Whether it’s the early stages of English development to a university level research paper, Potts Education Studio employs a diverse team of highly trained teachers with a variety of backgrounds and disciplines to suit your needs.
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PhilPhil studied his undergraduate degree in Linguistics, specializing in second-language acquisition. In 1995, he did a practicum at the Language Training Institute of Ottawa. He was offered a permanent position there, but had to turn it down to continue his education.
Phil did in-home tutoring for several years before establishing his first tutoring centre in Richmond in 2000. This quickly led to an opportunity to establish and run a centre in Shenzhen, China, where he spent nearly two years. Upon returning to Canada, Phil was recruited to manage two different centres until 2008, when he established Potts Education Studio. Phil holds a Master of Education, with designation in Digital, Open, and Distance Learning. That puts Potts Education Studio in a unique position to offer its classes online as well as in the classroom. What’s more, Phil speaks several languages, including English, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and a handful of others. He continues to learn more, believing there is no end to education. |
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KarolinKarolin is a BC certified teacher and has been a part of the Potts Education team since 2013. Before joining Potts Education Studio, Karolin volunteered and did substitute teaching at Our Lady of Mercy Elementary School in Burnaby; she also taught Grade 5 English and adult classes in Celaya, Mexico, where she discovered her passion for teaching English as a second language. Karolin has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from Simon Fraser University, and she is a certified TEFL/TESOL teacher.
Karolin loves learning new things from her students and loves the engagement that teaching brings every single day. She enjoys running, hiking, playing baseball, travelling, and snowboarding. Karolin's teaching philosophy can best be described in Joseph Addison's analogy: "What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul." Karolin teaches the elementary group classes and one-on-one classes at Potts Education Studio. |
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KristenHaving traveled to East Asia frequently since the age of nine, Kristen has developed a passionate interest for Asian languages, literature, history, and culture. This interest led her to the University of British Columbia, where she pursued a degree in Chinese Language and Culture. Eager to improve her Mandarin fluency, Kristen entered Potts Education Studio and became one of Phil’s students while completing her degree. It was from this experience that Kristen discovered a desire to become an educator.
She spent her final year at UBC developing her skills as an English tutor. After graduation, Kristen won a scholarship from the Government of China, and completed a year of post-graduate Mandarin Language study at Xiamen University in Fujian province. Living and studying in beautiful Xiamen gave Kristen the opportunity to teach English classes to preschool and elementary students at a local arts and language centre, and she engaged in tutoring on her university campus. Upon returning to Canada, Kristen resumed her post at Potts Education Studio. Her experiences in China have deepened and informed her teaching skills. Kristen believes that academic success in language is achieved not only through hard work, but also through exploration, curiosity, and interaction with the wider world. |
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HafsaHafsa is a language lover and a passionate teacher who has entered the field of language instruction more than 15 years ago. She has enjoyed teaching both English and French in a variety of settings, to a wide range of students from Kindergarten to university and adult professionals.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in applied linguistics, and decided to obtain her teaching certificate in 2003. Ever since, Hafsa has taught at several public and private schools in Morocco and Canada. In 2007, she travelled to teach English at the College of Applied Sciences in the Sultanate of Oman, where she spent two amazing years teaching Omani and international students. She now teaches at Potts Education Studio where she also takes classes in Mandarin. Despite being a busy mother of two children, Hafsa believes in lifelong learning. She fluently speaks four languages and is determined to make Mandarin her fifth. Hafsa firmly believes that “what we learn with pleasure, we never forget.” She’s looking forward to giving her best to her students and making their learning experience one to cherish and remember. Besides being a French and English instructor at Potts Education Studio, Hafsa is also a certified transformative life coach, NLP practitioner and certified PQ (positive intelligence) trainer who offers academic and life coaching packages to teens and preteens on a one on one and group basis. With over 20 years of teaching experience and extensive life coach training, Hafsa can easily tap into young learners creativity and inner strengths, help them breakthrough their limiting beliefs and unleash their full potential to successfully transition into confident adulthood. Through a series of coaching sessions, teens and pre-teens develop a positive mindset, strong resilience and unshakable self confidence that can dramatically improve the quality of their life throughout high school and beyond. Interested but curious to know more? Email Hafsa directly at: hafsa@superteencoaching.com or use the link to book a free 30 minute consultation. Hafsa will answer all your questions, explain how the sessions work and suggest a life coaching package that is most suitable for your needs. https://calendly.com/superteencoaching/30-min-discovery-call |
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Joyce, Director of Education ConsultingSince graduate school, Ms. Joyce has been providing academic guidance and college advising for students in BC. With over 10 years of cumulative experience in college planning and applications for renowned institutions in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, she has provided professional undergraduate consulting and planning services to thousands of families in British Columbia.
With a “best fit” philosophy, her planning focuses on uncovering students' potential & empowering each planning student so that they can find their niche while pursuing their dream schools. She also helps students develop an organized application plan, timeline and school list during the G11-12 application season and patiently counsels them step-by-step to obtain their desired admission offers. Joyce is currently an associate member of the IECA (Independent Educational Consulting Association) and a member of the IECA Canada Regional Group. She also served as a research assistant at UBC and a lecturer at the University of Mississippi's flagship and the Columbia University-Shanghai Jiaotong University summer program. Joyce has achieved a 100% acceptance rate to UBC for the past three years with her clients. Here are some of her students’ past university matriculations: UBC, U of T, Waterloo, UPenn, Columbia University, USC, Cornell University, UC-Berkeley, UCLA, NYU, Boston University, University of Rochester, CMU, UW in Seattle, and more. |
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KathyKathy is a lover of English literature and visual arts. She first discovered her passion for teaching when assisting high school students at homework clubs. She has volunteered at numerous other places, teaching English to elementary and high school students alike.
Kathy understands what many students feel like to be in a new land full of strange wonders, and so she makes it her goal to use various forms of visual art, literature, and contemporary culture to introduce to students what it means to be in Canada. By teaching at Potts Education Studio, she hopes that she can channel her passion for the arts into her students so they can learn how to engage with the world. Most importantly, she wants to help students become critical thinkers. Kathy currently runs the education studio’s book club to help students understand how interesting literature can be. |
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PhoebeBefore joining the teaching team at Potts, Phoebe was a student of Phil’s for many years. Under Phil’s guidance, she learned the importance of good work ethic and time management which has led her to many successes in the years since then.
Throughout her life as a student, Phoebe’s favourite class was always Science. She enjoys the hands-on experience science can offer as well as the way it explains many things that happen in our world and how it encourages curiosity. Her passion for science helped her excel and landed her a position as a teaching assistant for Science 8. This experience led her to discover the joy of educating others. Since then, Phoebe has graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of British Columbia and has continued to build upon her teaching skills as a science tutor at Potts Education Studio. Her favourite part of being a science tutor is feeding into her students’ curiosity and teaching them the science behind things we interact with every day. During her free time, Phoebe enjoys baking and playing video games, which has inspired her to pursue another degree in computer science. |
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JienJien is a BC certified teacher who also holds a US teaching license as well as a TESOL/TESL certification. Having taught in 3 countries (Canada, USA, and South Korea), he has presented on teaching at several international conferences, coordinated professional development for other teachers, and helped to pioneer an annual TEDx-like speaking event for students in Daegu, South Korea.
With a decade of teaching experience, he continues to be passionate about teaching students in a way that is evidence-based, fair, and serves their individual needs. Jien graduated from university at the top of his class with a perfect GPA and was a member of 4 honour societies. He knows the strategies to success in university and strives to equip his students with the tools and methods they need to triumph when school becomes truly difficult at those high levels. He is currently completing post-graduate coursework in instructing multiple literacies to improve his teaching even further. To encourage students to read more, here are his reading goals for 2023. |
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JanaJana has a masters degree in teaching English and French as a second language. Currently teaching in Slovakia at private English high school geography and history gives Jana joy and pleasure to connect with students and to see their progress. Jana's teaching principles include promoting independence and fostering growth at an individual pace. Jana encourages her students to be independent using methods of education that are based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. Supporting students' intellectual, emotional and social development are Jana's utmost goals and philosophy.
Having a European background allowed Jana to travel across many countries and to get to know many European cultures and languages. This experience promoted her passion for multiculturalism and social interaction. |
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JaneJane has a Master of Arts degree in Philosophy, and a Master of Arts degree in Comparative Literatures and Arts. She considers herself a student of life, for life. She has a passion for teaching and encouraging others to develop and pursue their academic endeavours and goals. Jane has worked as a Teaching Assistant and Marker/Grader at Brock University; where she discovered her enthusiasm for teaching and creating pedagogical strategies to help students feel excited about their learning journey. She also has experience developing and teaching art classes at her local art gallery; as well as teaching singing and guitar, both in-person and online.
Since a young age, Jane has had a deep love for singing, song writing, and playing guitar. Jane has recently began taking opera lessons to expand and explore the potentialities of her own voice. In her Master’s thesis, she wrote about the voice and how it constitutes and becomes an expression of one’s identity. “Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” – Plato |
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BeckBeck has a master's degree in English Literature. He is a writer, editor, and teacher. He has a real love for helping people to express themselves. His interest in English literature began as a child. Starting at a young age, he volunteered at his local public library after school and during summer breaks, and he read whatever he could get his hands on: from J.R.R Tolkein to Agatha Christie to Charles Dickens. Beck believes that everybody, regardless of their age and ability level, has something to say and that we would do well to listen to them. He feels strongly about English literature education as a way to build up confidence in self-expression and facilitate the critical examination of the ideas which one already possesses.
Beck has experience teaching fiction and non-fiction literature at the university level and writing and test prep to primary and secondary students. His teaching mission is to develop critical and empathetic thinkers who feel equipped to navigate the complicated world of written expression, sharing their own opinions and beliefs. Overall, Beck's approach to English literature and teaching comes from a place of compassion. He understands that each student is an individual with something unique to offer if they are only equipped with the tools they need to express their ideas. |
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NicolasNicolas is an English, French, Japanese, and Mathematics tutor with extensive teaching experience. Coming from a French-Japanese background, Nicolas attended a French-speaking high school where he completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and earned dual Dogwood diplomas. He is currently a student of International Relations at the University of British Columbia and also teaches Japanese at a high school in BC.
Nicolas is passionate about traveling and learning languages, including Spanish and Mandarin. He enjoys working with ESL/ELL students and those who wish to start studying French or Japanese. He strives to see students celebrate their progress and reach their full potential. At Potts Education Studio, he hopes to provide students with the skills they need to excel in their studies. |
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CynthiaCynthia is a BC certified teacher who holds a TESOL/TESL certification. She has a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia. During her undergraduate studies, Cynthia worked as a teaching assistant and assisted in designing various science and scientific writing courses. She is passionate about teaching, and she has enjoyed teaching English and science in various settings to students from elementary school to university. Being a public school teacher in Metro Vancouver, she has taught ESL/ELL and mainstream high school science courses.
Cynthia firmly believes that education should support students to develop subject-specific knowledge as well as core competencies including communication and critical thinking. She aspires to support students to achieve their academic goals and spark their interest in learning. |
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VanessaVanessa has a strong passion for languages and cultures. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and achieved her Master's degree in Translation and Technology at UCL. She started as a peer tutor in high school and continued to be a proofreader and editor in university. In university she also had the opportunity to be a summer camp coordinator for an all-ages summer camp.
Furthermore, she enjoys travelling and in her travels she has had experience working with students of different ages and in different settings. She has taught in Japan and Taiwan, and being in these multicultural environments she understands students' struggles when learning a new language. In her free time, Vanessa enjoys going to cafes to read and write as well as meeting new people and sharing experiences. |
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TianyiTianyi holds a Bachelor of Management degree in Construction Management and a Master of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering. She has been helping students with university planning and math tutoring since 2015 in China and joined Potts Education Studio in 2017.
From her educational background and previous experience, she is familiar with university planning and university applications. Her previous students successfully received offers from top North American universities including UBC, UT, McGill, University of California, Berkeley, and New York University, etc. She also provides math tutoring from Grade 8 to Grade 12, as well as SAT math. Tianyi helps students with all steps in university planning, from extracurricular activities application, program/university selection until students receive university admission offers. |
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CarlosCarlos obtained his Bachelor’s degree of Electrical Engineering at Harbin Institute of Technology in China and achieved his Master’s degree of Electrical Engineering at UBC. He has over 8 years of experience helping high school and university students with Mathematics and Sciences as a tutor. With dual education backgrounds, he knows the similarities and differences of various education systems very well. Carlos is able to deliver mathematical and science concepts effectively to students while identifying each student’s weakness. And he is determined to get every student involved in the learning process.
He joined Potts Education Studio in October 2018 when he was still a graduate student at UBC. And during the past 3 years with the Studio, over 20 students have improved their academic performance dramatically. Carlos teaches one-on-one classes at the Studio with Gr. 9 - 12 Mathematics, Gr. 11 - 12 Physics and Chemistry. |
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BrinaBrina has always had a passion for teaching, starting from her experience as a peer tutor at school, to her time as an instructor at summer camps, and as an educator here at Potts Education Studio. As a summer camp instructor, she taught her campers the basic concepts of code and explored various coding languages alongside with them.
Brina loves working with young children to help them see the fascinating world hidden behind each page of the book they are reading. She hopes that her students will come to love and understand the wonders of English literature. She also aspires to help students express themselves through their writing and be honest with their thoughts. As Shakespeare once famously wrote in his play: “This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.” (William Shakespeare, Hamlet). |
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SimSim is a current student at the University of British Columbia, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in the study of Religion. She loves drawing, crocheting, and exploring new ways of creative expression. When she isn’t trying new hobbies, Sim enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Sim has always been interested in using the English language to express herself, from writing stories as a child to articulating literary arguments at a university level. Sim has a passion for all aspects of the language, and hopes to use her passion to help others. She aspires to help her ESL/ELL students become proficient in English and discover that they, too, have a love for English. |
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ShreyaShreya is pursuing her degree in Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia. In her free time, she likes to read, write, and bake for her family and friends. She started her teaching journey as a peer tutor in high school for Math, Science and English, and is currently a tutor at her university. She has experience tutoring in elementary, high school, and university level subjects. Shreya loves interacting with people of all ages and finds great joy in helping people with their struggles. It is very gratifying when students finally understand a concept they were initially having trouble with, which is why she enjoys being a tutor. She is also a Taekwondo Instructor, which made her realize that teaching manifests in many different forms and is not limited to a classroom.
Shreya believes that education is a valuable asset that we ought to pass on to future generations, and Potts Education Studio provides individuals with the opportunity to discover their potential for excellence in all aspects of life. |