• Private childhood educator for expat families since 2000
• Managed a private playgroup with structured, educational activities
• 5 years experience in an international preschool
• English tutor for 4 years

Disa is born and raised in Iceland but has experience teaching and living in  diverse countries such as New Zealand, China, Cambodia, Iceland and Denmark. She first taught English at ELT when she arrived in Cambodia in 2001 before leaving to teach at three different schools in China. Disa has always been drawn to education and caregiving and this has been a steady part of her career.

Marcela was born and raised in sunny West Palm Beach, Florida. She studies Linguistics and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. Education is her priority and passion which has taken her to study, work, and volunteer for short periods across the United States in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Florida, as well as in France, Germany, Colombia, Chile, and Puerto Rico. She believes that the opportunity to read is a gift that everyone should be exposed to.

She speaks fluent English and Spanish. Her experience includes teaching reading and mathematics at Kumon Learning Center in West Palm Beach from the preschool to the 2nd grade level (ages 3 to 18), teaching the Sunday School 2-3 year old class, private childcare provider and tutor since 2006, and swimming instructor. Marcela loves children and is extremely excited to come to Cambodia for this school year!

Sarah comes to The Giving Tree most recently from China where she taught French at Hohai University of Nanjing and English at the China Hong Kong English School. Prior to that she taught in France and in French Guyana she worked as an Arts teacher.Sarah has her CAPES ARTS (teacher’s license) from the French Ministry (I.U.F.M) and has her certificate in Art from the University of Paris VIII. She is joined in Cambodia with her husband and young daughter who also attends The Giving Tree Preschool. 

I am coming from the United States, where I taught the French curriculum to Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten in immersion.
My experience is international: 1 1/2 y.o in New Zealand in Early Years, 2 years in Dubai in Pre-school where I worked according to the Brittish curriculum, Alliance Francaise (French class to children 4y.o to 7y.o).
I completed a Degree in Education with the University of Rouen, France, as well as a certificate in Early Years settings with the Institute of Doubai/Scottish early years 's association.
It is because of my 7 years spent in English speaking countries that I became fluent in this language. I also speak a little of Spanish and German.

I am very excited about joining the TGT as an Owl's class and French Program teacher and also settling in a very different culture and country: Cambodia.

I am coming from Austria. I studied Art History at the Karl-Franzens-University in Graz and spent 4 months in New York working on research for my thesis.
During the past years I worked at the Zoom Children’s Museum in Vienna where I motivated kids to explore the world with all their senses and creativity after the philosophy „hands, hearts and minds on“.
To get more experience in the daily life of kids I stayed 6 months at an orphanage in Tibet where I worked as a voluntary English teacher.
My interest for other cultures also led me to Cambodia where I have travelled to three times.
I am very excited to come to Phnom Penh and become part of the Giving Tree team this year.

Erin was born in Canada, but moved to the U.S. with her family when she was seven. She comes to us from Cairo, Egypt, where she was teaching primary students. She has taught young learners in America, China, and Korea. Erin earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her TEFL certificate from TEFL International in Prague. She has traveled to Cambodia before, and is excited to call this beautiful country home.

I am a fully trained biology and physical education teacher with a degree in special needs education (German diploma). As well as being specialized in outdoor based learning, I am also TEFL certified. During the past years I lived and worked in Germany, Canada, Australia and England.
My 3 years experience of working range from teaching 1st-6th graders (special needs), nurturing a group of 5-6 years old German/Canadian children (early childhood education), training and educating mixed groups in an outdoor camp to teaching ESL classes in Canada. I am a passionate, creative teacher filling my learning spaces with ideas and skills which are sensitive to each children’s individual need and development. My approach is student-centered. In individualized classes I like to create an atmosphere of comfort and happiness where students not only study but learn to enjoy learning itself.
As a biology teacher I am focused on sustainable living, having experienced living and working on organic farms. My approach is piquing children’s curiosity in our surrounding environment creating an awareness which will enrich their every day perception.
Teaching is my passion following the motto: “It is normal to be different.” Furthermore I am always willing to learn new methodologies in order to grow as a responsible teacher.

Luisa Bunin brings full accreditation (Associate Degree in Childcare, Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education (University of Queensland), teacher accreditation in Australia and California (USA), California Preschool/Child Care site supervisor permit, Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety (AustSwim), Senior First Aid Certification, and even a diploma in anti terrorist evasive driving (though we expect this won't be necessary) and lots of experience (15+ years teaching or managing schools in Australia, China, and the USA).  But what we are really excited about is her positive attitude, obvious love for children and teaching.

• Administrator at `AusFit` fitness club
• Certified` RADIANT CHILD` Yoga for kids instructor
• Certified `CamSwim`  children swimming instructor

• 10 years swimming experience in Iceland
• English teacher in Indonesia for 1 year
• Caretaker and English teacher of 28 children in NACA orphanage, Phnom Penh
• Private childhood caregiver for a family in Iceland for 3 years
• 6 years old: Ballet Skoli Eddu Scheving (BES), where she lead every major role in the school`s productions
• 9 years old: started to train on point toe shoes
• 12 years old: joined the National Company

Steinunn Jakobsdóttir grew up in Iceland but has lived in Dublin, Ireland, for the past two years. She holds a MS degree in Development Studies from University College Dublin and a BA degree in Philosophy and Political Science from University of Iceland.
Steinunn has seven years of journalism and editorial experience and has worked as an editor, assistant editor and freelance writer for magazines and newspapers in Iceland and Ireland. Last summer she spent three months in Phnom Penh, working on a research for her MS thesis while also teaching English at the NACA orphanage. She is very excited to come back to Phnom Penh and be part of the Giving Tree team!

As recent graduate of CATC (Commercial Arts Training College) Brisbane Australia, where I studied Interior Design and Decoration specializing in Visual Merchandising, I am now eager and excited to be apart of an international workforce.

Having travelled to many Asian countries and having lived and studied in Singapore, I am excited to return to and work in Cambodia. I bring to The Giving Tree experiences in:
International Sales and Customer Service.

Before and Afterschool Care Assisting (Australia); Preschool Teacher Assisting (Singapore), English Tutoring (Singapore), and a wide range of computer skills.

With a friendly, outgoing, creative and open-minded personality, I enjoy working with young children. My passions include art, creative design, travel, swimming, photography and fashion.

• Director's Assistant at Ptit CREF Arbat Trilingual Children Center in Moscow (English-French-Russian) website: www.ptitcref.ru
• Director at Ptit CREF Jukoffka
• Director at CREF R Publishing House
• Bachelor of Arts, Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III
• Certified Radiant Child Kids Yoga instructor