Devin Allen

Art teacher Devin Allen has been involved in the art and culture industry for the past ten plus years in a variety of ways. He has worked for galleries and museums, taught art for age groups from kindergarten to adults and worked as an art therapist for the Positive Art Workshop in Beijing, assisting people afflicted with HIV/AIDS express and understand themselves through the visual arts. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio in the U.S.A. he completed degrees in Art Education and Art History at Capital University and has furthered his study at The City College of San Francisco, The International House of Seoul and the Tianjin Tang Gu Art Academy.

Devin has been living and working in China for the past six years in the Chinese public school system as well as bilingual schools in Beijing before coming to BCIS. Additionally he has acted as a consultant for the Yuan International Contemporary Art Center, The Asia Art Fund and Fellini Gallery. Currently he is teaching grade six and seven MYP Art and remains actively involved in the Beijing and international art community.

Rhona Bowley

Rhona was born and spent her early childhood in Manchester, UK before moving to her parents’ native Ireland where she received her secondary education. She gained her BA in Ancient and Modern Literature at Trinity College, Dublin and went on to complete a Post Graduate Certificate in Education the following year at Goldsmiths’ College, University of London, UK. Rhona also holds a Certificate in Teaching ESL (College of New Jersey, USA) and a Masters in International Education (Bath University, UK).

She taught in secondary schools in the UK before taking up her first overseas appointment with her husband, Nick, in Nigeria. This was followed by assignments in Tanzania, Jordan, Syria, China and Italy. Her most recent teaching experience includes 10 years working in both the IB MYP and Diploma programmes. She has taught English A and B, ESL and Humanities at all MYP grade levels and English A1 and A2 at Diploma level.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Rhona has been involved in introducing and implementing the MYP in schools through her work in curriculum development and as an Area of Interaction leader and Grade Level leader.

Kevin Bradley

Kevin was educated in the UK, USA and Switzerland. He studied History at the University of Southampton before embarking on a career in the IT sector. During his year in industry Kevin realised that education was his real passion and took the jump into the teaching profession studying for a PGCE at the University of Roehampton in London.

Kevin’s first teaching job was in a comprehensive school in Berkshire in the UK. During his five year stay he was promoted to Head of the History department and Assistant Director of Studies for Grades 7 and 8. He became an associate member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team and developed an interest in school curriculum planning and assessment strategies.

The pull to move abroad proved too strong and Kevin moved to Belgrade, Serbia to take up his first teaching job at an international school. This new opportunity gave him the opportunity to develop his ESL teaching and use of ICT in the classroom.

Kevin enjoys travelling, football, good tempered political debate, the occasional run and video games which Mrs Bradley tells him he is too old to play.

Emma Bradley

Emma is originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland. After studying Geography at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow she completed her Master’s degree in PR and Advertising with Communications at University of Ulster, Belfast.

Emma spent some time working in the Arts before deciding to pursue her teaching career. She lived in Seattle in the USA where she worked for a multimedia company as Marketing Officer and was Press and Marketing Officer at a children’s film festival in Belfast. This experience working with young people made Emma realise that her true passion was education. Emma completed her PGCE at the University of Oxford in the UK. She spent five years teaching Geography at a comprehensive school in the UK and had the role of Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator.

Emma has travelled extensively around the globe and has also lived in Budapest and Japan where she taught English for almost three years. She has joined us from the British International School in Belgrade, Serbia where she taught English Language, Geography and ESL.

Emma is thrilled to be in Beijing and cannot wait to explore the city. She is interested in the Arts and loves to visit museums and galleries. Emma is also a great fan of eating out and is looking forward to the culinary delights that Beijing has to offer. In her spare time Emma enjoys photography, music and of course travelling and exploring new places. Emma loves being in the classroom with students and is passionate about enabling them to learn and thrive.

Olivia Chen

Olivia graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University in 2004 with her Bachelor's degree in Chinese literature.To pursue advanced study in Chinese,Olivia spent three more years learning Teaching Chinese as a Second Language in BLCU in which she obtained her Masters degree.Teaching is one of Olivia's great interests as it gives her opportunities to apply her confidence and enthusiasm. Before Olivia joining BCIS in July 2010 Olivia taught at another IB school in Beijing for three years. During this time she qualified to teach Chinese to many different age levels from 8-18 years. Additionally she is familiar with the Chinese DP curriculum and has related teaching experience. As a warm-hearted and dedicated educator, Olivia enjoys teaching and being with students. Olivia likes literature, cooking, reading, writing, movies, music and shows a great interest in the culture of aesthetics. Olivia also contributed a regular movie review column for a fashion magzine in 2008-2009 and is a published author of short stories.

 

Phillip Clarke

With over 20 years teaching experience in the Performing and Visual Arts Phillip started his teaching career in Adelaide, South Australia, and for the past 13 years has worked in international schools in Indonesia, Malaysia, Germany and Venezuela.

Phillip completed his Diploma of Teaching and Bachelor of Education at the University of South Australia, and worked at two Adelaide High Schools as a Drama teacher. He also worked as a writer/director for two of South Australia's leading youth theatre companies. At different times in his career, Phillip has taught students from K- 12 in Drama, Art and Physical Education.

He has the ability to help students use the dramatic and performing arts to examine themselves and their world in new and surprising ways. His teaching skills in puppetry, dance, improvisation, circus and video production make exciting ways for students to express their ideas and understanding. Looking towards the future he is excited by the possibility of extending the IB Theatre Arts program to diploma level at BCIS and collaborating with the school community on dramatic productions and arts events.

Phillip is here in Beijing with his wife Jane Farrelly, a grade five teacher, and their young son, Leo. Their older son, Louis is studying at university in Australia.

Nick Daniel

Nick has worked in international schools in Latin American and Asia for 17 years, including stints in Argentina, Peru and Thailand. He has 12 years experience in IB programmes, and 5 years experience with IGCSE and A level. He has taught IB Diploma English A1, A2 and B, IB Diploma Theory of Knowledge, and MYP English A and B. Nick comes to BCIS from a school in Bangkok, Thailand, where he was Theory of Knowledge Coordinator and a member of the MYP steering committee. Nick has been an IB Diploma examiner for both English and Theory of Knowledge since 2001. His first degree is in English Language and Literature, from the University of Manchester, U.K., and he has a Masters in Education, from the Open University, UK. Nick is also a team member for the accrediting body CIS (Council of International Schools).

David Dasari

David Dasari is a qualified Science teacher with 16 years of experience. His teacher certification is in High School Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry. He also holds a Masters of Arts in Education [School Administration & Supervision] from the University of Phoenix in Arizona, USA.

David has worked at international schools in South Africa (American International School of Johannesburg), Qatar (Qatar Academy) and Dubai (Dubai International Academy). He is trained and experienced as an MYP Science teacher, and has held several leadership positions including Head of Department, grade manager (year level coordinator) and MYP Area of Interaction Leader. David has also taught Middle School Mathematics.

David’s personal educational philosophy centers on his belief that ALL students CAN learn. In line with this philosophy he is committed to differentiating instruction and assessments in his classes so that learners of all abilities are engaged, challenged, and feel valued.

In his free time, he loves strumming his guitar and writing songs; as well as hiking and reading. He also enjoys coaching middle school soccer. He is looking forward to new adventures in China.

David is part of the Science department at BCIS.

Pushpa Dasari

Pushpa Dasari is from South Africa, and has been in involved in education for the past 13 years. She holds a Bachelor of Education Honors degree (University of South Africa); a Higher Diploma in Education specializing in Botany and Zoology (Transvaal College of Education – South Africa). She also holds a Diploma in counseling skills (Institute of Counselling – Glasgow), and a Masters in Education degree specializing in Educational Psychology (University of South Africa).

She has taught a variety of subjects ranging from the Sciences to Algebra and Geometry. She has also worked with students of different learning needs, providing individualized assistance in Mathematics and Science. Pushpa has worked at international schools in South Africa, Qatar and Dubai. She is well versed with the MYP programme, and has previously held Area of Interaction leadership positions in Health and Social Education and Approaches to Learning. Her most recent experience is as a Senior School Counselor.

Pushpa loves reading, hiking and playing squash. She is excited about exploring the historical and cultural aspects of China.

At BCIS, she joins the learning support team, where she hopes her experience in working with students with diverse needs will help each child achieve success.

Colleen Drisner

Colleen is from Canada and has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo witha joint honors degree in Applied Business Studies and English Literature. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto and a Masters from the Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne.

A qualified Secondary teacher in Canada, Colleen first came to China in 1994 where she trained teachers at the Hainan Institute of Education. In addition to teaching, she has worked in Human Resources and business development.

Colleen loves chocolate, reading and travelling. She, her husband,their three children and dog live a life of adventure in Beijing.

Megan Eddington

Megan is from Australia where she graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1999. After completing her teaching qualification she ventured to Shijiazhuang, China, and Hong Kong teaching English as a second language, among other subjects. Returning to Tasmania in 2003, Megan continued to teach ESL at high school level. During this time she also completed a Graduate Certificate of Education and a Diploma of Languages at the University of Tasmania.

Megan is excited to return to China with her family and continue her teaching career at BCIS. Her husband, Dean Eddington, will also join BCIS in 2008. Together they look forward to meeting and working with students, teachers and parents.

In her spare time, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and exploring new places. She is also hoping to improve her Chinese language ability by making the most of living in Beijing and exploring China.

Ian Flude

Ian graduated in 1989 with a BA in industrial design from the University of Coventry in the UK and spent the subsequent fifteen years variously designing products for international corporations, running his own web design company and as principal designer in an international design consultancy. He is a British citizen but has been living internationally for almost twenty years living in The Netherlands, Austria and Morocco prior to moving to Beijing. He has been involved in education since 2004 and has previously worked at Rabat American School (Morocco) and Western Academy of Beijing. Ian has lived in Beijing since 2006 and is married to Lori Key, who teaches at WAB. His hobbies include cooking, soccer and designing furniture.

Xinyu Fu

Xinyu Fu (Helen) grew up in Beijing and from her childhood it was her goal to be a teacher. After gaining her BA degree in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from Beijing Language and Culture University, she chose to teach MYP and IB Chinese courses in Beijing. These courses support Helen’s view that teaching and learning are a dynamic and interactive process. After two years teaching in her first international school, Helen went to the United States. There, she taught in a boarding school in Connecticut. Upon her return to China, BCIS was her first choice of school in which to continue her career.  Helen enjoys working, sharing, and being at school with her students and colleagues.  Helen likes reading and watching movies in her spare time. She also travels a lot during vacations.

Qin Gong

Qin Gong originally taught intermediate and advanced Chinese at the International Chinese Language & Culture Center at Tsinghua University and was later invited to join in the Summer Chinese program co-hosted by the Northwestern University (America) and Tsinghua University (China) because of her excellence in teaching. She was then sent to Australia by the Chinese Language Council International to teach Years 7-12 students at the Friends‘ School, Hobart, Tasmania from January to December 2009.

Qin Gong recently returned to China to finish her Masters Degree in Teaching Chinese As a Second Language (TCSL) at Beijing Language & Culture University and is to graduate this June. BCIS was her first choice of school when she decided to continue her teaching career. Qin Gong’s aspiration as a teacher is not only to improve the communication skills of her students but also to broaden their conceptual understanding of their own cultures as well as the culture related to the target language. She wants her students to realize that learning means the willingness to absorb everything new and good. It’s an ongoing journey towards being a better person. To Qin, teaching is a never ending process of learning and she just loves this journey!

In her spare time, Qin likes journal writing, practicing Chinese calligraphy, studying tea culture and performing the Chinese tea ceremony. Qin also likes traveling and sports.

Adam Goldstein

Adam graduated from James Madison University in the United States with degrees in History and Anthropology. After teaching American history for three years in Virginia and extensive global travel, Adam decided to move overseas. The global focus of IB Geography was a perfect fit for his interests and he has taught Geography in the International School of Luxembourg and Munich International School for eight years. Most international school teacher clichés apply to Adam as he enjoys travel, learning about new cultures and looking at issues with an open mind. Cycling, camping, cooking, and sipping tea are other activities he enjoys. His goals in Beijing are to learn Sichuan cooking and gain an appreciation of Pu’er tea.

Lea Grinter

I was born in Australia and I have been teaching for 20 plus years in Middle and High Schools in various states of Australia and in other countries. I graduated from Rusden College with a Bachelor of Physical Education. While supporting Indigenous High and Middle School students with their writing, I decided that ESOL was the place to be. I gained an RSA/Celta Certificate in 1998. I taught Grade 7 Maths and Social Studies in North Carolina, USA and won the VIF National and North Carolina Teacher of the Year awards in 2001.I travelled extensively and worked in the USA for three years. I returned to Western Australia to teach Indigenous students and study for my Masters in TESOL. After graduating from Deakin University I moved to Istanbul, Turkey to teach ESOL and Humanities in Grades 7 to10. I am now in my second year here at BCIS, teaching Language B English to Grade 6, 7 and 9 students. I am married to Andrew Wheeler and we spend all our holidays travelling. I love being in China for the work and travel opportunities. I love being here at BCIS!

Ellen Heyting

Ellen is from sunny Melbourne Australia, although she has only spent about 5 of the last 10 years there. She did stick around long enough to graduate from The University of Melbourne with an Honours Degree in Communications and Psychology, a Post Graduate Diploma of Education and a Master’s of Teaching. She’s had a long interest in international education and has recently finished her Master’s thesis which examined the psychological experience of Third-Culture Kids. Between stints of full time study and teaching at government high schools in Melbourne, Ellen has also spent the last 5 Northern winters running a ski and snowboard school in The Eastern United States, as well as travelling whenever she gets half a chance.

Having attended an international school (in Prague) herself and completing the IBDP as a student, Ellen has a strong appreciation of the programme, having seen it from both the student and teacher angle. Ellen is crazy about psychology (that was the first of her many psych jokes) and hopes her students have half as much fun in her class as she has teaching it. Ellen has also taught geography, history and mathematics, though her jokes are not as good in those subjects.

Outside of school, Ellen lives up to all the stereotypes. Like a good Australian she loves the water (swimming, surfing and the beach), playing sports (wintersports, basketball and ultimate frisbee) and abbreviating. Melbournians, of which Ellen is a prime example, take three things very seriously; good coffee, grungy live music and dressing in all shades of black. Also, like every other international school teacher she loves to travel, experience new things and to stay up to date on current events. Ellen is excited about her time in Beijing, especially exploring the city on her bike, seeing how many chillies are too many in Szechuan cooking and making the most of the proximity to the champagne powder snowfields of North Eastern Asia.

Timothy Jones

 

Sun Jian

Jian was born in Jiangsu Province and gained Her BA in Teaching Chinese as a second language at Suzhou University. She went on to study in Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) from where She gained her masters degree in the same major. Jian also holds a Chinese high school teaching certificate , which was issued by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education.

Jian taught in Tsinghua University before traveling to the UK where she taught Chinese at GCSE and IGCSE levels, and Cambridge Pre-U in Winchester College. BCIS is the first international school She has chosen to work in after returning from the UK; she is very excited to join the BCIS family!

Jian enjoys teaching and loves being with students and working in a multicultural environment. In her spare time she likes watching movies, traveling, singing and learning other languages.

Patrick Kitsao

Patrick was born and raised in Kenya, Africa. He holds a Masters of Science degree in applied mathematics and Bachelors of education degree from Kenyatta University, Kenya. After graduating, Patrick began working with an international school in Kenya, before moving to the United States where he taught Mathematics in a public American high school.

Patrick is extremely excited about moving to Beijing and in particular BCIS and views this as an opportunity to grow both professionally and socially. He is particularly happy about the IB system of education being offered by the school.

He is eager to make the best from this opportunity.

Haiyan Li

My name is Li Hai Yan, and I am Chinese. I have been teaching Chinese at Beijing No.4 Middle School since 1999. In this time I have developed various elective courses such as Chinese Festivals and Customs, Culture and Food, and so on. I love the depth of Chinese culture and history, and believe that the best way of learning a language is to get deeply involved in the culture, to experience the customs and people, to feel the characteristic art of the language from an ethnic background. I will guide my classes through this idea.

My interests include traveling, and many physical activities, such as skiing, swimming, jogging and badminton. I love musicals and drama, and I am interested in visiting all kind of exhibitions in museums and galleries, experiencing mankind’s culture and civilization.

I truly believe that, with my passion, I will be able to contribute to the development of teaching Chinese in our school.

Liu Lei

Leslie Liu was born in China and lived in Beijing while growing up. She graduated from Beijing Foreign Study University with a degree of English and is currently doing her second bachelor Degree in Teaching Chinese As a Second Language at Beijing Language and Culture University. Leslie just completed a Graduate Certificate of International Education in London UK where she learned and shared good teaching practices with educators from all over the world. Leslie is an energetic, enthusiast, and passionate educator who believes in the Constructivist methods of teaching.

Leslie enjoys working in a culturally diverse environment where she can continue to expand her educational experiences. Before joining BCIS in 2010, Leslie worked for ten years at another international school in Beijing.

Lu Li

Lu graduated from BeiJing Normal University where she majored in Chinese language and literature. The knowledge and skills she learned in school are essential to her success in teaching. She taught Chinese in a local school for four years, swiftly being promoted to head teacher. Being a teacher at BCIS is exciting and Lu looks forward to raising student interest in learning Chinese.

Lu is young and open-minded, and therefore finds it easy to relate to students. She is familiar with many topics in which the children are also interested and this helps her to communicate with them. In her spare time, Lu likes to read and socialize with her friends.

Mark Lombardo

Mark Lombardo was born and raised in Maryland, on the east coast of the United States. He taught in both private and public schools before venturing abroad to teach in international schools. Mr Lombardo has taught in schools in Singapore, Peru, Switzerland and, most recently, in Tianjin, China.

He teaches Humanities but has also taught English, French and Speech and Debate. Mr Lombardo has a Master of Education degree and Bachelor of Arts degree and done graduate work in French, Geography and History. He is currently pursuing another master’s degree in Humanities.

Mr Lombardo enjoys reading fiction and non-fiction, as well as biking, sailing and scuba diving. He is proficient in French and Spanish and is enjoying the challenge of learning some Chinese. Mr Lombardo is passionate about the Humanities and is keen to spark his students’ curiosity about the world around them.

Wally Mann

Wally grew up in New Jersey, USA.  He earned a BA in Journalism from University of Georgia and a M.Ed. in Special Education from Arizona State University.  While teaching public school in Phoenix, AZ, he began a program to teach inner-city youth Ultimate Frisbee.  It became quite successful and his school encouraged him to create an annual School-wide “Ultimate Frisbee Day” similar to “Sports/Field Day.

Over the past 14 years in education, Wally has had the opportunity to teach at every grade level, K-12.  One of his strongest attributes is his ability to build strong relationships with students. His passion, enthusiasm and sense of humor help to engage and motivate his students to be proactive about their learning.

While teaching at Munich International School in Germany, Wally participated in a weeklong “outdoor education” retreat with one hundred 8th graders.  Facing his fears along with many students, he successfully repelled 45 meters out of an Italian 14th century castle window and scaled a 30-meter rock wall.  This experience influenced and reinforced his views regarding the value and importance of outdoor education and the role it plays in the development of positive self-esteem, autonomy and social skills among students.

Living in Beijing and working at BCIS is a “cultural feast” of enrichment for Wally.   He considers it an honor to work with such a talented, passionate and diverse community.  Currently Wally teaches learning support in the high school.  In free time, he enjoys experimenting with Chinese recipes, exploring the city neighborhoods and traveling internationally to compete in Ultimate Frisbee Tournaments.  This past summer, Wally and his wife competed in the World Ultimate Frisbee Championships held in Prague.

Jock Macgillivray

Jock Macgillivray comes from Manitoba, Canada.  He is married to Sheila Ascencio, who hails from Mexico and teaches in the BCIS elementary school.

Jock graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in History in 2000, and again in Education in 2002.  He has taught in South Korea, England, Mexico, Eritrea, United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan before coming to Beijing in 2011.  He has worked in three IB schools prior to joining BCIS.

Jock loves to read history books, run, travel, and cheer on his favorite ice hockey and American football teams whenever possible.

Rebecca Mohr

Rebecca Mohr began teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages while studying at American University in Washington, D.C. Her career began with an opportunity to volunteer in the local community. While working with refugees from various countries, Rebecca realized that she loved helping others learn. She also appreciated the cultural exchange that took place in an international classroom. Rebecca joins the BCIS team after teaching in schools in Spain, France, and China. She is very excited to be a part of a growing school community and hopes her previous experiences can contribute to that growth. Her love of languages and cultures makes Rebecca feel at home at BCIS and in Beijing.

Rebecca has her B.A. from American University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from George Mason University. When she’s not teaching or studying, Rebecca enjoys a variety of hobbies. She likes reading, soccer, yoga, hiking, climbing, and learning languages.

Stephenie Ngai

Stephenie was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  She pursued her post-secondary studies at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where she earned multiple degrees, mostly related to Life Sciences.  Her particular field of interest is molecular biology and the study of cancer.  Stephenie is also interested in the care and treatment of sports injuries and served in an athletic therapy program, assigned to the women’s lacrosse team, at Queen’s University.  She also worked as the Chief Official of Soccer for the Queen’s Intramural Program.

Prior to joining the Science Dept. and EA team at BCIS, Stephenie worked as a PE teacher, and then as a senior science teacher in two different schools in Monterrey, Mexico, and also spent four years in Singapore, working as a senior biology teacher and Athletics & Activities Coordinator.  She has coached in every school she has worked in and has enjoyed the wonderful experience of growing a championship senior girls’ basketball team over three years at her last post in Singapore.  Stephenie is passionate about developing student leaders and dedicated much of her time to supervising the HS Student Council in her last school.

Stephenie is true to her Canadian roots and enjoys playing ice hockey in her leisure time.  She also loves reading, cooking and all things science!  Stephenie looks forward to being part of the BCIS community, exploring her host country and getting into the culture of Beijing.

Dave Nguyen

Dave Nguyen was born in Vietnam but was raised in Oshawa, Canada. He earned his Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science at Trent University. He then received his Bachelor of Education at the University of Western Ontario.

He has been teaching at a high school in Northern Quebec to Inuit students in Mathematics/Science for the past four years. Dave is now thrilled to be in Beijing with his wife, a Grade 4 teacher, and can’t wait to learn more about his own heritage as he is half Chinese.

During his spare time, Dave enjoys playing competitive sports, especially basketball, badminton, baseball and squash.

Anna Park

Anna is from South Korea and has taught in South Korea and China for almost 30 years.

Anna graduated from Korea University where she majored in Korean Literature. Her teaching experience includes several years working at Hui Kyung High School and Korea University in Korea, and 12 years at the Tianjin Foreign Language University in China. At the International School of Tianjin she taught the IB Diploma program for four years as a part-time teacher, and in her last year there she became a full-time IB DP and MYP teacher.

Anna likes writing and has composed many essays. She wrote about Chinese culture in a Korean newspaper called China Economics for one year, and for three years she was also a supervisor and editor of a Korean program on Tianjin Television.

She is very interested in the IB Diploma and MYP courses. Teaching these courses was a new challenge for her but she is now an experienced IB teacher. She is married and has a daughter and a son. Her husband is retired but was previously a professor at Korea University where he taught Chinese Literature.

Bradley Parkin

Bradley was born and raised in a small rural town in Victoria, Australia. After graduating from high school, Bradley moved to Perth, Western Australia, where he completed his Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education at Edith Cowan University. Bradley taught in Western Australia for three years before coming to China where he taught DP Physics in an international school in Guangdong province.

Bradley is a young and energetic teacher, who enjoys observing students as they learn. Bradley believes that education is an active process and subsequently enjoys energetic lessons with a student-centred focus.

In his spare time Bradley enjoys exploring Beijing on his bike and taking photos.

William Percy

Will joined BCIS from Hangzhou Foreign Language School where he served as the Centre Principal of the Cambridge 'A' Level program. Following military service Will joined the teaching profession in 1999 having gained a 1st Class honors degree in International Business Management from Staffordshire University in the United Kingdom.

Before coming to China, Will taught for six years in the UK, enjoying his time as a teacher of Business and Information Technology. Will graduated from the National College of School Leadership and achieved the National Professional Qualification for Headship, which he was able to put to good use as Assistant Head Teacher / Director of Enterprise Education at the Ellowes Hall Specialist Sports College in the UK.

Will has a strong track record in Enterprise Education, having developed the first full Level 2 enterprise qualification in the U.K., and is enjoying bringing his passion for I.T. and his experience in enterprise to BCIS.

Victoria Steven Parr

Victoria comes from a British family but was brought up in Barcelona, Spain. After finishing her BA in Translation and Interpretation at the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona and specializing in languages, Victoria completed her teaching degree. She worked as an ESL teacher in Spain and in 2006 she moved to Düsseldorf, Germany, where she taught ESL and Spanish. After working at the International School of Düsseldorf for 2 years as a Spanish teacher she decided to move to Beijing and join BCIS.

Victoria loves being with children, awaken their curiosity, inculcate them the love for the language and help them learn the necessary skills to develop it. One of her teaching priorities is to make students feel comfortable and safe in class, as she believes that when students feel relaxed they are more likely to become better inquirers and life-long learners. Being trilingual and being brought up with three languages has given her the opportunity to develop the skills and understanding required when teaching a second or even third language and create a multicultural awareness in her teaching.

Victoria is really excited about being in Beijing. She can´t wait to explore the Chinese culture and practice her singing skills in the karaoke bars. Her personal goal is to learn Chinese and be able to have a basic conversation.

Silvia Reyes

Silvia Reyes was born in Bogota, Colombia, where she graduated as a Historian in 1999. After her studies she went to Italy before starting her teaching career. In 2001 she moved to Spain and lived in the southwest of the country, very close to the Straits of Gibraltar where she researched sub-Saharan migration into Spain. She worked with students from local and international schools with the aim of sensitizing them about the issues of cultural diversity. This experience developed her interest in multicultural studies and her commitment to international education.

After her experience in Spain she went back to Colombia with a strong motivation to continue her work as an educator with the aim of promoting common, shared values inside culturally diverse groups. She was a lecturer of European and Latin American History at Javeriana University in Bogota. In 2004 she received the opportunity to teach MYP Humanities in an IB World School in Bogota and in August 2006 she went to Ukraine to join an IB school in Kiev where she taught MYP Humanities and Diploma Spanish Ab Initio until June 2009. For two years she was also committed to her MA in International Education, which she successfully completed in June 2009.

Adrian Shepherd

Adrian is from England, where he worked as a classical ballet dancer, martial arts instructor and climbing teacher before gaining his degree in Sports Science from DeMontfort University and his teaching certificate from Cambridge University. After University, Adrian worked in experiential management training worldwide, before teaching PE at an international school in Thailand. For the last 5 years he taught post 16 students to become outdoor education instructors at a tertiary education college in Devon, UK.

Adrian enjoys teaching all ages of students and believes that his job is to engage and inspire students so that they can make informed choices in life. In his own time, Adrian Enjoys climbing and mountaineering, canoeing, dancing and spending time with his wife and 2 children.

Liz Shepherd

Liz is from Devon, England and has an Honours degree in Physical Education from De Montfort University, Bedford. After beginning her career in the UK she taught PE and Swimming in Thailand which fueled her desire to continue working internationally. She is passionate about inspiring students to achieve to the best of their ability in every area of PE. She has travelled extensively around Europe and South East Asia and is looking forward to exploring China. Liz's husband, Adrian also teaches PE at BCIS and they have two girls in the Elementary school. As a family, they like being in the outdoors and take every opportunity to ski, cycle and hike. Liz also loves playing netball and is a qualified coach.

Steven Selkirk

Born and raised in a small Canadian city, Steven attended Canadian universities and completed degrees in English Literature and Journalism. After graduating from an education program in New York state, he moved to China to begin his teaching career. Following teaching jobs in Tianjin and Zhejiang province, Steven settled down in Beijing.

Steven is a dynamic and dedicated teacher who brings a lot of energy into the classroom. His previous training as a journalist and professional writer will help the students to develop strong writing skills. Steven favours a student-centered environment that encourages self-discovery, independence, and helps to produce critical-thinking students prepared to move forward into higher education.

Steven will be teaching Language A in the Middle Years Program and English A1 in the Diploma Program.

Kori Sickles

Kori hails from the great state of Iowa (U.S.A.). He earned his Bachelor of Arts in biology from the University of Northern Iowa (Go Panthers!), then moved on to earn his Master of Science in Exercise Science from the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!). During that time, Kori spent his summers running day camps overseas. These experiences sparked his love for working with children and interest in teaching. He decided to return to the University of Northern Iowa where he received his teaching license.

Kori completed his teaching internship and stayed on as a substitute teacher (pre-K-12) at an international school in Thailand (2003). Then he moved to Korea, where he spent a year as a substitute before moving into the grade five classroom. After three years, Kori made the transition with his students to the middle school where he taught science for the next three years.

In addition to teaching, Kori likes to stay active by participating in a variety of activities, such as running, triathlons, basketball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, etc. He also enjoys traveling and learning about various cultures. Being at BCIS provides a great opportunity to work with and learn from a diverse student population, while being in Beijing adds the ability to learn more about the host culture, especially the language and the food!

Darren Skov

Born in Canada, Darren grew up in Adelaide, Australia where he completed a Diploma of Teaching and a Bachelor of Education. During his career in Australia, he has taught in a variety of school settings from a small area school in the middle of Kakadu National Park to large, prestigious private schools in Perth. His classroom experience has ranged from Grades 1 through 12, mostly teaching Physical Education and English.

August 2005 saw the start of his adventures in China, in Fujian Province. He moved to Guangzhou and the International Elementary Program at Clifford School in July 2006. It was there he gained his first insights into international education and through conversation with friends became interested in the IB.

In his spare time he loves anything to do with physical activity, when he can squeeze it in between his studies for a Master of Education degree.

Darren loves living in China and the myriad of opportunities on offer, but dearly miss his beloved ocean activities. Before leaving Australia, he always felt happiest in the wide open, deep blue sea.

Darren is very excited about working at BCIS. He and his wife Andy look forward to becoming part of the BCIS community.

Lynda Slattery

Lynda Slattery is an accomplished educator, originally from Australia and has been teaching overseas for the past 11 years. The last six years at schools in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Qatar, which were at different stages of implementing the MYP and IB Diploma. Lynda has taught MYP English, Language A, ESL and English A1 at Diploma level and is very committed to the IB Programmes and their philosophy.

A qualified Secondary English teacher, Lynda has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Queensland (1990), a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary teaching) (1991) from the University College of Southern Queensland and most recently receive a Master of Applied Linguistics from the University of Southern Queensland (2004)

My approach to education is best summed up as being 'Student centred' with an emphasis on collaboration, particularly small group work, pair work and peer tutoring. "I believe it is essential that students be actively involved in their own education, with the teacher as a facilitator or resource.” “I endeavour to foster independence and a passion for learning in my students".

BCIS is an exciting place to be working and each and every day brings with it new challenges and rewards.

Mick Furniss

Michael completed his Masters of Teaching at the University of Sydney in 2003. Before joining BCIS, he taught Chemistry at the Qatar Leadership Academy. Prior to this, Michael was a senior biology teacher in Sydney.  He is originally from Wollongong, Australia, a steel mill town with great beaches. Amongst other things, Michael really enjoys cricket, traveling, rock climbing and watching almost any sport.

Rina Tamayo

Rina Tamayo was born in one of the most populated conglomerates of the world: Mexico City. Since then she has had the opportunity to live in other cities, all big: Los Angeles, Paris and now Beijing.

With her two children, Camila and Valentin, she is very excited to live in this ancient and yet modern city. She is a proud contributor to BCIS growing community and is thrilled to be part of the development of an educational project of this magnitude.

Before coming to Beijing she worked for 10 years at a renowned international school in Mexico City. Besides being the Head Librarian for the Middle School and having an Advocacy Class every year, she has served as the community and service coordinator and the honor society chapter advisor. She has had Middle Years Programme training in Mexico and Argentina and has also attended many workshops in recent educational trends, like differentiated instruction and multiple intelligences, to mention a few.

She received a BA in Cultural Anthropology; an MA in Latin American Studies and a MLS in Library and Information Sciences from UCLA. She speaks English, Spanish, French and understands Portuguese.

Richard Todd

Richard Todd is from Cleethorpes in England. He gained his B.A (Hons) in Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Preston Polytechnic (UK) in 1985. Before earning his teaching certificate from Newcastle Polytechnic in 1990, Richard worked in varied environments including a Creche, Advertising sales and being self-employed. In 1990, Richard moved to London where he worked as a Primary School teacher for 4 years in the Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Richard worked in Kuwait English School between 1994 and 1996. He moved to Beijing in 1996 to work at BISS. Here Richard had many different responsibilities ranging from Early Years Coordinator, Visual Arts Teacher to IBDP CAS Coordinator. Richard is an IB DP Visual Arts Examiner.

Richard teaches G6-12 Visual Arts at BCIS. He brings his love of Visual Arts, Music, assessment and all things creative to this new and forward looking school. Richard is an active practitioner in the arts and produces photographs, paintings and drawings as well as being a musician and performer.

Robyn Turner

Robyn Turner is from Victoria, Australia and completed her Bachelor of Education (Hons) at La Trobe University where she went on to lecture and do research in mathematics education. Robyn has international experience, including providing pedagogical and curricular development to teachers in Doha, Qatar. She has taught in schools, mostly at the middle years level and provided professional development to teachers both in Australia in internationally,

Robyn completed her Masters of Education (Research) in 2008 and is considering undertaking an Educational Doctorate in the future. She believes that education is a critical filter through which children learn to be active, empathetic and knowledgeable members of our communities. Through developing personal, academic and interpersonal skills, students become borderless, life long learners who are capable of making reasoned decisions about their impact on the environment, thus becoming informed and understanding of other cultures and able to make intelligent and effortful contributions to their future.

Robyn has two children who have enjoyed and learnt much from their travels. Alexander, at 15 is determined to be a palaeontologist and Isabella, 12, is considering her options.

Rebecca van de Vlierd

 Rebecca is from Cromwell, New Zealand and has been teaching Music for the past 6 years.  She graduated from Otago University in New Zealand with a Bachelor of Music (honors) majoring in contemporary performance and composition and afterwards, graduated from Dunedin College of Education with a secondary school teaching qualification.  She then spent 3 years teaching in Auckland before moving abroad, where she taught Music at an international school in Dubai for 3 years.

Rebecca's principal instrument is the piano keyboard but also enjoys playing guitar, bass guitar, oboe and saxophone. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys songwriting and recording; she also enjoys performing in different groups outside of school life.  

Jason Ward

Jason left the UK in 1996 and his journey to BCIS has spanned four countries and three continents teaching History and Humanities along the way. He joins us from Kiev where he was the Middle Years coordinator for three years and he previously held teaching and administrative posts in Colombia and Spain. His career in education started in the UK and kicked into life when he discovered international education. He studied Modern and Medieval History at the University of Birmingham and recently supplemented his PGCE with a MA in International Education from Framingham State College. Jason enjoys eating out for breakfast, spending time in the city's art galleries and his longer holidays close to nature. He is a keen footballer, cross country runner and cyclist and one of his ambitions is to cycle the South American leg of the Pan-American Highway.

Andy York

Andy grew up and was educated in the United Kingdom. After studying electronics and working in the electronics industry for several years he read a Bachelor of Education at Leeds Metropolitan University. In 2009 he updated his skills and knowledge by reading a Graduate Diploma (Technology Teaching) at Waikato University in Hamilton New Zealand. Andy taught Design Technology and ICT for four years in the UK before moving to the Middle East to teach in International Schools in Qatar and Bahrain. From 2003 until 2011 Andy taught Technology and Graphics in several New Zealand High Schools. His main interests in the Technology field are electronics, robotics, graphics, computer aided design and innovation. Andy spends his time outside of school engaged in kendo, t’ai chi chuan and mountain biking. He likes to travel and is enjoying the challenge of learning Mandarin. He has found immersion in Chinese culture fascinating and very rewarding.

Danny Yu

After a long and successful career as a professional (chartered) electrical engineer at Nortel where he was instrumental in designing a cellular network across Canada, Danny went to University of Ontario Institute of Technology to gain his B.Ed. to pursue his childhood passion as a licensed teacher in 2004. He has taught in Canada and two international schools in southern China before joining BCIS. Danny’s interest in building things can be traced back to the time when he was a grade two student. In that year, he built a 1:16 scale 3D model of the World War 2 Tomahawk fighter jet from a picture. There is no doubt that Danny enjoys working with children and, in particular, developing their hands-on skills. In his spare time, Danny loves the outdoors and hopes to explore different parts of Asia while he is here.

Amelie Zhang

Amelie was born in Beijing, China. She completed her teaching qualification after graduated as a IT programmer. Post accomplishing the course of Teaching Chinese As an Additional Language, Amelie started teaching. She taught in one British School in Beijing, and moved to Guangzhou as Head of Chinese and Head of Chinese Language B. Amelie has become an accredited interactive whiteboard trainer and TEFL qualified EAL teacher. She has been working in international schools for eight years before she joined BCIS.

Amelie has a wide range of interests including Yoga, reading, photography and travelling. One of her greatest personal achievements this year was to climb to Mount Annapurna base camp in Nepal. Amelie is very enthusiastic about extending Chinese language and culture, and she believes that even teaching one of the oldest languages like Chinese, modern technology must be used to enable the students to become balanced communicatior.