Born in the United States, Anja cultivated a deep passion for languages and the art of storytelling from a young age.
During her university career, she spent a year in Rome, an experience that not only allowed her to deepen her linguistic and cultural skills but also to develop a solid ability for intercultural communication. During that time, she taught English to both individuals and groups of students, as well as collaborating on an educational program dedicated to children at the American Embassy of Rome.
She graduated with honors from Temple University in Philadelphia and subsequently obtained her TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification.
She then continued her career as an English teacher in primary and secondary schools in the Legnano area (Lombardy), actively contributing to the promotion of a communicative and dynamic teaching approach.
Since 2025, she has been part of the staff of St Philip School.
He has been on the staff of St Philip School since 2025.
Gustavo Alejandro Leguizamon
Born in Buenos Aires and raised in Miami in a multiethnic family - American mother, Argentine father, Brazilian grandmother and French grandfather - he grew up speaking English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Arabic from an early age, languages that were intertwined daily in the family context, where communication naturally took place in multiple idioms.
A lifelong lover of languages and movement, he graduated with a degree in Exercise Science with a specialization in Sports Physiology and Soccer. During this time, he also worked as an athletic trainer for the Argentine Association of Aerobic Gymnastics. He then completed a bachelor's and master's degree in Conference Interpreting in Argentina. He then completed a second master's degree in Conference Interpreting and Language Mediation in Italy, working with the English, Spanish, and Italian languages.
In 2006, he moved to Rome from San Francisco and began working as a conference interpreter for international events. In parallel, he teaches English and Spanish, physical education and robotics in several Roman schools, also devoting himself to preparing students of all ages for the Cambridge (English) and DELE (Spanish) language certification exams.
He is currently part of the permanent faculty of the SSML San Domenico University in Rome, where he teaches Translation and Interpretation (Spanish and English language) and Spanish Literature. He also collaborates in the translation of Spanish-language texts for several private sector organizations. He holds qualifications in the new teaching methodologies for foreign language teaching, with specific training in CLIL methodology for English and Spanish.
During his academic career, he immediately approached English as a second language, earning a degree in English Language and Linguistics at the University of Naples.
In those years he experienced managing and participation in numerous educational projects and presentations that brought him closer to the world of teaching.
In 2017 he obtained the Cambridge CELTA certification for teaching English to foreigners and began his teaching career in language schools in Spain. During these years, he enhances his skills in preparing for the Cambridge exams. In 2019 he obtained the position of English Teacher at the Liverpool School of English in the United Kingdom, where for the first time he was confronted with a multilingual school environment. The experience in Liverpool allowed him to enhance the communication skills of English applied to a multicultural context.
In 2020 he was admitted to the University of Arizona, USA and obtained a master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language.
Thanks to his international experiences he has developed a philosophy that is founded on the value of teaching as facilitating knowledge and practice, with a strong emphasis on engaging and collaborative activities adapted to the interests of his students and their different learning aptitudes.
From 2023 he joins the staff of St Philip School.
Bilingual Italian/English, with over 10 years’ experience living abroad (UK and Singapore).
In 2019 Chiara started her journey into language teaching by volunteering as an English teacher for children and pre-teens in the Balinese communities in remote mountainous areas (GAIA Foundation Education project).
Back to Singapore, she started teaching Italian language at the Singapore Italian School (2020-2021). Afterwards, she began to plan and offer her own language classes as an independent tutor (2022); she also earned her DITALS Level I certification.
In 2021 she took part, with a small group of students in Singapore, in a project called Giornata dello studente di lingua italiana, while co-hosting the podcast Alla ricerca delle tracce di Dante.
Chiara’s training and experience prior to language teaching bear witness to her markedly creative streak. In 2001 she got certified as a Technician Operator in Animation Theatre Techniques and offered reading, animation and puppet making workshops for primary school children at Biblioteca Comunale di Anzio.
In the following years Chiara attended several training courses to further hone her artistic and creative skills:
- Creative writing workshops with author Lidia Ravera
- Biblioteca dell’Orologio, Rome (2002)
- Historical Fashion and Costume Summer School, St Martins School of Arts, London (2006)
- SouthEast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art, LASALLE University, Singapore (2018)
Chiara’s Italian language courses are based on QCER standards. She regularly attends webinars, workshops and language teaching training courses, endeavouring to add playfulness to her educational activities – especially in her classes for the youngest.
Chiara has been teaching at St Philip School since 2022.
Trilingual (Turkish, Persian, English), Hanieh, got her B.A in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from Tabriz University and M.A in English Language and Literature from Sapienza University.
She is holding IELTS score 8.5 out of 9.00.
She has been teaching English to children, young adults, and adults for more than 13 years.
She has been living in Italy since 2019.
In Rome, she has the experience of teaching English at Lumsa University. She also had cooperation with Trinity School to prepare students for Trinity and Cambridge Exams. Hanieh has taken some training courses at Trinity School on teaching students who are diagnosed as dyslexic (having a language-based learning disability).
She has run several lessons with dyslexic students and prepared them for Trinity Exams.
Teaching is her lifelong passion. Enthusiastic and vivacious in her career, Hanieh has always tried to keep her teaching knowledge updated and apply the most recent teaching methodologies in her classrooms.
Hanieh has been teaching at St Philip School since 2022.
Carla Candida completed her high school studies and attained her credential as preschool and primary teacher.
In 1976 she started working as a state school teacher in Rome (Goffredo Mameli is one among the many schools she has taught at).
During her teaching years Carla Candida has been attending pottery, papier mâché and puppet making courses held by Maria Signorelli and Letizia Volpicelli at Teatro Verde (Trastevere).
In 1994 she fully qualified as a Waldorf teacher both for the Italian school system as well as for Waldorf schools abroad.
Carla Candida has kept honing her skills by attending arts and crafts classes - such as doll making classes and painting - and she currently attends Dr Tirzi’s healing pedagogy course.
From 2006 to 2021 she taught at Libera Scuola Janua (a Waldorf School).
Carla Candida has been teaching at St Philip School since 2022.
After graduating from Liceo classico Maria Teresa moved to Rome to enrol at Università LUMSA. She earned her M.A. in Clinical Psychology (cum laude) with an experimental thesis on preschool learning.
She went on to complete a postgraduate course as School Activity coordinator.
In 2022 she earned her M.A in Education sciences. She is currently in the process of earning a further M.A. in primary education at Rome-based LUMSA.
Always eager to broaden her knowledge base, Maria Teresa is a passionate scholar of childhood learning who thrives on facing as many educational challenges as possible.
Maria Teresa has been involved in numerous education charities, and worked with SEN children at Rome-based Istituto Leonarda Vaccari. In 2018 she moved back to Basilicata and taught as a preschool teacher in Viggiano.
Maria Teresa has been teaching at St Philip School since 2021.
Hannah has grown up in London, England. he has worked with children since the age of 16, working as a nanny and as an au-pair in Brisbane (Australia), Los Angeles (USA), and London (UK). She has worked for all ages and ethnicities. Her passion came for teaching while working at a preschool in Los Angeles during her stay. Growing up she was influenced by her father's caring and patience as a teacher at University College London, and her sister's confidence and passion for teaching English in Vietnam.
She has been living in Rome for 3 years, and during this time has studied for a Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) 168-hour certificate.
After completing this, and post Covid, she started working in a private preschool for 3-5 years old. Her primary roles were employing a variety of educational techniques (storytelling, educational play, media, etc.) to teach children subjects covering but not limited to Phonics, Math, STEM, and educational projects about the body.
She would be observing each child to help improve their social competencies and build self-esteem.
Additionally creating a fun and loving environment for 12+ students while following and implementing the curriculum, planning and preparing the classroom for daily activities to run smoothly and efficiently. Lastly communicating progress and daily activities with parents and members of leadership.
