David Stainton was born and bred in West Yorkshire in the UK. He holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood studies and a postgraduate degree in education specializing in early years education. He loves teaching because of the creativity it requires and the challenges it presents to him. He is committed to the philosophy that every child is unique and that they all learn in different ways. Before relocating to Shenzhen to join Whittle School & Studios, David spent eight years working as an early childhood educator in Guangzhou.

Lawliet (Jia-Hui) Chen has extensive experience in Early Childhood Education (ECE). She served as a Kindergarten Chinese teacher for over two years at BASIS International School Shenzhen (Pre-school-12). Prior to that, she participated in designing and making Montessori materials at Peninsula Montessori Elementary School in Shenzhen. Lawliet is passionate about teaching children under six years old. When she was in college, she devoted herself to taking internships and collecting research data in diversified kindergartens in Zhuhai, Shenzhen, Taiwan, and Singapore. After Lawliet gained her master’s degree in ECE from the University of Hong Kong, she studied formal Montessori Education at an American Montessori Society (AMS) program. Lawliet is capable and creative in the design and preparation of fun, supportive, and educational classroom environments.

Joanna Huang graduated from South China Normal University with a bachelor's degree in early years education. She is currently an online student at Deakin University Australia and is studying for a master’s in education. She is a passionate teacher as well as a keen learner. In her six years as a teacher, Joanna has spent most of that time working in IB Schools as a Chinese homeroom teacher. She has created a variety of Chinese games for different levels of Chinese learners. She can keep track of and assess the students’ language learning through a variety of methods to support their further progress. Joanna has also participated in professional training in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Switzerland. She loves writing and has written several educational articles that won regional and provincial awards.

Shawn Macaulay was born and raised in South Africa and continued his studies in Asia and America. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in education with an American teaching license and QTS. He is also a qualified Cambridge oral examiner.

 

As an experienced early years, primary homeroom, and under and postgraduate teacher, Shawn is thrilled to begin a new journey at Huitong. He is dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment that promotes the intellectual, social, and emotional growth of his students. He believes in a student-centered approach, recognizing and integrating each child's unique interests and strengths into the learning process. He strives to create engaging and interactive lessons that encourage active participation and critical thinking by incorporating a range of teaching strategies, including project-based learning, cooperative learning, and technology integration, to make learning enjoyable and meaningful for his students.

 

Creating a supportive classroom community is one of the core pillars of Shawn's teaching philosophy. He prioritizes building strong relationships with his students, their families, and colleagues because he believes that a collaborative partnership is essential for student success. He works towards creating a safe and respectful environment where students feel valued, empowered, and motivated to take risks on their learning journey. By promoting open communication and fostering a sense of belonging, he aims to create a classroom where all students can thrive academically and personally.

Matt Toy grew up in the South West of the UK and came to China in 2006.  He has spent many years working with young children in a variety of contexts, most recently working for seven years as a homeroom teacher at Bromsgrove School Mission Hills.  He holds a bachelors degree in computing, a post graduate certificate in education and is currently working towards a US teaching licence.  Matt has a passion for encouraging children to follow their interests, allowing them to take risks and learn from their successes and mistakes, enabling them to ‘connect the dots’ in their understanding of the world around them.  He loves to bring his creativity and passion for music and movement into the school environment, allowing children to learn in an authentic and holistic manner.

Isabelle Leigh is from Hertfordshire, UK and has always been keenly interested in creative art and sound. She is trained in multiple digital media disciplines having graduated with a Bachelors degree from the University of Lincoln.

Isabelle became passionate about education after participating in creative mentorship programs in a local school and now has a few years of teaching experience with young learners in China, she is TEFL and CELTA qualified and is in process of obtaining a PGCE. Isabelle believes learning is a lifelong venture in which creativity is key. She views creative project work as ongoing negotiation with the self, as such opens unlimited opportunities for students to imagine, try, re-evaluate and try again allowing for authentic exploration. Isabelle seeks to inspire student’s sense of ingenuity and creation to build their sense of self, confidence and community input in a meaningful, lasting way.

Anna is a qualified teacher from Ukraine with MA in English and Literature. Anna also has TESOL certification and over 10 years of experience in education. She worked as ESL Lead Teacher in Primary School of the Affiliated High School of Peking University and was awarded Certificate of Honor for the excellent work and high standard performance as a Foreign Teacher in 2020 and 2021.  

 

This year Anna completed the PGCE iQTS course at the University of Sunderland and  obtained QTS certification from Department for Education in the UK. Anna is a committed practitioner who creates engaging and creative teaching environment. Anna believes the future of the world starts in her class today. 

Shuting Jiang is an early-childhood teacher with many years’ teaching experience in kindergartens in Hong Kong. She has a master's degree in early childhood education from the University of Hong Kong. She has participated in many volunteer activities at the Children's Welfare Institute and was struck by how much the children needed love and caring for. Shuting firmly believes that enthusiasm for one’s work and a love of children are the most important qualities for an early years educator. In daily life, she likes playing the piano and singing, so she often employs teaching methods related to music in her classes to make the lessons more varied, interesting, and understandable for her students. She believes that in addition to the knowledge from books, it is more important for kids to explore freely in a variety of environments and enjoy their precious childhood.

Ming Jing holds a master’s degree from Beijing Normal University and she has nine years' experience in education. She accompanied her husband to Harvard University in 2018 and, while in Cambridge, MA, worked in the Mandarin Immersion Classroom at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School. She believes that education is an art of time: teachers must patiently discover each child, letting them find their own interests, follow their own rhythms, and explore the world in their favorite way. At the same time, Ming attaches great importance to the construction of game spaces; an environment rich in game materials supporting children's social interaction is an endless educational resource. She also believes that a multicultural environment is very important, not only to broaden the children's thinking and stimulate their creativity, but also to help them develop a sense of respect and cooperation, and to have a better understanding of "global citizenship."

Yunan Niu obtained her bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from Arizona State University, and then received her master’s degree in Early Childhood and Special Education (Bilingual Extension) from Teachers College, Columbia University. She now holds a valid California Child Development Program Director Permit. Before joining Whittle School & Studios, Yunan worked with young children from many different types of placements and schools, and has accumulated rich experiences in both special education and early childhood education, especially in early intervention for children with autism and/or developmental delays. Yunan believes that every child is capable of learning, and that educators should allow and encourage young children to express themselves in their preferred ways.

Originally from Qinghai, Mengmeng was raised in Shenzhen. After studying psychology for one year at South China Normal University, she transferred to Kansas State University in the United States. Later, Mengmeng joined the psychology program at George Mason University as a doctoral student on a full scholarship. Before joining Whittle School & Studios, she used to volunteer at Head Start in the US and conducted development assessment work for 2-6 year old children in a Shenzhen international kindergarten. Additionally, together with her husband, she co-founded the Libai International Foundation, which is devoted to the dissemination and communication of Chinese culture. Mengmeng has also organized many art exhibitions and business investment forums under the “Belt and Road” initiative. From her multicultural working experience, she is a firm believer in Whittle School & Studios’ vision for a modern, personalized global education.

A graduate of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sarah holds both a B.Ed (Hons.) and an M.Ed. in early childhood education, as well as a minor in specialized themes in early years education. Sarah has also obtained multiple qualifications and certificates issued by the Education Bureau of Hong Kong, including Child Care Supervisor, Special Child Care Worker, and Qualified Kindergarten Teacher. Furthermore, Sarah has been awarded a Coaching Certificate from the Jockey Club Keep-fit Formula for Children, as well as an Award Certificate of Appreciation from the Special Education Needs Empowerment Project from the Lee Hysan Foundation. During her six years’ dedicated studies in Early Years Education, Sarah has accumulated considerable hands-on experience in the field by working as a student teacher at three reputed kindergartens in Beijing and Hong Kong, two of which promote the Project Approach.

Since graduating from university in 2005, Jenny has acquired 14 years’ experience working with young children aged 0 to 10 years old. She really enjoys teaching as young minds always inspire her. Before joining Whittle School & Studios, she served as a teacher at Shen Wai International School for seven years. Teaching at an international IB school really provided her with a great opportunity to meet different people from diverse cultures. Jenny excels at cross-disciplinary teaching and learning by emphasizing play and inquiry in her classes.

Sheila graduated from Jilin University of Technology. In August 2008, she began her teaching career in the United States. Now with ten years’ teaching experience, Sheila is an advocate of the Reggio Emilia philosophy as a whole. She firmly believes that children are capable and natural learners; when children are motivated by their own interests, they not only gain a holistic understanding of different subjects, but develop problem-solving and collaborative skills. More than that, they gain confidence and a sense of satisfaction from the learning process itself.

Khloe is a registered ECE teacher in New Zealand and have lived there for 13 years since secondary school. Other than a B.A. in Psychology and Education from the University of Auckland, Khloe also achieved a graduate diploma in teaching (ECE) and a fully qualified teaching license. Prior to joining Whittle, she worked as a classroom co-ordinator in one of the leading Reggio Emilia inspired centres, teaching children from diverse backgrounds in Auckland, New Zealand. Throughout years of teaching experiences, her practice and knowledge are strongly inspired by Reggio Emilia approach using a holistic curriculum. As a teacher, She is working with the children as a co-learner to support their learning, development and well-being.

Julia graduated from East China Normal University with a degree in education. She has worked as a pre-school Chinese teacher in international and bilingual schools for many years. Julia’s patience, love, and sense of responsibility for children have led her to devote herself wholeheartedly to a career in early childhood education. In particular, young children’s curiosity has always motivated her to seek out answers and learn. Julia always strives to pay attention to students’ overall development, including cultivating their interests and hobbies.

Bella Deng is a graduate of Dickinson College, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and of the University of Sydney, where she received a Master’s degree in Teaching (Early Childhood). She has worked in a range of Early Childhood Centres in Australia and joins us as a Teaching Assistant in our ELC. 

Claudie Li studied Pre-School Education at Beijing Normal University in Zhuhai. Before joining Whittle’s ELC, she worked as a Chinese teacher at Yung Wing International Kindergarten, where she was involved in the opening of a new branch.

Alice Xu studied Pre-School Education at Beijing Normal University in Zhuhai. She holds a Master of Education from the University of Nottingham and worked in a range of international and local kindergartens before joining Whittle’s ELC. 

Arora Zhu graduated from Xi’an Jiaotong-liverpool University with a bachelor's degree in Foreign language and Literature. She also has a master's degree in education from the University College London (UCL). Her main research direction is early childhood education psychology and in-depth comparative research on the teaching methods of early childhood education in various countries. How to combine the advanced pedagogy of early childhood education with Chinese traditional culture is the key concept she pays more attention to in her teaching process. Before joining Whittle School&Studios, Arora worked for several different kindergartens in London and Shanghai, which has given her turn what she learned into practice and accumulated rich teaching experience in practice. She believes that Whittle provides a comfortable, natural and open working space for children, where children can freely explore, discover the unknown and get enlightenment. She is willing to be the follower and observer of children's exploring the world.

Eunice Shi owns two Bachelor’s degree majored in Chinese Language and Literature and English Language and Literature from Huazhong Normal University, and one Master degree in Chinese Linguistics and Language Acquisition from Chinese University of Hong Kong. Since graduating in 2011, Eunice has devoted herself to early childhood education. Prior to joining Whittle, she was working as a bilingual classroom teacher in a famous international Waldorf kindergarten in Hong Kong. She is now a qualified Waldorf early childhood educator after completing a three-year international training program in Waldorf Early Childhood Studies. Eunice thinks that each child is unique with huge potential, and that an educator should be able to reveal the ‘treasures’ in him/her. She hopes that each child will develop the body, heart and mind holistically, and believes that through creative and personalised education filled with love and art, each child will be a shining star.