Hello, my name is Sofia! I graduated with a Bachelor's and Master's in Social Work and obtained a Teaching Diploma for Primary School. I teach math, science, project work, and mindfulness.

Besides school, I worked as a teacher in an orphanage with children living in difficult conditions for five years. Every year I also work as a counselor at summer camps with children, including children with special needs and children in difficult circumstances.

First grade is the first and very important step in primary school, and I work hard as a classroom teacher to lay the educational foundation for a successful learning path for my students. I am focusing on the personal and academic development of each child, as well as creating a welcoming and friendly environment in the class. At this age, we develop an early understanding of who we are, how we express and organise ourselves. 

In my classes, we learn through playful and interactive methods. Learning by doing is the great method for this age. That's why I include a lot of practice in each lesson — for example, we do a lot of experiments in science, work with clay, go outside and learn about the world around us.

Favourite quote/motto

"Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together." Scott Hayden

Interview with Ms Sofia


Why do you think education is important? Education is a broad term and it is not limited to educational institutions. I believe education is one of the essential needs for people. The learning process starts from the first days of life of a baby and lasts a lifetime. Through the constant acquisition and use of knowledge, people realize their potential, making their contributions to the world. Therefore, it is crucial to educate not only the mind but the heart to appreciate and improve the world within and around us.

Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? Revealing thee talents of each child and raising a socially responsible leader using the best modern teaching practices and holding onto traditional values is something that's very close to me. I feel honored to work at TISA with a team of teachers who are eager to help children develop skills to be caring, knowledgeable, and open-minded.


What was your best moment as a teacher?  My best moments as a teacher are when I observe my students' best moments and realize my part in their success. When they work hard in studies and then rejoice in getting results. When they learn to work in a team, supporting and helping each other. When they are excited about discovering and trying new things. 

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning?  On one hand, I like seeing students succeed in learning and realize their potential. It is a great joy and a privilege for me to contribute to that. On the other hand, the possibility for me to learn from kids and colleagues makes me truly excited to come back to school every day. Being a teacher is a great challenge, but it is worth it.

Teacher purpose profile
Ms Sofia is a Community Investor.
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My name is Janice. I graduated with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education majoring in General Education at Notre Dame of Marbel University in the Philippines. Also, the same school for my Master of Arts major in Educational Management. Before living here in the Netherlands, I worked as a teacher in the Philippines for over 9 years. I have taught English, Reading, Values Education, Mathematics, Social Studies and MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health). Aside from being a classroom teacher, I was tasked with being a coach in both academic and extra-curricular competitions, grade chairman for grade 1 teachers and girl scout school coordinator. I also served as the secretary for the teachers’ association in my division, regional sports officiating official, camp director and assistant for more than five provincial camps with more or less two thousand participants.

Favourite quote/motto
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

Interview with Ms Janice

Why do you think education is important? Every one of us has that hunger and thirst for knowledge. Through education, we will be able to satiate that need while properly guided towards finding our purpose and reaching our optimum potential goal to succeed in life.


Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? TISA offers an innovative way of teaching-learning process that doesn’t only challenge the learners but the teachers as well. It focuses on what is essential and equips its learners for the complexity of the world. I like how the teachers work together to provide quality education to the learners.


What was your best moment as a teacher? This is a tough question as I have lots of best moments as a teacher. Being a teacher gives you the privilege of obtaining a tantamount of the best moments to cherish for a lifetime. But the common and recent one is when one of my learners said out loud that he wanted to be a teacher! Just like me! It made my day!

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning? I’m always excited to come to school every day to teach, learn and discover new things together with my learners and colleagues.

Teacher purpose profile
Ms Janice is a Community Investor.
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Hi, my name is Violetta. I graduated from MSPU and my majors are both English and German. I have been teaching at KinderMBA school for 5 years. During this time, my students have created about 150 projects on various topics, including greening the city, the Internet of things, a barrier-free environment, and bringing the company to the international market. In addition, I create educational courses for children on the topics of financial literacy and social entrepreneurship.

Favourite quote/motto
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" — Theodore Roosevelt

Interview with Ms Violetta

Why do you think education is important? Education develops critical thinking, teaches how to make decisions, take responsibility, and also opens doors to the big and exciting world.


Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? TISA has an intercultural community of teachers and students, which develops some important social skills such as mutual help, respect and tolerance

The modern equipment introduces students to a variety of industries. Students can try on different roles. If you want to become a businessman, a programmer, or a scientist — TISA helps you with your track. And of course, the creative cluster reveals individuality and creates a mature personality.

Also, the variety of methods used by teachers implements the "Learning by Doing" approach, which opens up different sides of this world to our young students. This is why TISA is not just a school, it is a whole world.


What was your best moment as a teacher? Every time my students overcome their fears and give an unexpected result.

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning? I think, seeing the small changes in the personal development of my students, excites me about teaching. And, of course, their tricky questions, funny jokes, and exciting games.

Teacher purpose profile
Ms Violetta is a Lifelong Learner.
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My name is Vera and I have been teaching English for as long as I remember, for almost 30 years to be exact. 
I have had the pleasure of working with students from over fifty different cultures over the course of my career. I received my Master's degree from the State University of New York. In addition, I have two permanent teaching certifications. Since then, I’ve taught at a variety of public and private schools in three different countries. As an educator, I make it a point to attend professional development workshops every year in order to stay current with the latest trends. I am privileged to be Stephen Krashen's student and follower, and I incorporate the comprehensible input approach in my classroom instruction. Every year, I design a new, highly personalized program for all of my classes based on their needs and interests. 

Favourite quote/motto
"If you want to build a ship, don’t herd people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."

Interview with Ms Vera

Why do you think education is important? According to research, people who are better educated live longer, are healthier, have higher salaries, and have more employment opportunities. Education enhances the quality of life not just for the individual but also for society as a whole. Countries where people have higher levels of education are often healthier, more economically stable, and happier. For me, education is a window into the world. It also helps people make better decisions and increases social mobility.


Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? There are several factors that distinguish TISA from other schools. I enjoy working with our international teaching staff. Thanks to all the creative and capable people that work here, TISA has a unique and vibrant feel. I love the premise that every child is talented, and that’s what TISA is all about. At TISA, we strive to provide the best educational opportunities for all students. We want to see children excited about going to school and aim to create a safe and secure learning environment in which they will feel valued, supported, encouraged, and inspired.


What was your best moment as a teacher? I can't remember a single one; there are just too many. I suppose I have at least one best moment in every lesson, and occasionally the entire lesson consists of only the best moments. However, I do recall one instance that brought me to tears. One of my severely dyslexic students successfully wrote her first sentence without making a single mistake. I was so proud of her! Moments like these remind me of why I became a teacher in the first place.

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning? What excites me about teaching is that each day is a new opportunity to help my students discover something truly amazing about the world, read an interesting book, write a fantastic story, feel good about themselves, and to fall in love with learning.

Teacher purpose profile
Ms Vera is a Lifelong Learner.
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My name is Hashm and I graduated from MSPU with a bachelor's and a master's degree. In 2014, I have already started to teach children (4-14 years old) in my main field of expertise – robotics. Today, I’ve already:
— conducted more than 300 classes.
— organized and conducted more than 100 interactive and 
— trained more than 150 teachers to work with children
— completed over 150 assemblies and classes 

Favourite quote/motto
I believe that any complex thing can be explained to a child in an understandable child's language. If the child understands, then the next step is to make it interactive and interesting.

Interview with Mr Hashm

Why do you think education is important? Without education, it is very difficult to understand what you want to do. And even if you know what you want, you don't know how to get it. Education gives you opportunities and opens doors to your future. And, as a teacher, it is my duty to guide the student and help him in his choice.


Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? Tisa is a new opportunity not only for children, but also for teachers. Teachers are not just teachers — we are mentors, guiding and helping people, both adults and children.


What was your best moment as a teacher? There were many different moments.
Once, I held a lesson with children, and the administrator often looked into our classroom and clarified that everything was fine. It was so often that I persuaded the children that when the administrator comes to us again for a lesson, they will all answer in unison "everything is fine" and give a thumbs up.
When the admin entered the classroom, the children did it. They did it so well that they could sing the phrase "everything is fine". We all laughed then.

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning? An opportunity to give something new to children. Something that will interest them and lure them deeper into the subject. And when I myself teach children, I learn from them in return. It's great and motivates you to keep doing what you're doing.

Teacher purpose profile
Mr Hashm is a Lifelong Learner.
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My name is Natalia and I have loved theatre since I was 8 years old. I went to a theatre studio and graduated from the Moscow International Film School. My teacher at school always told me I should be a teacher and I wanted to be an actress. We were both right. Finally, I became an actress and a drama teacher, and I adore both my professions.

Favourite quote/motto
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

Interview with Ms Natalia

Why do you think education is important? Education is really important because it makes you who you are. 


Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? I teach at TISA because I really like theatre and teaching drama. TISA provides an amazing opportunity for drama classes, including staging, costumes, and regular performances.


What was your best moment as a teacher? My best moments as a teacher are moments when my student couldn’t do something and then you explained or showed how to do it and finally he could do it! I feel like I am a magician at such moments.

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning? The thing that excites me about teaching is the possibility of being a child with my students. To play, to imagine, to be true.

Teacher purpose profile
Ms Natalia is a Role Model.
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My name is Anna. I studied in art school for 8 years, and these years have defined my future career path. Afterwards, I graduated from the University of Hertfordshire as a Bachelor of Arts in illustration and graphic design. After graduation, I became a professional illustrator and teacher, so now I’m sharing my knowledge and experience with children and adults.

I have been conducting art lessons for children for 3 years. In my practice, I place a strong emphasis on a personalized approach to each student and his or her unique interests and talents. During the last year, I taught art in different schools. I was teaching art for children at London Gates Educational Center, illustration at Universal University, and I was also making silk screen printing workshops at the British Higher School of Art and Design. We are exploring art in many different ways in my lessons with my students. We are experimenting with different art techniques and styles. Moreover, we are working with different mediums: drawings, sculptures, and installations; and we gather all our new-born art in exhibitions. The last long-lasting project I had was a project about Jungian archetypes, and my students prepared a whole series of very diverse works for the final exhibition in a gallery.

Favourite quote/motto
«Life is the ultimate work of art»

Interview with Ms Anna

Why do you think education is important? Education is like a tool for making a sculpture out of raw material. It’s essential for building a character. Also, education is important for developing curiosity and the ability to obtain and apply new knowledge. Education is especially important for children — it’s one of the first steps of socialization. 


Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? It’s an opportunity to share my knowledge and reveal the beauty of the art world to children. I like the elaborate educational system of TISA and modern teaching methods, which are up-to-date and relevant to modern reality and its challenges. It’s a great pleasure and an honor for me to work with dedicated professionals.


What was your best moment as a teacher? The best thing about being a teacher for me is the gratitude of my students. When I see their joy in learning some new and exciting knowledge and how they gradually become more confident in drawing and understanding the art world. It’s a very rewarding moment when your students express their gratitude and show their progress.

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning? I get inspiration from being helpful and being able to share my passion for art with my students. It's also some kind of journey. Every day at school is different and brings new experiences, challenges, and inspiration. So it’s always an exciting intrigue.

Teacher purpose profile
Ms Anna is a Lifelong Learner.
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My name is Maria and I am a Sports and Choreography teacher at TISA school. 
I have teaching diplomas in choreography and sports, founded a student dancing group, worked as a choreography and gymnastics teacher at several schools, and was an art director of a children’s ballet group.

Favourite quote/motto
"Never give up on your dreams"

Interview with Ms Maria

Why do you think education is important? My profound belief is that education is essential not only for making a decent living but, most importantly, for being an interesting and versatile person who has the willingness and resources to improve the world around us.


Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? I teach at TISA because I want to share my love for art with its international community of children, helping them develop the habit of a healthy lifestyle, which, in my opinion, is very important to form from very early childhood. My work brings me the most pleasure when I am spending time with children. My greatest motivator is seeing their first successes, the curious sparkle in their eyes, and their joy from what I am teaching them.


What was your best moment as a teacher? Truly, I can remember many unique and joyful moments in my teaching life. However, probably the best of them occurred on a volunteer trip to an Armenian school. There was a boy who didn’t want to participate in in-class activities, speak to or play with other children, and everyone around said "Don’t mind, just leave him alone", but I made a wish to find a way to get him out of his "shell". In a couple of days, we started to get along, and he made some friends among his classmates. Probably, the most emotional moment for me was on my last day, when he came out in front of the whole class and sang a song that he dedicated to me and gave me a box of his colored pencils. I was very close to shedding a tear since it was truly touching and meant a lot to me.

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning? Unlike in some other occupations, in teaching you give a lot. You dedicate your whole self to the bold objective of making the world better. But also, you get a lot in return! There is nothing more pleasant than the moment when children do not want to leave your lesson and stay to talk to you during school breaks. What makes me come to school every morning? Of course, our alpacas in the garden! - and, speaking seriously, it’s our genuinely wonderful team, children, and TISA’s general atmosphere of caring and appreciation!

Teacher purpose profile
Ms Maria is a Champion and Role Model.
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My name is Hanrike. I have always loved teaching and being a part of the learning process. I started coaching swimming at a very young age and trained to become a coach. For 10 years, I taught children from ages 3 to 15 how to swim. I have also been working in education since 2016, mostly with ages 3-7 as a learning support assistant and teaching assistant in the Middle East, where I supported diverse learning needs and the learning environment. I have a BSc in Psychology and I am currently finishing my Master in School Psychology as I hope to one day make schools a more inclusive and welcoming place for all students.

Favourite quote/motto
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." — Nelson Mandela

Interview with Ms Hanrike

Why do you think education is important? Education is important because it forms the basis from which you are able to navigate the world and yourself. It presents the opportunity to develop creative, innovative, and forward-thinking minds that are able to challenge and solve the problems they come across and provides an environment in which they can learn to do so together.
As a teacher, I look forward to the moments in which a child learns something, and you can see the excitement they get from obtaining a new skill or gaining knowledge about something they were struggling with. Watching them progress and seeing their development is an honour to see and I am glad to be a part of it.


Teacher purpose profile
Ms Hanrike is a Role Model.
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My name is Monalisa. I did my Bachelor and Master of Science in Botany, with a specialization in Taxonomy, from the University of Calcutta, India. Later, to pursue my dreams of a career in teaching, I did a Bachelor of Education from St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta.
I have almost 12 years of teaching experience in India. I taught students at primary and middle stages in Don Bosco School, Liluah in 2009. I have been the Head teacher of Biology in the Secondary section at Metropolitan Institution (Main) School, Calcutta for 11 years. I am very passionate about teaching, and I like to transfer my energy and enthusiasm to the students and learn a lot through their activities. I moved to Leiden in 2021 and will be starting my teaching journey with TISA this year.

Favourite quote/motto
"Failures are the pillars of success"
Children should be encouraged from an early stage to overcome their failures through determination and dedication. This helps them to set up a beautiful and bright future for themselves.

Interview with Ms Monalisa

Why do you think education is important? "The highest education is that which does not merely give us information, but makes our life in harmony with all existence".
This is a quote from the world-famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize for literature. His words always stuck with me from the moment I read about them, and they helped me while teaching a group of young inquisitive minds. Education develops critical thinking among students through innovative and effective instructional strategies. Education makes the children curious about different areas, which is possible through a teacher’s positive reinforcement and inquiry-based teaching. I was fortunate enough to come across excellent teachers both in my school and college days, who helped me pursue my dreams. I wish to instill confidence in my students as well, so that they can rise in their careers.


Why do you teach at TISA? What do you like the most? I believe that teaching a group of wonderful, diverse students at TISA is an excellent opportunity for me to lend my expertise in teaching through a holistic approach. The availability of a dynamic and multicultural environment promotes teamwork and helps me explore and develop students’ full potential. TISA has state-of-the-art technology in its classrooms, which helps me to be on par with the digital generation. I am proud to be a member of the TISA team. TISA’s aim is to nurture students to become critical thinkers, courageous, knowledgeable and being open-minded is what I like the most.


What was your best moment as a teacher? One of my former students, now a football player, came to visit the school on Teacher’s Day and showed me the medal that he won. He told me that he is very thankful for all the encouragement and good qualities that I have imparted to him during his school days. It was one of the most cherishable moments for me as a teacher.

What excites you about teaching / makes you come to school every morning? The hopeful eyes and innocent smiles of my students invite me every day into their lives. Their love for learning enhances my enjoyment of what I am doing— teaching! It is a privilege for me to contribute to the school community in a good way that I am responsible for.


Teacher purpose profile
Ms Monalisa is a Champion.
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