team

Leigha brings with her over a decade of teaching experience. She has taught children in Canada, Taiwan and Thailand. Although her experience is concentrated mostly in kindergarten, she has taught children in the primary years and in bilingual settings.

Leigha received her Bachelor of Arts from Trent University and her Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa. She is a certified yoga teacher and has used her skills and expertise to lead movement and mindfulness exercises both in the classroom and with her colleagues. 

Leigha is passionate about creating engaging learning environments for early learners. She is a nature enthusiast who strives to create authentic, inquiry-based learning experiences through meaningful play. Leigha has a flexible mindset and recognizes the need to follow the children's interests to create purposeful learning opportunities with endless possibilities! 

Kari is an elementary school teacher with Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and she is currently on maternity leave. Having taught mostly in kindergarten, Kari has an interest in child-centered approaches to learning, such as Montessori and Reggio, which are woven into Ontario’s new kindergarten curriculum. Kari regards children as capable, curious, discoverers and explorers who are active participants in their own learning. 

Kari’s most insightful experiences in early childhood education came through her own parenting. Becoming a mom led Kari to discover Magda Gerber’s ‘respectful parenting’ approach, or RIE philosophy, and uses this practice of caring for children in parenting and teaching. RIE allows children to know that you trust them, and see them for who they are: whole, competent, complicated humans who require our respect more than anything.

Kari sees children’s play as a beautiful part of development and learning, and is pleased to help facilitate the education of the students at The Learning Nook, and to be part of the ‘magic’ that happens here!