Traci Baillie brings 30 years of experience in Canada and overseas as a consultant, principal, award-winning university instructor and advisor, curriculum developer, and teacher. She has taught in Bermuda, Brazil, and Canada, and in her role as a university instructor at the University of British Columbia, she prepared aspiring teachers for their teaching careers.

As KEY’s Little Scholars curriculum developer, she guides the development of KEY’s innovative educational programs for students aged two and a half to five and a half, which in turn help young children develop socially, emotionally, and academically with engaging activities and 21st century learning practices tailored to each student.

Negar has been working with young children, as well as mentoring parents and teachers since 2012. She is also currently an instructor at a local Early Childhood Education training institute, helping the next generation pursue their goals of becoming EC educators.  Her interest in ECE first arose from a desire to support children as they discover who they are. Teachers play a vital role in fostering their students’ confidence, creativity as well as other core values for a successful future.

Since 2013, Sheyda has utilised different educational strategies in her classrooms to assist students of various ages, cultural backgrounds and developmental levels to reach their full potential. She has always been drawn to younger students, finding their curiosity for the world around them and their strong ability to acquire new information to be especially fascinating.

Adriana has Reggio-inspired experience instructing and assisting in the classroom since 2014. She likes to explore many teaching methodologies to adapt to the learning needs of her students since she believes that not all children learn the same way and thus their pathways of learning should not be limited. Her goal is to connect with every child by providing them with a safe environment where they can grow independently.  Adriana loves working with students and being part of their journey because their love of learning is so pure and they are not afraid of anything. 

Heather loves being a student as much as being an educator. She is an avid scholar who explores cultural dynamics within political science and the humanities through the lens of her Vietnamese-Canadian heritage. Her passion to give back to the education community was fostered by the exceptional educators and advisors at the independent school she attended, St. John’s School. She credits her academic success at SFU and AMI training to the early and specialized education provided in private schools. Through her Montessori training and experience working at a Montessori preschool, she learned to apply proven Montessori methodology such as Following the Child, an approach where an educator observes the child and provides enriching activities catered to their Absorbent Minds and Sensitive Periods. Heather strives to develop a child’s confidence by strengthening their capacity for independent learning and development. Her favorite part of being an educator is having deep meaningful conversations with the children. She believes she can make a difference in society by helping children become conscientious, respectful and engaged participants in the classroom and wider communities.

Prior to joining KEY, Christina was guiding children at a Montessori preschool. She has been drawn to the children in this age group, especially by their absorbent minds. She feels that having a nurturing teacher within an academically and socially enriching environment sets the foundation for future success. With her training in Montessori, she understands the areas of sensitive periods for children’s development and tailors appropriately challenging activities to draw out their potential. She takes pride in creating a safe environment where children feel secure and independent enough to become creative problem solvers. As a result, they can apply their critical thinking skills and collaborate with others to create a better future together. She loves to engage with the children in songs, grace and courtesy activities, and story-telling. Her respectful approach gives the child a safe place to grow to appreciate the love of learning.