Ms. Chadha earned a Bachelor of Science from M.D.U, India and a Master of Arts in Business Administration from LBS Institute of Management and Technology, India. She originally began her career in industry, working in marketing and advertising. After she began volunteering in her own children’s classes, she felt a deep connection to education, and worked to adjust her professional trajectory to meet the one in her heart. Her jump into the classroom as served her well, as in 2022, Leland High School awarded her the Unsung Hero Award. As a Biology Subject Expert Teacher, Ms. Chadha has several goals in the classroom. First, she creates an interesting learning journey for every student to ensure that they have access to a rigorous and exciting middle school and high school experience. Second, she hopes to help each of her students to build a high self-image in order instill the confidence that they can accomplish anything in life they set their heart on. Last, she will help her students develop a curiosity and love for science that allows them to begin to explain the world around them. Her hope is that all of these strategies combined will show her students how they can impact this world. BASIS Independent Schools are top academic institutions that educate students to the highest international levels. They create an environment and platform for success; giving each student an individual experience and learning platform for their development. Ms. Chadha has found that both her personal teaching ethos ‘every child can excel,’ and general strength as an educator to inspire, encourage and support every child to achieve their best potential, are completely in line with the mission of BISV. She explained, “This made me very excited to partner with BISV and work in collaboration with other educators to build a strong, healthy, happy, and confident next generation and generations to come.” Ms. Chadha truly loves the energy and excitement that the vibrant, young people in our classrooms radiate and she is attracted to their docile and impressionable naivety. Having three children of her own, she feels deeply involved in our students’ emotional, psychological and educational development. This has allowed her greater empathy with in the classroom. Also, working closely with teachers and administrators, Ms. Chadha has realized that teachers have almost supernatural power to influence the students in a positive, or sadly, in a negative manner. “As teachers we touch more lives in a day than what a normal individual can possibly do in a year.” She believes that students learn best when they are engaged and excited to learn. With this in mind, she uses a range of instructional strategies to help her students get involved, participate, and stay engaged. One of her secrets is to create a welcoming and positive environment, and ensure there is lots of team spirit in the classroom. This helps her students to challenge themselves to expand their boundaries. If they can learn to stretch their potential, they can achieve higher goals every semester. Ms. Chadha also uses a number of interactive activities to maximize student engagement, with peer review being a key strategy. Students seek approval from their peers and I have observed they put more attention in their work when they know their peers will be reviewing it. She also always encourage students to present and debate their ideas, and to continuously ask questions. Finally, Ms. Chadha engages students with fun-facts, case studies, and real-life examples from outside the classroom that connect classroom learning to the real world. When she is not in the classroom, she loves to spend time with her husband and three children. They enjoy hiking, swimming and playing board games together. Ms. Chadha also loves travelling, and they have travelled to many international destinations in Europe, West Africa and Asia. Within the USA, she has visited more than 12 states. She also loves cooking different cuisines and watching movies. Fun fact about her – Ms. Chadha loves eating hot chocolate fudge late at night when everyone at home is asleep.

Ms. Chohan received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Karachi in Pakistan. After immigrating to the United States, she ran an at-home day care for five years and it is then that she realized her passion for childhood education and working with children. This made her want to pursue teaching as a career. Immediately after that, she completed 23 Early Education units from De Anza College and since 2007, she has taught preschool, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children.

Now having taught for over 14 years, Ms. Chohan was very excited to join BASIS Independent Silicon Valley’s team as a Kindergarten teacher. Her goal in this role is to provide the utmost support to her students and families to ensure that they are getting high quality education and care. Her personal teaching philosophy is that students must be content in their learning environment and teachers in order to excel as learners.

In the classroom, Ms. Chohan enjoys using hands-on activities and games to teach concepts such as addition and subtraction, letter sounds, sentence structure, and more. She is also a strong believer in play-based learning being beneficial to students’ academic and social development. On a more personal note, Ms. Chohan loves to spend time with her kids and friends in her free time. She enjoys trying new restaurants and cooking different types of food from all around the world!

Dr. Covert (He/Him) is a Subject Expert Teacher for Honors Chemistry and Honors Physics at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Upper School Campus. He received a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from University of the Pacific, in Stockton, CA, and continued his education to receive a PhD in Bioanalytical and Physical Chemistry. He has worked in two national laboratories during his academic career; Lawrence Livermore National Lab in the United States and the Swiss Light Source in Switzerland. During his 7 years of research, he spent his time teaching a variety of Chemistry labs and developed the Instrumental Chemistry course curriculum. Taking a break from teaching, Dr. Covert worked for 5 years in the industry at Agilent Technologies as an LC/MS Applications Scientist and Lead Trainer on Single Quadrupole instruments and software.

He thrives on motivating students to learn by connecting theory to real world experiences and is determined to bring this expertise to the classroom to expose students to what a Scientist’s life is really like. His goal as a teacher is to pass knowledge on to his students so that they can pass their knowledge forward to others. His passion for teaching stems from a constant curiosity to learn something new. He can be frequently found browsing articles and researching random topics just for the sake of learning something new; from the history of submarine warfare to how light particles interact with metal. His favorite thing to do outside the classroom is play videogames with his wife and daughter, and practice new recipes in the kitchen.

Mr. Cruz is a PhD candidate for Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, on the topic of Quality. He received his Master of Sciences in Information Quality and his Bachelor of Arts in Statistics. Most recently, he has worked for the State of Arkansas in both Data Analyst and Fiscal Support roles. Mr. Cruz is excited to work in education, and make the transition over from the private sector. His lifelong dream has been to become a teacher. In his free time, he enjoys music and collaborating with musicians.

Mr. Cunningham holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Boston University. He was a founding staff member at BASIS Independent Brooklyn in 2014 and brings two decades of educational experience, both inside and outside the classroom. Mr. Cunningham has served in administrative roles in Admissions, Academic Programs, and Student Affairs and teaches Grade 6 World History & Geography I and Grade 11 AP European History. He also oversees the Senior Project program at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley.

Reflecting on his teaching, Mr. Cunningham remarked, “I’m thrilled to be part of such a kind and supportive community. I strive to bring my passion and respect for history into the classroom every day, and I’m inspired by how my students do the same.”

Born in England and raised in New England, Mr. Cunningham enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with his wife, two young sons, and all their dinosaur toys.

Ms. Deh received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Composition from San Jose State University, and is currently working on a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from The University of San Francisco. She is also a published author of short stories. As an English Subject Expert Teacher, she instills a sense of passion and appreciation for literature in her students. She believes that through her own dedication and hard work, she finds ways to both support and surprise her students about just how exciting literature can be. Ms. Deh thinks of her classroom as both a place of encouragement and inspiration as she and her students dive into language and composition. Ms. Deh appreciates the dedication BASIS Independent has for its students and for learning itself. The faculty creates a supportive, challenging environment she is very happy to be a part of. Regarding the best environment for students, she believes that they learn best in an open, supportive environment where they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and exploring ideas. She continued, “They also need an engaging environment where they feel challenged.” Ms. Deh likes to utilize a mix of classroom discussions as well as prompts. She often breaks up class time with group work and other hands-on activities to give students different options in which to connect to the material. One of the most exciting tasks she had her students participate in involved pretending to be characters from a novel that they had been reading in class and creating a mock trial based on events in the story. The students became involved in the text in a way they might never have been before! Outside of the classroom, Ms. Deh is typically writing and working on her Master of Arts and finding pockets of time to read. When she finds the time, she also loves to relax by playing Destiny or Final Fantasy on her PS5. A couple of fun facts about Ms. Deh are that she has two incredibly large Maine Coon cats and that she used to bowl competitively.

La Señorita Carmen grew up in Madrid, learning in a bilingual Spanish-French school from age four through high school. Carmen completed her 5 year degree in the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and has accredited degrees in French from L’Alliance Française and the Escuela de Idiomas de Madrid. She has more than 20 years of experience in the corporate finance world both in Spain and in the U.S. Her passion for educating children has taken her to several classrooms in different schools in Madrid and the Greater Bay Area. Having worked for multinational enterprises and traveled to Asia, Europe, and South America, she values the incredible benefits of becoming fluent in several languages, and the efforts that BASIS puts into the children’s education fostering successful futures. “I want to help BASIS Independent Silicon Valley achieve its vision of becoming the best school in the world.” Carmen’s objective as a teacher is for her students to learn Spanish rather than to study Spanish, and to converse in Spanish rather than to translate their thoughts to Spanish. “I want my students to talk to me only in Spanish and understand when I talk to them, as a native speaker, in Spanish. I am very excited about attracting the students interest, so that they thrive- participating and contributing to a memorable Spanish learning experience… “en Español.”

Mr. Ear graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Animation and Illustration from San Jose State University. He contributed visual development and lighting in the 3D short film The String, as well as visual development on six episodes of a science curriculum show based on sustainability, Green Ninja. As the Arts Subject Expert Teacher at BISV, his goal is to build upon the student’s ever-growing library of taste and preferences, and create a palette for how to represent themselves. He choose BASIS Independent because of the innovative approach to education that encourages teachers to share ideas to improve the curriculum. The concept of teacher autonomy, which is a cornerstone of BASIS Independent Schools, appeals to him as the best way of getting the most out of the classroom. As an art teacher, Mr. Ear finds that one major aspect of art is capturing life on a canvas. He is a believer, as well as an example, of the theory “anybody can train themselves to draw,” and likes to debunk the common phrase that artists are born with their abilities. He believes that the training to both understand, and execute, art techniques is applicable to any and all students who are willing. Mr. Ear feels strongly about the importance of teaching, and a personal philosophy of his is that, “The ones that stand out in their profession, are the ones that put art into the way they teach.” During lectures and demos, he has students take notes and then he randomly selects students to participate in order keep students on their toes. During art studio hours, he constantly moves around the room and checks the progress of the students’ projects. He likes to keep his artists busy, and if they finish class work always has something fun for them to work on. “Students learn best when they are aware of the high expectations of the class, and are then challenged by, and feel invested in the subject matter to confidently meet or go beyond those expectations.” Outside of the classroom, Mr. Ear spends the majority of my time with his family. They frequent hiking trails, beaches, museums, dessert shops, various parks and playgrounds. When he has time to himself, he enjoys writing and illustrating stories in various forms. Fun Fact: Every Mother’s Day since his eldest child was born, he makes a portrait of his wife and children with a new medium, or in a new style.

Dr. Fan holds a PhD in Engineering from University of California at Berkeley. He obtained both his Master of Science and Bachelor of Science from Peking University. Dr. Fan chose to work at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley because he connects with our philosophy of creating a supportive, joyful learning culture to educate students to the highest international levels. As a Math Subject Expert Teacher, his goal is to have all of his students meet the class requirements, and for the majority of them to reach their personal goals in subject mastery. However, it is not simply about students understanding math concepts, but learning how to apply problem solving skills in the process. Dr. Fan supports his students as they gradually build up mathematical thinking skills. His strategy is to start with fundamental concepts and skills, so that his students fully understand the why and how. Dr. Fan then works step by step from easy to hard problems. He uses fun examples of how to solve real-world problems with math, and how math is useful and important in all aspects of life. He will always link math concepts in both algebraic and graphic ways, so that his students can begin to make bigger connections from concept to concept. An example of this is occurs as his students learn about the polar coordinate system. Dr. Fan has his students draw Rose curves as the initial assignment. They are always impressed that simple trigonometric functions could generate the beautiful Rose flowers. This helps them to realize that math is fundamental to computer graphics. As students get more and more confident with their skills and knowledge, they no longer feel that math is that hard; but instead is fun to learn! Dr. Fan explains, “Students are all different, and they each have great capabilities; as long as I am patient while encouraging them to realize and reach their potential, they always get there.” Besides teaching, Dr. Fan likes to spend his time reading math, science, and technology articles; playing volleyball; and practicing Tai Chi.

Ms. Fazal completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of Bombay and went on to pursue a Master of Philosophy from the same institution. Discovering her true passion for supporting children in their learning experiences, she completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Counseling and Vocational Guidance from the University of Bombay. The skills gained from her counseling program have greatly contributed to her success in connecting with students, understanding their behavior, and communicating effectively throughout her teaching career.

As a Grade 2 Learning Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, Ms. Fazal collaborates with Subject Expert Teachers to create a conducive learning environment and impart the curriculum to students, taking into account their unique learning styles and abilities. She chose BASIS Independent because of its focus on empowering students to think outside the box and challenge themselves, providing personalized support and fostering a collaborative environment to ensure student success.

Ms. Fazal’s teaching philosophy centers on the belief that students can achieve excellence if high, yet attainable, expectations and goals are set. She emphasizes the importance of leveraging each student’s strengths and weaknesses to help them reach their best potential. She believes that students learn best by connecting new ideas with prior knowledge, engaging in active learning, and exploring concepts rather than merely listening to lectures. Lessons with proper pacing and intensity capture students’ attention and facilitate learning.

To maximize student engagement, Ms. Fazal formulates lesson plans with a variety of interactive activities that cater to different learning styles, ensuring that students understand and retain concepts. Her class enjoys group and individual projects, drama, debates, and games that develop cognitive thinking skills. Outside the classroom, Ms. Fazal loves spending time with friends and family, including her dog Polar, traveling, trying new cuisines, and experiencing different cultures.

Ms. Firdausi impressively triple majored and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Microbiology from St. Francis College for Women in Hyderabad, India. She later received her Master of Science degree in Microbiology from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India. After completing her Master’s degree, Ms. Firdausi obtained her Cambridge International Diploma in Teaching and Learning from Cambridge Assessments International Education. As a Subject Expert Teacher in Physical Geography and Science at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower campus, Ms. Furdausi strives to help students succeed both academically and socioemotionally. She strongly resonates with the values of reflection, evaluation, progression, and innovation and holds her students accountable to uphold these school values. Ms. Furdausi’s teaching philosophy can be best explained by the wise words of Kahlil Gibran, “The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.” It is her mission to make her students more reflective about their learning rather than simply obtaining facts from the teacher. She focuses on establishing personal connections and tailoring the content being taught to each student. Ms. Firdausi loves a good book and crossword puzzles when she has some free time. Her favorite author is PG Wodehouse. She spends as much time as she can with her family visiting new places on the weekends.

Ms. Florando earned her Early Childhood Education credits from Mission College and completed a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education at Pacific Oaks College. She has worked in Early Childhood Education since 2012, most recently as a Pre-Kindergarten English-speaking teacher at an English and Chinese Bilingual school. Her goal as a Grade 1 LET is to inspire and guide students to be successful in their educational journey. She helps them learn by connecting the lesson to the real world and engaging with their interests.

Ms. Florando also allows children to collaborate and share what they are learning with one another, and offers them the opportunity to share their own opinions and ideas in a respectful environment. She chose BASIS Independent because our curriculum provides children the opportunity to gain new knowledge by making connections between their classes. The foundational skills and knowledge that are imparted to students in our program inspires and motivates her to excel as an educator. She believes children are capable and passionate learners.

Ms. Florando’s teaching philosophy focuses on the uniqueness of every child’s learning abilities and personality, while guiding them to achieve their educational goals and beyond. By providing children the support and engagement in a stimulating learning environment, they are able to gain independence and become critical-thinkers. She continued, “Students learn best when they are faced with challenges and problem-solving opportunities, when teachers support their learning and are empathetic towards their needs, and when student and teachers create a trusting and respectful relationship.”

When she is not in the classroom, Ms. Florando loves to experience new places! Whenever she gets the chance, she also loves to go to Disneyland! Spending time with loved ones and her two dogs is always a treasured opportunity. Some fun facts: she loves to sing, dance/choreograph hip hop, and draw!

Mr. Floyd graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. He has taught Physical Education and a variety of sports classes for over 15 years. Mr. Floyd believes passionately that it is not only important to provide exceptional instruction and lessons in physical fitness to students, but also to set a personal example by leading a healthy, active lifestyle. Physical activity has played a central role in his life from early in childhood starting with PE, to playing extra-curricular sports such as football, volleyball, and baseball as student, and into adulthood through personal ventures like triathlons, marathons, and various recreational sports leagues. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, outdoor sports, and spending time with his family.

Ms. Ganz is an experienced educator who holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a concentration in Creative Writing from Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia. She furthered her education by pursuing a Master of Fine Arts Degree with Dual Concentrations in Creative Nonfiction and Poetry at San Jose State University, where she was also a Fellow at the San Francisco Writer’s Grotto. During her time at San Jose State University, she served as the Managing Editor of Reed Magazine. Her primary goal as a BASIS Independent Schools educator is to cultivate critical thinking skills in each student. She was drawn to BISV because of her passion for sharing literature and writing with students. She appreciates the students’ enthusiasm for challenges and is excited to create an academically stimulating environment. In Ms. Ganz’s classroom, students can expect a challenging, yet supportive atmosphere that encourages learning, growth, and the freedom to make mistakes. She believes that students learn best when they feel both supported and challenged. She exposes students to new materials, resources, and information to broaden their horizons, encouraging them to make informed decisions. As an advocate of technology integration, Ms. Ganz incorporates various technological tools into her teaching. She explores how written media influences visual and auditory media, encouraging students to apply their understanding of texts beyond the classroom to their personal interests. Outside the classroom, Ms. Ganz leads a dynamic life. She is actively involved in the arts, particularly music and theater. She serves as a First Soprano in The Rainbow Women’s Chorus based in Campbell, and she collaborates with the Sunnyvale Community Players. Additionally, she enjoys playing video games, indulging in nostalgic or humorous content, and spending time with her three cats, one of whom has three legs. Fun Fact: If given the choice, Ms. Ganz would happily consume sushi as her favorite food for the rest of her life.

Ms. Gao holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Dalian University and a Master of Arts in Music Education from California Baptist University, where she focused on music education and choral conducting. She also holds a Music Single Subject Teaching Credential and is certified in Orff Schulwerk, having completed Levels I, II, and III at San Jose State University.

Before moving to the U.S., Ms. Gao taught music to kindergarten through Grade 9 students in Beijing public schools, an experience that fueled her passion for fostering creativity and musical expression in young learners. Currently, she is the Subject Expert Music and Drama teacher at BISV, a role she chose because of her dedication to providing dynamic, engaging, and student-centered learning experiences.

Ms. Gao’s teaching philosophy is centered on the belief that every child is a unique learner. To cater to diverse learning styles, she integrates a variety of instructional methods, including linguistic, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic approaches. Her lessons prioritize active learning, encouraging students to gain confidence through repetition and hands-on activities.

Beyond the classroom, Ms. Gao enjoys hiking, traveling, and has a deep appreciation for Rock and Roll music. She is passionate about helping students explore their creativity and develop a lifelong love for music and the arts.

Ms. Garcia was born and raised in the province of Chaco, Argentina. She graduated with a Juris Doctor from Universidad Nacional del Nordeste Corrientes Argentina. Intellectual curiosity and adventure drove her to the United States where she obtained a Master of Arts in Spanish, with a concentration in Hispanic Literature, and a Master of Arts in Law and Political Science, both from Loyola University in Chicago. She has taught at Loyola in Chicago, Santa Clara University, San Jose City College and Contra Costa College. She is also certified in Positive Psychology coaching from the Wholebeing Institute by Professore Tal Sahar. Ms. Garcia has published several papers and short fiction works. Some specific areas of interest in her research are Positive Psychology, neuroscience and language acquisition, indigenous culture, and non-systemic education Her teaching philosophy at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is to be a facilitator in the classroom. She wishes to establish a nurturing, all-inclusive environment which is grounded in the knowledge that each individual learns at her/his own pace in accordance with her/his innate intelligence. Ms. Garcia’s attendance of a 10 day silent retreat centered around Vipassana meditation has heavily influenced her teaching style. Ms. Garcia’s approach is based in understanding the depths of the mind. During her free time, she loves to dine out, go to movies and continue exploring unknown realms.