Zoe Spykerman

👩‍🏫 My Teaching Journey My teaching experience began in a Montessori classroom, where I fell in love with the child-led, hands-on learning. From there, my path led me into the world of special needs education, and I’ve never looked back. I’ve had the privilege of teaching in a wide range of classrooms and roles, including: 🎨 Art teacher for the Deaf 👶 Kindergarten classrooms 👂 Special needs class for Deaf learners 🏡 Autism practitioner, working with little ones who just need a bit of extra support in the comfort of their homes Each setting has taught me something new about how children learn — and more importantly, how they feel while learning. These experiences have shaped the resources I create today: playful, practical, and made for real children with real needs. My goal is to help learners feel safe, involved, and confident, whether they’re in a classroom or learning at home — because every child deserves to shine in their own way.

🍎 My Teaching Philosophy: “Involve me and I learn.” One quote that truly guides the way I teach is: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” As someone who has personally struggled to learn at times, I deeply understand how frustrating it can be when things just don’t come naturally. I’ve had my share of wall-banging moments, and because of that, I approach teaching with empathy, creativity, and flexibility. I believe in meeting children where they are and guiding them through learning using a hands-on, playful approach. If we can make it fun and meaningful, learning doesn’t have to be scary — it can become something they look forward to. In my lessons, you’ll often find bold earrings, bright nail polish, funny hats, and a whole lot of movement and interaction — all to capture attention and make learning stick. Whether it’s through a game, a story, or a sensory-rich task, I believe that when learners are actively involved, the learning becomes real.

🌟 A Teaching Moment I’ll Never Forget Every classroom holds special memories, but some moments leave a mark on your heart forever. One of my most treasured experiences comes from a little boy who faced challenges most of us can’t imagine. He was deaf, autistic, and carried deep feelings of rejection and confusion. Communication was hard, and as a result, he often expressed his frustration through anger. He didn’t want to be touched, comforted, or hugged — even something as small as holding hands felt threatening to him. I knew I had to meet him where he was, not where I wanted him to be. So I got creative. I wore bright, colourful earrings to draw his eye and keep his attention. I painted my nails in vibrant colours so he’d notice my hands as I signed. On some days, I even wore funny hats just to make him smile — anything to turn learning into something playful and safe. We played, laughed (quietly), and worked through language together, little by little. Slowly, I became a consistent presence he could count on — not overwhelming, not demanding, just there. Then one day, as we walked to the school bus, he did something I’ll never forget. He reached out and took my hand. Voluntarily. No prompting. Just trust. My heart wanted to leap with joy — I wanted to shout “Hooray!” for the whole world to hear. But I knew his personality. He wouldn't have understood my excitement as celebration — it might have embarrassed or unsettled him. So, I kept a straight face, walked beside him, and treasured that silent moment more than any words could express. That small gesture wasn’t just about holding a hand. It was a symbol of everything we’d built — trust, connection, understanding — and proof that even the quietest victories are the loudest in a teacher’s heart.