Braemar College
Hybrid High School

Ms. Chong brings over 7 years of teaching experience as well as a Master of Education to her position at Braemar. She especially enjoys helping students make real world connections and develop transferable skills, not only as the facilitator of Braemar's Model UN Club but in all her classes. Ms. Chong is a firm believer in lifelong learning and when not in the classroom, can be found attempting a new recipe, trying to get to the next level on Duolingo, or exploring one of Toronto's many green spaces.

Dr. Vrajeshkumar Khambholja was born in Gujarat, India. He earned his M.Sc and M.Phil Mathematics degrees from Sardar Patel University. In 2015, he completed his Ph.D. Mathematics with a thesis on Higher Dimensional Theories of Gravitation from the same university. He has presented his research work in International Congress of Mathematicians ICM-2010, Hyderabad, India, and worked as an instructor for a certificate course on Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) in Canada. He has been teaching various Math and other courses at hig school, college, and university levels since 2005. He creates for students an active teaching-learning environment by implementing various teaching strategies like cooperative learning, problem-based learning, inquiry-based instruction, seminars, presentations, etc. At Braemar College, he teaches courses in Mathematics, Computer Science & Business, and runs Math Club & Scie-Tech Club to ignite curiosity, nurture imaginations & shape creativity in young minds.

My name is James Olsen and I teach courses in the Social Sciences and STEM departments of Braemar College. I use an interactive style and incorporate a variety of teaching methodologies in my classroom, including inquiry, direct instruction, experiential learning, modelling and simulation. I am a practitioner of systems thinking, mindfulness and social-emotional-learning based approaches. I draw upon a wide variety of experiences and resources to help my students succeed, including management publications, first-hand observations, and MBA case competition at Harvard Business School. My goal is to help students develop the skills, knowledge and abilities to succeed at the highest level in the Canadian post-secondary education system and to help them achieve their highest possible, potential future vision.

Before I started working at Braemar College, I worked as a teaching assistant for the English department of Queen's University and participated in many teaching workshops while there. My specific approach to teaching focuses on maximizing student participation, for I believe that student engagement and interest is of the utmostimportance in the classroom. I always aim to create a positive environment where students can share ideas confidently and open their minds to new perspectives. I am known for my optimistic attitude and truly enjoy making English literature approachable and fun for high school students.

Jessica is a passionate and energetic teacher, specializing the Arts and Humanities. She is an experienced international educator, having taught in Russia from 2011-2013, and in the UK from 2016-2017. Upon returning to Canada, Jessica started teaching at Braemar College. She is deeply invested in the wellbeing and engagement of the young people she teaches. Outside the classroom, her contributions to Student Experience Programming as a Show Director, Club Supervisor and Event Planner make her one of the most recognizable faces of the
Braemar Community.

I was born and raised in Toronto. I then moved to London to attend the University of Western Ontario where I pursued my interest in English literature and film studies. Upon graduating with a bachelor of arts, I decided to travel the world while teaching English as a second language in China, Vietnam, and Turkey. Due to these experiences, I was inspired to further my understanding of teaching at the University of Victoria where I obtained my bachelor of education. Following graduation, I moved to England to teach English at secondary schools in Kent and Oxfordshire. After two years, I returned to Toronto and began working at Braemar College where I teach E.S.L. and English courses. I hope that my classroom can provide my students with equal access to a welcoming learning environment by integrating the voices and experiences of learners from a diverse array of countries, religions, cultures, and backgrounds.

I realized I wanted to be a teacher while I was getting my graduate degree in Science at the University of Ottawa. For me, the best part about the program was being a teaching assistant. Once I finished, I decided to pursue a teaching degree at York University, where experiential learning, critical thinking and using technology are heavily emphasized – all things which I try to implement in my classroom. I
have now been a teacher for approximately 11 years, and been a teacher at Braemar College for about 7 years. At Braemar, I have the privilege to teach students from all around the world. I look forward to teaching and learning from them every day!

I am thrilled to say this is my 23rd year teaching high school Math in Braemar College. I grew up in Hong Kong, and since graduating, I have been teaching high school math for more than three decades. I have a passion for Math and want to share this with my students, helping them to appreciate the beauty and the power of math. It is also my mission to engage in the teaching and learning of math that will challenge students to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills necessary for the success of their higher and further education. I enjoy sport, reading, gardening and travel. I was a member of my university scorer, swimming and rowing team. I have travelled nearly hundred cities over the world. Travel provides me real-life education, widen my perspective of the world by exploring other cultures. All these habits keep me happy and healthy both for body and mind. I look forward to meeting all of my students in Braemar College.

Growing up I always felt torn between two worlds that seemed in opposition: those of Sport and Scholarship. On the court or the field, I was a body. But when reading my favourite books, or writing in class, I was a brain. There was no conversation between these two worlds, and I was terrified by this. But negotiating between the two gave me an appreciation for the connection between physical and mental health – between how we see our lives, and how we feel them. With time and the help of a great many fine people, I have found myself in a profession that allows me to continually explore this connection, while sharing in this learning process with the young people who surround and inspire me each day. As Director of Student Experience at Braemar, my constant goal is that no student I have contact with
leaves high school believing that they must be only one thing. Rather, each day we encourage one another to discover what makes us different, and what makes us connected. Finding the meeting points between worlds has become the great challenge and the great joy of my life, and the focus of all my efforts here at Braemar.

A love of history, philosophy, and their avenues for discussion led me to my career today. The opportunity to engage with people and to learn from each other is something I really enjoy. This has formed the foundation for my pedagogy as I believe that students need to feel
connected with both the class and the material to truly reach their full potential within any subject. In the classroom, we are a team working together to acquire knowledge and the skills necessary to be successful in the future.