When she is not teaching, Bianca appreciates spending time with her family and friends. Her favourite activities are playing board games and spending time in nature.

Having taught in classrooms and one-on-one, Bianca believes that students learn best when teaching methods are tailored to the learning style and individual strengths of each student. She joined The Open Door so she can work one-on-one with students to help them overcome individual challenges and achieve their goals.

“I love watching my students progress, and being a part of their world.”

Dennis has a natural enthusiasm for learning and was drawn to the teaching profession through his desire to help others.

He is an avid reader (of both fiction and non-fiction), film buff and music fan who enjoys collecting vinyl records, live music and outdoor recreation.

Dennis is enthusiastic to be working with The Open Door as he has found the one-on-one style of instruction offered by The Open Door to be highly engaging and rewarding for both teacher and student.  He is excited to help students develop their literacy skills and meet their educational goals in a meaningful and impactful way.

Leigh Anne is a Certified Barton Instructor who has been teaching children with dyslexia and other learning differences using the Barton method for over eight years.  After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Queen’s University, Leigh Anne enjoyed working as a pediatric physiotherapist with children of all abilities.  However, when her son was identified as having severe dyslexia, she became a Barton tutor and successfully homeschooled him to the point where he is now a confident honour roll student in high school.  

In addition to helping those with dyslexia, autism, and other learning differences, Leigh Anne is keen to promote the importance of physical well-being, with an emphasis on helping everyone, both old and young, achieve an optimal level of health through nutrition and physical activity.  A former competitive road, track, and mountain bike racer, Leigh Anne can often be found riding the local trails with her husband and their two children.

Leigh Anne joined The Open Door because she finds that there is nothing more rewarding, nor more important, than helping a child go from loathing reading to loving it.  From personal experience, she knows that every single student, with the right instruction and progression, has the ability to learn to read and write with ease.  Moreover, every single student deserves the chance to do so.

Anne was originally drawn to education as a teenager out of a desire to help her hearing-impaired younger brother. Later she specialized in Special Education in order to better understand how to help her young son, who was unable to read. After assisting these two loved ones to become successful scholars, she turned her talents to helping other students overcome their personal learning obstacles in order to achieve success.

She is a keen naturalist who enjoys spending time outdoors, camping and canoeing with her family. She also is an avid amateur horticulturalist and a pet lover, so she really enjoys both home gardening and relaxing in the backyard with the family dog. When the weather drives everyone inside, she enjoys reading and watching movies.

Anne is excited to be working with The Open Door because she loves working one-to-one with students and developing a supportive relationship with those who are struggling to succeed.

“What I enjoy the most about tutoring with The Open Door is the super warm welcome I receive at the students’ homes. The excitement displayed over my arrival tells me that my students really love their Barton lessons!”

She obtained her Bachelors of Science from the University of Ottawa and looks to further her studies in pediatric occupational therapy. Currently she is taking courses in child behaviour and functioning to support the work she does with children.

In her spare time, Nathalie enjoys cooking, travelling, salsa dancing and spending time exploring the city with friends and family.

She started working with The Open Door because she wanted to continue to expand her experience working children with different learning needs, as well as continue to help children grow into successful and independent individuals.

Stephanie is a patient and caring educator who has a passion for shaping lives. She is a Registered Early Childhood Educator and has been working for the Ottawa Catholic School Board for several years. She also has experience working with children with learning disabilities and autism. All of the children she has worked with have taught her to be a compassionate, creative, and hardworking mentor.

When Stephanie is not teaching she loves to travel and explore new places. She enjoys being outdoors as much as possible and being physically active. Her favorite activities are figure skating, hiking, yoga, and baking.

Stephanie started tutoring with The Open Door because she is passionate about helping others overcome any challenges they may face and giving them the confidence they need to succeed. She wants to pass down her love of learning to every student she has.

Jennifer is a certified elementary school teacher who has found her dream career as a teacher. She loves working with children of all ages, and finds it easy to connect and motivate. She has a special passion to help children with special needs close the gap between where they’re at and where their goals are leading them.

Jennifer earned her Bachelor’s degree with honours, specializing in Psychology, from the University of Ottawa. She went on to earn her Masters of Science in Teaching from the State University of New York at Potsdam. Throughout her 10 years of teaching experience, Jennifer has taken many courses including Additional Qualifications of Special Education Specialist through Nippissing University.

Jennifer has been teaching with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board for ten years, and also began tutoring two years ago. She has found she enjoys working with students both, as a class as well as one-on-one.  She gains great satisfaction helping children build self-confidence and self-esteem and believe in themselves, as they overcome various obstacles.

In her spare time, Jennifer loves to take on new adventures with her family. She also enjoys quiet time reading and having long thoughtful conversations with most anyone. She has a love for music, and taught piano for many years. She also enjoys taking part and volunteering for community events that help others in the community.

After learning about The Barton Reading System and The Open Door Educational Services there was no turning back. Here she found a system that could reach children with various learning disabilities including dyslexia. A system that would help children strengthen many facets of their language skills. After hearing about the results of the Barton Reading System, she was thrilled to join The Open Door Educational Services to be part of this incredibly successful system which is actually giving children the necessary skills and tools needed for them to actually read and begin enjoying books! 

Nada completed her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies in 2018 at Carleton University. She then went on to pursue a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, where she undertook research that focused on hidden curriculum in teacher education, and its intersection with inclusivity, assessment and education policy.

During her undergraduate studies, Nada tutored high school and international students and was focused on providing support with critical reading and essay writing at various levels. While working on her master’s degree, Nada worked as a teacher assistant where she helped lower level undergraduate students retain course material by conducting engaging tutorials and writing workshops.

Nada enjoys reading, trying new food, and spending time with friends and family.

She joined The Open Door because she believes in individually tailored teaching, learning and assessment approaches which allow learners to see themselves progressing through their goals. Nada intends to continually fine tune her skills to each learner’s needs in order to ensure they receive the best support.

Alyss completed her Honours Bachelor of Arts with Major in French as a Second Language and Minor in Geography in 2018 at the University of Ottawa. To complement her electives in second language teaching, she completed an additional year with courses in psychology, linguistics, and social work at the University of Ottawa, Saint Paul University and Athabasca University. She is currently completing her Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning at the University of Ottawa with courses in inclusive, differential, and antiracist education. She begins her Bachelor of Education – Primary/Junior – French as a Second Language in September 2021 at the University of Ottawa. Alyss’ most recent professional experiences include second language teaching and instruction with adults and children. She has also held roles in universities as a library monitor, translator, junior academic assistant, and storywriter.

She enjoys independently learning about everything and anything through books, documentaries, and coursework. She is highly interested in artistic expression: having handwritten her first novel at fifteen, she is currently teaching herself to crochet and to play the piano. She continues to tutor French through Discord while looking after her two dogs and two cats and visiting family in Pennsylvania.

Alyss was excited to work with The Open Door because she believes that every child has unique strengths and talents that can be expressed with thoughtful and explicit instruction and feedback. She believes in a student-centered, strengths-based approach to teaching and learning and she is passionate about fostering an intrinsic desire to learn, improve, and succeed in every individual.

Anthony recently defended his PhD in philosophy at the University of Ottawa, specialising in an area of linguistic philosophy known as philosophical hermeneutics.  He previously completed a Master’s degree at the University of Victoria, focusing on the philosophy of art and literature. 

He has worked with students as a teaching assistant for over six years and always felt that the most meaningful part of his graduate work was the opportunity to have one-on-one meetings with students who would come to his office hours for extra help.

He has a personal passion for studying film, poetry, and music and has played the guitar as a hobby since he was 13 years old.

Anthony has always found teaching itself to be invigorating and, in particular, has always found the inculcation of fundamental skills, like spelling, reading, and writing, to be the most fascinating kind of learning.  He finds any chance to reflect on and re-examine skills we normally take for granted to be a very worthwhile exercise, and tutoring those with dyslexia seemed to him a wonderful opportunity to be consistently reminded of how a wide assortment of people receive and acquire the most basic language skills.  He discovered The Open Door, learned about the Barton System, and was very interested in joining the team in order to be able to practise this kind of instruction on a regular basis.

Caroline has a major in child studies and a minor in psychology from Carleton University. She is also completing her Bachelor of Education in the primary/junior division at the University of Ottawa.

Caroline loves to spend her time volunteering. She has been a family event planner and soccer coach for the children and youth in her community. She also enjoys cooking, doing macramé, and learning about nutrition.

Caroline decided to work for The Open Door because she is passionate about supporting students by helping them build confidence and achieve their learning goals. She believes that working with students at the individual level allows greater understanding the student’s needs and fosters a positive student-teacher relationship.

Stephanie has completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Dalhousie University, an Advanced Diploma in Behavioural Interventions from Nova Scotia Community College, and a Master’s of Professional Education in Applied Behavioural Analysis from Western University. She is completing her Bachelor of Education at the University of Ottawa in the primary/junior division. She has worked as an educational assistant in a Public Elementary School, working with students with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She has also worked as an ABA therapist working with individuals with Autism.

Stephanie loves to visit her family in Nova Scotia and to visit the beaches. She also loves to read, knit and stay active by going for walks, doing yoga, and hiking.

She started working for The Open Door Educational Services because she is passionate about working with students with exceptionalities. Stephanie strives to be an inclusive educator and hopes to learn as much from her students as they will her.

Daniel graduated from Carleton University in 2019 with his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Education at the University of Ottawa. In this program, Daniel is using his practical knowledge and understanding of science and mathematics to complete a Specialization in Junior and Intermediate Mathematics. He has several years of experience planning and hosting a variety of educational events and day-camps for a conservation education centre. He also developed interpretive materials for the conservation education centre museum and led students on tours through the exhibits.

In his spare time Daniel enjoys painting, biking, camping, and playing the guitar and piano.

He started working with The Open Door because he is passionate about helping students reach their full potential.

Megan has her Master of Education (Studies in Teaching and Learning) at the University of Ottawa. She has over 4 years of experience working with students of all ages with special needs, in a classroom setting as well as one-to-one.  She is a literacy and basic skills instructor for adult English language learners with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board. She is also on the supply list as an educational assistant with the same school board.

Megan enjoys getting outside to hike and explore. She enjoys paddle boarding, biking, skating, yoga and kayaking.

She started working with The Open Door because she believes in their philosophy and in providing support to students so that they can reach their learning goals and gain confidence.