Rain Trees has a strong and dedicated team of local and international teaching staff to stimulate independence, discovery and social interaction among our students.
Our wonderful team of Teaching Assistants are Alyssya, Deanna, Maryanne, Praxie and Jenny
KATIE TERRY – DIRECTOR
Teaching Experience: Katie started teaching nearly 30 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 25 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 in 1994 and moved to Early Years teaching in 2002. 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 23 years and has a daughter who is living and working in New York as a Human Rights Lawyer. Rohini’s 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 and is deeply committed to every child being happy, safe and engaged. In her spare time, Rohini enjoys counselling teens and tweens.
LAYLA MAGHFUR – FIREFLIES TEACHER
Teaching Experience:
Layla has over 5 years of teaching experience, and has had the joy of working with children ranging from 2 months to 6 years old.
Nationality: Indonesian/Malaysian
Background:
Layla was born and raised in Brunei. She attended the international school of Brunei from Kindy through to year 11 then pursued her studies in Psychology and Early Childhood Education in Malaysia.
Layla believes learning should be joyful, inspiring and rooted in real-life experiences and of course lots of play. Drawing from her own experiences with the amazing teachers she had as a little girl she loves incorporating storytelling, music and movement and visual arts into her lessons. Her goal is to foster a love for learning and build children’s confidence to embrace challenges.
Outside of teaching, Layla enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her two cats. Also like many in this part of the world she has a deep passion for food.
JONG JONG SAY SUNBIRDS 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.
ANNA FACEY – BUTTERFLIES TEACHER
Teaching Experience: Anna has 15 years of experience working in Early Years in both London for 7 years and in Singapore. She has been teaching at Rain Trees since 2019
Nationality: British/Japanese
Background: Anna was born and brought up in Singapore. She left Singapore to study Early Childhood Studies and Fine Art in the UK. In 2014 she moved back to Singapore and has been here ever since.
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.
Outside of Rain Trees Anna is busy being a mum of two young children. She likes to spend her spare time going on walks and outdoor adventures with her family.
ROCHELLE MORTON – SUNBIRDS TEACHER
Teaching Experience: Rochelle has spent many years working in the early childhood sector holding leadership roles across local and international early childhood setting as well as having taught across all age groups. Her work has focused on curriculum development, mentoring educators and creating supporting, engaging and child centred environments where every child can thrive.
Nationality: Australian
Background: Rochelle is a mum to two spirited girls who keep her busy and have shaped her approach as an educator – patient, flexible and always ready to laugh.
She says that she loves a good dress up party, immersing herself in a great novel, hanging out with friends and has recently started Pilates.
ANGELIA THAN – BUSY BEES TEACHER
Teaching Experience:
Angelia has been in the Early Childhood field for 20 years, having worked in local preschools and then in International schools in Singapore and Shenzhen, China. She has also enjoyed exchange programmes in 5 preschools in Budapest, Hungary. Having led teams of teachers and worked at the management level.
Nationality: Singaporean
Background:
Angelia has 2 beautiful children, Euan and Eudora. They enjoy exploring child-friendly places, visiting the library, and enjoying yummy food at cafes.
Angelia tells us she is an ambivert (a balanced mix of introvert and extrovert)! she enjoys running alone and reading in a quiet space, but she also loves the energy of group activities and socialising over food. She also loves designing hands-on activities and classroom environments.
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.
CHARLOTTE CHESSER – ADMISSIONS OFFICER
Administration Experience: Charlotte has worked in a number of finance and administration roles in both the paid and voluntary sector in Singapore over the last 12 years. She worked as an accountant in the UK before moving to Singapore.
Nationality: British
Background: Charlotte has lived in Singapore with her husband and 3 children for over 12 years. She enjoys playing tennis, painting and cooking 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.