Our Staff

During my 25 years of teaching in Western Canada, I experienced working with children from 3 to 18 years old, since my majors are Early Education and Literature. In addition to regular classroom teaching, I had the opportunity to co-ordinate Second Language programmes; to head committees exploring new language curriculum ideas for the Primary Years (and developing subject material); and to organize student tour groups to Russia.
My husband and I have traveled extensively, throughout Africa, Europe, Cuba, South America, China, India, Asia, as well as our backyard of North America.
After two poetry books published in New York, a third one was published in Moscow, Russia, in 2002. Russian literature was always a favourite, and became a factor in the realization of a wish to be involved in education in Russia. The last seven years have been spent within the Early Education department, first in the British International School of Moscow for five years and then in a private Moscow playschool.
Parents of children taught during these seven years have been a major reason for the formation of this centre, with their dedicated support and belief in OC’s possibilities.
We have put together a team of experts who are dedicated to providing a positive innovative English setting for everyone from 5 to 95! Join us in the fun!

I was born in Canada into a family of teachers and have a wife with whom I have been married for 15 years. She too is a teacher. We have 3 children, a 9-year-old boy, a 8-year-old girl and a newborn girl, born in 2008. I am a marathon finisher, play the guitar and compose songs, both words and music, and have recorded two CDs.
I graduated from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in English; then returned to complete a Bachelor of Education degree shortly thereafter. For the last 10 years, I have taught English in Turkey, in Finland, and now in Moscow. The students have varied from young to adult, with the concentration on the English language.
I am pleased with being a part of the OC team, and am happy to continue working with children.
The English language is an essential part of the modern world. It is satisfying to be of use in this regard.

I am an ESL specialist from Canada, as well as a Bachelor Degree holder in Psychology and English. I have worked in Canadian schools for several years, teaching English as a Second Language, and have now been teaching English to young children in Moscow for eight years. My husband owns a business in Russia and our two daughters are happily bilingual. We have traveled in North America and Europe, and have found that people everywhere are interested in learning English. They are also similar in what they wish for life: a good world for their children to inherit.
Children are honest and intelligent. They are inspired to learn if they feel self-confident. They are our future. Therefore, it is of vital importance how we introduce them to the structure of the education system. This first contact should be empowering, satisfying, and confidence-building. I am committed to helping with the development of this positive process.

My husband and I are Canadians who have become international teachers, having worked in Finland, Turkey, and now Russia. Our two children travel with us, and are familiar with three languages, at ages 6 and 7. I have concentrated my teaching in the primary area: with Reception, Years 1, 2, and 3.
Ten years ago, I graduated from the University of British Columbia, Canada, with a Bachelor of Education degree, after having completed my first degree, in the area of languages, at the University of Victoria.
My interests include all of the Fine Art areas; I enjoy doing Arts and Crafts in school. Children learn a language more quickly when learning words includes an activity they enjoy. Therefore, the area of Fine Arts is invaluable for developing oral language.
I am committed to the next generation’s well-being. They hold our future in their hands, and they will be very capable, I am certain. We educators must contribute our part by giving them a strong foundation on which to build this future. English is a vital language in this education. Therefore, this is my area of focus for teaching.

Stephen Podovinikoff is a Canadian teacher who, at this point in his life, resides in Moscow. He believes it was destined that he would be teaching preschoolers in Russia, maybe partly because of his 1800’s Russian ancestry. His extensive travels have brought him to understand that “the global village is a reality.” …the 21st century is a new time especially for children. In them lives the real hope for a viable human future.” Mr. Steve feels a need to “be of service to the youngsters of our world for they are the pure spirits of unconditional love…” With whole-hearted belief in the greater good, dreams will come true”.

Find his first children’s book here

I am an ESL specialist and have a diploma as a pre-school teacher. I have been teaching English since 2001. I have taught English in Syria, Lebanon, South Korea and now in Moscow. The students have varied from children to adult, with the concentration on the English language. However, I enjoy the primary area, Nursery, Reception, and Year One the most!
Teaching children is something that I find makes me a better person. Working with them brightens my day and brings out the best in me. I feel that children are our hope and future which is why it is inspiring to work with them.
At OC they are surrounded with love and care, and live in a positive atmosphere, which encourages their growth and social and emotional development. I really enjoy the times at OC.

I am originally from Minnesota, USA where I studied medieval Scandinavian literature at university. Since 1996 I have taught a variety of emergency medical courses for the University of Minnesota. In 2005, my wife and I moved to Moscow where we began teaching English. I have mostly worked privately with families to help their children enter schools as native-English students. Since leaving Minnesota we have taught in Russia, Germany, Turkey, Croatia, and Sweden. In my free time I am an avid reader and computer user, a fan of folk and folk-rock music, and I am also involved in the Russian historical reconstruction community where I specialize in the culture of the western Norwegian Vikings.
It is great to be back working with the OC team again and I look forward to many great years ahead. As a life-long traveler, I see how few native-English speakers there are in most countries yet it is still a language that connects many different people all across the globe. It is a wonderful thing to be able to help others realize their dreams to travel and live wherever they want.

I am a Finnish linguist and language teacher graduated from the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) with a Master of Arts degree. I have traveled a lot in Europe and Latin America where I have realized the growing need for language skills in the 21st century. I have studied five foreign languages (English, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and French) and use them as actively as I can.
I think that the journey in the multilingual world should be started as early as possible. When a child is given the possibility to learn a language discovering it by himself, adopting the language as a part of everyday life is easier.
Children are creative, sincere and honest. Working with children gives me an opportunity to be a part of their social network. A child needs to become a confident, self-assured and a responsible human being. As a teacher, I am happy to be involved in this process.