We are proud to introduce the following teachers and tell you something about their backgrounds and what special skills and experience they bring to the classroom. All teachers at OISE Sydney hold a minimum of a graduate degree and the industry standard CELTA or Trinity TESOL qualification for teaching English as a Second Language.

Claire Jaynes - Principal

Claire Jaynes has been the Principal of OISE Sydney since 2007.  Originally from Wales, Claire has lived in the UK, France, Spain and Argentina  where she worked as a teacher, trainer and manager. With a Diploma in language teaching and an MA in Linguistics, Claire has over 17 years of industry experience including 8 years in ESL management. Claire has also been an IELTS and Cambridge examiner and is a member of OISE's Academic Development Board.

John Yates - teacher

John has been teaching for 12 years following a successful career in science research and management. After gaining his first degree at Cambridge University he completed a PhD at Melbourne University in Australia. Since then he has lived mainly in Australia and for short periods in other countries, most recently Germany, while acting as a Management Consultant in the Institute for Semi Conductor Physics in Frankfurt (Oder). John is a widely experienced teacher who has specialised in 1-1 and small group teaching in both Germany and Australia. He has a keen interest in current affairs, management issues, the economy, classical music, sport and has travelled widely on all five continents.

Helen Ayers - teacher

Helen joined us in February 2009 after a career in sales and marketing, across the corporate and small business sector in London and Sydney.  Originally from England Helen qualified as an ESL teacher and settled in Sydney in 1991 where she continued to work both in sales and marketing and started her teaching career. Helen's particular language focus is in building student confidence while developing skills in communication, expression, opinion and debate.

Tim Axelsen - teacher

Originally from Canberra, the capital of Australia, Tim has lived and taught ESL in both Spain and Latin America for over 8 years.  While in Europe, Tim specialized in teaching for the Cambridge suite of exams. Tim worked as a Park Manager  and has a keen interest in horticulture. He has studied Creative Writing and uses this knowledge and interest to help focus students on language accuracy. He also has a particular interest in improving students' pronunciation. Now based in Sydney, Tim has been with OISE since March 2009.

Amy Basha

Amy has been teaching English and working with international students for over 8 years in the US, Brazil, South Korea and Indonesia. Originally from the United States, Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations which offered her the chance to work on special humanity projects internationally.
Amy's experience in international affairs, her longstanding involvement with international students and dedication to the global community bring a special touch to the experience of our students at OISE.