PAL Teacher (Ms. Liz)/ TA (Ms. Aartie)

ABOUT MS. LIZ

She was born and raised in Peru, before moving to the United States a decade ago. Her passion for education was ignited when, as a teenager, she worked in a program to teach English to the children of police officers. She loved every part of it – from singing modern songs in English with the children to finding other creative ways to relate to them and help them enjoy their play time. That experience gave her an important foundation as she continued developing her skills as an educator. 

She then obtained her bachelor’s degree, attending teaching seminars and studying the newest methodologies for maximizing pupil engagement. After completing her education, she was hired to work in one of the most affluent private schools in Lima. In coming to the US, she transitioned to work as a caregiver. She approached that work as one-on-one tutoring for the children in her care. imaginative art, stories being read, and in abundance she also recognized that an equally important part of her role was to keep parents well-informed, especially with respect to the children’s socio emotional development.

Ms. Liz is delighted to return to the classroom as PAL’s head teacher.  With her career as an educator, she aims to instill the joy of learning in every child she encounters. She takes the time to learn each child’s personality and interests, so that she can engage and motivate him or her in an individually tailored way. At the same time, she appreciates the group dynamic and ensures that every class is a success for the children collectively, too. Ms. Liz believes strongly that education should be fun, never boring. She herself is full of energy and entertainment – knowing that even how-to instructions must be enjoyable to keep children interested and eager to return to school day after day. She is also a nurturer, with a calm, kind presence and steady wisdom, even in the most boisterous classroom.

As both a teacher and a parent herself, she has faith that we have the power to make this a better world. She constantly strives herself, and encourages her students, to achieve this by approaching others with more compassion and love and less judgment. She believes that, with our children as the global citizens of tomorrow, our future is beautiful and bright.

ABOUT MS. AARTIE (TA)

Hi there, my name is Ms. Aartie. I was born in Suriname, the only Dutch speaking country in South America. I came to NYC at the age of 10 and grew up in Astoria, Queens. I currently reside in Hollis, Queens, with my family. I can fluently speak Dutch, and Hindi as well as other Surinamese local dialects. I hold a degree in Psychology and in Elementary and Special Education. I am also a certified pharmacy tech. I have over 15+ years of experience working with kids of all ages in different settings and have experience in providing Early Intervention Services for kids in need.

I have been working with the PAA(PAL) since 2017 and I love the wonderful experience and journey I am on. I love meeting and working with kids of all ages. I love seeing how much they learn, grow, explore, interact with their peers, and develop their little personalities. How they blossom from being so shy on their first day, or crying and nervous, to walking or running in with big smiles ready to learn and explore. My favorite thing is hearing “Hiii Ms. Aartie!!” coming from one of our excited students whenever they see me outside the classroom. Their cuteness and all the love they have to give melts my heart.

In my free time, I love to read, and I like constantly learning new things. You can always find me with my head in a book. Along with reading, I love listening to music, playing video games, baking yummy treats, cuddling my dog Knight, and spending time with my family. I like being busy and productive. I also teach the PAA’s Thursday STEAM class for kids ages 3-5. Join us in class!!

My teaching philosophy is that all children can develop into amazing, and kind human beings and it all starts with us. Children learn and develop in many different ways, and it is up to us to provide all the resources and guidance for them to grow and prosper. With this in mind, Ms. Liz and I will do everything possible to make sure that our students leave with a smile every day and are excited to come back to learn the next day. Looking forward to seeing your kiddos in class!