Anais Chevalier, teacher of language acquisition in PYP, MYP and DP was born in France, near Paris and grew up in Northern France’s countryside. After graduating from high school, she studied medicine for two years before moving on to languages. After a year at Wittenberg University, in Springfield (Ohio, USA), she decided that she wanted to teach French. She then completed her degree at the University of Paris La Sorbonne in FLE, Francais Langue Etrangère/French as a foreign language specialist. She has been teaching IB French at ISE for 7 years. Her hobbies include ballet, horse – riding, running, playing the violin and reading.
Sandhya is from Bangalore, which is a bustling cosmopolitan city in India. She has been an IB educator since 2009. She began her career as an international teacher in a tiny hill town in India called Kodaikanal and then moved to Malaysia. Her desire to further her professional growth brought her to Estonia in 2016. She is currently the head of the science department, the approaches to learning coordinator and a general science and chemistry teacher at ISE. Sandhya graduated from Bangalore University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Zoology and Microbiology (triple major). She received five gold medals in chemistry from the university. She has a Master of Science in Biochemistry from Mysore University in India for which she received three gold medals. She also graduated with distinction from the University of Leeds, England in the Master of Arts in Science Education course. She discovered her passion for teaching while volunteering at a non-profit company that provided free education, nutrition, and healthcare to underprivileged children from the slums of Bangalore. During that time, she learned that though teaching is very challenging, it is also extremely satisfying. Every small improvement or step forward made her feel like she had contributed to the child’s life. She decided to hone this passion by obtaining a degree in science education and working as a teacher. When she’s not working, she keeps herself entertained by wandering around town, playing word games, listening to music, watching documentaries, pretending to understand soccer and spending time with her family and friends.
Mr. Montgomery is a citizen of the United States. He was born and raised in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. He has 25 years of teaching experience across the primary grades. Of those 25 years, 16 years have been teaching and training in the International Baccalaureate. He taught previously in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, California, and Hungary. He is certified to teach from preschool to grade 6, as well as mathematics until grade 9. This is his fourteenth year at the International School of Estonia. He was the elementary school PYP coordinator and led the school through its initial IB authorisation way back in 2003. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Temple University in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. He also earned graduate level certificates from the University of California in Teaching the Gifted and Talented, UNIX Systems, and Teaching Mathematics. He also holds a Doctorate of Law from West Virginia University and remains a licensed, active attorney in the State Bar of West Virginia. He is well travelled and enjoys spending his free time with his family.
Estonian Studies (PYP/MYP/DP)
Maren Toom, a teacher since 1986, has been teaching Estonian language, culture and literature for grades 1-12 at ISE for 22 years – since January 1999. She has been an International Baccalaureate (IB) teacher since 2000. Teaching and sharing Estonian culture and literature are her passions and she is always eager to introduce Estonia for students and visitors and share its special culture, traditions and history.
She was born in Tallinn, graduated Tartu University (a university steeped in history, founded in 1632) as an Estonian and Finno-Ugric philologist and a teacher of language and literature (MA). She lived in Denmark and studied for one year in a folk high school. Later she graduated Tartu University as a teacher of English and completed her studies in school administration.
At Tallinn University she trained as a translator and editor of English to Estonian. For her MA thesis in Education she received cum laude. As she teaches all grades at ISE, she has qualifications in all IB levels: PYP, MYP and Diploma, and also as a teacher of host country studies. Her most interesting training was in Oxford, a workshop for IB Diploma literature teaching course.
She has been a language editor for a county newspaper. She has taught Estonian, Finnish and English in a small countryside school, in one of Tallinn’s English biased schools and language courses for adults. She has published three books of traditional Estonian riddles. She has also been an examiner of the state language for the Estonian Citizenship and Migration Board and is an IB Language A Estonian examiner. In 2007, she taught in Bristol Consolidated School, Maine, USA (School to School project). At ISE she has also served as MYP Community Service Coordinator (1999-2004) and IB Diploma CAS coordinator. She laid the foundation for the annual tradition of organizing an Estonian Day at school, where Estonian culture, music and folklore are introduced to any and all.
She is a board member of Nõmme Women`s Shelter, loves animals, nature, botany, theatre, literature, folklore and music. Her hobbies are gardening, renovating an old farmhouse, handicrafts, Estonian cultural heritage, and collecting vintage dishes and kitchenware.
She is married and has 4 sons.
PYP Principal-Coordinator/ PYP teacher
Terje Äkke is a compassionate international PYP teacher and leader, dedicated to the well-being and growth of all students and adults in her care. Since she started her teaching journey more than 20 years ago, she has served in various roles at the International School of Estonia, teaching different grade levels in PYP, also Math and Science in MYP 1, and leading the PYP team as PYP Coordinator (2008-2013 and 2015-2017) and since 2017 as PYP Principal-Coordinator.
Terje graduated cum laude from Tallinn Pedagogical University, Estonia, after fulfilling a 5-year study programme in Pedagogy and Methodology of Primary Education, including one academic year and student teaching programme at Smith College, Massachusetts, USA. An inquirer committed to professional growth, she is highly trained in the International Baccalaureate (IB) system, successfully completed CEESA/ECIS Literacy Coaching Training Programme and Cognitive Coaching course and participated in an international leadership program Education for Future. In addition to being a leader and teacher at ISE, Terje has led professional development workshops and has presented at educational conferences for Estonian teachers about inquiry, classroom design, trans-disciplinary learning and literacy. In 2019 she led a workshop at the 21st of European Conference on Literacy. Over the decades, student teachers from universities and teachers from Estonian schools have visited her classroom to observe and learn the best pedagogical practices.
Terje holds membership in Estonian Reading Association and has served on Kohila Gümnaasium’s school board (2012–2020). She is a co-author of the book, Implementation of Integrated Learning in Preschool and Kindergarten published in 2013. Terje is the recipient of European Council of International Schools’ award for the promotion of International Education (2014).
Terje enjoys reading, writing, ballroom dancing and spending time with her family. She has three lovely daughters.
Sirje Torim is the longest serving teacher at ISE from the first building in 1995. She has taught Preschool, Reception and ELL at our school. She currently teaches PYP 1.
She graduated from Tallinn Pedagogical University, Estonia with an MA in Primary Years education. She is highly trained in the International Baccalaureate (IB) PYP programme and has been on a number of international trainings. She has 18 years of IB experience.
She is currently on the Advisory Board of Estonian Reading Association while serving as a Reading Nest mentor since 2009. In 2011 she coordinated the project called “Tallinn Reads in a Reading Nest“ to introduce techniques to parents to support reading at home. The same year she was awarded the Reading Nest Mentor of the Year. Working with Ms. T. Äkke, she has also conducted several Literacy workshops for parents and teachers at ISE and the wider community.
She often works with student teachers from foreign and local universities each year who visit our school to observe the best pedagogical practices.
She is a co-author of the book, Implementation of Integrated Learning in Preschool and Kindergarten, published in 2013.
She likes reading, swimming and calligraphy and is the mother of a son and daughter.
Head of Wellness Department
Teacher of physical education and health education
Triin Pomerants joins the ISE staff from Märjamaa, Estonia. She has been teaching physical and health education to PYP and MYP students of ISE since 2006 and has additionally been an MYP advisory teacher since 2018.
Triin carries a PhD in the area of sports and exercise sciences and a teaching certificate for physical education and health education, both from University of Tartu, Estonia. Additionally, Triin was very fortunate to spend some time at the German Sports University Cologne as an Erasmus student during her university years – an experience that helped understanding how valuable diverse experiences in an international environment are to education.
Triin is highly qualified as an IB PYP and MYP educator and has been positively intrigued by the regular professional development opportunities offered and required by the IBO. She teaches her students of PYP and MYP with a goal to help them experience the joys of an active lifestyle, while hoping to equip them with theoretical background for staying happy and healthy throughout their lives.
Triin has thoroughly enjoyed a variety of sports throughout her lifetime; her biggest loves have been athletics and floorball. Triin also enjoys culinary adventures, watching movies, having coffee around the world and reading.
Notable achievements:
– Recipient of Estonian Olympic Committee student stipend (2006).
– European Council of International Schools’ award for the promotion of International Education (2010).
– Tallinn middle school subject teacher of the year (2019).
