Adam Hassan is from London and has a strong background in both ESOL and Literature. Besides being a passionate teacher, he is also interested in art, film, reading, as well as cycling, running, and football. He values creativity, collaboration, and uniqueness most in his students.

Adam completed both his BA in Literature and his Post-Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of East London. The school’s vibrant and eclectic style of teaching has influenced his pedagogy deeply. Adam is an enthusiastic and caring teacher who is always suggesting popular books to read to his students and combining his knowledge of literature and education to make them lifelong learners and readers.

Adam has worked for many top schools in Beijing, such as The High School Affiliated with Peking University (北大附中) and Beijing No. 2 Middle School (北京第二中学). He has also worked in various public schools in Britain. He has worked with the British educating system (iGCSE), American school system (Common Core/AP), and the IB system, which seems to be a great blend between the two. He is excited to be working at BCIS as a Secondary School English teacher where he hopes to share his passion for literature with all his students.

Adam has a post-graduate diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language and has worked as an IELTS Examiner. Therefore, he is well aware of the English standards non-native speakers need to get into top universities. He is committed to supporting all his students, no matter where they are from, to get into their dream universities.

Alexandra is originally from Santiago, Chile. She graduated from The British Chilean Professional Institute in 1998 (Teachers College) and has done post-graduate courses in Education at UCLA. She has been living and teaching internationally since 2006, having worked in the USA and New Zealand. As an educator, she offers her cultural background and over 16 years of experience as an ESOL/ENGLISH/SPANISH teacher in Chile, USA, and NZ. She is student focused and driven to create a respectful and inclusive classroom. She is trained in the IB PYP, MYP, and DP.

Alexandra taught English in two private schools in Chile, one of them being an IB school, from 1998 - 2006. While in the USA, she taught ESOL and Mathematics in a middle school in North Carolina from 2006 to 2009. She later moved to New Zealand, where she taught Spanish and Humanities, besides being a tutor, at an IB school in Auckland from 2010 - 2012. She taught students in her last school from grades 6 to 12. Overall, she has taught a variety of ages, but now specializes in high school students.

Alexandra is married to Malcolm, who is also a teacher at BCIS. Together they have a beautiful little daughter named Sofia, who is attending ECC. Alexandra loves practicing yoga and has become a Registered Yoga Instructor of 200hrs in the United States of America. She also loves travelling, photography, and trying new food.

Alison Sae-Sue is a graduate of Edinburgh University, and has a PGCE in English, EFL and ESL. She joined BCIS in 2013 after working in Vietnam, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Colombia, and Sri Lanka. Alison has accumulated more than 30 years’ teaching experience with adult learners and Middle School students.

Alison’s interests include traveling as widely as possible through the countries she has worked in, exploring museums, and trying the local food. She particularly enjoys traveling within China to visit its varied landscapes and experience its rich and diverse culture.

Andrew Morrissey hails from sunny South Africa, and has been in Beijing for the last 14 years. He previously taught in two other international schools in Beijing, and before that was a trainer in Dublin, Ireland. This is his third year as a BCIS family member, and he loves the energy of the school and teaching his favourite subjects: Humanities and Geography. When not at work, he can be found with his wife and their two children. Otherwise, he may well be out on his bicycle in training for the next triathlon.

Barbara is from Wigan, Greater Manchester and spent many years working as an art director in the creative industry before completing an Honors Degree In Fine Art & Photography at The University of Chester. She went on to Complete a PGCE in Secondary Art education at Manchester Metropolitan University before teaching in Cheshire, England.

After relocating to Bangkok she spent some time as head of the Arts team before focusing on international and community based charity projects. Barbara is a passionate artist teacher and believes that art and creativity facilitate success in all areas of the curriculum. She is a keen environmentalist and is looking forward to life as part of the BCIS family where community, service and sustainability are embedded in the mission and vision of the school.

Ashley is from Michigan, USA and has worked as an international counsellor since 2014. Ashley has a Master’s degree in Educational Counseling and certification in School Counseling.

She has been a school counselor for all age groups from kindergarten to grade 12. Ashley has worked in Singapore and Hong Kong and is glad to be a member of BCIS.

In her spare time Ashley enjoys traveling and exploring new places, hiking, and enology.

Ashely grew up in the United States, but has been teaching abroad for most of his professional career. His international teaching career began in China in 1999. He has since moved on to leadership positions in international schools in Thailand and Saudi Arabia. He is excited to be getting back to China to teach.

Ashely holds an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a Master’s in Education from Framingham State University. He has a broad background in education. He has been a Homeroom teacher, an ESL Department Head, and a Technology Coordinator. His deep passion for learning about other cultures and people has led him to travel extensively, spending time in over 70 countries. He took a year off prior to joining BCIS to travel full time for a year with his wife, Marca, and two boys.

Ashely is very excited to be part the BCIS community.

Charles Grant is originally from Jamaica and has been in Education for thirteen years; He has experience in working as a social and emotional Guidance Counselor and soccer coach in Jamaica, a health teacher and soccer coach in Venezuela, and prior to working at BCIS, was a University and Career counselor at an American school in Mexico.

Charles holds a College Counseling Certificate from the University of California Los Angeles, a Master’s degree in Education from Framingham State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from Northern Caribbean University.

Charles is a strong advocate for students at BCIS. He ensures that every student is educationally nurtured and empowered to pursue their desired goals. He mentors students with their university search, works with students using group and individual sessions, and ensures that they are equipped for the next chapter of their lives. Charles works hands-on with students in mapping their career path, on the physical university application, the university essay, and personal statements, among other things.

Outside the classroom, Charles loves to play and coach soccer, he is an ardent chess player, and he also enjoys spending time with his family. Charles is here in Beijing with his wife Natalie and his three children, Jaden, Xander, and Ella-Paige.

Cindy is originally from a small town in Manitoba, Canada. She earned her post-secondary education in Canada at Brandon University. Here, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree, with a major in Mathematics and minor in Psychology, as well as her Bachelor of Education teaching degree. Cindy has been teaching internationally since 2015. Her international teaching career began in Kuwait, where she was the lead teacher of her grade level, and enthusiastically taught Grade 6 Math and Science.

Growing up in Canada, she played a vast variety of sports. During university, Cindy represented Brandon University as a student athlete when she earned a spot on the university women’s soccer team. She has faithfully coached teams of all ages in several different sports. She is also passionate about travelling and this is what inspired her to begin teaching internationally. Her favorite aspect of teaching is that each day brings a new adventure. Apart from her curriculum responsibilities, she is passionate about inspiring youth and uses her classroom to encourage her students to have fun learning, to step out of their comfort zones, to not be afraid of making mistakes and, ultimately, to reach their full potential. She aspires to be a positive role model for young kids, whether it is on the soccer field or in the classroom.

Cindy is extremely thrilled and grateful to have the opportunity to join the BCIS staff and to live, work, and explore the fascinating city of Beijing!

Cornel was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa and attended the University of Johannesburg where he qualified as a rehabilitation therapist and sports scientist before pursuing a career in education.

Cornel has a Postgraduate Certificate in Secondary Education and a Masters degree in International Education Administration from the University of Sunderland in the UK. Cornel is a strong advocate of self-directed, experiential education that allows students to explore their own interests, transfer learning to a real-world context, and to better understand themselves as learners and human beings in a larger global community. Cornel has taught internationally for over 15 years in South Africa, Taiwan, New Zealand, and most recently in Hong Kong.

When he is not at work, Cornel enjoys running, reading, and travelling the world with his wife, Rensia. Cornel is very excited to be part of the BCIS Community and to further explore the rich cultural experiences that Beijing has to offer.

Dina comes from Seattle Washington where she attended high school and played soccer, eventually accepting an athletic scholarship to play at Notre Dame de Namur University in California. At Notre Dame she received a BS in International Business and then worked in California at an asset management and financial planning company named Waddell & Reed.

Dina was not yet ready to settle down and decided to teach business English in South Korea. For four years she taught in schools and with companies like LG Chem and CAS. Upon completion of this work, she returned to the University of Maine, with her husband Donald, to obtain a Bachelor in Secondary Education.

Dina’s next move was to teach business and economics in Kuwait and where they adopted a dog, Zena. After two years of teaching and coaching soccer in Kuwait, the family moved to Abu Dhabi where they stayed for the next 6 years. During this time they had their daughter named Ava. Dina and her family are very excited to be in Beijing.

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 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 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 with his wife Andy and son Cail enjoy the close and supportive BCIS community.

Dave Nguyen was born in Vietnam but was raised in Oshawa, Ontario in 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.

Being exposed to theory, stimulated by the basic love of concepts and mathematics, was a marvelous experience when Dave was a student, and Dave shared these same experiences in mathematics with his students when he was a Math teacher and Math Team Leader in previous years at BCIS. As of 2015, Dave is now the Diploma Programme Coodinator, and relishes the challenge the role brings.

During his spare time, Dave enjoys playing competitive sports, especially basketball and badminton. He also loves to get around Beijing on his bicycle and scooter because he doesn’t like being stuck in traffic.

Originally from Chicago, Denise is a Third Culture Kid who grew up in Egypt from the age of ten. She has a Bachelor’s from Indiana University and a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. She taught English to children from all over the world in Egypt and Saudi Arabia before joining BCIS. When not teaching or supporting students in the classroom, Denise enjoys being involved in teacher training and has presented at educational conferences in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. She is a published author who writes about language learning, and is particularly passionate about using multilingual strategies in the classroom.

Denise is married to Secondary School Principal Mark and is a mother of three boys, one of whom is a student at BCIS. The other two are university students in the United States. When not teaching, she enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures and environments. Having lived in the Middle East most of her life, Denise is excited about having a totally different experience in China, and feels fortunate to be a part of the vibrant faculty at BCIS.

Dom is from the UK and has been teaching internationally since 2007. Previously, he has taught in Thailand as the head of Performing Arts and in Beijing where he has taught both MYP and DP music. While teaching overseas, he has run music festivals, produced musicals, and conducted and trained ensembles and choirs. As a musician, he is principally a percussionist, which he transferred to after being a pianist for 15 years.

He became passionate about learning percussion during his studies at the University of Manchester and furthered his learning in Education at the University of Nottingham. He is passionate that music be available to all, as well as a force for collaboration, growth, and unity in an ever changing world.

Outside of the classroom, Dom loves swimming. He is a scuba diver, but enjoys nothing better than having a musical jam. Reading while traveling is also a must. He sees the amazing abilities of where our BCIS students are and what future potential they have, in ensembles and in class. Most of all, however, he feels privileged to be part of the BCIS community.

Dylan is from Johannesburg, South Africa. He studied at WITS University where he obtained his Bachelor of Education Degree, majoring in Physical Education and Economics. He taught in South Africa for 6 years before moving to Shanghai and then to Beijing. Dylan enjoys the challenges and privileges of living internationally and loves that he gets the opportunity to travel to different countries, experience different cultures and meet people from all over the world.

Dylan has always been a passionate sportsman and loves pushing himself to his limit to see what he is capable of. He believes that Sport and Physical Education is an important part of one's development as it teaches us a number of life skills that are important if we are to be happy and successful members of the world's community. He enjoys coaching as it allows him to interact with students in a different environment and learn more about what drives them to be good human-beings.

Dylan considers himself very lucky to be a part of the BCIS community and is excited to pass on his knowledge of PE and sport to the students here and hopefully develop, in them, the same passion for sport and life-long learning that he has.

Echo is from central China and has more than 10 years of experience teaching Chinese to students in both South Korea and Beijing. She worked as a Mandarin teacher at Daejeon Foreign Studies Institute in South Korea for three years. Before joining BCIS, she worked as a Chinese teacher at another IB international school in Beijing for eight years.

Echo holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics and is currently undertaking a Master’s Degree in Psychology.

Echo has two adorable children. In order to help them experience different cultures, she likes to take them traveling in her free time. She also enjoys reading and Chinese traditional painting.

Elle is from Hebei Province. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Hebei University of Science and Technology. She joined BCIS in 2016 as a member of the Secondary School Learning Support team to give students constructive learning and well-being strategies both inside and out of the classroom.

Elle believes students can learn both the skills of achievement and the skills of well-being in school and is excited to become a Character Education teacher in BCIS where she can help students learn about their own character strength and combine them with their academic skills to achieve the best of themselves.

In her spare time, Elle enjoys learning new things and spending time with her friends. Traveling the world was her dream when she was a student and she is going to start her journey in the near future.

Ellie comes from the countryside of West Yorkshire, England. With a Certificate in Education from the University of Sunderland, Ellie began teaching in Hong Kong after a career in human resources management.

As an educator, she is a firm believer in making academic learning applicable in real life. Ellie is passionate about creating an environment where students can develop knowledge and skills required to be successful in the future. She also loves reading about and researching new ideas in the field of education and collaborating with colleagues and peers around the globe.

In her free time, Ellie serves as the captain of a touch rugby team and practices yoga regularly. She loves the renewed sense of challenge and inspiration that each new year at BCIS brings.

Erin grew up in Grapevine Texas and received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Texas Tech University. In 2014, she moved to South Korea to teach Middle School Science at the Korea International School, Jeju Campus. She is excited to be a part of the Design Technology team. Besides being a passionate educator, she loves hiking, traveling, and orchestra shows on the weekends.

Erin considers herself to be incredibly fortunate to be a part of the BCIS community and is excited to live in such a historically rich and exciting country.

Fariza is proud to be a part of BCIS. She is from Astana, Kazakhstan. Fariza holds Bachelor of Computing Systems and Software Engineering. She is one of the first graduators from International IT University.

Fariza is passionate about Computer Science and teaching in this field, as she left an IT company to become a teacher.

Outside of the classroom, Fariza enjoys reading scientific fiction books and she is a big fan of football. She is very excited to explore China's splendid nature, historical legacy and rich culture.

Fiona grew up in Northern China and obtained a masters degree in Applied Linguistics in Beijing. During her post-graduate study, Fiona spent a year teaching Chinese in Korea as part of her research program. Since then, she has taught Chinese at different international schools for over ten years, with experience on variety of programs including MYP and DP.

Before joining BCIS, Fiona was working in an international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. As an enthusiastic and caring person, Fiona finds learning with students very rewarding and inspiring. She deeply believes in lifelong learning and always seeks opportunities for innovation and development as an educator. She thoroughly enjoys being a member of the BCIS community.

In her spare time, Fiona likes reading, painting and sketching. She also enjoys swimming and playing badminton.

Gabriella "Gaby" Reyes is originally from Connecticut in the USA. She has a BA (Medieval Studies, Economics, and Classics) from Brown University, an MA (Library and Information Studies) from University College London, and teaching certificates in History 5-12 and English 5-12.

Prior to coming to BCIS, Gaby worked at the Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel and International School Manila in the Philippines, where she taught research and writing skills to secondary school students in classroom and library settings. She is a research and writing specialist with experience in both AP and IB. Her work background also includes three research assistantships (at Brown University and Columbia University) and circulation experience in two libraries. Research and writing skills as well as information literacy are absolutely crucial in today’s world, especially for young people growing up online. Gaby plans to promote the library as a space for academic support and community.

Gaby considers herself very fortunate to be at BCIS. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, traveling, tea drinking, cooking, and various arts and crafts.

Garrett is an American from Tennessee. He has visited China in the past and is loving his time living in Beijing. Before joining the world of international education, he had never been on a plane, and now he has been teaching abroad for 6 years. He received his Biology degree and teacher certificate from Carson-Newman University. He has worked in the USA, Kuwait, and the Philippines. Now he's enjoying exploring the streets of Beijing with his wife, April, a Grade 4 teacher at BCIS.

Garrett has experience teaching every grade level from 6-12 and loves what each different age group brings to the classroom. He spent the last four years at Brent International School Manila teaching middle school science and then DP Biology. He works every day on being a lifelong learner and modeling this for his students. He hopes by the end of the year, his students understand that mistakes are a beautiful piece of science and part of being a learner!

In his free time, Garrett loves swapping stories about the school day with his wife, helping her find unique book stores on their travels, and playing video and board games. You can find him traveling by train on holidays.

Geneti studied for both his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Georgia in the United States, with the master's degree specifically in teaching mathematics to secondary school students. He has taught mathematics in the United States, Ethiopia, Vietnam, and in Hangzhou, China, before moving to BCIS. Geneti has a passion for teaching in general, and international teaching in particular. He is very excited to be a part of BCIS and living in Beijing.

In addition to teaching mathematics, Geneti enjoys reading for pleasure. Even though he has an eclectic taste in reading, he especially enjoys reading science fiction, with time travel books being his favorite. He often tries to instill in his students the importance of reading in any language, but specifically reading in English to help improve their skills and confidence in using the English language.

Gisou Ravanbaksh (aka Mrs. Ravan) is from the city of Atlanta in the United States. She has lived in China for over 15 years, teaching at international and bilingual schools in three different Chinese cities. She completed her Bachelor of Education at the University of Georgia, where her focus was Secondary Social Studies. She is currently completing her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Massachusetts, and earned a Certificate of Advanced Educational Leadership from Harvard University. She is trained in positive education and student well-being, and holds a professional teaching license in the state of Georgia.

Throughout her teaching career, Gisou has taught a variety of subjects, ranging from middle school math and drama to high school history and psychology. No matter what subject or grade level she teaches, she enjoys helping students develop a growth mindset, setting learning goals, and achieving them. She is a trained and experienced IB Psychology teacher who believes that the study of psychology is not only fascinating, but also very helpful to students in understanding their own behavior and the behavior of others. She is a proud member of the BCIS family and teaches grades 11 and 12 IB Psychology and Core.

Gisou and her husband met in China 26 years ago and are the proud parents of four bilingual daughters. Gisou is trilingual and loves learning languages. When she is not working, Gisou enjoys dancing, live music, board games and Netflix marathons.

Hailing from Ontario, Canada, Ian graduated from the University of Guelph in 2000 with a degree in History, and completed his Masters in Education at Niagara University in 2003.

Always interested in travel and new experiences, Ian moved to China right after graduating and has been teaching here ever since; first in Tianjin and then in Beijing. In that time he has taught Grades 6 to 12 a wide variety of Social Studies and Humanities courses and has MYP and DP teaching experience.

Also a qualified school counselor, Ian is an educator who is passionate about developing the whole student and helping them to accomplish more than they ever thought they could. In the classroom he actively uses technology to engage students in learning whenever possible, and outside of the classroom enjoys devoting time to extra-curricular activities.

Ian enjoys living in Beijing and experiencing the culture. In his free time he loves travel, outdoor activities, playing basketball, photography, and sampling international cuisine.

Jane is from Adelaide, South Australia. She has a Masters of Education with a specialization in guidance and counseling from the University of Southern Queensland, and a Diploma and Bachelor of Education from the University of South Australia. Jane has worked as an elementary and middle school teacher for over 25 years in schools in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Germany, Venezuela, and China. Jane is no stranger to the BCIS community, having worked as a teacher in the Elementary School for a number of years.

Jane is delighted to return to BCIS as a school counselor. She is passionate about promoting social emotional well-being in the BCIS school community, through programs that help young people build resilience, and have a range of skills and strategies to draw from when faced with some of life’s challenges. Jane is also excited to teach Drama to Grade 6, where she has a wealth of experience, and highly values the communication, collaboration and problem-solving skills it helps develop in young people. Jane’s family is also a part of BCIS community. Her husband, Phil, teaches Drama in the Secondary School. Their youngest son, Leo, is a BCIS student, while their eldest son lives and works in Australia. Jane enjoys spending time with her family, watching her son play soccer, theatre, reading, writing, traveling, learning Chinese, dancing, and playing with her dog, Poppy.

Jarrod, originally from Ohio in the United States, completed his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics Education in May 2009. In August of that year, he hopped on a plane to China and has been teaching in the country ever since. Until 2016, he taught at Beijing National Day School, a highly ranked and well-recognized Chinese National School. While there, he taught Oral English, Pre Calculus, and AP Calculus. Jarrod feels incredibly lucky and blessed to have had the opportunities he has had to further his career while in China. He is also very excited to be at BCIS.

When Jarrod isn't teaching, he enjoys spending time with his friends, staying up to date on all the biggest TV shows and movies, and exploring new and exciting places in Beijing.

Jeffrey is from the US and has been teaching internationally since 2011. He brings a wealth of experience to BCIS. Jeffrey has continually worked to improve the lives of those around him and feels teaching is the best way he can make a positive impact on the World.

Jeffrey completed his Bachelor of Science from the San Diego State University in 1992 and his Master’s Public Health in Health Education from the same University in 1996. Continuing his passion for education, he received his Master’s of Psychology from Kansas State University in 2003. Seeing Education as his opportunity make a positive, meaningful and lasting impact on the World, he decided to become a Teacher. Determined to transition to Education, he received his Education degree from Fort Hays State University in 2007, and is currently undertaking a Master’s Degree in Special Education from the same University. Jeffrey is truly a Life Long Learner and wants to instill his love of learning into his students.

Jeffrey reads voraciously, both for pleasure as well as for professional development. He loves animals and can often be found walking with his dog Toto (no we are not in Kansas anymore), while meeting new people and learning about new cultures. Jeffrey feels very lucky to be a part of the BCIS community and is thrilled to live in such an exciting, culturally rich and distinctive country.

Karl Mejia hails from the Philippines and has been with BCIS since 2017. He has an educational background from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Special Education and Physical Education. Currently, he is pursuing his master’s degree in Inclusive Education.

A dog lover, Karl presently has 4 lovely canines back home. He loves playing competitive indoor volleyball wherein he has played for his respective elementary, high school, and college teams. He also enjoys dancing and working out with his friends and colleagues.

Karl is very happy to be a part of the vibrant BCIS community. He loves interacting with the students and is always keen in supporting the needs of anyone!

Katherine (Katie) Petch is a member of the BCIS Physical Education teaching staff, and also a Grade 7 Advisor. She moved to China from the UK in 2012, after serving as Head of PE at a school in Liverpool for three years, as well as a teacher of dance, drama and outdoor education. She holds a BA in Primary and Secondary Education for PE from Liverpool John Moores University in the city of Liverpool, UK.

Katie took the bold decision to move her life and career to a new country and culture in 2012, and since then has been enjoying her new life in Beijing. Besides her general interest in fitness, she has a love of gymnastics and other sports, as well as hiking. She also loves drama, reading, and also travel, given her fondness for exploring new places.

She is excited to be part of the BCIS team, and loves working with such a culturally diverse student body and faculty on a daily basis.

Kent Courage is from Buchans, Canada and obtained his teaching degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He started his overseas teaching career 5 years ago after teaching across Canada for many years. Kent has been a proud member of the BCIS community for 3 years. Kent is a passionate and enthusiastic PE teacher who enjoys teaching and coaching sport for our school and plays on numerous sporting teams around Beijing in his spare time.

Lauren is from Cheshire, England. She completed a degree in Coaching and Sports Development in 2010 at Manchester Metropolitan University, before going on to study a Post Graduate Diploma in Education at Bolton University.

Throughout her life, Lauren has been extremely passionate about sport and fitness, excelling in Netball predominately, but also focusing on Basketball, Football, Rounders, Badminton, and Gymnastics. Since studying and practicing sport and fitness in her own life, she has an extensive understanding of the benefits for young people to take this forward, and she is keen to educate her students of this.

Lauren spent five years teaching in Lancashire as a Senior Lecturer in Sport, Head Netball Coach and Advanced Practitioner. She then decided to take a sabbatical for twelve months to travel the world, whilst also being involved in volunteering, teaching, and coaching. After seeing the world and immersing herself in such diverse countries, it became clear that this was going to be more of a permanent move, cementing her ambition to teach overseas. She has now made the decision to start a life in Beijing and teach at BCIS as part of the PE Department. She considers herself to be incredibly fortunate and is very excited to be a part of the BCIS community. She is looking forward to living in such a vibrant, culturally diverse and unique country.

Malcolm McQueen is married to Alexandra, who is also a teacher at BCIS. He has enjoyed teaching the upper grades of elementary schools for over 15 years. As a young New Zealander traveling through Europe, Malcolm began his teacher training while living in Denmark and finished it upon returning to his home country in 2000. In 2007, he was selected to participate in a Visiting International Faculty programme, teaching at an elementary school in North Carolina. In 2014, he completed a Post Graduate Certificate of Education with a focus on Mathematics learning. Using the knowledge gained from this study, he worked as a Mathematics Support Teacher to mentor colleagues and accelerate students’ learning in Mathematics. As a Kiwi, he has a strong affinity with the natural environment. He has kayaked down rivers, trekked alpine passes, and played a variety of team and individual sports. Malcolm is excited by the many and varied opportunities presented to members of the BCIS community.

Mary comes from western China and has worked in Beijing for more than ten years. She graduated from Beijing International Studies University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Language and Literature, then pursued the study of Mass Communication in the Communication University of China, where she received her Master's degree. She also holds a Chinese High School Teaching Certificate.

Mary has more than ten years of teaching experience in both local and multi-cultural contexts. She joined BCIS in 2011 as a member of the EAL and LS Team in Secondary School and is excited to move into the new role of History Teacher. As a passionate and dedicated educator, she has been working with students of different grade levels across different subjects. She enjoys the time with students and is keen on exploring practical teaching approaches that can better support students' core competence development.

Mary enjoys music, reading, and technology in her spare time. She considers herself very fortunate to be a long-serving member of such a vibrant and supportive BCIS community.

Matthew was born in the United States and calls Detroit and Louisville home. He has two majors for his Bachelor’s of Science from Central Michigan University in Biochemistry and Biology. He earned his Master’s in Education from Western Kentucky University specializing in inquiry based teaching methods modeled after UTeach. Prior to being a Secondary Science teacher, Matthew worked as a research assistant and graduate student at Penn State University. He started his teaching career in 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky teaching AP Chemistry and coaching Quick Recall. He also worked as a Technology Integration Specialist working with teachers and administrators in implementing technology to support learning and school growth. In 2015, he moved to Bangkok, Thailand to start his teaching career internationally, where he has taught both AP Biology and Chemistry. Additionally, he has continued to work with students, teachers, and administrators as the Technology Integration Specialist. He has also coached Tournament of the Minds at the elementary level in Bangkok.

Matthew is fortunate to be a part of the BCIS community and is excited to share his love of science with his students. Students in his classroom will be engaged with the course through inquiry and rigorous curriculum. He enjoys working with the diverse student population at BCIS.

Outside of the classroom, Matthew and his wife, Sara, enjoy traveling and remaining active. Matthew is involved in distance running and Gaelic Football.

Miriam is originally from Florida, USA. She attended Florida State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in English Education 6-12, an ESOL endorsement, and a Professional Educator’s Certificate. In 2018, she earned her Master’s of Education in Learning and Technology.

Miriam has bounced back and forth between teaching in Busan, South Korea and Wellington, Florida. During her seven years of experience in South Korea, she has gained experience teaching English from elementary schools all the way to universities. In the USA, she taught 9th and 12th grade English, Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) General Paper, and AICE Global Perspectives.

In her free time, Miriam enjoys playing soccer, bowling, reading, traveling, and trying new food. She also has a passion for planning fun events with friends. Miriam met her husband, Seth, in Busan, South Korea. He is also a teacher at BCIS.

Miriam is thrilled to be a part of the diverse BCIS community.

Monique is a passionate art teacher from New York, USA. She graduated with honors from the State University of New York at Potsdam in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in Education, Art History, Art Studio and a minoring in Museum Studies. She graduated with honors from St. Lawrence University in 2010 with a Master’s Degree in Education and has taught in rural and urban parts of the United States, Western Africa and has spent the last 5 years teaching in China.

Her teaching career has allowed her to teach diverse learners of all ages from all over the world. As she has taught pre-kindergarten to the IB Diploma Program, she has faced many challenges which have contributed to her development as an educator and as a human being. Throughout this journey, not only has she grown as an individual, but as a global citizen as well.

Monique’s passion for visual arts and creative thinking has been a natural fit teaching abroad. The only thing she loves more than teaching internationally is spending quality time with her son, Almanzo. Outside of the classroom, Monique enjoys creating art, visiting galleries, as well as swimming, running, rugby and many other outdoor activities. She and her family are very happy to be a part of the Beijing City International School community.

Natalie Harvey has been in the field of education for 19 years. She is excited to be currently working at BCIS as a Secondary School English teacher. Natalie has had Middle and High School teaching experience in Jamaica, where she is from, The United States, Venezuela, and Mexico. She is an avid reader, and she loves to travel with her family, swim, and eat!

Natalie has served as a 4th grade Summer Literacy Coordinator for the Jamaican Ministry of Education, a Classroom Teacher at Ebeneezer Middle School in Sumter, South Carolina, Head of the English Department at Escuela Bella Vista in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Classroom Teacher, Head of English Department and subsequently Vice Principal and Principal at the American School of Tampico, Mexico.

Natalie holds a Certificate in International School Leadership, a Masters of Arts in Education from Wake Forest University, and a Bachelor's Degree in Language Education: English. She has recently started an Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership with Wilkes University. She is trained in Cognitive Coaching, the use of various technological platforms, and Standards-Based Learning and Grading.

Natalie is excited to form connections with her students, share her love for reading and writing with them, and inspire them to become or keep growing as enthusiastic learners.

Nick is from Edinburgh, Scotland. He completed his Honors Degree in Fine Art sculpture at Duncan of Jordanstone university in Dundee. He ran his own sculpture business before completing his PGCE in Secondary Art education at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Nick taught Art, Graphics and Design in Cheshire, England for 15 years holding head of department and assistant director roles. After relocating to Bangkok his international role included some time as the head of art. Nick is passionate about project-based learning and developing individual learning programmes. In his spare time he is a keen triathlete and has completed Ironman events in the UK and Thailand. He is looking forward to exploring China and excited to be a member of the BCIS family where his passion for community projects and charity initiatives can be developed..

Brianne is proud to be a member of the BCIS community. Before coming to Beijing, she taught in Genoa, Italy for three years. Her positive experience as an exchange student in Japan in 2008 inspired her to pursue her career as an international educator. She graduated from the University of the Philippines with honors in 2012 and was right away appointed to develop an inclusive program for Oakridge International School. Afterwards, she taught in Brent International School Manila and International School in Genoa - both of which follow the IBDP curriculum and contributed a lot to her growth as an educator. She is a firm believer of continuous learning and collaboration when working with colleagues and teaching students in the classroom.

Outside of school, Brianne enjoys travel and photography. She is always curious to know about different cultures and try out new cuisines from various places. She married her husband, Vince, not too long ago and they are delighted to build their new home in the marvelous city of Beijing.

Olivia graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University with a Bachelor's degree in Chinese literature and a Master’s degree in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. With a ten-year career in international schools, Olivia is qualified to teach Chinese from primary to secondary school. She especially enjoys teaching the DP Chinese Language and Literature Course and has gained rich expertise in this field.

As a warmhearted and dedicated educator, Olivia enjoys teaching and being with students. Additionally, she has a flair for language and has published her writing in literary magazines. Her teaching experience continues to also strengthen her ability to arrange and write curriculum. Furthermore, she enjoys exploring new teaching strategies, such as trying Inquiry Based Learning and applying Inter-disciplinary Units in MYP Chinese class.

To be a life-long learner and competent professional, as well as to support students in BCIS to her greatest abilties, Olivia has spent years studying to become a Certified International Senior Psychological Consultant and National Level 2 Psychological Counselor. She firmly believes that, “Education goes with pleasure, as well as the formation of character.”

Patrick comes from Kenya and holds a Masters of Science degree in applied Mathematics and bachelors of education degree. After graduating, Patrick began working with international schools in Kenya before moving to the United States of America where he taught Mathematics in a public high school.

His quest to teach in international schools made him come to Beijing in 2008 and ever since Patrick has enjoyed teaching and learning here in BCIS, specially the IB system of education being offered by the school.

Besides his regular teaching schedules, Patrick enjoys associating with the students and parents in community events, such as sports. He plays and coaches volleyball and is especially excited about the sports facilities in the school.

Patrick hopes to learn Chinese language to enable him make the most of living in Beijing and exploring China as whole.

Pedro is originally from Fafe, Portugal. Sports have been his passion from an early age. Pedro played Handball and Futsal at a competitive level and was also a Handball coach for many years. His love for sports led him to pursue studies in the area so he could understand the foundations of sports. Pedro became a teacher because he wanted to inspire students to be more active and have a healthy lifestyle.

Pedro completed his Bachelor in Physical Education in Portugal. He has taught PE since 2007, having started in Portugal. In 2012 Pedro started teaching internationally and from there he taught in East Timor, Thailand, Qatar and now China. In 2015 Pedro completed his Masters in Sports Science as he believes lifelong learning is the key for a happy and successful career.

Recently Pedro has been involved in Triathlon. This has become one of his passions as he can combine swimming, cycling and running in the same sport while also enjoying beautiful landscapes while training. In his free time Pedro loves to travel and explore new places, hiking, road tripping especially by motorbike, eating delightful food, watching documentaries, movies and TV shows. Pedro is delighted to be in Beijing and proud to be part of the BCIS family.

Originally from Slovenia, Petra has studied, lived, and worked overseas for over 26 years. She has been an English Language Acquisition and Special Education teacher and Department Leader in the USA, Austria, Belgium, and now in China. She enjoys spending time and traveling with her family learning about various cultures, reading, theater, movies, swimming and skiing. She earned her Master’s in Education and has over 10 years of experience with the IB PYP, MYP, and DP programs. She is excited about exploring China and is thrilled to be part of the vibrant BCIS community.

With over 30 years teaching experience in the Performing and Visual Arts Phillip started his teaching career in Adelaide, South Australia, and for the past 22 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. 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 further developing all of the Arts throughout the BCIS community in Beijing and beyond.

Phillip is here in Beijing with his wife Jane Farrelly, who is Middle High School student counsellor, and their son, Leo. Their older son, Louis is a chef who lives and works in Adelaide, Australia.

Born and raised in Kigali, Rwanda, Placide has spent the last fourteen years abroad. His fascination with nature, adventure and learning through inquiry started when he was a young boy scout. His teaching of Science is built upon making a connection between classroom knowledge, theory, models and the real world.

Placide completed a Bachelor of Bioengineering at the Beijing Institute of Technology. He earned a PGCEi in Secondary Science Education and an MBA in Education from Keele University, Staffordshire, UK. He taught IGCSE, CIAE A Level and IB Physics at the famous Renda Fuzhong (RDFZ) International Curriculum Centre and at the RDFZ Chaoyang Branch. There he worked as homeroom teacher, subject teacher and he ran the Science Club where students prepare for a number of international competitions. He won the Outstanding Coach Award for the AAPT Physics Bowl in 2018.

Placide loves traveling, meeting people and listening to their stories. In addition to English, he speaks French, Kiswahili, Kinyarwanda and Mandarin Chinese fluently. His spare time is divided between reading books with his wife Elema and playing with their two children. The whole family considers Beijing their home and is excited to be part of the amazing BCIS community.

Rensia Marais was born in South Africa where her educational journey began. Growing up in Africa means that Rensia has a great sense of adventure and a special love for nature and outdoor activities.

She has a degree in Financial Management from the Rand Afrikaans University, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of South Africa and she is currently finishing an Honors degree in Creative Arts from the Open College of the Arts. After teaching Creative Arts and Language in South Africa, Rensia and her husband decided to travel and teach internationally, teaching English in Taiwan, Social Studies and Art in New Zealand and IBDP Theory of Knowledge, MYP Individuals & Societies, and MYP Drama in Hong Kong.

What she appreciates most about international teaching is the opportunity to learn from others and develop a greater perspective of the world. Rensia is excited to be a part of the BCIS community, specifically the Individuals and Societies team.

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.

Ruby is from Beijing and has been teaching internationally since 2015. She worked for a public charter school at Washington, D.C. in 2015 and then moved back to Beijing where she started working in Learning Support Department of Secondary School at BCIS in 2016. She is trained in IB PYP and MYP and Special Education. She enjoys spending time with her students and sharing her experience as a bilingual learner.

Ruby completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland- College Park in 2013 and received her Master’s Degree in Bilingual Special Education from George Washington University in 2015.

Besides being a passionate educator, Ruby loves traveling and experiencing different cultures. She is passionate about learning languages and loves spending time with her friends. She is excited to continue work at BCIS as a Language Acquisition teacher. She considers herself to be incredibly fortunate to continue to be part of the BCIS community.

Sara is originally from Wisconsin, USA. From a young age, she was interested and active in theater performances and decided to spread the joy and love for the topic by studying Theatre Education at university. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Theatre Education with a minor in Spanish and graduated in 2010. In university, she studied abroad in Mexico and fell in love with the challenges and opportunities of living abroad. After getting her degree, Sara moved to Cairo, Egypt for her first teaching position in August, 2010. After that, she lived and worked at a school outside of Chengdu, China. Most recently, she has been teaching Drama and English in Bangkok, Thailand for the last four years. Overall, she has eight years of teaching experience in Drama and English.

Sara loves teaching Drama and producing performances with her students as it is very rewarding to see a student’s confidence and creativity grow. In her free time, she enjoys watching live performances, traveling to new places to experience different cultures, and staying active at the gym with her husband, Matthew.

Sara is happy to be in the vibrant city of Beijing working at BCIS. She hopes to inspire and encourage all students to participate in the arts as she truly believes there is a space for everyone to showcase their unique talents.

An Alabama native, Sara has traveled widely and learned to love a variety of cultures, lands, and people. She was an expat child and has wonderful memories of her international schools and friends. She returned to the United States in high school and adopted the wide-open spaces of Texas. She graduated in 2014 from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.

Sara began her teaching career right away, teaching for two years in the United States. She taught high school mathematics and soon felt the call to teach internationally. In 2017, she made the move to Beijing and to teach middle school and high school mathematics and is thrilled to continue teaching at BCIS. Sara obtained a master’s degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University and is a committed life-long learner.

Selina comes from Jiangxi Province, and has worked in Beijing for more than ten years. She completed her BA in Chinese Language and Literature from Jiangxi Normal University in 2004, and is currently undertaking a Masters in Education. She also holds a teaching certificate in Chinese Language Teaching issued by China’s Ministry of Education.

Over her 10 years in Beijing, Selina has been teaching in different schools, including six years in an IB school offering the IB PYP, MYP and DP Programmes. Prior to joining BCIS, she was teaching Chinese in an IB school in Singapore. Selina enjoys teaching students of different grades and levels and being with them. She likes to help students to see and feel the beauty of Chinese language and culture.

Besides being a passionate educator, Selina enjoys reading, swimming and playing folk instruments in her spare time. She also loves travelling and experiencing different cultures.

Seth is from Wisconsin, USA, and has been teaching English in the US and around the world since 2007. He earned a degree in Spanish Education from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a Master of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Framingham State University. His main focus in the classroom is helping students connect with their larger community through service learning and student-guided projects.

Aside from his enthusiasm for working with young learners, Seth enjoys traveling with his wife, Miriam, who teaches 6th grade English at BCIS. He spends his free time reading, following sports, and enjoying good food. Seth strives to live up to the ideals of BCIS and see every student grow as both English speakers and as people.

Shirley is a local Beijinger who graduated from the Capital University of Physical Education and Sports with a bachelor's degree in Physical Education. After graduation, Shirley ventured overseas to study Aviation and, maybe one day will become a pilot.

Shirley began as a PE TA in the Elementary School at BCIS and now, building on her PE background, is a Secondary School PE Teacher. Shirley is an enthusiastic, engaging sportsperson with a passion for teaching who loves being a part of the BCIS community!

Randy was born and raised in Seoul, Korea as well as Victoria B.C., Canada. Like many of her students, she is a product of the international schooling system. She holds a B.M. in music education from New York University and M.M. in music education from Boston University.

Prior to BCIS, Randy spent the last several years teaching general music, PYP music, secondary band, choir, directing musicals and hosting band conferences at inner-city schools of Manhattan and another international school in Korea. As a former international school student and an IB Diploma candidate, Randy understands the environment and the expectations of such schools.

In her free time, Randy enjoys traveling, trying out new restaurants, as well as going on a hunt for a good cup of coffee.

Steven comes from Peterborough, Ontario. He moved to China in 2003 and has worked in both Chinese local schools and International Schools. He has been a member of the BCIS community since 2009.

Steven has degrees in English Literature, Print Journalism as well as a Bachelor of Education. He has taught both MYP and DP Language and Literature to every grade level from 6 to 12. As an English teacher, and former professional writer, he understands the power of language in creating meaning. He prides himself in his ability to teach his students the importance of critical analysis.

Steven spent a few years working in the Design department at BCIS and also spent a year as a Technology Integrator.

He is currently the Head of Secondary English and is also an IBDP examiner.

Steven is married and has a daughter attending the BCIS Elementary School.

Jian was born in Jiangsu Province and gained her BA in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language at Suzhou University. She furthered her study in Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) from where she gained her Master degree in Curriculum and Teaching Methodology. Jian also holds a High School Teaching Certificate in Chinese Language and Literature, which was issued by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education.

Jian taught in Tsinghua University before going to the UK where she taught Chinese at GCSE and IGCSE levels, and Cambridge Pre-U course in Winchester College. BCIS is the first international school she has chosen to work in after returning from the UK. She is also trained in IB MYP and DP.

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.

Timizay is a proud Latina working internationally since 2010. She was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, where she got her Bachelor's degree in Social Science education.

In Bogotá, she worked at English immersion and IB schools for several years before moving to the U.S, where she taught in Language immersion schools in a variety of grade levels. In 2013, Timizay moved to China where she worked at an international school in Beijing for several years in roles such as History and TOK teacher for the IBDP, Humanities in Middle School, MUN Adviser, and Middle School Curriculum Coordinator. Besides her Bachelor, Timizay also holds a Teaching License in Social Studies from Washington D.C. and a Master’s Degree in Critical and Creative Thinking from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

In her spare time, Timizay likes practicing yoga, dancing, knitting, reading, discussing politics, watching movies, and playing board games with her husband Ryan. She is thrilled to be a part of the BCIS community!

Vince is a passionate educator who comes from Manila. He started his international teaching career in 2013 and has loved every second of it. Vince earned his Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of the Philippines and is currently working on obtaining his Master’s Degree. Some of the various subjects that he has taught in both Asia and Europe include Middle School Science, Computer Science, and Information Technology.

Vince firmly believes in having a growth mindset and practicing collaboration with the members of the school community. He enjoys motivating and challenging students so that they can reach their maximum potential. His main goal is to create lifelong learners who will become agents of positive change in our world.

During his free time, Vince enjoys photography, video production, and boxing. He also loves traveling and trying out new cuisines with his wife Brianne. Vince is a huge geek at heart and can spend hours talking about tech, games, and movies.

Vince is extremely pleased to be a part of the BCIS family!

William grew up in New Jersey and has been teaching internationally since 2013. William is an enthusiastic and versatile educator who strongly believes that higher expectations for students lead to improved performances. William holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a Master of Science degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University.

Prior to joining BCIS, William taught high school economics at two international schools in Qingdao and Beijing. He believes that economics is a fascinating and inherently interdisciplinary subject that offers students ample opportunities to make abstractions, construct arguments, and apply theories to real-world problems. In honing these higher-level learning skills, William is a skillful facilitator who utilizes dynamic games, case studies, and collaborative activities in his classrooms.

Outside the classroom, William is an avid reader of history and economics. He also enjoys playing basketball, traveling, and cooking.

Yan Long (Mr. Tai) grew up in a small town in southern China, obtained his first teaching degree from Beijing Normal University and is currently studying at Swinburne University, Melbourne for his Masters of Teaching.

Yan Long has previously worked in Beijing as a PE teacher at two international schools, the last was in fact BCIS! He moved to Melbourne, Australia for a few years where he worked in various schools teaching PE and Chinese. Yan Long enjoys being part of the BCIS team again, as it aligns with many of his personal values such as pursuing excellence in teaching, embracing diversity of community, and treating others with respect.

In his free time, YanLong enjoys sharing time with his family and socialising with friends as well as playing loads of sports!

Zach is from the US. Before coming to BCIS, he taught in Japan for three years. At BCIS, he will teach English Language Acquisition in the Secondary School. He loves playing most sports, but his favorites are soccer and basketball. His wife Karen also teaches at BCIS at the ECC. They are both excited to be part of the BCIS community!