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.

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 has been a member of the team for multiple years and truly strives to bring innovative, engaging lessons to her students BOTH inside and outside of the classroom.

She continues to strive to create outdoor education that is meaningful and relevant to the learning taking place within the class setting.

Although her time at Oak Learners is used as both Lead Teacher and Vice-principal, Mishka’s first priority and true passion is seen when working with the middle school students at our Lakeshore campus.

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.

Meriam Rekkas is an OCT certified teacher and a new member of the Oak Learners team. She has a passion for art and loves to bring her artistic creativity to the classroom. Her teaching philosophy involves a hands-on, student-led approach that adapts to the unique needs and skills of each individual, unique child.

Meriam’s hope is to inspire children to embrace their creativity and individuality as they learn and grow each day!

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 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. 

Anayah Helwani was born into a large, close-knit family, Anayah has
always understood the value of support, love, and togetherness. Growing up in a home with multiple siblings, she quickly learned how to balancing different personalities and responsibilities, often stepping into a leadership role when needed. Her nurturing nature being an attentive listener and ability to stay calm under pressure made her an excellent fit for what Oak learners is about.

Anayah showed an interest in working with children. She’s volunteered at local
organizations, where she had the opportunity to work with mentally challenged kids.
Her compassionate and patient demeanor helped her form deep connections with
these children, and she quickly became skilled in adapting her approach to meet their
unique needs in a fun and creative way. Anayah’s experience taught her how to
effectively communicate, manage behaviors, and create an environment where
children feel safe, respected, and valued.

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 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. 

Audrey is very excited to be joining the Oak Learners team as a private tutor! Although she is a recent hire, she’s quite familiar with supporting students one-on-one with their academic and social-emotional development. She has worked with primary students of all ages, ranging from 4 to 12, in different learning environments. She has worked as an independent private tutor for the past five years. She also holds experience working with university undergraduate students!

A growth mindset, a positive student-teacher relationship, and a strength-based
approach are the three major ingredients Audrey holds in her teaching approach. She
believes meaningful learning can only happen in environments where students feel
confident and safe enough to express their ideas, take risks, and make mistakes. It is
her responsibility to provide such an environment.

She holds a: Master of Education and a Bachelor of Education from Brock University, and a (Hons.) Bachelor in ECS. She’s also a member of the Ontario College of Teachers.

When she isn’t working, Audrey loves engaging in small creative projects! She loves walking her dog, solving puzzles, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

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. 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.

Rana is an OCT certified teacher with years of international teaching experience. She recently completed her M.Ed in Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of Toronto, focusing on innovative teaching strategies and differentiated instruction. Before that, Rana obtained her B.Ed and spent six years teaching elementary students in Macau. She has worked with kids from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, always adapting her teaching to meet their unique needs. She believes that every child has their own needs and talents, and she is dedicated to helping them thrive through patience, empathy, and creativity.

Outside the classroom, Rana loves reading, cooking, hiking, photography, and traveling. She enjoys exploring new places, experiencing different cultures, and
continuously learning—just like her students!

Aroop pursued her studies in psychology and education with a deep commitment to understanding how best to support student development and learning. Growing up in a French-speaking environment, Aroop developed a strong foundation in the language, which she continued to build upon throughout her academic journey. After earning her degrees, Aroop worked in a private school for four years, applying her expertise to create effective teaching strategies and support individual student needs. This role allowed her to integrate her linguistic skills into her teaching methods. As a current member of the York Region District School Board, Aroop believes that as a teacher, it is her duty to show children they are capable of achieving their goals and can be successful with hard-work, effort and patience. Aroop strongly hopes to inspire and encourage children to become the best possible version of themselves.

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. 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.

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!

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.

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.