Early Years (Nursery and Kindergarten)
Mrs. Samantha Whiteside
- Head of Kindergarten
Teacher Samantha, originally from London, England, is an experienced educator with a strong background in international teaching. She spent five years in Spain teaching English and also worked at a large British international school in Cyprus. Samantha is passionate about helping students build confidence in reading and language through engaging and supportive lessons. She values fostering a love of learning and enjoys exploring new cultures. Having travelled to countries such as Panama, she is now very happy to have begun her journey in Thailand and is excited to be part of the ASIS community.
Ms.Jay Gotham
- Kindergarten 2 Teacher
Jay Gotham is an experienced educator from the United Kingdom, specializing in Kindergarten and Lower Primary Years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences with a focus on sports psychology, and she is also a certified English language teacher.
Jay’s passion for education and travel has taken her teaching journey across Cambodia, Spain, Ukraine, China and Thailand. She has taught in training centers, international schools, and most recently through homeschooling, where she designed and implemented a personalized curriculum for her three children.
As an educator, Jay is committed to fostering a lifelong love for learning. She achieves this by blending educational goals with everyday experiences, adapting her teaching style to meet the needs of diverse learners, and creating engaging, supportive learning environments.
Primary School
Mr. Saumafana Uili
- Primary 1 Homeroom Teacher
- Head of Fitness & Health (ECA)
Saumafana Uili or teacher Kodi from Samoa is a dedicated educator and coach with extensive teaching experiences in international school. He is a certified strength and conditioning coach, as well as health and nutrition. With 10 years of teaching and 15 years of coaching experience, he has helped many students develop their skills both in the classroom and on the field.
He is a certified rugby union coach and has 10 years of international rugby athlete experience. He also holds a Chinese Language HSK Level 4 certificate, demonstrating his commitment to continuous learning. His passion lies in guiding students to achieve their full potential, both academically and athletically, while promoting overall health and well-being.
Miss. Li Yangyuanyu
- Primary 1 Homeroom Teacher
- Chinese Teacher
Li Yangyuanyu , from Yunnan, China, is a passionate Chinese language educator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Teaching Chinese as an International Language and has two years of teaching experience in Thailand, where she gained valuable cross-cultural teaching experience. In addition to teaching Chinese, she actively learns multiple languages and is able to communicate in both English and Thai, demonstrating strong international communication skills.
She is committed to integrating Chinese language education with multicultural understanding, helping students not only acquire language skills but also broaden their global perspectives and enhance cross-cultural communication abilities. She firmly believes that language is not only a tool for communication but also a window to understanding the world. Passionate about teaching and growing alongside her students, she strives to inspire their interest in learning while nurturing their confidence, self-discipline, and independent thinking skills.
Mrs. Mairangi Uili-Tamati
- Primary 5 and 6 Homeroom Teacher
- Head of Sports & PE
Mairangi Uili-Tamati or teacher Mai from New Zealand is an experienced educator with a strong background in both teaching and sports. Holding a bachelor’s degree in sports management and a diploma in teaching English as a second language, she has dedicated seven years to teaching and has accumulated 15 years of coaching experience.
Beyond her expertise in education and sports, she also holds a Chinese Language Level 1 certificate and has 10 years of professional athlete experience. Additionally, she has spent a decade working with professional student-athletes, helping them develop both academically and athletically. Her passion lies in supporting students to reach their full potential, not only in their studies and sports but also in building essential life skills.
Miss. Zhang Lei
- Chinese Teacher
- Nursery Homeroom Teacher
Zhang Lei, or Teacher Zhang, from China, is an experienced educator with a strong background in language teaching and interpretation. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Thai from Yunnan University Dianchi College, she has three years of experience in oral interpretation and five years of teaching Chinese to children from kindergarten to primary school.
With her years of teaching experience across different age groups, she creates a relaxed and engaging classroom environment. She is skilled at understanding each child’s habits and personality to inspire their interest in learning Chinese, strengthen their confidence, and cultivate a positive attitude toward language learning. Her passion lies in helping students discover the joy of learning while developing essential communication and cultural understanding skills.
Teacher Chananya Ketkaew (Teacher Imm)
- Primary 4 Homeroom Teacher
- Thai Language Teacher
Teacher Chananya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Mahamakut Buddhist University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Thai Language Education at the same institution. She has over 10 years of teaching experience, having served as a Thai language teacher for early childhood and primary students at Chumphae Kindergarten School in Khon Kaen. In addition, she has worked as a volunteer teacher, teaching Thai language and social studies to monks and novices in the general education program at a Buddhist monastic school.
Dedicated to continuous professional growth, Teacher Chananya is passionate about making Thai language learning creative, engaging, and easy to understand. She aims to inspire students to appreciate the beauty and value of the Thai language while also embracing the richness of Thai culture.
Teacher Jidapa Toonprakhon (Teacher Aon)
- Thai Language Teacher
Teacher Aon, holds a bachelor’s degree in Western Languages (German major) with a GPA of 3.95 and was a Thai-German Relationship Foundation (TDKS) scholar. She earned third place nationally in impromptu speech and received an honourable mention in multimedia.
Having grown up in an international environment, she brings cultural awareness and creativity to her classes. Aon has experience teaching in a bilingual school and tutoring Primary 6 students for EP entrance exams. She also works as a freelance digital painter, blending art and language to make learning engaging and enjoyable for her students.
Mr. Dapson
- Primary 4 Homeroom Teacher
- Head of Science
Mr. Dapson is an experienced science teacher with a Bachelor of Science in BioMedical Science from the University of East London and a teaching certification in Primary and Secondary Education (PGCE 7-14). Holds over 10 years of classroom experience teaching middle and high school science, including biology, chemistry, physics and environmental science.
Mr Dapson is committed to making science fun and accessible by fostering curiosity, encouraging experimentation, and connecting concepts to real-world applications. Mr Dapson is also passionate about inspiring a lifelong love of science and developing students’ problem-solving skills through interactive and student-centered instruction.
Prof. Juliano Baraqueti
- Head of Martial Art
- Jiu-Jitsu Head Coach
3rd-degree Black Belt Professor
30 years in Jiu-Jitsu — 20 dedicated to teaching
Technical lineage: Carlos & Hélio Gracie → Grand Master Flávio Behring → Prof. Juliano Baraqueti
Focus: social inclusion & development • educational Jiu-Jitsu • anti-bullying program • competitive Jiu-Jitsu
Coach to numerous world champions
Juliano Baraqueti is a 3rd-degree black belt professor with 30 years on the mats, 20 of them dedicated to teaching across multiple fronts. He leads initiatives for social inclusion and educational Jiu-Jitsu, anti-bullying programs, and high-performance training. He has coached numerous world champions and promotes the Doberman’s methodology with technical excellence, safety and respect for tradition.
Specialised in children and adolescents, he designs learning paths that develop emotional intelligence, self-control, self-esteem and self-confidence—preparing students for the challenges of sport and life. Guided by the 7-5-3 Code and the spirit of “Bushidō”, his mission is clear: “to form black belts on and off the mat”
Dr. Wayne McConnell
- Head of Music
Teacher Wayne from the UK is a highly qualified and experienced music educator and performer. He holds a PhD in Music from Khon Kaen University in Thailand, as well as a Master of Arts in Musicology and Piano Performance from ARU, Cambridge, and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Music from ARU, Cambridge, where he graduated with Upper Second Class honors.
With 16 years of teaching experience at the university level, Wayne has taught music at Khon Kaen University, specialising in jazz and music psychology. Prior to that, he was a lecturer in music and jazz piano tutor at the University of Chichester for 12 years. He is also the founder, director, and teacher at Brighton Jazz School.
A professional jazz pianist since 1995, Wayne has extensive expertise in jazz improvisation, music theory, and performance studies. Additionally, he has experience in digital film production and freelance video editing, blending his musical talents with his skills in multimedia.
Mr. Rashid
- Primary 5 and 6 Homeroom Teacher
- Head of Mathematics
Mr. Rashid is an experienced educator with a strong background in mathematics and science. He holds a bachelor of science in applied mathematics from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and a post-graduate diploma in teaching from the National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore, specialising in the teaching of mathematics and science at the primary level. His teaching career spans nearly two decades, starting at Yew Tee Primary School in Singapore from 2006 to 2012, where he taught primary mathematics and science, including foundation mathematics and gifted science programmes.
From 2012 to 2023, he taught at Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah, covering a wide range of subjects such as primary mathematics, secondary science and biology, secondary elementary and additional mathematics, as well as IB Diploma mathematics for grade 12 students Since 2023, he has been teaching at an international school in Bangkok, focusing on Singapore primary mathematics and science. With his extensive experience across different curricula, he is committed to fostering a deep understanding of mathematics and science while inspiring students to reach their full potential.
Mr. Jadon
- Primary Mathematics Teacher
- Primary Science Teacher
Mr. Jadon is a trained teacher from the National Institute of Education in Singapore, holding a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education specialising in Primary Education. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Maritime Studies with a second major in Business Studies from the established Nanyang Business School of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. He possesses over 4 years of teaching experience in Singapore and is very familiar with the Singapore Curriculum that is currently implemented at ASIS. His earlier engagement with Overseas Immersion Programme at the Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway and also at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand have helped him developed deep cultural capital to operate well in a multi-cultural environment.
Prior to joining ASIS, he already had extensive teaching experience in Thailand, having spent several years with International Schools in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. He has served as the chief Math Olympiad trainer in these schools and also the Science coordinator at the International School in Chiang Mai. With his vast background in working with young learners where English may not be their first language, he is able to utilise varied learning methods to help them engage with the subject despite their language difficulty.
Mr.Jayan Ravendra
- English Coordinator
- Primary 3 Homeroom Teacher
Mr. Jayan, is an experienced English educator from Singapore. His expertise lies in English Language and Literature and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Language and Literature and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics (TESOL) from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and is also CELTA-certified.
With over six years of teaching experience in Singapore, Mr. Jayan has taught both Primary and Secondary students in enrichment settings. His experience includes curriculum planning, lesson delivery, assessment, and providing detailed feedback. He has worked with a diverse range of local and international learners and is well-versed in Singapore-based curricula and exam-focused requirements.