Senri-Yamada School
Kaneshia Knight-Laurie
Program Director, Yamada School
Kaneshia was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She started volunteering at different children’s programs at the age of 12, and then went on to study Early Childhood Education. She has taught different curriculum of preschool in Toronto, including Montessori and the Reggio Emilia Approach. This is her fourth year teaching full time at Global Village in Japan, and has loved it. She enjoys working with young children because they are so unique and she is passionate about holistic development. During her free time she enjoys drawing, reading and exercising.
Classroom Teacher, Yamada School
Shayne was born, raised, and educated in Adelaide, Australia. He worked in the coal mining / iron ore mining industry operating heavy machinery before moving to Japan in August, 2000. He has been a teacher for over 15 years now, working with both young children and adults, and he began his work with the Global Village Saturday Program in 2015. Shayne works primarily with the younger aged children and the energy and fun that he brings to his classes is unparalleled.
Classroom Teacher, Yamada School
Rom was born and raised in London, England where he went to University to study IT (Information Technology). He has been working for Global Village International Preschool for more than five years and has taught at every level within the school. He has also worked for the Saturday Program for several years, again proving his versatility by excelling with both the preschool and elementary level children.
Physical Education Teacher, Yamada School
Jason was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and has been living in Japan for 24 years. He has been working in education for nearly 12 years and has experience working with a wide age range of students that spans from early years in kindergarten to high school students. He is currently studying computer science as well to expand his knowledge base and to make better use of technology in the classroom. Jason has been with Global Village since 2012 and he specializes mainly in elementary school classes. Jason’s vast experience in the school and his teaching background (his mother is also a teacher) gives him a vast wealth of knowledge to draw from, always bring fresh ideas into the classroom each week.
Classroom Teacher, Yamada School
George came to Japan from Dorset in England. Dorset has some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK. He studied History at the University of Exeter, and after that spent time volunteering at a Special Needs school in England. He has taught English to children here in Japan for six years. He loves teaching kids because they are always so curious to learn new things and they love to speak out. In his free time he enjoys hiking, reading, studying languages and, in spring and summer, holding BBQ parties
Classroom Teacher, Yamada School
Classroom Teacher, Yamada School
Mitsuyo has engaged in English education both at home and abroad specializing in Early Childhood care and has now been working at Global Village for over 10 years. She has taught at various levels throughout the school and has gained valuable knowledge about childcare through each of these experiences. Mitsuyo understands that English as a language contains many possibilities as a tool for communication. “My goal is to create an environment that aids children in having fun while learning English”.
Classroom Teacher, Yamada School
Aya is from Osaka, Japan and she has been working for Global Village for several years now, specialising in younger aged children. She attended Kansai University and has been working with nursery age children for the past two years. She was born and raised in the Osaka area. She loves playing disc golf and traveling.
Classroom Teacher, Yamada School
Naoko is from Nara, Japan and this is her first year with GVSP. She attended Mukogawa Women’s University where she majored in Preschool Education. After obtaining her preschool teaching license she taught for five years in a Japanese nursery school as well as a year teaching Japanese in Australia. She has experience with children from birth to five years old and she feels that learning English is a good opportunity for young age children to experience the wider world. She hopes she can share an enjoyable time growing and learning with the children in our school.
Music Teacher, Yamada School
Eri was born and raised in Japan and she graduated from the Osaka University of Fine Arts with a major in voice. She has been teaching music at Global Village International Preschool since the school opened in 2001, more than 15 years ago! She has also been teaching music with our GVSP since it opened and has an incredible reputation for her ability to organise and execute her music lessons. The goal of her teaching style is to teach the fun and enjoyment of English through music. She understands that the point of commonality between English and music is that it is understood through listening, understanding, and then producing. She believes that learning English is very important and always strives to make lessons which will lead the children to develop ‘good ears’ for English.
Takatsuki-Ibaraki School
Program Director, Classroom Teacher, Takatsuki-Ibaraki School
Steve was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada and has been living and working in Japan for almost fourteen years. In that time Steve has spent the last ten years teaching English, which he has found to be both an amazing and truly fulfilling pursuit. Steve has been with GVSP for three years and works primarily with the elementary school levels. Steve brings a lot of energy and laughter to his lessons and the connection he creates through it is truly amazing.
Classroom teacher, Takatsuki-Ibaraki School
Serena was born in America and has been living in Japan for over 9 years. After graduating with a bachelors degree in Business Management & Administration, gaining certification as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language and working at a daycare center in America, she decided to pursue her passion of teaching in Japan. She has gained a lot of experience as a teacher in Nursery, Elementary and Junior High schools in Japan as well as experience in managing an international school. She has been working as a Nursery teacher for Global Village for over a year and has worked in the field of global education for over 9 years. She has been apart of our Saturday School staff since the beginning of this year. She strives to create a learning environment that is inspiring, motivating, and fun. She is passionate about teaching, enjoys traveling, learning about other cultures and spending time with her family and friends.
Global Village 