Ms. Sivalingam earned a Master of Computer Application with Distinction from Mother Teresa University in India and a Bachelor of Physics from Bharathiar University. She also completed units in Early Childhood Education at Mission College in San Jose.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‍​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

She is currently a Learning Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. Her goal as an educator is to create a warm and creative environment that supports students in acquiring knowledge.

Ms. Sivalingam was drawn to BASIS Independent Schools because of its world-class education and joyful learning environment, where students are given the tools they need to succeed in life. She is excited to share her passion for teaching in such a dynamic community.

Her teaching philosophy centers around making learning active and engaging through a variety of methods like hands-on activities, discussions, and collaborative projects. She also emphasizes the importance of social-emotional development, promoting skills like resilience, empathy, and creativity.

She believes students learn best when content is presented in a relatable way, particularly through real-world applications and hands-on activities.
In her classroom, she maximizes engagement with interactive discussions, hands-on activities, group projects, and technology integration. One of her best lessons involved teaching Scratch programming through an animation project, where students worked in groups to create interactive stories, developing both their coding skills and teamwork.

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Sivalingam enjoys gardening, growing her own organic fruits and vegetables. She also serves as an assistant Scout Master in her daughter’s scout troop.