Terry Yeh
Music Director
Born in Taiwan, Terry started learning piano at the age of 5 with Kan-Pei Ke. She received numerous awards, including the Chi-Mei Foundation scholarship and prizes from Taipei Youth International Chopin Competition and the Taiwan National Piano Competition. After moving to Canada at age 16, Terry continued her studies with James Olsen. She competed in the Vancouver Kiwanis music festival, Burnaby Clef Society music festival, and BCCM music festival, winning first and second places and scholarships.
Terry holds a Bachelor degree focusing on piano performance from the University of Victoria, under the guidance of Bruce Vogt. She received the Mary Dorothy Jones Bessex Bursary and Margareta H. Von Rudloff scholarship. She also performed in masterclasses for renowned artists and teachers such as Robert Silverman, Robin Wood, Jane Coop, Jamie Syer, Cary Chow, and Eva Solar-Kinderman.
As a soloist, Terry accomplished numerous solo recitals. As a collaborative pianist, she has extensive experiences in working with instrumentalists, instrumental ensembles, and choirs.
Terry is an avid, experienced teacher. She works with students of various ages. Her students have received numerous awards and scholarships through the years. Her teaching philosophy is that while music enriches the soul, musical training opens, and grows the mind. We all can learn the best we can, and develop our capacity to the fullest.
Terry is a member of the BC Registered Music Teachers Association, and a certified RCM Smart Start teacher. Smart Start is an early childhood music education program that teaches young children age-appropriate musical concepts through a play-based format, and at the same time teaches children fundamental cognitive skills through the fun musical activities.
Susan Friesen
Kindergarten to Grade 5 Teacher
Students are naturally drawn to the delightful manner in which Susan engages them into their learning journeys. Her lively and inspirational personality guides students through their academic milestones while her creative knack makes her classroom a cheerful and productive setting. Susan is skilled at presenting information in the most suitable way to meet the individual needs and learning style of each of her students.
Susan brings peace to her classroom with her special approach to teaching interpersonal skills and her exceptional gifting at behaviour intervention in a gentle and supportive way.
Having spent many years as a professional caterer, Susan brings her attitude of service to her classroom. Not only does she teach her students cooking and baking like a pro, she also treats them like her absolutely best customers by making them special meals to enjoy and artisan quality treats to celebrate special occasions together as a class.
In addition to her culinary mastery, Susan leans on her commercial artist background to provide a wide array of quality art projects for her students. She generously shares her professional equipment with her students to make everything from custom toys to beautiful decor using a variety of medias made with laser cutting, 3D printing, poured resins, or polymers.
Dawn Bast, M.Ed.
Body Brain Learning Therapeutic Educator
Teaching has always been Dawn Bast’s passion. From homeschooling her own children to volunteering as a Sunday School teacher, she has been involved in education since she was 14. Her journey took a significant turn when one of her children was diagnosed with Autism at age 15, leading her to dig deeper into the importance of personalized learning. This sparked the idea for Body Brain Learning — a centre dedicated to helping children unlock their full potential and to empowering parents in that journey.
With three university degrees and extensive training in therapeutic methods like Natural Bioenergetics™, Brain Gym™, the Davis Method™, and Orton-Gillingham™, her continuing goal is to help students and families discover how they learn best. She is also passionate about place-based education, having spent years creating hands-on learning experiences rooted in the local environment and community.
Dawn is committed to mentoring parents and teachers to focus on each child’s strengths and providing the tools they need to succeed. Above all, she believes that every child deserves the chance to take control of their own learning journey which guides all my work with children and families.
Norisa Anderson
Curriculum Developer, Educational Support
After an extensive publishing career as art director for award-winning newspapers and lifestyle and fashion magazines in North Vancouver, Norisa Anderson has focused her passion for visual excellence to creating inspirational learning materials for children and youth.
As a mother and a grandmother with more than 30-years of marriage, she values family and the sanctity of childhood. She sets to provide outstanding resources intended to bring fun and enjoyment to a student’s learning journey. Norisa has a heart-felt understanding of unique learning styles and is dedicated to helping learners overcome personal barriers to find the satisfaction and joy in their achievements.
Lisa Wallace
President Wallace Educational Consulting
Lisa Wallace has put together a professional team of instructors, teachers, and charitable society members who work to provide quality education to local families who have individual needs and benefit from project-based learning strategies to suit specific learning styles.
At Westside Academy, she was a volunteer in the K to grade 3 classes and also worked as a substitute teacher; she became the Education Assistant in the grade 4 to 5 class; then a Teacher’s Aide in the grade 6 to 7 class; and then taught grades 6 to 12. In addition to teaching, Lisa also drove school bus, filled in for the janitor, and co-taught shop with George MacDonald.
At Zion Lutheran School, she taught Social Studies and French in a grade 5 to 7 mix for a year while she began working on this project.
Lisa is known to form a lasting rapport with all her students and remains a voice of encouragement long after their graduation to see their life long successes.
Lisa Wallace builds on her experience as a professional mentor at an independent living facility for post foster care young women who had already begun to stabilize their lives but required further support for their success. There she provided a wide range of skills training and role modelling and facilitated a variety of educational programs.
With a double major in English and History, Lisa is currently completing her Masters in Christian Education from the Institute for Creation Research. She has certification in Indigenous Cultural Safety, Conflict Resolution, First Aid, ASSIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), and training in behaviour management.