Meet our teachers


Head of Centre, Chiltern House Forum		Elaine Cremin Lee Bachelor of Education (ECCE) from University of South Australia. Dec’ 06 • Associate Degree of Social Science in Children and Family Studies, RTRC Singapore / Edith Cowan University, 2001 • Diploma (ECCE) from Singapore (SAUC) 2000 • Montessori Diploma from Singapore 1997 Experience Summary: In 1993 my family and I came to Singapore. In 1996 I started working at the Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning as an assistant teacher. After a short while I became a teacher and have since enjoyed working with Nursery and Kindergarten age children. The last 18months has seen a new challenge as I have moved from classroom to office! I now enjoy guiding staff and sharing my knowledge and experiences with them. Personal Interests: As my children are all teenagers I now have more free time and am enjoying studying, late on in life! Going back to the text books is very rewarding. I have a passion for re-visiting my old profession …baking cakes. However, to keep the kilos off and keep fit I enjoy yoga, cycling, and swimming. I believe our children should have a solid foundation in life. We should respect them as individuals, slow down, listen to their views, and give them opportunities to experience the simplest pleasures. It will count for so much later on in life. As the old saying goes ‘The best things in life are free’.

Head of Centre, Chiltern House Halifax Road		Shanthi Rajasakaran Master of Education (Early Childhood Education) from University of South Australia in 2006 • Bachelor of Arts (Children and Family Education) from Edith Cowan University, Australia in 2002 • Certificate in Special Education from the Institute of Education, Singapore in 1990 Experience Summary: I started teaching in 1985 in a school for children with special needs. As I found it very rewarding, I decided to pursue my training in this field. After working there for six years, I decided to move into the early childhood field to share my knowledge of special needs education with this field. Over the years, I have worked and trained my way up from a teacher to being a Head of Centre in both childcare centres as well as kindergartens. Currently, I head Chiltern House Halifax and I also train teachers in early childhood education. In addition to this, I conduct workshops for parents and the public at the Julia Gabriel School of Education. Personal Interests: I enjoy reading tremendously. I read to update myself on the current issues in the early childhood field as it helps me greatly when I work with teachers and parents. I also enjoy reading thrillers and look forward to the intrigue and suspense in these stories. I feel that teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs ever. I have worked with a range of age groups from three year olds to adults and they have all taught me so much over the years. It is very satisfying to see the smiles on the children’s faces and know that they have enjoyed their learning with me or when the parents and the teachers come up to me and share how they have enjoyed my classes and that they look forward to coming the next day. It is a wonderful feeling! My aim is to inspire others to pursue teaching as a profession and I hope to continue teaching for many more years to come.

Head of Centre, Chiltern House Crescent Road		Yolanda Tessensohn Diploma in Teaching and Leadership – Advent Links SAUC Singapore 2002 • Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education – Edith Cowan University Australia 2002 Experience Summary: I started my career working with children, in 1999 with Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning in the PlayClub and Language Arts Programmes. I joined Chiltern House later in the year and spent three years teaching children in the Nursery and Kindergarten Programmes. In 2003 I was appointed Head of Centre of Chiltern House Halifax. I was transferred to Chiltern House Crescent in 2005 and continue to lead the centre as the Head of Centre. Personal Interests: I enjoy travelling to different places with my family and pampering myself with the luxuries of good hotels. I also love spending time at spas for special treatments to relax and unwind. I look forward to my weekly yoga sessions and of course settling down for some quiet time with a good book on weekends. I have thoroughly enjoyed bringing up and educating my two children and therefore followed my passion for teaching by working with young children. Today I find myself working more with training and motivating teachers as well as working hand in hand with parents to develop and bring out the best in each child. I have learnt much from working with each child and family. I enjoy what I do and am proud to contribute to each child’s total learning.

Head of Centre, Chiltern House Turf Club Road		Sumathi Jayaram Certificate in Education from Institute of Education Singapore • (Primary School & Pre-School Education) – Endorsed by NTU, MOE & MCYS Experience Summary: I have taught in Primary Schools and schools for children with special needs. Worked in Ministry of Education, in Textbook and Library Section, Conducted talks and workshops on setting up library programmes in Primary schools. Joined Julia Gabriel Centre as a reading and writing teacher and was a Senior Teacher in Julia Gabriel Centre, Playclub Level 2. Worked in Chiltern House Halifax and Chiltern House Forum as a teacher. Headed Chiltern House Forum for 2 years and currently is the Head of the centre for Chiltern House Turf Club Road. Personal Interests: I enjoy reading and being with children. I like writing journals and poems and listening to classical music. I have always wanted to be a teacher from a very young age. I have never wavered from my decision and every opportunity I had led me into this path. As my experience in this field matured, I was given the opportunity to lead a team of teachers and manage a school. This is a unique job that requires the interplay of trust, teamwork, professionalism, and understanding. A tapestry sewn by all involved in shaping young children’s minds and lives.

Senior Teacher, Learning Support, Kindergarten 2 Curriculum Coordinator		Agnes Gabriel 1994 – Diploma in Education NIE • 2002- Degree in Science (Applied Psychology) • 2006 – Diploma in Early Child Education with Leadership and a degree in Arts Experience Summary: I have been teaching since 1994 and love every minute of it. I taught in local primary schools for 2 years before joining Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning in January 1997 to teach creative writing. I then moved to Chiltern House in 2001 and have been teaching Kindergarten 2 children and children with additional needs children ever since. Personal Interests: Yoga. Meditation. Spending time with Nature. Korean television drama series. Sleep I Enjoy reading. My broad areas of interests are murder mystery, forensic findings, abnormal psychology, comparative religion, history ancient and modern; counseling.

Senior Teacher, Kindergarten 1 Curriculum Coordinator		William Royston AGSM, Teachers’ Diploma, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London- 1998 • Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood with Honours- 2002 Experience Summary: Assistant teacher in PlayClub Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning in 1995 Became a PlayClub teacher in 1997 Started teaching Speech and Drama in 1998 at JGCL Moved to Chiltern House in 2004 to help implement the PreNursery Programme Started teaching Kindergarten 1 in 2005 Started teaching Kindergarten 2 in 2006 Personal Interests: Singing and performing, reading and watching movies

Teacher, Senior Curriculum Coordinator		Selena Jayaratna David Diploma in Early Childhood From SIM • Certificate in Preschool teaching by National Institute of Education Singapore • Certificate in Speech and Drama By Kinderland Experience Summary: I have 14 years of experience in education since starting as an assitant teacher at the Australian International School. I have taught in various levels in Kinderland Kindergarten, Kidsport and Marymount Kindergarten. I was given the opportunity to set up and plan the Nursery 2 curriculum for Chiltern House, New Delhi, India. Providing a warm and supportive environment for developing emotional and social growth has been my forte throughout these years in Chiltern House. Personal Interests: I enjoy reading the latest children’s books on child developmental skills. I love exercising, as this is my way of keeping myself physically and mentally relaxed. The passion of teaching has led me to believe that each child is an individual and as early childhood educators it is our responsibility to bring out the best in each and every child. It is important for us teachers to inculcate the joy of learning into children so that they are able to reach their full potential.

Teacher, Nursery 1 Curriculum Coordinator		Noa Joy D. Sunga Candidate for Master of Arts in Basic Education Training from Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines • Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, 1996 • Professional License as Teacher obtained from Professional Regulation Commission, Philippines, 2004 Experience Summary: I have always been passionate about educating young minds. I had been teaching for eight years in the Philippines before relocating to Singapore in 2005. In all my years as an English teacher, I have had the opportunity to work with students in different age groups coming from multi-cultural backgrounds, using a diverse range of teaching methodologies. This experience has shown me how to deal with the uniqueness of each child I teach and how wonderfully children can blossom given the proper guidance and respect for their abilities. Personal Interests: I love reading – from funny comic strips of Calvin & Hobbes to thought-provoking novels like Einstein’s Dreams. I also like to write essays about the mundane trivialities of life, letters for snail-mailing, commentaries I keep to myself, journals about my day, short stories and poems I never publish, and (hopefully one day) a novel that I will publish. I also like to seek out the beach whenever I can. The combination of sun, sea and sand is always a refreshing change from the busy routine of cosmopolitan living.

Teacher, Nursery2 Curriculum Coordinator		Madhu Arjandas Daryanani Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Bombay,1988 • Diploma in Preschool Teaching from International Centre for Early Childhood, 2004 Experience Summary: I started out as a Facilitator with Gymboree Play and Music Pte Ltd in 1995. In the year 2000 I became Assistant Centre Manager. I joined Chiltern House in January 2003 as a Nursery 2 Teacher. I became the Nursery 2 Curriculum Coordinator in January 2006. I am currently teaching Kindergarten 1 and Nursery 2. Personal Interests: I enjoy reading and listening to music. I especially enjoy long walks on the beach.