Maria van Eeden was born and raised in sunny South Africa and she enjoys being outdoors playing badminton, riding her bicycle, and taking long walks. She also enjoys playing the ukelele and uses it in the classroom to teach her students some concepts and vocabulary words. She completed her B.Ed Early Childhood Development degree at the University of Pretoria and has since taught Kindergarten, Elementary school, as well as High School students. She has been privileged to teach in countries such as South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E, and China. She has spent the past decade working at different private and International schools and loves seeing students grow in confidence on stage and in the classroom through poetry performances and songs. This is her third year being part of a PYP school and has learned how valuable the skills, concepts,and learner profiles are in the development of students as internationally-minded citizens that add value not only to their families and friends, but also the community. Maria is thrilled to be a part of Sai Sishya and has come to love every student and is eager to help them grow and mature.