There are two teachers in every Early Learning Program classroom, an Early Learning Teacher (ELT) and an Early Learning Teaching Fellow (ELTF). The Early Learning Teacher is the primary teacher in the classroom whereas the Teaching Fellow plays a support role to the Early Learning Teacher and often is in training to become a full teacher. Contrary to the rest of our program, the Early Learning Program classroom is self-enclosed. For certain courses, a Subject Expert Teacher will push into the room to deliver content.
Meet The
Teachers
Ms. Burley
Performing Arts
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Ms. Burley
Subject Expert Teacher Performing Arts
Ms. Burley received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and a Master of Education degree in Teaching and Learning from Ohio State University. Ms. Burley possesses a Pre-Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade Drama/Theatre teaching license.
Her goal as an educator is to use drama as a vehicle to help students excel academically and artistically. Ms. Burley’s integrated approach to teaching drama motivates students to reach their highest potential. She provides a supportive learning environment that inspires a love of learning within each student. Ms. Burley is passionate about teaching drama and provides challenging curriculum that is both fun and engaging.
Ms. Burley’s own philosophy is a perfect match to the BASIS Independent approach to education. She loves developing drama lessons within the framework of a STEM-focused, liberal arts curriculum. She believes strongly in building the connection between the arts and STEM subjects, preparing students to engage in critical and creative thinking as well as collaborative inquiry.
“The core of my teaching philosophy is to enhance students’ understanding of academic curriculum and to build social skills through drama exploration. My lessons artfully integrate drama with academics which investigate global perspectives on topics. I create a classroom environment that fosters collaboration and encourages students to work as a community of learners. I invite my students to recognize how their unique skillsets and interests contribute to the classroom as a whole. I create a safe space where students feel empowerment through their learning, sparking creativity that will shape our future,” says Ms. Burley.
Ms. Burley enjoys teaching and practicing yoga. She has participated in training workshops with Marcel Marceau and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Ms. Jancy
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Ms. Jancy
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Jancy brings over a decade of experience teaching kindergarten with her to BASIS Independent Fremont. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Kerala, as well as a Master of English Language and Literature from Mahatma Gandhi University. After some time spent teaching older students, Ms. Jancy returned to school to receive a degree in Early Childhood Education. Since 2005, Ms. Jancy has taught kindergarten at several Bay Area private schools.
The fundamental core of Ms. Jancy’s teaching philosophy is that each child is unique and precious. She is passionate about the personal success of each student in her classroom, and strongly believes that every child is capable of reaching their highest potential when given the right tools and support. Ms. Jancy firmly believes that her role as a teacher is to facilitate team work and help students unleash the power of the written word and the magic of their imaginations. Ms. Jancy notes that her “expectations for all my students are high, and I work to facilitate each child’s ability to reach their highest possible level of achievement,” a belief system that nicely complements the educational philosophy of BASIS Independent Fremont.
Ms. John
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Ms. John
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. John has extensive experience in education: over 17 years of teaching preschool and assessing kindergarten teachers and classes in a well-established private school. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Kerala, India. It was while working in the Pediatric Unit at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada that Ms. John developed a passion for working with young children. Coming over to the Bay Area, she went back to school and obtained her credentials in Early Childhood Education.
Ms. John has been teaching at BASIS Independent Fremont since the 2016–17 school year. “My goal at BASIS Independent Fremont is to create an environment where the students feel safe and to provide an effective, challenging, yet supportive learning experience for the kindergarteners. I believe in a balanced environment which leads to academic, social and emotional development during this year,” says Ms. John. “Also, the uniqueness of each child should be cherished and all children should have the same opportunities for development.”
Ms. John states that she is attracted to BASIS Independent Schools due to “the high academic standard that is maintained and also the breadth of educational exposures such as performing and visual arts, engineering and foreign language. I love the liberty the teachers have in the classroom with the curriculum, as this leads to lots of creativity in the classroom while maintaining the highest academic standards.”
Her teaching philosophy is that “children learn best in a stimulating and engaging yet fun and nurturing environment. I strongly believe that each child who comes into school is special and unique. I also believe that the kindergarten year is a very crucial time period and I want to lay the best foundation for learning at this stage. I want to develop the curiosity in children and encourage them to ask questions and make them independent thinkers.”
Ms. John is currently a Subject Expert Adviser for other BASIS Curriculum teachers in her subject field. She is excited to be mentoring her peers to create an amazing experience for our youngest students across the BASIS Curriculum Schools.
Outside the classroom, Ms. John is active in organizing community and church events and activities. She also enjoys trying out new recipes, travelling with her family, Bollywood dance and aerobics.
Ms. Joshi
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Ms. Joshi
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Joshi received her Bachelor of Science degree in Adult Literacy from SNDT University in Mumbai, India in 1992. After moving to the Bay Area, she went on to earn a Certificate of Achievement in Early Childhood Studies from Ohlone College in 2004. Ms. Joshi has had an extensive experience of over 18 years teaching hundreds of preschool and kindergarten students, as well as mentoring new teachers.
“I am pleased to be teaching at BASIS Independent Fremont as an Early Education Teacher and love working with young students who are just starting their school journey,” says Ms. Joshi. “My goal is to establish a solid foundation of knowledge, confidence, and self-reliance in my students. I focus on engaging my students through fun learning activities and challenge them using stimulating lessons. The knowledge and inquisitive skills that my students acquire in these formative years go a long way towards success in elementary and high school education.”
When Ms. Joshi is not teaching or planning lessons, she enjoys cooking multi-regional cuisines, gardening, exercising, and listening to Bollywood music.
Ms. Mangal
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Ms. Mangal
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Mangal has channeled her innate curiosity of human behavior and emotional intelligence into a lifelong passion. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from California State University, East Bay in 2018. She holds a Montessori Teaching Credential from the San Francisco Bay Area Montessori Teaching Education Center and holds all the requirements needed by a preschool director, as per the California Department of Social Services, Child Care Licensing.
Ms. Mangal is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Psychology with a concentration of Life and Executive Coaching from Grand Canyon State University, with a projected graduation date of December 2020. She has also written a book about developing emotional intelligence in children.
“I am ecstatic to join the team of BASIS Independent Fremont as an Early Learning Educator,” says Ms. Mangal. “My teaching philosophy is to provide a platform of which learning, autonomy, compassion and empathy abounds through academic and experiential lessons for every student.”
When she is not in the classroom, Ms. Mangal enjoys experimenting and creating vegan recipes, writing children songs and short stories, being a photographer, interior decorating, and creating exciting memories with her family! Fun fact: Ms. Mangal also plays acoustic guitar!
Ms. Ruby
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Ms. Ruby
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Arora earned a Bachelor of Science, with Life Sciences, from Maharaja Sayaji Rao University, Gujarat, India in 1997, and a Masters of Science, in Microbiology and Biotechnology, in 1999 from the same university. She worked as a scientist in research and development, at Sun Pharmaceutical Private Limited, Gujarat, India, for four years. Later, she spent a year teaching middle school students as a biology teacher, before returning to school to earn a certification in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Arora holds a California State Permit as an Associate Teacher in Early Education. Since 2015, she has been teaching in the field of Early Education at different private schools.
“I am excited to be joining BASIS Independent Fremont, where I will be working with a team of passionate teachers who collectively believe in doing their best to make their students succeed,” says Ms. Arora. “My belief is that a teacher’s duty is to teach and inspire students to never give up and always try, even when faced with challenges that seem impossible. All children are different and unique in their own ways and I enjoy working with them at their pace and going an extra edge to help them.”
Ms. Arora enjoys spending time outside with her family, especially on long drives or hikes. She is passionate about cooking food and enjoys plating food in an aesthetically-pleasing manner and photographing her creations. Fun Fact: Ms. Arora can speak four languages, and she loves learning more!
Ms. Shrestha
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Ms. Shrestha
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Shrestha received her Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from the Kathmandu University School of Education in 2014. She achieved her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Shankerdev Campus in Nepal in 2000 and her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the Shankerdev Campus in 1997. She is excited to be teaching kindergarten at BASIS Independent Fremont.
“The reason I chose BASIS Independent Fremont was to join the team of hardworking and passionate educators in uplifting the education standards of students. As a striving learner, I also wanted to gain knowledge and experience from other educators that would help me in my professional growth,” says Ms. Shrestha. “I believe that every student is unique and has “multiple intelligences,” the concept that there are different valid types of intelligence and all of them are essential for learning. It is the role of the teacher to identify that unique talent of every student and accept them for who they are.”
Ms. Shrestha come from a close knit family and enjoys spending time with them. She likes to go for walks, picnics and movies with them. She also likes to travel and explore new places and meet new people. She is a fun-loving person who likes to party and dance. A fun fact about Ms. Shrestha is she can shop ‘till she drops!
Ms. Singh
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Ms. Singh
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Singh earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Shanker Dev Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal in 1995. She also achieved an Associate Degree in Arts from Lake County College, Illinois in 2007. Ms. Singh has additional credentials in Early Childhood Education and Montessori Education.
As an educator, Ms. Singh strives to promote self-discovery and self-awareness, molding independent and eager learners.
“Each student is unique and requires support and encouragement to further their development,” Ms. Singh says. “As a kindergarten teacher, I play a vital role in this growth and place my students’ social, emotional, and physical development as a high priority. I believe in providing a strong foundation for children so that they are capable of tackling any hardship with zest and vitality.”
When she is not on campus, Ms. Singh loves spending time with her family and friends. She also loves listening to music and watching TV/movies, and loves to travel to new places!
Ms. Sud
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Ms. Sud
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Sud is a Transitional Kindergarten Teacher at BASIS Independent Fremont. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Allahabad University in India with a major in English in 1991. She has been a teacher for over ten years, first in India, then in Washington State before arriving in California and working for several years in Fremont area private schools. Ms. Sud has had experience as a pre-K teacher, special needs educational assistant, and English Language Learner teacher.
“I chose to work at BASIS Independent Fremont because of the creative freedom it offers their teachers,” says Ms. Sud. “To me, teaching is not just a profession, it is my passion. I have always wanted to be a teacher and touch lives, ever since I can remember!”
When Ms. Sud is not in the classroom, she enjoys spending time at home with her family, cooking, watching TV, or reading. She has seven siblings who live all over the world, so she is always trying to find a good time to call them across the time zones!