INSTRUCTORS
N. Kenisha Bynoe B.A. Hon., B.Ed., M.Ed.
Early Literacy Intervention Coach, TDSB
Nadia Kenisha Bynoe has been teaching for sixteen years in the Toronto District School Board as a French Immersion Kindergarten educator and is presently an Early Literacy Intervention Coach. She is the co-author of, “The Gift of Playful Learning”, a resource for educators that highlights culturally relevant approaches to support play-based learning in the early years. Kenisha currently instructs the Kindergarten, Teaching English Language Learners, Teaching Leadership and Reading Additional Qualification courses at Toronto District School Board and the Elementary Teacher Federation of Ontario. Recently she co-authored a series entitled, "Everyone Belongs”, a curated selection of books that provides lessons with foundational literacy skills and play-based strategies to support literacy development for K-2 educators. She has published a few children's books and is the author of Shades of Me, Shade of Happiness and The Right Shade for Me. These books address issues of social justice and unearth the complexities of skin complexion and shadeism. Kenisha has a Master’s of Education (M.Ed.) from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education in the department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education and graduated from Windsor University where she earned her Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) with a focus on Urban Education and Native studies. She is passionate about fostering equity, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Anti-Bias approaches to teaching and learning that foster play in the Early Years. Kenisha is an Educational Consultant for Coaches Corner EY. Follow Kenisha on twitter @booklamations.
Angelique Thompson, B.A Hon., B.Ed.
Program Coordinator for Early Years and K-8 Literacy
Angelique is a Reading and Kindergarten Specialist who has many years of experience teaching in Primary, Junior and Intermediate Divisions, in the Toronto District School Board. She is currently the Program Coordinator for Early Years and K-8 Literacy for the TDSB. As a former Learning Network School Improvement Process Coach and Early Reading Coach Angelique supported many schools by guiding teams to strengthen instructional practices, analyze literacy data with purpose, and build coherent plans that elevated reading outcomes for all learners. She is the co-author of, “The Gift of Playful Learning”, a resource for educators that highlights culturally relevant approaches to support play-based learning in the early years. Recently she co-authored a series entitled, "Everyone Belongs”, a curated selection of books that provides lessons with foundational literacy skills and play-based strategies to support literacy development for K-2 educators. Angelique is passionate about infusing issues of Equity and Social Justice into Early Years classrooms using play-based approaches to learning. She graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology. She has been a curriculum writer and substantive editor for many documents for the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario. Angelique is the recipient of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto Excellence in Teaching Equity Award, 2009 and The Toronto District School Board’s Celebrating Excellence in the TDSB Award for Program/Project Excellence, 2010 along with a team of educators. She is also the recipient of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario Writer’s Award for Women’s Programs for 2019 for her article, "Sisters in the Struggle: Racialized Women and Microaggressions in the Workplace," published in ETFO Voice. Angelique is a dynamic facilitator and Educational Consultant for the Coaches Corner EY. Follow Angelique on Twitter @a_thompsonclass