Meet the Tekkie Team
When it comes to students learning well,
a good teacher makes all the difference.
Our coding teachers were chosen specifically
for their skill in the classroom and love of teaching.
We’ve Looked All Over the World for the Best Coding Teachers
Our instructors are experts at engaging young children and teens, explaining complex subjects so they’re easy to understand, and giving kids the confidence they need to become digital creators. Building on the skills and talents for which they were hired, all instructors undergo six months of training before they are fully qualified to teach for Tekkie Uni.
Dr. Oren Zuckerman,
Tekkie Uni Academic Advisor
Dr. Oren Zuckerman, who earned his Masters and Ph.D. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has always been fascinated by learning processes and by the impact learning has on people. As a researcher and academic director, teaching is a core aspect of pursuing his passion: empowering people of all ages to learn and transform that learning into meaningful actions in their lives. For Dr. Zuckerman, who was one of the creators of (and the person who named) MIT’s renowned Scratch programming language, teaching coding is an opportunity to learn from students, as well as to offer them new ideas and information. “As a teacher, I feel I’m giving students a gift,” said Zuckerman, “and for some of them this gift will be translated into new ideas, new passion, new interests, or even a new professional direction in life.”
Meet some of our teachers
Jennifer Amor
Teaching comes naturally to Jennifer. Growing up in Toronto, Canada, she was always taking care of younger children, and later her first job was as a camp counselor. Although she was originally a neuroscience and psychology graduate, Jennifer decided to teach professionally, and has been teaching children and adults in various fields for 20 years. Jennifer's excellent technological orientation, combined with patience, sensitivity, and effective communication skills ensure a fun and productive learning experience.
Why I teach: “I love the way Tekkie Uni structures the lessons. Coding is the future, and kids need to learn it, but at the same time they have so much fun.”
Vicki Snyman
Vicki is an experienced teacher based in South Africa. She’s been teaching for more than a decade and has a postgraduate degree in tertiary education. Vicki specializes in teaching with technology, which she believes is essential to the education process. She’s presented papers on the subject, completed a teaching with technology course, and has spoken at EdTech conferences.
Why I teach: “We can’t even imagine how the world will look in the next few years, but it is certain that coding will provide kids with pivotal skills that they will need for a variety of jobs. It’s essential that they are taught these skills.”
Phumelela Baskiti
Phumelela, an experienced TEFL-certified teacher from Cape Town, South Africa, who started teaching English while she was at university. It started as a side job, but she fell in love with it and has taught ever since. Phumelela graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public policy, administration and sociology, and has been an online English teacher for five years. Her friendliness and patience provide a fun and pressure free learning environment. She believes that an important part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.
Why I teach: “My job gives me an opportunity to prepare kids for success in the digital world by teaching them how to code and inspiring them to tap into their own creativity.”
Shanik Azcarate
Shanik is a certified teacher from Mexico who has spent 15 years working extensively with children of all ages, and his thirst for knowledge is reflected in his students — only excellent teachers can encourage curiosity in students. Shanik was an art teacher before joining Tekkie Uni two years ago and brings his creativity to teaching coding. He loves programming and believes it’s a great way to make technology approachable to anyone around the world.
Why I teach: “The best thing someone can tell me in the first class is ‘I don’t know’ or I’m not good at it.’ Letting them know they had it with them all the time, is one of the most fulfilling things.”
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