Our wonderful team of Teaching Assistants are Deanna, Jenny, Praxie, Maryanne and Harini
KATIE TERRY – DIRECTOR
Teaching Experience: Katie started teaching nearly 20 years ago and her experience includes the UK (primary & early years); ESF (primary & special needs), Dover court (special needs) and SJII (supply).
Nationality: British /Singaporean PR
Background: Katie is a director of Rain Trees and is responsible for the overall management of the school. She has been in Singapore for over 15 years and spent most of her childhood and twenties in Hong Kong. Katie is married to Hugh and they have 3 children all born in Singapore.
ROHINI RAMADAS – PRINCIPAL
Teaching Experience: Rohini started teaching nearly 20 years ago, and moved to Early Years teaching about 10 years ago. She has had extensive teaching experience in Singapore including imparting the International Baccalaureate Curriculum at Eton House and taking leadership roles.
Nationality: Indian / Singaporean
Background: Rohini has lived in Singapore for 18 years and has a daughter who is living and working in New York. Her teaching philosophy includes the tenet that effective learning requires a collaboration between teachers, students and parents grounded in mutual trust and respect. She also believes strongly that the best learning happens when its fun and positive.
BAHAR AFKHAMI – BUSY BEES TEACHER
Teaching Experience: Bahar has 8 years of experience working in Early childhood education. She has been working with international children for the past 8 years in Singapore following the Early Years and Kindergarten curriculum. She is very excited to be part of the Rain Trees team.
Nationality: Singaporean
Background:
Bahar was born in Dubai and brought up in Singapore. She started her studies in Early Childhood education in 2015. Bahar believes that a child’s growth is developmental. Every child is unique in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, cultural heritage and ways of learning. She believes as an early childhood educator one has to provide a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development that will ensure a positive continuation of the child’s education process, learning through play and hands on activities.
Bahar likes to spend her spare time watching movies, going to the beach and travelling when she can.
MADELINE TEO – DRAGONFLIES TEACHER
Teaching Experience: Madeline has five years of experience working in the Early Years. Effectively bilingual, she has taught in local and international schools in Singapore. She has a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood from Monash University and Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching.
Nationality: Singaporean
Background:
Madeline has been working with children since her teens for the past 19 years and has travelled to various south-east Asia countries engaging in humanitarian missions work with children.
She believes every child is a unique and beautiful individual who is independent and capable of making choices. She loves to promote a sense of wonder and curiosity, empowering them to be confident and active contributors to their communities. Madeline enjoys spending time with her family, cycling and going on hikes.
JONG JONG SAY TEACHER
Teaching Experience: Jong has been teaching in various settings since 2008. After graduating from University in Australia with a Bachelors and Masters degree in Early Childhood Education, she worked as a teacher in a community based kindergarten.
Nationality: Singaporean
Background: Jong is an avid snowboarder and also enjoys diving and wakeboarding. You may also find her behind the potter’s wheel creating beautiful things.
Jong believes that children are autonomous beings and that they learn best through meaningful hands-on interactions with continued collaboration and communication with families.
CHRIS BRADLEE – FIREFLIES TEACHER
Teaching Experience: Chris has been working with children in various capacities since 2005. She has experience teaching in many diverse and multicultural environments. She has a holistic approach and motivates her students in to have a growth mindset. She believes that children need to be free to explore, learn, and grow and to also make mistakes. Learning takes place not only inside the classroom, but also in outdoor spaces. Chris encourages children to be curious about their surroundings and to learn through their senses.
Nationality: American/Singapore PR
Background:
Chris was born and brought up in the USA, She has lived and worked in Thailand, Cambodia and India and is now proud to call Singapore home. She is married and has one daughter.
Chris likes to spend her spare time with her family. She is passionate about gardening, reading and yoga. She previously managed a Farm to Fork café garden in California. She is also is a certified yoga instructor and has learned and taught yoga in the USA, India, and Singapore.
Chris is a lifelong learner and is grateful to all of her students for allowing her to learn and grow with them. She trusts in the immense potential of each child and considers the early years as the most important time to instill a love for learning. She believes in the power of kindness and compassion and also encourages her students to be kind and caring.
ANNA FACEY – BUTTERFLIES TEACHER
Teaching Experience: Anna has 9 years of experience working in Early Years. She has taught in London for seven years in two International Nursery schools following the Early Years Foundation curriculum. Anna then moved back to Singapore where she worked in an International IB school for over a Year. She is very excited to be part of the Rain Trees team.
Nationality: British/Japanese
Background: Anna was born and brought up in Singapore. She left Singapore in 2005 to Study Early Childhood Studies and Fine Art in Canterbury, UK. In 2015, she moved back to Singapore.
Anna believes that every child is unique in their own way. She is passionate about the development of young children and creating stimulating and enriching experiences to augment their learning.
Anna likes to spend her spare time exercising, going for walks with her black Labrador named Cha-Cha and travelling when she can.
GRACE CHEN – MANDARIN TEACHER
Teaching Experience: Grace has been working in Singapore as a Chinese Language Teacher since 1998. She graduated with a Masters degree in preschool education from Beijing Normal University.
Nationality: Singaporean
Background: Grace was born and raised in China and moved to Singapore in 1998. She has 2 children and enjoys reading, music and keeping fit by jogging.
Grace is keen to engage children in learning Mandarin through fun play based activities, to give them a strong foundation for future learning.
JENNY BAKER – ADMISSIONS OFFICER
Administration Experience: Jenny has worked in a number of administrative roles in both Singapore and New Zealand over the last 5 years.
Nationality: New Zealander
Background: Jenny has lived in Singapore with her husband and 2 children for over 8 years. She enjoys hiking, yoga, playing tennis as well as spending time with family and friends.
SHRADDHA THAKKAR – FINANCE & ADMIN OFFICER
Administration Experience: CPA from New York. Finance/Banking experience over 9 years in USA, UK, India & Singapore.
Nationality: American/PR of Singapore
Background: Married with 2 children; moved to Singapore from UK in 2008. Enjoys traveling to different places, meeting different people. Passionate about the different physical training courses – swimming, Yoga, weights training.
