ELEMENTARY TEAM

Kelly Taylor

​Bachelor of Arts, Honours – Trent University, Canada
Graduate Diploma of Education – James Cook University, Australia
Masters of Educational Leadership and Administration – University of New Brunswick, Canada

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Hello!  My name is Mrs. Kelly, I am originally from Ontario, Canada and I have been fortunate to live and teach in Honduras and Egypt.  I have over 10 years of experience teaching Kindergarten and grade 1.  I also spent 2 years being an Elementary Vice-Principal, but missed being in the classroom too much.  My favorite place to be is in a grade 1 class listening to the excitement and buzz of the students learning and enjoying school. I am always finding new ways of planning creative, thoughtful and engaging lessons that allow all students to be successful and love school.  I am eager to create a positive learning experience for students and parents as we work together to teach your children. On holidays I love going to the beach, exploring the beautiful beaches of Thailand!  This is going to be a fantastic school year! 

Kobus Roux

Bachelor of Arts (TESOL) from Siam Technology College

Hello everybody, I am Kobus! I am very excited to be part of the Berkeley Team and part of this amazing school! I will be teaching G1 and G2 Drama as well as overseeing the High School Language Lab. I have been living in Thailand for nearly five years, but I am originally from South Africa. I started my teaching career as an English Teacher but am looking forward to immersing myself in the diverse facets of such an incredible international school. I enjoy working with students of all ages and backgrounds and find joy in seeing them develop into independent, ambitious and enthusiastic learners. During my free time I like to play rugby, make some noise on my guitar and recently became a certified scuba diver! Ready to Rock!!

Rachel Smarte

​Bachelor of Arts, English – University of Virginia, United States
Master of Education, International Education – Framingham State University, United States

Hello and sawatdee ka! My name is Rachel and I’m originally from Washington, DC in the United States, though I’ve been living and teaching in Bangkok for the past four years. This will be my seventh year teaching and I am very excited to be joining the Berkeley pride! Go Lions! Prior to moving to Bangkok, I taught ESL in Spain for two years and fundraised for an education-focused nonprofit in Washington, DC. Learning is my passion and I love to find new ways to challenge my students—and myself!—to grow and have fun in the process. I think learning happens best when we “take chances, make mistakes, and get messy,” as my idol Ms. Frizzle likes to say. In my free time I enjoy cooking, reading at my favorite coffee shops, yoga, learning languages, podcasts, and travelling. I can’t wait to get to know everyone at Berkeley and I'm looking forward to an amazing school year! 

Blake Geddis

Bachelor of Commerce - St. Mary's University, Canada

Bachelor of Elementary Education - Acadia University, Canada

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​Hello, my name is Blake Geddis and I am from Nova Scotia, Canada. I am very excited to be teaching the awesome fifth graders at Berkeley this year. I try my best to make sure my classroom is a very fun and challenging place for students to learn. I have been teaching and living in the Philippines for the last six years and I have also taught in Canada and South Korea. I really enjoy playing, coaching, and watching soccer. I have been coaching young 'footballers' of all different levels and ages for over 20 years! I really enjoy visiting new islands and beaches and I love swimming and snorkelling in the ocean. I am excited to be a part of the Berkeley community and to discover new places in Thailand!

Sylvia Arresola

​Bachelor's of Arts: Loyola University Chicago

Master's of Teaching: National Louis University Chicago

Master's School Leadership: Concordia University Chicago

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Hi, I'm Ms. Sylvia. I am excited to be starting another year at Berkeley! I love teaching at Berkeley and my daughter loves being a student here! 

A little bit about me, I'm from Chicago, USA. We have been living abroad for over 12 years. We started living internationally here in Bangkok, then moved to China, Kuwait, Egypt and back to Bangkok. I have a Masters in Elementary teaching, and a Masters in School Administration and beginning my PhD in Reading and Literacy. 

Kaitlin O'Brien

Bachelor of Arts: English and International Affairs, University of New Hampshire, USA

Master of Education: Curriculum and Instruction, University of San Diego

Hello everyone! My name is Kaitlin and I’m originally from Burlington, Vermont in the U.S. This is my 9th year in Thailand and my third year teaching Grade 3 at Berkeley. Before completing my Master of Education degree and coming to Berkeley, I began my teaching career in a bilingual school teaching a variety of subjects to Grades 1-6. I believe learning should be challenging, spark curiosity and meet the individual needs of every unique learner. I strive to create a welcoming class community where students feel comfortable to take risks, question the world around them, solve difficult problems, and grow as both students and people every single day! Outside of teaching, I enjoy reading, painting, coaching soccer, doing lots of yoga and exploring Thailand’s many beautiful islands and mountains. I am thrilled to be part of the elementary team at Berkeley and look forward to the adventures this year will bring!

Jane Cathery

Bachelor of Arts, Honours, Political Science – Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

Graduate Diploma of Education – La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

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Hello, my name is Jane and I am thrilled to be working as a K3 teacher at Berkeley! While I am originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, I began my teaching career in Taiwan in 2010, where I spent a few fabulous years teaching English before becoming a fully qualified primary teacher in Melbourne, Australia. Prior to moving to Bangkok, I also enjoyed teaching at an international school in Chengdu, China.  I love the fun-filled journey of inquiry and learning alongside my students that teaching offers, and seek to challenge, inspire, and empower those I teach along the way. Outside of school, I enjoy playing rugby, scuba diving, traveling, road tripping, "brunching", and of course, exploring the vibrant city of Bangkok!

Neal Hawthorne

​Masters in International Education - Framingham State University 
Post Graduate Certificate of Education - Asia Pacific University
Bachelor of Arts: Psychology - Simon Fraser University

Hello, my name is Mr. Neal and I have been the second grade homeroom teacher at Berkeley since the school’s opening. I am from Vancouver B. C., Canada and have been teaching in Asia over the past 15 years. Before teaching at Berkeley I taught first and second grade at other schools in Thailand and have also taught K2 and K3 in Japan and Taiwan. My time at Berkeley has been a great experience watching the students grow and develop into happy, hardworking, and responsible young learners. I hope that all of my students will have left second grade with a greater passion for learning and some valuable skills that encourage them to be life-long learners.

Danelle Singhanart

Bachelors in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - Moody Bible Institute, United States ​

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Hello! My name is Danelle Singhanart and I really love teaching at Berkeley International School! I am originally from Memphis, Tennessee, but I have lived in 5 different states. I taught Thai university students for 3.5 years before returning to the USA and earning my masters degree in education. I also taught ESL to kindergarten, first grade, and third grade students. I enjoy creating engaging lessons that my students enjoy while also having fun. My husband is from Thailand and I have three children that really keep me busy outside of school! We love visiting parks as well as other family activities in Bangkok. I also enjoy gardening, crafts, and movie nights! I am ready for another exciting year at Berkeley!

Courtney Lynch

​Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Social Science from Keene State College, USA

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Hello! My name is Courtney Lynch and I´m very excited to join the elementary team at Berkeley International School. Throughout my four years in college and eight years in South Korea and Thailand, I have worked with many different children, varying in ages and backgrounds. Before coming to Thailand I spent two years teaching elementary and middle school English in South Korea. Then, in 2013, I moved to Thailand and continued my teaching career. I worked for five years at prominent international schools in Bangkok before transitioning to Berkeley International School. I love motivating children to be critical thinkers, be excited about learning, working both independently and in groups to create a fun learning environment.