Tasha grew up in rural Ireland, where she developed a passion for wilderness hiking and adventure. From her earliest childhood Tasha wanted to be a teacher, cajoling friends and siblings into endless games of “schools”, where she took on the teacher role. After gaining a Masters degree in Child Development and Psychology, Tasha combined her joint passions for teaching and adventure, and embraced life as an international teacher.

Tasha has been working internationally for over twenty years, making the most of professional development and adventuring opportunities wherever she goes. From the wilds of Siberia to the Arabian desert, from Cairo to Tokyo to Moscow, Tasha has learned from the people and places she has encountered. She is excited (and grateful) for the opportunity to combine her passions once more, this time in the amazing country of China, so rich in culture, history and landscape.

Central to Tasha’s pedagogical beliefs is the idea that education is more than preparing children for tomorrow; it is about meeting children where they are today, ensuring that every child develops a sense of belonging and identity and can form life-affirming relationships with the people and spaces around them.

Tayia was born in England and has spent several years teaching internationally in countries such as China, Italy and Vietnam. During this time, she worked as a homeroom teacher within IB accredited schools.  

Tayia graduated from York St John University and went on to complete a Post Graduate Certificate in Education at Nottingham University. Having previously taught in China, she is eager to return and delve deeper into the vibrant culture of Beijing. 

Outside of work, Tayia enjoys reading, traveling and learning about different cultures. She is extremely excited to join the BCIS community for the 2024-2025 school year.

Sarita Ngarden joins BCIS as a grade 4 EAL teacher. She has been a homeroom teacher, a math and science specialist teacher as well as an EAL teacher. She has over twenty years of teaching experience in culturally diverse international environments having taught in Thailand, Myanmar, India, Egypt and Canada. As a teacher, she is committed to catering to the individual needs of students and providing them the best personal learning experiences. She strives to build caring relationships with her students and inspire them to make positive contributions to the global community. In her classroom, each culture and tradition is celebrated and is valued as an asset to learning. Building strong community partnerships are the values that she holds central to her pedagogy. She is interested in implementing and supporting contemporary best educational practices. She is a lifelong learner and is always keen on embarking on personal and professional improvement. Her hobbies are hiking, traveling and reading. She enjoys cooking and exploring new cuisine and new places.

Paul Kroska, Coach K, and he loves teaching physical education (PE). He has seven years of experience teaching PE in the US and South Korea. He has extensive training through the state of Wisconsin where he received a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in PE. In addition, he completed a Post Graduate Certificate in School Leadership of Mental Health and Wellbeing from the UK.

The history of PE has often mirrored societal trends and issues. Examples are: fitness for preparing soldiers, sports training for elite athletes in global competitions, and physical activity to combat obesity. 

In combination with all the previously mentioned trends, he believes that the main role of PE has now shifted towards enhancing student’s mental health and physical well-being. PE has the power to enhance student’s mental and physical health through: student choice of activities, utilizing physical activity to cope with stress, and building emotional/social skills through cooperative and competitive play.

It is privilege to share his life passion with the BCIS community. His hope is that students, staff, and parents, will enhance their participation in physical activities that strengthen their social, mental, and physical wellbeing.

Lucy Zeng, a Master of Education graduate from Capital University of Physical Education and Sport. She has a strong memory of learning sports during her time in Denmark. With seven years of teaching experience in international schools, covering diverse curricula including PYP, MYP, and Common Core. Along with five IB certificates, Lucy is renowned for her exceptional bilingual teaching skills and profound knowledge of IB and AP programs. Passionate about sports coaching, Lucy excels in badminton, ultimate frisbee, cheerleading, flag football, and swimming. Eagerly looking forward to the upcoming year, Lucy is thrilled to impart her expertise in Primary PE at BCIS.

Jessica is from Los Angeles. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and French from University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University. She taught in public schools in the United States for four years and has been teaching in China for the past seven years.

Jessica believes that children are highly capable and strives to create a classroom environment where they feel safe to be themselves, ask questions, and pursue their own interests. She gets most excited when students think critically and challenge information they have been given and capitalizes on these moments by facilitating deeper discussions and encouraging further exploration. Jessica prioritizes socio-emotional learning, explicitly cultivating a culture of empathy by modeling it, reinforcing it, and recognizing it through teachable moments in her class.

Jessica is a lifelong learner and avid reader, who consistently seeks feedback and collaborates with other educators to continue improving her skills. She cherishes spending time with her family and enjoys reading, traveling, and playing tennis in her spare time.

Erin grew up in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. Becoming a Rotary Exchange student introduced her to the unique learning possibilities provided by travel. Since then she has lived in a variety of places, with her most recent position taking her to a remote Inuit community above the Arctic Circle! She feels privileged to be joining the BCIS community.

A seasoned educator, Erin has over 15 years of experience, including several years as a Teacher-Librarian. She encourages reading for enjoyment, as well as for learning, which is seen as she learns alongside students, teachers, and the wider school community. 

Erin has a Bachelor of Arts, Honours in History (Trent University), and obtained her B.Ed from Queen's University. A lifelong learner, she has additional qualifications in Teacher-Librarianship, EAL learners, and Special Education. Erin is currently working towards Instructional Leadership Certification from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education. Her professional memberships include the Ontario College of Teachers as well as the American Library Association.

In her free time she enjoys reading, swimming, playing board games, learning about Chinese culture, and practicing her dumpling making skills!

My name is Wayne van Wyk, and I was born in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa. From a very young age, I knew that my calling in life was to become a teacher. It brings me great joy to shape young minds and inspire them to reach their full potential. Over the past 15 years, I have dedicated my career to teaching elementary grades, witnessing the incredible growth and achievements of my students.Apart from my professional life, I am a family-oriented person who treasures spending quality time with loved ones and friends. I have come to realize that the simplest things in life often bring the greatest pleasure. Whether it's enjoying a wholesome meal, engaging in meaningful conversations, or taking a walk in nature, these moments bring me immense happiness.I have always been inquisitive and fascinated by the power of the human mind. Understanding its potential and exploring its depths is a personal interest of mine. However, I also appreciate the balance between intellectual pursuits and leisure activities. I find solace in watching good movies, diving into captivating books, and immersing myself in the great outdoors.I have completed a Master's degree with a focus on leadership. This complex subject has deepened my understanding of effective leadership, and through my research and exploration, I have come to believe that self-reflection is a cornerstone of effective leadership. This principle guides my approach as I strive to support and inspire others. Additionally, I love to indulge in travel adventures, which broaden my horizons and expose me to different cultures and perspectives. Every new destination is a platform for learning and self-discovery.In summary, my passion for teaching, cherishing life's simple pleasures, exploring the human mind, and continuous personal growth through education and travel all define me as an individual. I believe in the power of knowledge and strive to inspire and empower others to reach their full potential.

Sophia is from Beijing. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Flinders University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from Beijing Language and Culture University. 

Sophia has been working with many students across different grade levels since she joined BCIS in 2009. She enjoys working with the students and always feels proud to see the students grow in any area.

In her spare time, Sophia loves swimming, hiking, cycling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Sian was born in England but raised in Canada and the USA with Chinese immigrant parents. She did her Bachelors in Psychology with a Masters in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. For her student teaching experience, Sian experienced a dual language school in both Mandarin and English which opened her eyes to international teaching.

After being a homeroom teacher in 4th grade in the Fairfax County school system in Northern Virginia for two years, she decided to go back to her parents motherland in China. Sian has been living and teaching in Beijing as a homeroom teacher for 2nd grade since 2020 and started her time at BCIS during the 23-24 school year in a new grade and position as the Grade 5 EAL teacher! She will be continuing as an EAL teacher in Grade 1 for the 24-25 school year.

Aside from teaching, Sian enjoys many other activities. Her passions include hiking, yoga, and singing. She enjoys baking (especially chocolate chip banana bread) and snuggling with her cat while reading a good book.

Hello, my name is Ms. Patty Park, and I am excited to join BCIS for the 2023-2024 school year as a 4^th grade teacher. I have been teaching for 7 years, having taught both 4th and 5th grade back home in Virginia and here in Beijing. I have a Bachelor’s in Early/Elementary education and a Master’s in Teaching from Virginia Commonwealth University. I am certified to teach Early/Elementary PK - 6th grade. I’m passionate about teaching and helping students to reach their full potential. I believe that it is important to build a positive relationship with each student and create a safe learning environment.

I have two dogs, Ruby and Ernie, and a cat, Jimmy. I enjoy reading, hiking, and singing for my cat. Currently, I’m learning to speak Chinese. I began my international teaching journey here in Beijing, back in 2021 and I’m excited to continue that journey at BCIS. I look forward to working with the students and families of BCIS!

Rita Liu is from Beijing and grow up in Hutong. She has a deep attachment to her hometown and is fascinated by the traditional Chinese culture.

The 8 years teaching experience in international schools has equipped Rita with an inclusive growth mindset. During the past 4 years, Rita has been teaching in EAL department at International School of Beijing, which not only sharpened her metalinguistic awareness but also inspired her to advocate for multi-language learners.

Rita received her bachelor’s degree in English language arts from Beijing Sports University. She holds the Chinese teaching license in English as well as the elementary teaching license from the US, District of Colombia. She also holds the TESOL certificate with practice certificate by International TEFL and TESOL Training Center.

In addition to travelling around the world, Rita has many personal interests. Rita volunteers with a community- based agency in Beijing that provides services to families with autistic children. Another of her passions is animals. Therefore, she also gives freely of her time at a local animal adoption facility. Evidence of her extracurricular interests trickle into the classroom, by way of books, photographs and other artifacts.

Rita is excited to be a part of BCIS family this year!

My name is Michael-Ashley Jones and I have been teaching for 7 years. I graduated from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Education. After graduating and only teaching for 3 months I took one of the biggest leaps of my life by daring to take on an international teaching position in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Not only did I grow as an individual and teacher, the other blessing was that it was there that I met my wife Elizabeth. After we got married we moved to Beijing to teach at the Canadian International school of Beijing. In August 2021 my wife and I accepted teaching positions at the American School of Kinshasa. I taught Grade 2 in my first year and Grade 3 in my final year. This is where our eldest son graduated in July 2023. My favorite thing about teaching is taking kids from the known to the unknown and witnessing those “ahaaaaa” moments when understanding is visible. I love incorporating my love and passion for music in to the class and sharing with the students. My wife Elizabeth, and our 4-year-old daughter Amaya-grace are extremely excited to join and be part of the BCIS family! I love exploring new places, languages and cultures, writing and performing music.

Kim Bergen grew up in rural Southwestern Ontario. She comes from an agricultural family where she is the oldest sister of four brothers.

She graduated from St. Clair College for Early Childhood Education, from Wilfrid Laurier University for Bachelor of Arts, and the University of Windsor for Bachelor of Education.

She has taught in Beijing for over 10 years at the elementary and early years levels. Kim believes that children learn best when they are active and engaged in their own learning.

She is active in the community and can often be found helping as a volunteer leader for a charity group focused on sustainability through conscious fashion . In her spare time she enjoys discovering Beijing, reading a good book and paper crafting.

Kim loves living in Beijing with her son and she is happy to be part of the BCIS community.

Kieran grew up in Plymouth, England on the precipice between city and countryside. He discovered a love for exploring the world when travelling around Europe at 18 years old.

Kieran has achieved a BA in Business Management from The Open University and an iPGCE from the University of Sunderland. During his 8 years of international living he has held a variety of teaching roles including teaching assistant and support teacher focusing on English and Maths when he taught in Kuwait, and supply teacher across early years, elementary and high school at BCIS. This wide teaching experience has helped develop the ethos of achieving learning through independence and challenge coupled with support and collaboration that guides his hand as a homeroom teacher and as a learner himself.

He enjoys the experiences and adventures that China and Beijing offer, particularly exploring parks, hutongs, and the Great Wall. Kieran can usually be found keeping fit in the gym, running or playing football, or with friends enjoying video games, board games and long discussions about movies, games, science-fiction and fantasy.

Jun is from Singapore and she has been working internationally since 2010. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Elementary Education) and Master in Education from The College of New Jersey. Growing up in a multi-cultural environment, she has always had an interest in learning languages and immersing herself in new cultures.

Jun first taught English in Japan before becoming a Kindergarten Homeroom teacher at Innova Early Years Center in Beijing. This will be her 9th year in teaching and she is excited to be part of the BCIS community. She enjoys working with young children and values the importance of incorporating play and actual experiences into learning. She believes that the classroom should be a nurturing and open community where children have the freedom to explore and express themselves, while developing the skills required for them to navigate the real world.Outside of work, Jun stays active through yoga and hiking, and she also enjoys visiting museums and going to the movies.

My name is Jordan Sprentz. I am from Burlington, Ontario, Canada and have been teaching in China for more than a decade and have 7 years PYP experience. I am a certified elementary school teacher and I have a Master’s in Education in Teaching Multilingual Learners.

I firmly believe that students learn best in an engaging and challenging environment and that is the role of the teacher to ensure that every student is provided with opportunities to be successful and demonstrate their growth and understanding. I take great pride in developing positive home-school relationships and ensuring that all students are provided with a safe and respectful learning environment.

When I’m not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two kids. We like to go on bike rides, play sports, or spend the day relaxing at a pool. When we are not outdoors, you can find us reading books, playing board or watching movies together.

My name is Elizabeth and I have been teaching for 15 years. I graduated from the University of Potchefstroom with a Bachelor’s degree in education and an honors degree in educational psychology. I started my international teaching career in 2015 when I accepted a teaching post at an international school in Saudi Arabia. This is where I met my husband Michael-Ashley. We moved to China shortly after we got married and taught at a PYP school (Canadian International School of Beijing). In August 2021 we accepted teaching positions at The American School Of Kinshasa. This is where our eldest son graduated this year. My husband Michael-Ashley Jones and our 4-year-old daughter Amaya-Grace will be joining me on our move back to Beijing.

I love outdoor activities, reading and writing, dancing, music, traveling and baking. I’m looking forward to having loads of new adventures with the BCIS family in Beijing.

Ben has a BA in Applied Social Science, and an MSc in Psychology in Education from the University of York. After spending some years working as a photographer, he went on to complete his teacher training at the University of Portsmouth where he gained a PGCE in English. 

Before joining BCIS, Ben worked as class teacher special needs school in Portsmouth in the UK, where he was responsible for designing highly personalised curriculum content to support the needs of each Individual student he worked with. Ben is a strong proponent of using a relational approach to teaching, and that learning happens best when students are empowered to take on active roles in their learning and personal development.

When not working, Ben enjoys being outdoors hiking and camping.

Amy is from Hunan, China. She has acquired her Master degree in Music Education in University of Northern Colorado. Amy is also a violinist who played for the University Orchestra during her study time in the States and currently playing in Beijing International Chamber Orchestra. 

As a music educator, before joining BCIS Amy has worked in other international schools in Shanghai and Beijing for 8 years. She is an experienced teacher of general music class, instrumental ensemble and choir. She is passionate about teaching music with different methods and seeing the impact music can make in children’s life.

Besides playing instruments and singing, Amy also loves dancing and longboarding in her spare time. She enjoys traveling around the world and getting to know different cultures with her family. 

Amy Jordan received an Honours Bachelor Degree in Applied Social Studies in Social Care from Carlow College in her home country of Ireland. She started her career as a Social Care Worker focused on Special Needs Education.

With an aspiration to work in international education, Amy moved to China for her first English as a Second Language teaching position. Her love of travel and gaining new experiences took her to Mexico, where she was a whole-school English Language teacher. Two years later she made her return to Beijing as a Science and English teacher. During this time, Amy completed her PGCEiwith the University of Nottingham. She has continued to develop professionally, receiving various certifications from the International Baccalaureate and Stanford University. For the last 4 years Amy has been a PYP homeroom teacher for grades 1&2 and is excited to join the grade 3 team at BCIS this year.

Now in her ninth year of teaching, Amy is always excited to share her knowledge and experiences with her students as she encourages and supports them through their educational journey. Amy is enthusiastic about creating a fun, interactive environment in the classroom and the wider school community. Positive feedback, open communication and developing strong relationships with students are key elements of her teaching.

Outside of work, Amy enjoys experiencing new cultures and cuisines and loves spending time outdoors with her husband and dog.

Albert was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He was raised on an orange farm nestled between the mountains. There he developed a love for both plants and animals. 

Mr. Albert studied at Stellenbosch University, where he majored in English and Psychology. He then proceeded to complete his PGCE at the same university.

Social issues and student wellbeing is very important to Mr. Albert. He strives to make his classroom feel inclusive and encourages his students to explore new ideas with confidence and an open mind. He believes that each student brings their own unique skills and talents to the classroom. Every opinion is valued by Mr. Albert and is seen as an opportunity to learn.

In his free time Mr. Albert enjoys playing rugby and skating around in the hutongs. He enjoys discussing new ideas and it is even said that he sometimes reads for fun.

Albert is incredibly excited to meet his new students and is looking forward to learning new things from them.

Lily comes from Liaoning province. She holds a Master’s degree majoring in Primary Education from Beijing Normal University. Lily has teacher certificates both in Kindergarten Education and Primary Education. 

Working at BCIS has offered Lily valuable chances to develop professionally. She is honored to be a BCISer and feels warm in this community. She has 11 years of teaching experience, including Early Childhood to G3 at BCIS as a Homeroom Teacher and Chinese Teacher. Lily believes students can learn better through personalized, differentiated, and inquiry-based learning. She values building in students’ interest, ability, and strength to stimulate thinking to extend their learning. 

Lily likes singing, reading books, practicing Chinese calligraphy, spending time with family, meeting friends, and doing sports in her spare time.

Born in Manchester, England, Alex studied at Nottingham Trent University where in 2004 he gained a BSc with honors in Design and Technology. Already knowing that teaching was his passion, he went on to receive his PGCE in 2005.

In all he does, Alex’s aim is to create the best learning experience for his students, to explore and develop their transferable skills through Technology in a safe, creative, and encouraging learning environment.

His career in England provided him with a variety of settings, challenges, and influences that have shaped the teacher he is today. Alex started teaching in an inner city estate school and then, four years later, moved to a large, newly built academy as a second in department. This second school provided him with the opportunity to help create a Design and Technology department from scratch, leading it’s first cohort to academic success.

Alex and his wife love the excitement of living in China, and are thrilled to be part of the BCIS community. Alex’s love of building computers and playing computer games will continue in this land of wonder and adventure…. as will his ever growing collection of Transformers, much to his wife’s dismay!

Amy grew up in Devon, England and completed her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology at the University of Exeter before completing her Post Graduate Certificate of Education in Primary Education in 2011. Amy then went traveling for a few months before returning to Devon to teach at an international boarding school. Here, she was primarily a classroom teacher to KS1, but also held the role of Primary EAL teacher and also taught lessons to Years 3, 4, 5, and 6. During the summers, she coordinated the English lessons at the school’s Summer Camp to international students wanting to learn more English.

In 2015, Amy moved Kuwait to teach Year 6 in an American school and then Year 3 in an English Curriculum school. In Kuwait, she picked up her two cats who have come to Beijing with her. She attempted to learn Arabic and hopes she will be better at Mandarin.

Now in Beijing, Amy is proud to be a teacher at BCIS and is enjoying the curriculum, culture, and sightseeing opportunities. She enjoys going to the gym, swimming, being outdoors in the sun, watching films, trying out new activities, and spending time with her husband and friends.

Anna comes from the beautiful countryside of Devon, in the UK. After gaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree (with Honors), in Creative Art and Creative Studies in English, from Bath Spa University she went on to work full-time as a professional photographer. Anna then caught the teaching bug and decided to re-train; as a mature student she studied her Post Graduate Certificate in Education with Sunderland University.

Anna loves living in Beijing with her husband, Alex Davies, who also works at BCIS and has lived here since 2012. As well as providing supply teaching to BCIS she has also been a private tutor, volunteer artist in residence and has her own photography studio.

Being passionate about creativity and education, Anna adores teaching Art and relishes the chance to help students understand, express and experience the creative process. She is very happy to be a part of the supportive and imaginative BCIS community.

Having a wide range of creative interests keeps Anna busy. Her photographs fill her hard drive, but when she puts the camera down for a moment, she also loves to read, visit art galleries, watch films, and explore amazing new countries with Alex.

Although Belinda was born and raised in Fiji, she has lived in a number of countries at various stages of her life, including New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. She moved to Beijing in 2008 with her family when her husband took up a diplomatic posting here.

Belinda was educated in Fiji and New Zealand. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Management and Geography, as well as a Bachelor of Commerce Degree. Both degrees were attained at the University of the South Pacific. She also has a TEFL in China Certificate.

Before moving to China, Belinda worked for the Fiji Development Bank in Research and Marketing, and later, briefly, as an auditor for Ernst & Young. Over the last year, she has been a Supply Teacher for both the Elementary School, as well as the Early Childhood Center.

In her free time, Belinda enjoys being with her family, reading, and keeping fit. She has participated in a number of sporting events over the last few years, including the Beijing Half Marathon, the Angkor Wat Run in Cambodia, the Beijing International Triathlon, and the Beijing Spartan Run.

After being a parent at BCIS for many years, Belinda is excited to embark on this new role and continue being a part of the BCIS community.

Tor hails from the beautiful country of New Zealand (Aotearoa) and was blessed to have music surrounding her every day. Through music, Tor has enjoyed learning the guitar and piano, and writing music. Tor obtained a Bachelor of Musical Arts in New Zealand in 2015, where she also gained a graduate diploma in teaching and learning (primary).

This is Tor’s 8th year in Beijing and 7th year of teaching, with the exception of having time off to give birth to her two beautiful girls. Tor started off teaching kindergarten and Grade 1 and also had time to experience the delight of teaching pre-K movement and music classes. This will be Tor’s fourth year teaching PYP and she’s really enjoying teaching an inquiry-based curriculum where she can help nurture children’s natural curiosity.

Having had the opportunity to take various dance, drama and music after school activities, Tor has appreciated seeing the creativity that children have. Tor’s really looking forward to learning more from the students and the teaching team here at BCIS.

Ashia was born and raised in the Washington, D.C., area in the United States. For the past 10 years, she has worked as a homeroom teacher in international schools in Qingdao and Beijing. She has extensive experience teaching at the Pre-school, Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 levels.

Ashia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Counseling, a Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education, and a Master of Education specializing in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) for K-12 learners. She also holds dual teaching certifications in Elementary Education (PreK–6) and ESL (English as a Second Language). 

Ashia joined BCIS during the 2024–2025 school year as a Grade 2 EAL (English as an Additional Language) teacher, supporting Tier 2 students. She is deeply committed to honoring the identities of Multilingual Learners (MLL) and incorporates translanguaging practices as a cornerstone of her teaching philosophy.

Outside of work, Ashia enjoys traveling, cooking, and exploring new restaurants, which inspire her to bring diverse cultural perspectives into her classroom.

Chris is a primary school teacher, who is passionate about promoting a growth mindset in all of the children he teaches, with the ambition to create resilient learners. He believes that having excellent relationships with all students and parents is at the centre of effective teaching and learning.

Chris completed his Post Graduate Certificate of Education at Swansea University, in the United Kingdom. Prior to this, Chris worked as a Teaching Assistant in a local primary school. After receiving his teaching certificate, Chris worked in a school in Cardiff for many years, taking on a variety of roles and responsibilities.

In 2019, Chris fulfilled his ambition to teach and live abroad, working for two years at a bilingual school in Beijing. Chris is very excited to now have the opportunity to work at BCIS and be part of the school community.

In his spare time, Chris loves to keep active, playing a variety of sports and he also enjoys reading and traveling.

Diana is from Beijing. She received her Master’s Degree at Beijing Normal University with a major in Chinese Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. She taught Chinese and Calligraphy for a few years before joining BCIS. During her time at BCIS, Diana has received a lot of professional development training, and is very much enjoying her time with students. She loves supporting the students' learning and personal development. She is happy to be a part of the BCIS community.

In her spare time, Diana loves practicing calligraphy, reading books, and traveling with her family and friends.

Ni hao, Kia Ora and Talofa lava! Miss Tala is so excited to be teaching at BCIS. More importantly, she is thrilled to be teaching Grade 5 students.It is going to be a great fun year full of lots of learning adventures.

Tala was born and raised in the city of sails known as Auckland, New Zealand.She is of Samoan decent which is a small island in the Pacific Ocean very similar to where the Disney character Moana comes from.She is very fortunate to have been raised in a loving family, learning and embracing the NZ culture as well as her parents’ Samoan culture.Both cultures, values and beliefs have moulded and shaped the person that she is today.

In her younger years, Tala enjoyed a lot of the science subjects and had a strong interest in community health, so she pursued further studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science degree from the University of Auckland. Then, from the same university, she completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Primary/ Elementary Teaching.

Tala has been teaching since 2009, and most of her teaching experience has been in Auckland, New Zealand.She has taught a range of different age groups and children with different learning needs and abilities.The last five years, she has taught Grade 2 and Grade 5 in Beijing, China.She has learnt a lot from her talented students, just as they have learned from her.

Tala has a passion for teaching, and she believes that every child comes into the classroom with their own unique talents, and her job is to provide a safe learning environment for them to develop their skills and talents, and for her students to be lifelong learners. She is looking forward to an amazing year with her students, homeroom parents and colleagues~ ‘The Best Is Yet To Come!’

Elizabeth was born and raised in the beautiful city of Christchurch, in New Zealand. She is a passionate educator who has taught from Pre-K to Grade 6 in New Zealand. Elizabeth believes in facilitating exciting and engaging learning opportunities, which empower her students to explore and challenge the world around them. She studied at the University of Canterbury and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching and Learning in 2015.

As a life long learner herself, Elizabeth enjoys reading, music, traveling, and experiencing new cultures. She is very thankful to be a part of the BCIS community.

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge- Albert Einstein”.

My name is Sunette Smit and I am a passionate teacher from South Africa. I studied at North-West University and obtained my Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase in 2012. I lived and worked abroad in Zurich Switzerland and Sydney Australia. I have experience teaching different age groups in different countries, and teaching subjects like mathematics, art, history, and science. I enjoy stepping outside my comfort zone and trying new things and am always keen on new adventures, trying different sports, learn about all art forms and different music styles.

With the experience I gained so far, the greatest responsibility as a teacher is making a child fall in love with the learning process. As a teacher, I believe that every child is unique and special. My job is to witness it and give guidance where I can. Working abroad provides the opportunity to meet new people, and being introduced to new cultures provides me the chance to be more patient and understanding, learn as much as I can, and adapt to the best of my abilities. Working with a supportive and prospering community like BCIS is a wonderful opportunity. A school where you can work with young minds, and see them creating a better future, but also giving back to their community.

Françoise has been teaching for over 15 years specializing in additional language education. She has taught in Japan as an ESL teacher, Canada as a French Immersion teacher and has been working in Beijing, China since 2017. During her time in Beijing, she has worked in two IB-PYP schools as both a literacy coordinator and an EAL teacher. Françoise has her Bachelor of Arts in Languages, a Bachelor of Education in French as a Second Language and her Master’s in Education. She holds a teaching license in elementary education as well as her Structured Literacy Certificate from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. As a lifelong learner, she continues her own professional development with studies in the Science of Reading and MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support). She recently received her International IBEN workshop leader certificate from the International Baccalaureate Organization and her Instructional Leadership Certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is passionate about multilingualism and advocates for all her students through evidence-based strategies that promote inclusive educational practices. Françoise is an active member of BCIS’ DEBJ committee.

Grace is originally from Singapore and has been a Homeroom teacher since 2005. She moved to Beijing in 2009 and taught in other international schools. She joined BCIS in 2016 has taught various grade levels and enjoys how they bring different challenges. She joined the EAL team in 2022 because she passionate about translanguaging and bilingualism. Teaching in an international setting across cultures also helps her view the world from different perspectives.

Her educational credentials include a double major in Psychology and Marketing from Monash University, Australia and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary). She is passionate about teaching through inquiry and appreciates how much she learns in return from her protégés.

Grace loves discovering new facets of Beijing and traveling around the world. Being an epicurean and avid reader, she divides her free time between experimenting in the kitchen, having culinary adventures, and reading on her favorite couch with a cup of tea, usually nibbling on something she brings back from her travels.

Grace is pleased to be a part of the BCIS family. She feels privileged to be working with such a lovely community.

Greg was born in Venezuela to Korean parents and raised in the United States. He completed elementary school in the US, graduated from middle school at an international school in Peru, and returned to the US to receive his high school diploma. Afterwards, he moved to Korea where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Yonsei University. He later received a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Sunderland in the UK. He possesses over 15 years of teaching English experience, ranging from Pre-Kindergarten and onwards. He has made it his mission to help all his students improve their language skills, especially by sharing his love of reading with them.

Greg and his family are grateful and blessed to be part of the amazing BCIS Community.

Hannah is from the UK and has been working internationally since 2003. After teaching kindergarten in Mexico and volunteering at a literacy program for migrant workers' children, she gained her Bachelor's Degree in International Politics and Modern Languages from Leeds University, UK in 2002. She then worked for the local education authorities in their Widening Participation scheme for community outreach, while also volunteering at a children's charity for immigrants.

Hannah then moved to Paris, France, where she worked and also completed a Post-graduate Degree in Communications and Marketing. In 2006, she traveled to Beijing with her husband and continued to work in Communications first at the British Embassy, where she was awarded an MBE for her contributions, and later at the British Council, the Culture and Education section of the Embassy.

Hannah re-trained into teaching in 2012 and completed her PGCEi with the University of Nottingham in 2014 with a focus on international learning environments and early years education. Since 2011, she has been teaching at BCIS and volunteering at a local children's hospice.

Hannah loves working with children and is passionate about sharing knowledge through experience. In her spare time, she loves traveling with her family, discovering new countries, cultures, languages, and food. A keen communicator, she is fluent in French, Spanish, Chinese, and English. She is delighted to bring all of her experience and enthusiasm to the BCIS community.

Jackie is originally from the west coast of Canada, growing up on Hornby Island, a small island of 800 people, and Vancouver Island. Living on an island, she grew up experiencing the outdoors and doing activities outside. She graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Education 5-year degree, focusing on elementary teaching.

Jackie has been living and teaching abroad since 2013, starting her International teaching career in a Canadian International School. In 2015, she moved to BIBS UES, where she taught Grade 3.

Her other passions include sports and athletics, where she coaches various teams including: handball, t-ball, softball, basketball, badminton, Gaelic football, and volleyball. Outside of school, she plays on numerous sports teams herself, being part of the Beijing community and living a healthy lifestyle. Her favorites are Gaelic football, soccer, American football, and softball.

In her spare time, Jackie enjoys reading and delving into other worlds through books. Her all-time favorite is Harry Potter and she is a proud Hufflepuff!

Jackie loves living in Beijing and is thrilled to part of the BCIS team. She appreciates the school community and the opportunity to live in the exciting city of Beijing.

Roxie Lu graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in the United States with a master's degree in mental health counseling. Roxie has received six years of systematic professional education in psychology. After graduation, she has worked as a school counselor/psychology teacher in Chicago and Beijing.

Roxie comes from Chongqing, the birthplace of Bayu culture in China. She has received both eastern and western professional education, which means she has both international vision and localization. Roxie combines the theory and practice of Chinese and western, with innovation and an open mind, adjusting measures to local conditions to serve Chinese students. 

She believes that all things in their being are good for something, and the problems children encounter in their process of growing up are due to the deviation from their developmental direction. Through appropriate communication and guidance from the school and family, the child can get back to the right track.

Roxie continues to expand her hobbies in her spare time, like working out, cooking, shooting and editing videos, and so on. She loves life very much and will pass the passion and love on to her students.

John is originally from Omaha, Nebraska (USA). He received his bachelor’s degree in Spanish and anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and later earned a master’s degree in elementary education and his Nebraska state K-6 teacher licensure through the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

John worked in Cambodia for five years as an English language education volunteer in a rural village as well as teaching kindergarten and preschool in the capital, Phnom Penh. This is his 3^rd year teaching fourth grade and 2nd year at BCIS.

In his free time, John likes to travel, read, and dabble in arts and crafts. He likes to walk, explore new places, and meet new people. He enjoys biking around Beijing, doing yoga, and different exercise classes. John really appreciates new Chinese food recommendations!

Lee has been a school psychologist and counsellor for over 25 years. She has coordinated learning support teams, response to intervention, provided individual and small group counseling, and facilitated conflict resolution. She believes all children have gifts and is passionate about students uncovering them despite any educational, social or emotional challenges.

Lee holds a Master’s in Educational Psychology, a license in School Psychology for students aged 0-21, and another in Educational Administration. She began her career in Colorado, in the U.S. as a school psychologist. She and her husband, who is a teacher, moved overseas in 1998. Since then, she has worked in Morocco, South Africa, and Hanoi. She is comfortable and experienced providing support to students of all ages.

Lee and her husband spend their holidays in their home in Sandpoint, Idaho with their two teenage daughters. They have enjoyed living in vibrant countries with unique cultures, foods and history. She enjoys reading, biking, traveling and sightseeing.

Lee is excited to join the BCIS Community where she can continue to work collaboratively with a student-centered team and support students’ academic, social and emotional development.

Letitia is from Beijing. She holds a Master’s Degree in Teaching Chinese to the Speakers of Other Languages from Beijing Normal University. She also holds Teacher Certificates both in Kindergarten Education and Elementary Education.

Before she joined BCIS, Letitia had worked in other two international schools for 3 years before joining BCIS as a teaching assistant in 2006, where she learned a lot about teaching. Letitia started teaching Chinese Studies at BCIS in March 2012. She shows a keen interest in teaching Chinese, and she really appreciates the opportunity to work in a great school.

As a teacher, Letitia loves children and teaching. She aims to help students tap into their potential because she believes everyone is born with a certain gift, and it’s never too late to learn.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, singing, dancing, calligraphy, and playing the piano.

Lizzie joins us from Melbourne, Australia, although she spent a large part of her youth growing up in Auckland, New Zealand. She studied her Bachelor of Education in Canberra, Australia and later completed a Masters of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. This ignited a real passion for teaching and learning languages.

Lizzie has worked as a teacher for over 18 years, teaching in a variety of settings as both a homeroom teacher and specialist English and literacy support teacher. In fact, seven of those years were enjoyably spent at BCIS from 2008 - 2015. Lizzie is now thrilled to be part of the BCIS community for a second time. She is joined by her husband YanLong Tai (BCIS Secondary School teacher) and two children Isaac and Zahra.

In her spare time Lizzie likes keeping active and exploring different places with her family. She is also working hard to become as fluent as her husband in speaking Mandarin!

Marca is originally from North Carolina, USA, but has been living and teaching abroad for over 20 years. She is a passionate, enthusiastic educator and a lifelong learner. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and holds a Master's of Education from Framingham State University. She has previously taught in China, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. She has served both as an English Language Support teacher, as well as an Elementary Homeroom teacher.

Outside of the classroom, Marca enjoys reading, traveling, photography, and learning about different cultures. As well as spending time with her husband and sons. She is delighted to be a part of the BCIS community.

Michael is from northern China and holds a Bachelor Degree in Chinese Language and Literature. He also holds a Teacher Certificate in Chinese Language.

He began teaching Chinese language and culture in Beijing in 2012. After working as a teacher with students from different ages and backgrounds, he joined BCIS in 2015. What he loves the most about BCIS is the life-long learning ethos and open-minded community.

As a Chinese teacher he loves to explore the secrets and joy of language with his students. He believes the future of the world is in his classroom.

In his free time, Michael likes reading, riding bikes, traveling and spending time with his family.

Nan is a multidisciplinary artist and educator from Beijing, China, who has had a passion for fine arts since she was a child.

After completing her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Design at Nankai University in Tianjin, she pursued her Master's degree in Art Education at Tufts University in Massachusetts, United States. Both her design thinking and fine art experiences have allowed her to expand her creativity. Nan has worked as an art teacher at a private school and Fine Art Museum in Boston.

Nan has been a part of the BCIS community since 2019, teaching Visual Arts and Performance Art for over five years. She truly believes that teaching is an art of assisting discovery and strives to provide a choice-based classroom for students to explore, experience, and express themselves through the arts.

In addition to teaching, Nan enjoys visiting art exhibitions and traveling to different places to explore cultures and lifestyles.

Sannie is originally from Hebei. She has been at BCIS since 2011 and loves working as an IB PYP language teacher.

Sannie’s teaching journey started almost 18 years ago. She is a passionate teacher who deeply enjoys working with students and igniting their interest in Chinese Language and culture. She holds a Bachelor’s  Degree in Chinese Language Arts and  English Education. Completing various teaching certificates and training allows her to be comfortable with many teaching styles and learning models. 

Outside the classroom, Sannie enjoys reading, being active, maintaining fitness, and spending time with her husband and children.

Amy is originally from Florida in the United States and has been teaching abroad for the past 11 years. This is her third school in China, having previously taught in Hangzhou and Wuxi as well as teaching in Kazakhstan.

Amy has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s in reading education. She is passionate about teaching students how to read and write as well as developing their comprehension and fluency. She is constantly reading about the new science and research coming out to better understand and reach her students in all subject areas.

When not researching, Amy enjoys cooking, baking, and traveling. You can often find her singing Disney songs, choreographing dances or helping put on theatre productions. As passionate as she is about reading, Amy also loves musical theatre and believes the fine arts are important to education. Amy is enjoying working in the BCIS community and sharing her love of literacy and theatre.

Weiwei is from Hebei, China. She holds a Master Degree in Teaching Chinese to the Speakers of Other Languages from Ren Min University of China. She also holds a teacher certificate in Elementary Education. Weiwei has been working at BCIS since the school was founded in 2005.

Weiwei enjoys working in an international school because she can interact with people from all around the world. During her time at BCIS, she has taught students from different cultures and nationalities, and she has developed a variety of strategies to meet their learning needs. Weiwei has also received a lot of professional training. She is an enthusiastic communicator and inquirer. Her educational belief is to cultivate people with good moral character and promote the all-round development of students’ quality.

Weiwei has a wide range of interests. She likes traveling with her family, running, hiking, and much more!

Yen-Chun is a professional pianist and educator from Taiwan, China. After she completed her Bachelor's degree in piano performance, she moved to the UK and obtained a Master's Degree at the Royal Academy of Music in 2014. In 2020 she studied and completed her Post Graduate Certificate in Education with Sunderland University. 

Yen-Chun is now into her 8th year teaching Music at BCIS. She has passion for teaching and education. She likes to create enjoyable, positive, meaningful learning environment for her students. Her teaching in music includes improvisation, dance, and musical games for students to express their ideas and understanding, allowing students to learn music in a happy way.

Outside of work, Yen-Chun enjoys traveling to new places, snowboarding, exploring good restaurants in Beijing, and spending time with her family and friends.

Yue comes from Northeast China. She graduated with a Chinese language major from Northeast Normal University and obtained her Bachelor’s in English Education from Xi’an Fanyi University. She holds a teacher certificate in Elementary Education

Yue has worked as a teacher for over 16 years and has been working at BCIS since 2007. She is very excited to be working with people from around the world and loves to celebrate cultural diversity in her classroom.

During her time at BCIS, Yue has received a great deal of training and has attended a number of workshops on Chinese language teaching.

Aside from teaching, Yue is passionate about badminton, and enjoys reading, cooking, and playing with her two lovely children and friends.

Mr Sinclair is very excited to begin his journey at BCIS as this is his 8th year in Beijing and he’s always enjoyed meeting BCIS students in the community. He has been an educator for 18 years in New Zealand, the UK and China. Originally, he studied at Canterbury University in Christchurch, and is now about to complete his Masters of Educational Leadership from The University of Waikato.

Although a true “Kiwi” at heart, he was born and raised in Hong Kong many years ago, hence the desire for soy sauce instead of vinegar on his dumplings. Since living in Beijing he married another “Kiwi” and started a family with two beautiful daughters.

He has always loved interacting with students and finding ways to help them progress within themselves to become independent learners. This year he can’t wait to meet each student to find out how they can grow. He still attempts to play football (if his body allows it) but has found as much enjoyment coaching than playing these days. He also enjoys other hobbies such as playing the guitar, running and coaching theatre sports.

Stephen comes from a small town called Antrim in Northern Ireland and this is his eighteenth year of teaching, of which he has spent most of his career in the United Kingdom. However, Stephen always felt he had more to give and wanted to share his knowledge throughout the world. This has led him to working in the Middle East and in particular the countries of Jordan, as well as Kuwait.

Stephen received a Bachelor of Arts in history and sport science in 2002 and went on to complete a Postgraduate Certificate of Education in physical education soon after. Stephen also has a master’s in physical education and multidisciplinary studies (Special Educational Needs and Leadership) from Leeds Beckett and the State University of New York (Buffalo) respectively.

His special needs experience has led him to work with students who have severe, profound, moderate and mild learning difficulties over the past ten years. Stephens’s educational philosophy is that every child matters and he is looking forward to helping your child reach their full potential.

Stephen and his wife are looking forward to experiencing the wonderful Chinese culture and feel privileged to be part of the BCIS community. In his spare time, Stephen loves anything fitness orientated, but in particular likes running and obstacle course racing.