s teaching was also featured in Owl Magazine on the “Cool School” page in  2014 for a unique publishing project undertaken by her Grade 7/8 class that year.

Kelly has also founded Teach Me Social in 2012, a social media marketing agency and training organization which continues to empower entrepreneurs to brand themselves online and share their messages through social media. Her experience in business and educational leadership lends Kelly a unique approach to technology training. She offers business owners a different perspective on technology, gaining participation in her sessions by energizing participants and inspiring them to dive into the Social Media world whilst also providing valuable skills, tips and strategies they can use to construct their online presence at their own pace.

Our Administrative Team

Jenn St. Denis

Jenn St. Denis

Admissions Director

Jennifer joined the Oak Learner’s team in January 2020. Her inviting energy and infectious enthusiasm make her the perfect guide to help parents ascertain whether or not Oak Learners Micro school is the perfect choice for their family. With over 30 years working with children and English as her second language, due to her French Canadian roots, she sincerely understands that one-size-fits-all teaching simply put; doesn’t cut it.

Whether your child is a kinesthetic, visual, or auditory learner, Jennifer is able to relate with you and your search for a new school. After all, who better to champion personalized teaching/learning than someone who is an ADHD warrior? She instinctively connects to the prescribed notion that every student shines brightest when afforded the right set of circumstances to learn at their own pace in their own individual way.

Kristina Poleva

Kristina Poleva

Office Administrator

Kristina has been a member of the Oak Learners team since 2022. She is working at the Lake Shore Campus in the office, helping set kids up for success daily! Additionally, she teaches music and encourages creativity.

Our Day School Staff

Daniela Urbina, BA

Daniela Urbina, BA

BASE Camp Facilitator & Resource Coordinator

Daniela has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2022. She grew up in Colombia; she is a Psychologist from La Sabana University. She also took Homeschooling and Child Neurodevelopment, Neuroeducation and Neuropsychology courses at Ceenford and a study at the Queensland University of Technology about Inclusive Education: Essential knowledge for success. She co-founded a non-profit foundation, where she developed and implemented some social impact projects, gave speeches, and created dynamic activities. She has experience working with kids between 15 months to 15 years old.

She loves cycling, being active, learning daily, reading books and accepting new challenges. She believes the learning process should be fun and dynamic and that the student needs to know how to apply the knowledge to their lives. Teaching is her passion, and she tries to transmit this love to her students.

Josie Bonadie, BA

Josie Bonadie, BA

Teacher

Josie joined the Oak Learners team in 2023. She has twenty years experience working with children of all ages and abilities! She enjoys engaging students and encourages growth through their interests. 

Karen Stern, OCT

Karen Stern, OCT

Teacher

Karen is an OCT certified teacher and Expressive Art therapist with twenty years of experience supporting children who have learning disabilities and social/emotional challenges. Her teaching pedagogy is student led and inquiry based, informed by creativity, collaboration, and play. Karen joined the Oak Learners team in 2023 and is excited to be a part of the team!

Outside of work, Karen enjoys being surrounded by nature, taking canoe trips in the summer, baking, knitting, reading, and spending as much time as possible with her new nieces and nephews.

Mishka Khilnani, OCT

Mishka Khilnani, OCT

Lead Teacher, Vice Principal

Mishka Khilnani has been a teacher with both public and private schools since 2010. Her first interest in alternative and holistic education sparked through professional development in her Masters of Education course of study. She is eager to bring her experience and natural love for learning to the students at Oak Learners. She is a mom of two, and fur-mom of two, too!

Our Child Specialists & Support Team

Daniela Dezordi

Daniela Dezordi

Educational Assistant

Daniela has been serving as a Child and Youth Care Support Staff Worker at Oak Learners since May 2024. With over 20 years of extensive teaching experience in Brazil, she is deeply committed to empowering children to achieve their full potential. Daniela’s background includes proficiency in inquiry-based teaching methods, outdoor education, documentation, and inclusive teaching practices. Prioritizing the creation of a nurturing environment where every child’s individual needs and strengths are supported.
In addition to her role as a Child and Youth Care Support Staff Worker, Daniela holds a background in psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending quality time with her family and friends, exploring nature, and traveling.

Daniela Urbina, BA

Daniela Urbina, BA

BASE Camp Facilitator & Resource Coordinator

Daniela has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2022. She grew up in Colombia; she is a Psychologist from La Sabana University. She also took Homeschooling and Child Neurodevelopment, Neuroeducation and Neuropsychology courses at Ceenford and a study at the Queensland University of Technology about Inclusive Education: Essential knowledge for success. She co-founded a non-profit foundation, where she developed and implemented some social impact projects, gave speeches, and created dynamic activities. She has experience working with kids between 15 months to 15 years old.

She loves cycling, being active, learning daily, reading books and accepting new challenges. She believes the learning process should be fun and dynamic and that the student needs to know how to apply the knowledge to their lives. Teaching is her passion, and she tries to transmit this love to her students.

Tenzin Yangser

Tenzin Yangser

Educational Assistant

I am Tenzin Yangser, a Child and Youth Care Worker deeply passionate about empowering and nurturing young minds. My days are filled with the rewarding challenge of guiding children and youth towards brighter futures. As a fervent soccer fan, I draw parallels between the teamwork on the pitch and the collaborative spirit needed in my profession. Above all, my life’s ambition is to extend a helping hand to those in need, in every way I can. This aspiration drives me to be a source of support and inspiration, making a meaningful difference one child at a time.

Anna Kaczorowski

Anna Kaczorowski

Child Specialist

Our BASE Camp Team

Daniela Urbina, BA

Daniela Urbina, BA

BASE Camp Facilitator & Resource Coordinator

Daniela has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2022. She grew up in Colombia; she is a Psychologist from La Sabana University. She also took Homeschooling and Child Neurodevelopment, Neuroeducation and Neuropsychology courses at Ceenford and a study at the Queensland University of Technology about Inclusive Education: Essential knowledge for success. She co-founded a non-profit foundation, where she developed and implemented some social impact projects, gave speeches, and created dynamic activities. She has experience working with kids between 15 months to 15 years old.

She loves cycling, being active, learning daily, reading books and accepting new challenges. She believes the learning process should be fun and dynamic and that the student needs to know how to apply the knowledge to their lives. Teaching is her passion, and she tries to transmit this love to her students.

Eunice Santiago, CYC

Eunice Santiago, CYC

BASE Camp Coordinator

Eunice has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2021, as a placement student and has recently graduated with a Diploma in Child and Youth Care from George Brown College. She has spent several years working with youth, including in a group home for mental health. She enjoys being with children and youth and being able to support and understand their needs.

In her free time, she loves to spend time with family and friends, walking her dogs, being outdoors, and trying different foods. 

Melissa Wilson

Melissa Wilson

Program Support

Melissa has been a member of the team since 2022. She is creative and fun, and loves to help students bring out their own creativity!
 
When she isn’t working, Melissa enjoys spending time with her pets, family and friends.
Katherine Nerima

Katherine Nerima

BASE Camp Facilitator

Katherine Nerima is joining Oak Learners in 2024 as a camp counsellor. Having worked in camps and daycare’s for going on six years she is excited to bring her knowledge and experience to the Oak Learners space. With a passion for fashion, arts, sports and film she is excited to bring new meaning and fun to these categories in camp. To Katherine, the early years of youth set the foundation to who they become and how they get there is nothing more rewarding then taking part in the building blocks to their success!

Our Tutoring Team

Aaron De Melo

Aaron De Melo

Tutoring Coordinator

Aaron has been a teacher in the private sector for almost 10 years, specializing in teaching students with exceptionalities, particularly those with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. He has worked with children of all ages, ranging from 4 to 16. Aaron has delivered a number of programs aligned to both the Science of Reading and Structured Inquiry approaches throughout his teaching practice, including: the Orton-Gillingham Approach, Direct Instruction, and JUMP Math. He embarked on a professional singing career after high school, studying at The Royal Conservatory of Music for a short time before deciding to pursue a career in education while still singing and making music out of pure love and joy. As an undergraduate, Aaron attended McMaster University, University of Toronto, Queen's University, and University of Waterloo, where he received a bachelor's degree in liberal studies. Aaron also received a certificate from the Institute for Orton-Gillingham Educators. Aaron is currently in the process of becoming a professionally certified educational therapist with the National Institute for Learning Development. When he is not busy working, he enjoys reading, being in nature, getting involved in community outreach, and spending time with family and friends. Aaron has been a member of the Oak Learners team since September 2023.

Anand Sarju, OCT

Anand Sarju, OCT

Teacher

Anand is an OCT certified teacher and has recently joined the Oak Learners team. He hopes to bring his love of hands on, experiential, and creative learning to the school and form strong connections with the students. He has worked in a variety of classrooms, and is a committed and caring addition to the teaching staff.

Outside of teaching, Anand enjoys, reading, playing basketball, making music, and photography.

Joseph Wentworth, B.A. Hons, PGCE

Joseph Wentworth, B.A. Hons, PGCE

Teacher/Tutor

Joseph has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2022 when he moved from London, UK to Toronto. He joined as an Elementary Teacher and was the 2022 Summer Camp Director. Joseph brings almost a decade of experience of teaching and developing program curriciulum in the UK and is passionate about teaching Physical Education and inspiring his students to excel.

In his free time he enjoys watching and playing football (soccer), along with exploring new places!

 

Katie Hartford, B.Sc.H., MBA

Katie Hartford, B.Sc.H., MBA

High School Tutor, Math & Science

Katie has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2020. Katie has an Honours Bachelor of Science in Astrophysics from McMaster University and an MBA at the DeGroote School of Business. She has always had a passion for Math and the Sciences and loves having the opportunity to pass that passion on to others while helping them to find success. She has always loved teaching and has been a strong member of the Oak Learners team since our inception in 2017.
 
When she isn't working, Katie loves being active, rock climbing and running regularly, and playing tennis and hockey when the weather allows. She also loves curling up with a good book and spending time with her family and friends.
Richard Crooks, MSc, PhD

Richard Crooks, MSc, PhD

Upper Level Math & Science Tutor

Richard has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2022. Richard is a biological scientist with a PhD in protein chemistry and an MSc in clinical bioinformatics. Before moving to Canada, he worked in universities and hospitals in England, where he is originally from, and also volunteered at an orphanage for disabled children in Armenia. He is extremely knowledgeable about biology and chemistry. He has an enthusiasm for science that he loves to share, and tries to find exciting ways to explain complicated topics.

In his spare time, Richard enjoys learning languages, playing guitar and canoeing.

Our Music Faculty

Natalie Julien

Natalie Julien

Music Program Director

Natalie has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2021.  Since then, she has been teaching music lessons, musical theater and hosting classes for Little Rebels. Natalie holds two post-secondary diplomas in Musical Theatre and grew up studying classical music through the Royal Conservatory of Music for voice & piano, regularly competing in festivals. She has been teaching for the last 13+ years in many different capacities and is an active stage and screen performer. She has spent a lot of her life caring for children as a nanny and brings an empathetic, patient and holistic approach to teaching. Nothing makes her happier than seeing a child’s confidence and instrument flourish! 

 

Adam Houle

Adam Houle

Music Teacher

Adam has been a member of the Oak Learners staff since 2021. Adam is a professional drummer/percussionist with a strong passion for music and teaching, He has over 11 years of playing experience in multiple styles (Rock, Funk, Jazz, Latin etc.) and have been teaching music for 7 years. Adam believes a great teacher is one who can assess not only a student's current musical ability, but determine what style of learning the student thrives in. He is passionate about helping his students develop their individuality as artists.  He holds a Bachelor of Music from Humber College as well as a degree in Broadcasting & TV production! He is available to teach drums & piano. 

In his free time, Adam continues to practice his own musical skills and has impressed many other Oak Staff with his amazing covers!

Read the Staff Spotlight on Adam HERE.

 

Kristina Poleva

Kristina Poleva

Music Instructor: Guitar, Ukulele, Piano

Kristina has been a member of the Oak Learners team since 2022. She graduated from Kyiv National University in Ukraine and received a bachelor's degree in Translation studies. She studied piano for 8 years and then guitar and ukulele for 2 years. Since 2018, she’s been playing in different bands, writing music in different genres, and teaching music both in Ukraine and Canada. Kristina’s goal is to teach children to be fearless in expressing themselves through music and be capable of improvising, creating and playing their own music. Kristina is available to teach piano, ukulele, guitar & songwriting and has developed a music recording program that will be offered at Oak Learners in 2024. 

 

Aditya Basavaraj

Aditya Basavaraj

Music Instructor: Guitar, Drums, Piano

With over 14 years of experience playing and performing in multiple genres (rock, blues, pop, metal, r&b, etc) and more than 5 years of experience in tutoring, Aditya brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to his craft. He holds a Grade 8 Certification in Guitar from Trinity College London, and loves playing and teaching other instruments like the Piano, Ukulele and Cajon. Aditya is also well versed in drawing, painting, audio recording and music production. He believes in fostering and nurturing the creative genius within every child to bring out the best in them.

Aditya is currently accepting students in drums, piano, and guitar at our Lake Shore location on Saturdays

 

Celine Tchang

Celine Tchang

Early Childhood Music Teacher/Piano/Vocal/Percussion & Trombone

Celine Tchang (she/her) is a Toronto-based musician and educator known for enhancing student engagement and learning through innovative lesson plans. Having previously worked as a Music Coach at Humber College’s Community Music School, Celine has crafted age-specific routines and interactive lessons that captivated all ages. By integrating physical activities to boost focus and aligning lessons with Ontario Curriculum guidelines, she has empowered students to transcribe rhythms and pitches, create, perform, and reflect on their musical experiences.

She actively performs as a trombonist in various ensembles such as jazz orchestras, concert bands, symphonic orchestras, and jazz combos. She has also acted as a recording engineer and mixing engineer on multiple projects.

 

Partner Showcase: A New Take on Outdoor Education with Larchwood Nature OT Programming

At Larchwood Nature OT we are developing courage, confidence, coordination and deep care for our precious environment in all of our clients. Nature offers many opportunities for supporting development of the mind, muscles, senses, and emotions.

Shifting Families from Chaos to Calm

Partner Showcase: Shifting Families from Chaos to Calm

The Secret Tool that Can Instantly Shift Families from Chaos to Calm (and for some reason, nobody seems to ever talk about it) “Did you brush your teeth?” “Don’t forget to pack your gym clothes.” No TV right now, hurry up and eat your cereal.” “Did you put your trip...
Teacher Interview

Oak Learners Classroom Teacher Interview #2 – Emma van der Jagt

The concept of teaching and learning matching is that it impacts learning in a way that encourages students to respond more positively to instructional methods while informing faculty about effective teaching practices. This encourages collaboration between the teacher and student which in turn reduces classroom management issues.

Recent research has shown that it is not as effective for a teacher to change their teaching preferences to suit the students in their classroom because they may not be as comfortable teaching in that manner.

Teacher Interview

Oak Learners Classroom Teacher Interview – Maggie Robertson

At the heart of Oak Learners are the teachers that work with students every day to create an environment for the learners to excel with every project, task, and endeavor they complete. We wanted to interview some of our teachers to see their perspectives on their teaching field, get to know them better, and see what inspired them to become a teacher. The first interview we did is with Maggie Robertson, a teacher at Oak Learners wanting to share her experiences! Enjoy!

Partner Showcase: Humber College Placement Student

Oak Learners has teamed up with Humber College and various other colleges to gather talented students from across Canada to work inside the school. Nick started at Oak Learners in the summer of 2022 as a placement student on the administration team. Nick shared what he has learned from working at Oak Learners and what takeaways he has from the placement.

Creating a Culture of Inclusivity: How Our School Values Diversity and Equity

At its core, inclusivity means recognizing and valuing the diversity of our students and ensuring that each and every one of them feels welcome, supported, and included in our learning community. This includes students of all races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities.

Partner Showcase: Little Yogis

All of the benefits that yoga brings adults are amplified for children, which is why it’s important to introduce yoga to children during these impressionable years. Yoga encourages an acceptance of oneself that comforts them during times of self-doubt. It encourages a mindfulness that creates a positive outlook, increases confidence, and builds resilience tools that kids can use their entire lives.

Seneca College Partner Feature

Partner Showcase – Seneca College Internship with Oak Learners

The concept of teaching and learning matching is that it impacts learning in a way that encourages students to respond more positively to instructional methods while informing faculty about effective teaching practices. This encourages collaboration between the teacher and student which in turn reduces classroom management issues.

Recent research has shown that it is not as effective for a teacher to change their teaching preferences to suit the students in their classroom because they may not be as comfortable teaching in that manner.

Spotlight on our amazing music teacher, Adam!

At Oak Learners, we are fortunate enough to have professional musicians on our team, and this time we are spotlighting our drum/percussion/piano teacher, Adam! When he is not touring or gigging around the city, Adam can be found teaching at both the RY and LS locations!