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Enthusiasts and professionals in one person
Management
Pavla Hajian
CEO
Pavla Hajian has experience as a director and owner of a preschool in London, Ealing. She has worked for many years in international language schools and nurseries. She has been running Wonderland Preschool since 2009 and is the founder of Wonderland Academy, a private language school. She is herself a mother of five children (Kimi, Dany, Melanie, Charlotte and Nicolas).
Zdeněk Ricci
FMF (Facility Management and Finance Manager)
Veronika Bergmanová
Director of Wonderland Academy
Veronika was born in Prague, which she loves. Here she also studied Preschool and after-school pedagogy, but also Teaching for the first grade with a focus on English language at Charles University. She has experience as a class teacher in a language primary school, and as a director of a private sports and language preschool.
In addition to these studies, she also graduated from the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory. She is very fond of music. In the past spring Veronika got a certificate as a children's yoga teacher. She has worked as a leader of children's camps many times. She is a mother of two wonderful children, her daughter Isabela and son Max. She gets her energy from being in nature, reading a good book and singing.
She is looking forward to working in the superior environment of Wonderland Preschool with such a talented team while working with you, the parents. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to her, she will be happy to work with you.
Adrienne Eberhart
Executive Deputy Director
English Class Teacher for 1.A
Adrienne Eberhart was born in Washington, D.C. She studied at George Mason University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in international relations and biology. She has worked with children for decades through tutoring, mentoring, and substitute teaching. After graduating university, this led her to Prague where she earned a TEFL certificate in 2007 and immediately began teaching preschool and primary school. Eventually, her passion for teaching young learners grew into developing and leading teacher training workshops which focus on effective teaching methodologies for English as a second language.
After graduating from university, she began traveling around Europe and realized how much she wanted this continent to be her home. Of all places, she was most enchanted by Prague, where she finally settled. It's been 16 years now. She completed a TEFL course to help children learn a foreign language. She realizes that if students improve in a foreign language, it contributes to strengthening their healthy self-esteem. In her spare time, Adrienne mainly enjoys artistic and creative activities, cooking, reading, playing volleyball, cycling or exploring the Czech landscape and forests together with her dog.
Klára Kosová
Deputy Director for Administrative Matters
Klára studied primary and secondary school teaching at the Faculty of Education of Masaryk University in Brno, where she studied Czech language education and physical education. She has experience teaching at all three levels. In the past, she worked at a primary school with an extended physical education. During her time there, she taught ice skating and swimming. In the past, she also had the opportunity to work at an secondary school with a focus on electrical engineering.
For many years, she participated in children's summer and winter camps as a section or sports leader. She also gained experience with preschool children during her two-year stay in Munich, Germany, where she worked as an au-pair and helped in a kindergarten. She has been working at Wonderland Academy since 2015, as a class teacher. As a class teacher she guided the first WA graduates through the second stage.
She herself is a mother of three children. To replenish her energy. When she wants to replenish her energy, she likes to go out into nature. She likes mountains in all forms, whether in winter on skis or in summer with a backpack on her back.
Filip Novák
Deputy Director for Secondary School
Class Teacher for 6.A
Filip Novák is a graduate of the University of Economics in Prague with a master's degree in business economics and management. Even before starting his studies, his love for mathematics prompted him to establish a project system for preparing for entrance exams and matriculation exams that still works today. During his studies, he gained practical knowledge of marketing during internships. He applied all his experience while teaching at the elementary school in Týnec nad Sázavou, where he started his teaching career. In the last year, he has completed certified courses for cooperation with teaching assistants, pupils with SEN and foreigners. He collaborated with schools and companies on the implementation of Office 365 or on the development and design of websites. He also worked as an IT coordinator. After working hours, he devotes himself to the development of education in the region in cooperation with non-profit organizations and community development in the settlement committee. In his spare time, he likes to do sports, conquer mountain peaks, travel the world, and strengthen his positive relationship with nature.
Lucie Plíšková
Primary School Coordinator
Class Teacher for 1.A
Lucie Plíšková studied English language teaching at the University of Pardubice and then translation at the University of Silesia in Opava. She likes to effectively use the method of conceptual learning in practice and positive motivation. She uses her full-value experience in his classes to provide an individual approach to each student. For years, she also worked in the media in a managerial position and created news programs. She connects all her experiences in the lessons in such a way that the lessons are not only fun for the students but also varied, motivating, and beneficial for them.
Lucie se neustále vzdělává. Absolvovala semináře zaměřené na výuku matematiky Hejného a českého jazyka psaní a čtení Hanami. Zajímá se o využití AI v učitelském a studijním prostředí. Volný čas tráví Lucie sportem a vařením. Se svými dětmi a mužem ráda cestuje.
Joscelyn Evener
Deputy Director for the English Section (Primary)
English Class Teacher for 2.B
Joscelyn was born in the countryside,in Upstate New York. She majored in sociology with a concentration in human services at Le Moyne College. She gained her first valuable teaching experience while working in a children's home, where she worked with children from different ages and social groups.
In 2019, she moved to Prague, where she started teaching English in a kindergarten and also in elementary schools. She also gave private lessons. She thinks that being a teacher is a very meaningful job and enjoys developing her students in a language that is not their mother tongue.
In her spare time, she likes to walk her dog, travel, and spend time in nature.
John Tedder
Deputy Director for the English Section (Secondary)
Secondary Teacher of English and History
Secondary Teacher of English and History
John Tedder was born in Jackson, Michigan. He studied at Thomas A. Edison State College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history. He served 23 years in the U.S. Army and taught hundreds of non-native speakers during his service. He was also a youth soccer and lacrosse coach and substitute teacher in Connecticut and Florida for several years.
He moved to Prague with his family in January 2022, receiving a TEFL certificate at the Language House in Prague. John strives to help children grow into adults who are self-sufficient, responsible, and fluent in multiple languages. He finds the process of developing their inquisitiveness and exploring their potential to be very fulfilling.
John spends his free time either with his family or in nature. He likes tourism, sports, and getting to know new cities and cultures. He is happy to be a part of the Wonderland group and is looking forward to the coming school year when he will be able to help pupils become more confident in English.
Linda Samková
Head Teacher
Linda Samková graduated from the Faculty of Pedagogy at the University of Pedagogy in Hradec Králové, majoring in teaching for the 1st grade of elementary school. She then expanded her education at the Faculty of Management and Information Technology at the University of Pedagogy in the field of Financial Management. She applies her years of experience in teaching every day, as well as an individual approach to each student.
She is deepening her education, completing a course for teaching assistants and participating in seminars focused on the teaching of mathematics by Professor Hejný and the Czech language by Hanami, the Bee project, and formative assessment in teaching. She completed her interest in teaching Czech to foreigners by completing the Czech as a Second Language Education Program. She likes to spend her free time actively in nature with her family, but sometimes also passively at home with a good book.
Karolína Fidrmuc
Head of After School Club, Deputy CFO
Karolína Fidrmuc comes from the Orlické Mountains. After graduating from grammar school in Žamberk, she graduated from the Jan Amos Comenius University in Prague with Bachelor's Degree in Special Education. From March 2024, she will start her studies at Cardiff Academy in the MBA program Psychology and Management. As part of her further education, she has also completed a medical course. Working with children has fulfilled her since an early age, when she even set up and organized suburban camps in Prague 15. In addition, she has also worked as an animator, lifeguard, and lecturer of leisure activities for children.
Her hobbies include traveling, hiking and spending time with family and friends.
Administration
Veronika Birnbaumová
Office Manager
Veronika comes from a small town near Prague. She graduated from a business academy, but it was always her dream to work with children, so she completed her education at the Faculty of Education of Charles University in the field of teaching for kindergartens. Veronika has completed many preschool courses, including the basics of the Hejny method in pre-math education, Children with ADHD, ADD - for teachers of kindergartens and first grade primary schools, Hyperactive children and children with borderline behaviour in kindergartens, and Working with children with different first languages. She considers the experiences she was able to gain during her stay in the UK, where she studied and worked with pre-school children, to be very valuable. After returning from the UK, she worked as a preschool teacher in a Czech-English international kindergarten and later as a representative of an international kindergarten. Veronika enjoys taking on challenges and improving her skills. She sees working with children as her life's mission and finds it very fulfilling. She is a mother to her son Daniel and, in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cycling, and travelling.
Lucie Zárubová
HR Generalist
My name is Lucka, and I am from the beautiful city of Liberec. I graduated from a secondary school at a pedagogical lyceum, where I fell in love with psychology. (tady si nejsem úplně jista, jestli jsem ji milovala natolik, abych to popsala takhle) 😄 Originally, I imagined I would pursue this field, but life's path led me to Prague. I like Prague very much and I’ve lived here for many years. Prague is my sweet home. I have worked in companies with many people, which I used to take care of, and I did administrative things. I enjoy spending time with my husband, who is my greatest partner, my little daughter Zoui, and our four-legged friend, a boxer named Cookie. My hobbies include walking, traveling, analogue photography, photography in general, music, my family, and laughter. I am a positive and meticulous person who loves experiencing life with joy and love for those close to me. Zoui and our four-legged friend, a boxer named Cookie. Mezi mé záliby are walks, travel, analogue photography, music, my family and laughter. I am a positive and caring person who loves to live life with joy and love for my blízcí .
Jan Mikeš
Reception
Jan Mikeš grew up in a village near the town of Slaný, and, after finishing elementary school, decided to continue his studies at the Business Academy Dr. Edvard Beneš in Slané. Here, he gained solid foundations in the fields of economics and administration. Throughout his life, he has been studying the English language. It has helped him with his hobbies, which include video games, traveling, and metal music.
Klára Rojková
Payroll Clerk
Klára comes from a small village in northern Bohemia. She came to Prague for high school. Subsequently, she studied international relations and European studies at the Metropolitan University of Prague. During her studies at the university, she started a part-time job at a company, where she then worked as a personnel officer and payroll accountant. She completed several trainings and courses related to payroll. Working in a school environment is a completely different experience for Klára and she enjoys all the new knowledge. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two sons, walking, yoga, skiing, and reading motivational books and personal development titles.
Andrea Havlíčková
Accountant
Původně pocházím z jižní Moravy, s rodinou jsme se následně přestěhovali na Vysočinu, kde jsem také vystudovala Obchodní Akademii v Pelhřimově. Po maturitě jsem se přemístila do Prahy z důvodu lepší možnosti uplatnění ve své oboru, a to konkrétně v oboru účetnictví, kterému se věnuji v průběhu celého svého profesního života.
Profesní dráhu jsem začínala na nejnižších pozicích v účtárně, postupně jsem sbírala zkušenosti a následně jsem se vypracovávala až na pozice hlavní účetní.
Práce ve školním prostředí je pro mě úplně novou zkušeností a moc se těším na nové pracovní výzvy.
Z důvodu toho, že mám již dvě děti dospělého věku, mám spoustu času věnovat se svým koníčkům, ke kterým v první řadě patří, golf, jóga, plavání, čtení knih, práce na zahradě, a v neposlední řadě setkávání se s rodinou a přáteli.
Elementary school teachers
Lucie Plíšková
Class Teacher for 1.A
Primary School Coordinator
Lucie Plíšková studied English language teaching at the University of Pardubice and then translation at the University of Silesia in Opava. She likes to effectively use the method of conceptual learning in practice and positive motivation. She uses her full-value experience in his classes to provide an individual approach to each student. For years, she also worked in the media in a managerial position and created news programs. She connects all her experiences in the lessons in such a way that the lessons are not only fun for the students but also varied, motivating, and beneficial for them.
Lucie se neustále vzdělává. Absolvovala semináře zaměřené na výuku matematiky Hejného a českého jazyka psaní a čtení Hanami. Zajímá se o využití AI v učitelském a studijním prostředí. Volný čas tráví Lucie sportem a vařením. Se svými dětmi a mužem ráda cestuje.
Linda Samková
Class Teacher for 1.B
Linda Samková graduated from the Faculty of Pedagogy at the University of Pedagogy in Hradec Králové, majoring in teaching for the 1st grade of elementary school. She then expanded her education at the Faculty of Management and Information Technology at the University of Pedagogy in the field of Financial Management. She applies her years of experience in teaching every day, as well as an individual approach to each student.
She is deepening her education, completing a course for teaching assistants and participating in seminars focused on the teaching of mathematics by Professor Hejný and the Czech language by Hanami, the Bee project, and formative assessment in teaching. She completed her interest in teaching Czech to foreigners by completing the Czech as a Second Language Education Program. She likes to spend her free time actively in nature with her family, but sometimes also passively at home with a good book.
Adrienne Eberhart
English Class Teacher for 1.A
Deputy Director for the English Section (Primary)
Adrienne Eberhart was born in Washington, D.C. She studied at George Mason University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in international relations and biology. She has worked with children for decades through tutoring, mentoring, and substitute teaching. After graduating university, this led her to Prague where she earned a TEFL certificate in 2007 and immediately began teaching preschool and primary school. Eventually, her passion for teaching young learners grew into developing and leading teacher training workshops which focus on effective teaching methodologies for English as a second language.
After graduating from university, she began traveling around Europe and realized how much she wanted this continent to be her home. Of all places, she was most enchanted by Prague, where she finally settled. It's been 16 years now. She completed a TEFL course to help children learn a foreign language. She realizes that if students improve in a foreign language, it contributes to strengthening their healthy self-esteem. In her spare time, Adrienne mainly enjoys artistic and creative activities, cooking, reading, playing volleyball, cycling or exploring the Czech landscape and forests together with her dog.
Andrea Sikmundová
Class Teacher for 2.A
Andrea began her teaching career by studying at the Secondary Pedagogical School in Prague and continued at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, majoring in Teaching for the 1st grade with a certificate in physical education. Even during her study years, she participated as a lecturer in children's summer and winter camps. For nearly ten years, she worked at an elementary school in the center of Prague, where she organized outdoor schools, one-day trips abroad, and various school-wide events and projects. Within her class, she focused mainly on the atmosphere and climate of the class. She left this school due to motherhood. She likes to include group work and projects in her teaching. She expanded her education by specializing in educational counseling and recovery health, and she also completed other courses focused on communication and a respectful and partnership approach with elements of coaching.
During her free time, Andrea enjoys beach volleyball, ZUMBA Dance, squash, skiing and skating. She also likes to read and play games.
Kateřina Šrámková
Class Teacher for 2.B
Kateřina Šrámková comes from Vysočina. During her studies at gymnasium and university, she worked at summer camps as an intern and then later as a section leader. She also helped organize events for children and worked as a private tutor at a learning center. While furthering her education, she completed the following education programs: "Comenia Script - writing methodology", "AMOS - a set of educational materials for the 1st year", "UWB PRIM-02: How to develop IT thinking", and "How to conduct sexual violence prevention workshops and cyber violence". In addition, she has devoted herself to playing the piano and solo and choral singing at an art school. She is currently completing her studies in Elementary Education at the University of South Bohemia and is interested in research-oriented teaching and media education.
Her strengths include the fact that she approaches each individual individually according to their specific needs. In her free time, Kateřina devotes herself to her family, friends, pets and hobbies, which include, for example, photography, swimming, yoga, walks in nature, reading and creating materials for kids.
Denisa Davidová
Class Teacher for 3.A
Denisa Davidová comes from northwestern Bohemia. She graduated from the Duncan Center dance conservatory in Prague, where she majored in dance theater. She then continued her education at the education department of the Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem.
Before becoming a teacher, Denisa had already been working with children from an early age as a dance lesson trainer, a head of suburban and residential camps, and in assisting children from socially disadvantaged families. She also spent some time in Sweden, where she worked as an au pair.
She has many passions, including dance, sports, speaking, and photography.
Kristýna Šikýřová
Class Teacher for 3.B
Kristýna first graduated from the Pedagogical Lyceum in Prague. This motivated her to pursue higher education, and she completed her studies at the Faculty of Pedagogy at Charles University, where she majored in teaching in the 1st grade of elementary school. Before becoming a teacher, she worked in education as a substitute teacher, a teacher's assistant, and as an educator in at an after school group. She began her teaching practice as a classroom teacher in a Montessori school, teaching according to the Hejné method, for which she completed a certified course. Subsequently, she worked as a class teacher in an international school, where she taught children with OMJ and gained experience in tandem teaching with native speakers. Outside of her regular teaching, she works with children from bilingual families.
In her spare time, Kristýna spends her time mainly with her family and friends. She likes music, art, books and good food. For her, working with children is, above all, a childhood dream come true. Her priority is a happy and sincere environment in the classroom, where children are positively motivated and guided by the teacher to greater and greater achievements.
Erica Yamane
English Class Teacher for 3.B
Erica Yamane grew up in the mountainous countryside of West Virginia in the United States. After earning a bachelor's degree in art and Japanese studies, she moved to Japan, where she began teaching English. She taught children of all ages at an English school for six years. In addition to direct teaching activities, she participated in the planning of various school events, organizing exams and seminars, and teacher training.
From 2013, she became an English teacher at an elementary school in Hiroshima, Japan. While in Japan, she also got her TEFL certificate. In 2017, she went to Ireland, where, among other things, she received a CELT certificate in Dublin. In 2018, she moved to Prague. She now continues her teaching work in the Czech Republic. Before coming to Wonderland, she worked at Compass Primary School, where she taught English and mathematics and also prepared students for Cambridge exams.
Claudia Kubiszová
Class Teacher for 4.AMethodological Consultant
Immediately after studying at Comenius University in Bratislava, Claudia embarked on a career as a teacher. She gradually gained extensive experience at 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade schools in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. She enjoyed working with different age groups of people, experiencing and observing their differences and learning the best ways to teach different age groups. In Prague, she completed one of the first requalification courses for teaching Czech as a foreign language under the auspices of the CIC, became a member of the Association for the Integration of Foreigners, and spent some time teaching people from different parts of the world to speak Czech.
About ten years ago, she accidentally came across the pedagogy of Marie Montessori and a starting Montessori school looking for an assistant. It was a shot in the dark, but it was Claudia's great desire to break into this beautiful world full of respect and naturalness. She completed Montessori training and still works with first-grade children. With her respectful and individual approach, she helps them discover (or rather, discovers together with them) the beauty of language, numbers and other phenomena that the world offers us.
She considers continuing education to be very desirable. She herself is a graduate of many courses, such as: Systemic Course, Critical Thinking Course, Formative Assessment, Reading Literacy, MBTI Typology and many others. In her free time, she spends time with her four-legged pet, likes to relax in the sauna, read, sometimes torture her body in the gym or watch a guaranteed good recommended movie.
Klára Skopalová
Class Teacher for 4.B
Klára Skopalová obtained her university education at the Palacký University in Olomouc in the field of teaching for the 1st grade and special pedagogy. She came to Wonderland from another school in Prague, where she previously worked as a class teacher in the 2nd grade. Klára completed seminars on the Hejné method of teaching mathematics, and as a lecturer, she prepared children for entrance exams while also working with students with dyslexia and dysgraphia. She is also a fitness trainer. During the summer holidays, she served as the head of the Veselá Veda suburban camp.
Lucie Kovaříková
Class Teacher for 5.A
Lucie is a native of Chomutov, where she also began her teaching career at the Secondary Vocational School of Construction and Energy. She graduated from the University of Economics and Management in Prague, with a bachelor's degree in human resource management. She then expanded her education at Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem.
During her three-year stay in England and the USA, she studied English, worked with children, and also traveled a lot. She enjoys working with children very much, and it fulfills her. For the last 12 years, she worked at the international school PBIS. Lucie likes to travel very much. Her other favorite activities include cycling, running, and reading good books. She likes to spend her free time with her family and two dogs.
Adéla Vardžáková
Class Teacher for 5.B
Skye Pelletier
English Class Teacher for 1.B
Skye Pelletier was born in Ottawa, Canada. She studied developmental service work at Algonquin College. She has worked with children and adults with developmental disabilities in the school setting and within the community. In 2010, she moved to Prague and began teaching at a bilingual primary school. Her passion is building positive communication in a fun learning environment.
During her free time, she enjoys playing board games, reading, watching hockey and football, and taking care of her plants.
Joscelyn Evener
English Class Teacher for 2.B
Joscelyn was born in rural Upstate New York. She majored in sociology with a concentration in human services at Le Moyne College. She gained her first valuable teaching experience while working in a children's home, where she worked with children from different age and social groups.
In 2019, she moved to Prague, where she started teaching English in a kindergarten and also in elementary schools. She also gave private lessons. She thinks that being a teacher is a very meaningful job and enjoys developing her students in a language that is not their mother tongue.
In her spare time, she likes to walk her dog, travel, and spend time in nature.
Jason Susim
English Class Teacher for 2.A and 3.A
Jason Susim grew up in Southern California. He graduated from Portland State University in Oregon, majoring in journalism and communications. After university, he worked as a reporter, contributing mainly to various online news organizations. He also dreamed of living and working in Europe and wanted to become a teacher. Therefore, he got a TEFL certificate so he could teach both children and adult students. In his free time, he engages in many different activities. He is an avid reader and also enjoys photography, basketball, motorcycles, and traveling. He likes live music and is teaching himself to play the guitar. He loves animals and is currently busy raising a 17-year-old German shepherd. At Wonderland Academy, he would like to apply his language skills and diverse experience as a school group educator.
Courtney Campbell
English Class Teacher for 4.A
Courtney Campbell was born in Florida, where she earned a degree in English and International Relations from the University of South Florida. Her love of learning and traveling brought her to the Czech Republic in the fall of 2021 to learn more about herself and improve her cultural awareness and skills as an ESL teacher.
She has extensive work experience, primarily as an ESL tutor and an English teacher at the primary school level, and has also worked as a junior lifeguard trainer in open water. She is extremely passionate about working with young children. She believes that children's minds should be carefully cultivated. She looks forward to meeting her students at Wonderland Academy and wants to help them to grow and develop. In her free time, Courtney likes to walk in Prague's parks, sit in the sun with a good book, enjoy time with friends and family, discover new places, go hiking or cycling, cook, and play chess.
Jennifer Dickinson
English Class Teacher for 4.B and 5.A
Jenny Jennifer Dickinson was born in Miami, Florida. She received a bachelor's degree in English and history from Kennesaw State University in Georgia. She later studied elementary education at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. Subsequently, she taught children from 1st to 5th grade in Atlanta and Abu Dhabi.
Jennifer loves to travel and first visited Prague shortly after the Velvet Revolution. She fell in love with the city and returned many times. After she moved to Prague and obtained her TEFL certificate, Prague became her new home. She gradually gained additional valuable work experience. She helped children and adults prepare for Cambridge exams, worked as a summer camp tutor and led after-school STEM clubs for primary school children. She loves finding creative ways to teach children how to discover and learn new information and skills.
Monica Mills
English Class Teacher for 5.B
Monica Mills was born in Glasgow, Scotland but spent her childhood in Zimbabwe. She studied English literature in the UK and then decided to become a teacher. In 2015, she received a postgraduate certificate in education. She worked at an international summer school for almost ten years and gained a lot of experience working with children from all over the world. She has successively taught students of all ages in four different countries.
Monica started a master's degree in fine arts in Prague. She believes that every person should have the opportunity to be creative and that this is the best way to learn many new things. She devotes her free time to curating exhibitions and organizing workshops for children. She enjoys creating independently artistically. Monica would like to bring more creativity to Wonderland Academy and hopes that she can inspire future artists, architects, and designers with her boundless imagination.
Secondary school teachers
Marek Lansdorf
Class Teacher for 6.A
logoped, preventista
Marek Lansdorf graduated from the Faculty of Education at Charles University in Prague, specializing in biology and health education. During his studies, he realized that it is necessary to be able to provide additional help to pupils who may have difficulties in relation to education, and therefore, he decided to study special education with a focus on speech therapy at the same faculty. During his studies, he gained experience in the creation and application of preventive programs for primary and secondary schools. He gained the most experience in teaching biology and health education at the Secondary Medical School in Prague, and he applied his knowledge from speech therapy studies at the Prague Basic School of Speech Therapy. He happily teaches biology in nature and likes to awaken curiosity in children. Feedback from students is very important to him. With this, he can better direct his teaching. He claims that a safe classroom environment is the cornerstone of teaching.
Klára Kosová
Class Teacher for 7.A
Deputy Director for Administrative Matters
Klára studied primary and secondary school teaching at the Faculty of Education of Masaryk University in Brno, where she studied Czech language education and physical education. She has experience teaching at all three levels. In the past, she worked at a primary school with an extended physical education. During her time there, she taught ice skating and swimming. In the past, she also had the opportunity to work at an secondary school with a focus on electrical engineering.
For many years, she participated in children's summer and winter camps as a section or sports leader. She also gained experience with preschool children during her two-year stay in Munich, Germany, where she worked as an au-pair and helped in a kindergarten. She has been working at Wonderland Academy since 2015, as a class teacher. As a class teacher she guided the first WA graduates through the second stage.
She herself is a mother of three children. To replenish her energy. When she wants to replenish her energy, she likes to go out into nature. She likes mountains in all forms, whether in winter on skis or in summer with a backpack on her back.
Josef Štefl
Class Teacher for 8.A
Josef Štefl is a graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University in Prague. While studying astrophysics, his life became connected with numbers. He used his knowledge in practice as an analyst of large data sets for companies trading on the capital markets. Even during his studies, he individually helped children to cope with problems with mathematics and led courses for entrance exams to secondary schools and universities. He is a supporter of strengthening the financial literacy of children in our schools. He is empathetic and easily able to estimate the needs and abilities of the pupil. Swimming is one of his favorite sports, and he has also inspired his two children to do it.
Filip Novák
Class Teacher for 6.A
Deputy Director for Secondary School
Filip Novák is a graduate of the University of Economics in Prague with a master's degree in business economics and management. Even before starting his studies, his love for mathematics prompted him to establish a project system for preparing for entrance exams and matriculation exams that still works today. During his studies, he gained practical knowledge of marketing during internships. He applied all his experience while teaching at the elementary school in Týnec nad Sázavou, where he started his teaching career. In the last year, he has completed certified courses for cooperation with teaching assistants, pupils with SEN and foreigners. He collaborated with schools and companies on the implementation of Office 365 or on the development and design of websites. He also worked as an IT coordinator. After working hours, he devotes himself to the development of education in the region in cooperation with non-profit organizations and community development in the settlement committee. In his spare time, he likes to do sports, conquer mountain peaks, travel the world, and strengthen his positive relationship with nature.
Lýdia Timková
Secondary Teacher of Geography and Physical Education
Lýdia Timková comes from Slovakia. She graduated from the Faculty of Education of the Charles University in Prague, where she obtained a master's degree in geography and physical education. Immediately during her studies, she was fulfilled by working with children, which is why she dedicated herself to leading afternoon sports clubs at elementary schools. At the same time, she worked as a karate coach. After finishing school, she went to the USA and Canada, where she worked as an au pair for two years. Thanks to her stay in foreign countries with a different culture, in addition to her knowledge of the language, she acquired a number of new knowledge and experiences in the field of education and training, which changed her view of the world as such. She also tried her hand at working as a sports animator in Greece and completed a month-long trek in Nepal under Mt. Everest. But her wandering shoes found their way back to the Czech Republic. The desire to teach won. She is looking forward to enriching geography teaching in the 2nd grade and recalling her travel experiences at Wonderland Academy.
Lucie Pochopová
Secondary Teacher of Czech and History
Lucie Pochopová graduated from the Technical University in Liberec, majoring in Czech Language Education and History for the 2nd grade of elementary school. An important turning point in her life was the summer of 2007, when she visited Menorca for the first time as a part-time worker. This pearl of the Balearic Islands enchanted her so much that she returned there every summer for five years.
After completing her master's degree, she needed to fulfill her travel dreams, so she began to explore the world as part of the Working Holiday program. Through this program, she was able to travel to New Zealand and Canada. She applies her rich experiences from abroad in her everyday personal and professional life.
In her spare time, she devotes herself fully to her family, especially to her two daughters to whom she has been teaching sports, creative activities, and music to since they were little. She herself plays the recorder. She likes to recharge her energy while inline skating and skiing. She is passionate about travelling and also enjoys photography. Lucie believes that all our dreams can come true if we have the courage to follow them.
Monika Benáková
Secondary Teacher of Czech and History
Monika je absolventkou magisterského studia učitelství pro střední školy na Filozofické fakultě
Jihočeské univerzity v kombinaci český jazyk a literatura a anglický jazyk a literatura. Během
studia na FF JČU též vystudovala Janáčkovu akademii múzických umění v Brně v oboru Hra na
loutnu na Katedře varhanní a historické interpretace. Nyní se zdokonaluje na Pedagogické fakultě
Univerzity Karlovy v rámci doktorského studia Didaktika českého jazyka. Má zkušenosti s výukou
kytary na základní umělecké škole či s vedením sboru, ale také s výukou na prvním stupni
základní školy nebo s vedením dětských táborů. Díky programu Erasmus+ absolvovala dvě stáže
– v Birminghamu a Lisabonu, kde nabyla nové poznatky a zkušenosti nejen z oblasti vzdělávání.
In her free time, she enjoys travelling, spending time with family and friends, playing musical instruments and
sings.
Ondřej Dadák
Teacher of ICT and Physical Education
Ondřej Dadák comes from Krnov in the Moravian-Silesian region. He studied physical education and sports at Charles University, where he received a bachelor's degree and continues to study for a master's degree. Ondřej is a member of the representative team in the Greco-Roman match, thanks to which he has traveled to many destinations around the world. He worked as a youth coach in many clubs throughout Prague, where he taught children combat sports. He also has experience as a fitness trainer and personal trainer and has completed courses as a lecturer for many sports-based activities.
John Tedder
Secondary Teacher of English and History
Deputy Director for the English Section (Secondary)
John Tedder was born in Jackson, Michigan. He studied at Thomas A. Edison State College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history. He served 23 years in the U.S. Army and taught hundreds of non-native speakers during his service. He was also a youth soccer and lacrosse coach and substitute teacher in Connecticut and Florida for several years.
He moved to Prague with his family in January 2022, receiving a TEFL certificate at the Language House in Prague. John strives to help children grow into adults who are self-sufficient, responsible, and fluent in multiple languages. He finds the process of developing their inquisitiveness and exploring their potential to be very fulfilling.
John spends his free time either with his family or in nature. He likes tourism, sports, and getting to know new cities and cultures. He is happy to be a part of the Wonderland group and is looking forward to the coming school year when he will be able to help pupils become more confident in English.
Michelle Arsenault
Secondary Teacher of English and Art
Michelle was born in Bermuda and raised in Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in art education. After graduation, she worked as an art teacher in a public school in Boston. This is where her love of learning began. In 2022, she moved to Prague and obtained a TEFL certificate. Michelle uses her knowledge to create dynamic and inspiring lessons for her students. She believes that children are naturally curious and interested in the world around them and understands the importance of providing them with a safe and nurturing environment in which to thrive. In her free time, she likes to paint, read, and explore the city on walks.
Brian Moynihan
Secondary English Teacher
Brian Moynihan comes from a small port town on the south coast of Ireland. In April 2023, he moved to Prague, where he obtained a TEFL certificate. He has extensive work experience in teaching English to different age groups. He has worked for many language schools, taught private lessons, and worked as an English teacher at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (ČZU). He also has extensive experience working with children in the field of sports coaching. As a student, he volunteered for a schoolboy football team in Ireland and later held these positions in the USA and Canada. He is currently coaching a local U15 boys team in the Prague 6 area. Brian likes listening to music and watching interesting movies. He loves traveling and spending time in nature. In addition to football, he is also enthusiastic about other sports, especially skiing.
Foreign languages teachers
Aneta Rolcová
School Coordinator of International StudentsCzech for Foreigners Teacher
Aneta Rolcová was born in Prague. She studied special pedagogy at Jan Ámos Komenský University and completed a two-semester refresher course for teaching Czech as a foreign language at Charles University. A great life experience for her was her stay in Toronto, Canada, where she worked in an advertising agency and had the opportunity to star in a TV commercial. After returning from Canada, she worked for 7 years at international elementary schools in Prague, where she taught Czech to foreigners, and, at the same time, worked as a teacher's assistant. She also has experience in organizing birthday parties and corporate language teaching. Her biggest passions are foreign languages and creative activities, especially painting, and, last but not least, her dog, with whom she goes for long walks in the forest every day. She likes to spend her free time traveling and getting to know new cultures and people
Kateřina Světlíková
Coordinator for Foreign Languages at the Secondary LevelSpanish Teacher
Kateřina graduated from the Faculty of Arts at the Masaryk University in Brno, majoring in Pedagogy and Slovenian Language and Literature. After finishing, she went on a study stay in Spain, which fundamentally changed her life. She lived, studied, and developed professionally in Spain until 2019. During this long, inspiring period, she graduated from the University of Alicante in Spain with another master's degree - Teaching English and Spanish as Foreign Languages. She later worked at a prestigious European school and eventually founded her own school, where she gathered a large amount of work experience. Spanish became her lifelong professional and personal passion. She likes to teach it to both children and adults.
After returning to the Czech Republic, she worked as a deputy headmistress at one of Prague's schools. Kateřina is also a passionate traveler. She has visited Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and almost all Asian countries. In addition to travelling, her second passion is foreign languages, which she likes to study, compare, and enjoy.
Moises Torres
Spanish Teacher
Vedoucí školní družiny (angličtina)
A native of New York City, Moises Torres studied behavioral science at Mercy College. He has almost ten years of work experience as a leader of leisure activities and a mentor, and he has regularly participated in children's residential camps. He has also worked in the field of social services. Before moving to Prague, he worked in a non-profit organization in New York, where he learned not only to help others in need, but also to work effectively with children of all ages and inspire them to take on new challenges. He enjoys programming Lego robots, and he likes to pass on his experience to others. Together with his mentees, he achieved the New York State Lego Robotics championship in this skill three times. In his free time, he is passionate about sports, watching movies, traveling, and, last but not least, he likes to try new food.
Cristina Atienzar
Spanish Teacher
Cristina Atienzar studied Teaching at the University of Alicante in Spain, specialising in the teaching of English. Immediately after graduating, she moved to the Czech Republic to complete an internship in a primary school in Prague. She also took part in an Erasmus programme in Norway during her studies. Before deciding to become a teacher, Cristina had already worked with children as a babysitter and helping them with their homework. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for children and how much she enjoyed spending time with them. She believes that working with children is a beneficial process not only for children but also for teachers, as both sides can learn from each other. In her spare time she enjoys travelling and spending time with her family and friends. She also likes to spend time on her own, reading a book or going for a walk in the city while listening to music.
Renáta Růžková
German Teacher
Renáta Růžková comes from Polabí. She studied history and German at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague. She has taught German in secondary and elementary schools as well as in courses for adults. She gained life experience while working and outside education as a translator. She is currently cooperating with Czech Television on the CT EDU educational project. In her free time, she reads books. She likes going to the cinema and theater. She also spends a lot of time in her garden, where she constantly comes up with some changes because change is life.
Jitka Tichá
German Teacher
Jitka Tichá studied education at the department of German Studies at the University of Warsaw in Ústí nad Labem. She has ten years of experience teaching German at the secondary level and another five years of experience teaching at the primary level. In cooperation with a language school, she also has conducted company courses. For the past two years before arriving at Wonderland, she was a fifth grade classroom teacher at an elementary school. She enjoys working with children in the primary school. She enjoys the atmosphere of the class with younger students and their view of the world.
She has two adult children. In her free time, she likes to spend her time in nature with her dog. Or sometimes she prefers to do nothing at all, but for that she has to go far away...
Sophie Franch
Spanish Teacher
Assistants
Petra Chramostová
Head of Assistants Team, Teacher Assistant
Petra was born in Prague. She graduated from the business academy. So far, she has tried working both in corporate companies and in smaller Czech companies. She has several children with special educational needs in her immediate vicinity. This brought her many life experiences. She supported her interest in this issue by studying pedagogy for teaching assistants. The effort to help led her to change her profession. She finds meaning in this work and believes that the right support and approach can positively shape children from an early age. At the same time, she believes that mutual communication and cooperation between the school, parent, and child must work. She likes to spend her free time with her family, playing sports, walking in nature, or traveling.
Anděla Brandejsová
Assistant
Anděla Brandejsová was born in Prague. She graduated from the Pedagogical High School, Pedagogical Lyceum. After that, she started studying the field of teaching for the 1st level at the Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. In the third year, she interrupted her studies for a year, and she will continue again from September. Working with children is very enjoyable and fulfilling for her, so she cannot imagine working in any other field. She gained her first work experience as a teacher's assistant, worked in a school group, and also tried teaching at the second level of elementary school. She likes to practice yoga or spend her free time with friends and family.
Lenka Kovářová
Assistant
Lenka was born in Chomutov, where she graduated in tourism. After successfully completing secondary school, she moved to Prague. Here, she worked in her field, and, at the same time, looked after children in her spare time. During these moments, Lenka realized for the first time that she enjoyed working with children and found it meaningful. For Lenka, the greatest experience is, of course, her own two children. It is necessary to work more with her daughter, because she has a speech defect with developmental dysphasia. This was Lenka's motivation to study special pedagogy, during which she also successfully participated in the Recovery Action Paramedic course.
After a year and a half working at the Wonderland Preschool, she joined the Wonderland Academy Team. While working at the preschool, she worked with children with ADHD and autism. She plans to continue her education in the field of pedagogy because working with children is the fulfillment of her life.
Klára Plecháčková
Assistant
Klára was born in Frýdek-Místek and studied social work at the University of Ostrava. After defending her diploma thesis, she moved to Prague. She was always drawn to children. She worked as a field social worker for children and youth in the streets of the South City, and, after the birth of her daughter, she became more interested in children's education. That is why she also decided to study pedagogy at Charles University and would like to become a teacher :). In her spare time, she practices yoga and loves nature, books, and good food.
Gabriela Boďová
Assistant
Gabriela was born in Bratislava, where she also studied psychology at Comenius University. During her studies, she was involved in a center for children with autism, where she gained valuable experience in the field of pedagogy and psychology in practice. After completing her studies, she decided on an experience abroad, where she not only improved her knowledge of a foreign language but also worked in a Montessori kindergarten. She was a teacher for children between the ages of six months and 1.5 years, which gave her an insight into child development from an early age. Gabriela is the mother of two children, the younger of whom had speech dysphasia until she was four years old. Therefore, she decided to improve her skills in communication and working with children by taking courses that allowed her to better understand her child's needs and work effectively with them. For her, working with children represents a considerable responsibility, but at the same time, a great joy. Her goal is to support children's development and help them overcome obstacles, whether they are language difficulties or other developmental challenges. Gabriela emphasizes lifelong education and plans to complete the Teaching Assistant course in the near future and complete the pedagogical minimum. She believes that continuous improvement is the key to effectively working with children and to fostering personal development.
In her spare time, she likes to play sports, especially beach volleyball, and she likes to spend time with her children in nature, where they can discover the beauty of the surrounding world together.
Barbora Yeová
Maternity Leave
Bára comes from Venice nad Jizerou, from where she moved to Prague while studying at the gymnasium. After her studies, she started working in social services, where she gained a lot of valuable experience which she now applies when learning with children. Through non-profit organizations, she likes to go on social-therapeutic stays with children from children's homes and also regularly interacts with children in foster care and provides regular support to both them and the foster parents. She likes team sports, walking in nature, and, in her spare time, she studies psychology and anthropology.
Jana Komárková
Assistant
Jana Komárková comes from Kostelka nad Černými lesy. After graduating from secondary school, where she focused on economics, she moved to London. While in London, she worked as an au pair, completed various courses, and travelled. After returning to Prague, she worked in the administrative field, but, over time, she found that she enjoyed and missed working with children, so she decided to study a teaching assistant course.
She mainly spends her free time with her young son and likes to undertake trips to nature and to learn about other cultures.
Zuzana Faldýnová
Assistant
Zuzana Faldýnová graduated from the Charles University in Prague, majoring in teaching for the 1st grade of elementary school with a specialization in art education. After the state exam, she went to England, where she studied for one semester at St. Austel college. For several years, she worked at the elementary school in Mníšek pod Brdy, where she managed two classes of first graders, which she then led to the higher grades. Of these, she taught for 3 years in the Start Together program. She completed courses and training at DYSCENTRU /graphomotorics, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, Maxík, and Method of good start. She likes to include projects or activity centers in her teaching and prefers verbal assessment. She runs summer camps and relaxes through jogging, yoga, or cooking.
Marta Nováková
Assistant
Marta grew up on a farm near Slané together with her six younger siblings. Thanks to her big family, Marta liked working with children, and that eventually got her to the Futurum Secondary School of Education in Prague. During her studies, she taught the basics of playing the flute in a kindergarten. She acted as a leader several times at a week-long camp in Chocna. Now, she is one of the leaders of the collective of young firefighters in Kunratice. In her spare time, she likes to read, bake, spend time with friends, or go for a walk. She is currently studying the basics of social sciences and the English language with a focus on education at the University of Liberec. She would like to start teaching in the future.
Jana Špreňarová
Assistant
Teacher in the After School
Jana Špreňarová comes from Hronov, a town near the Polish border. She has longed for a life abroad since high school. She graduated from the University of Tourism in Prague, where she also gained her first valuable work experience, especially in the field of administration. After finishing her studies, she decided to fulfill her dream and go to New Zealand. Here, she not only enjoyed the beautiful nature, but she also tried various jobs, such as working in orchards, hospitality, office jobs, or walking dogs, but, in the end, she found meaning in caring for children and helping local families. As an au-pair and nanny, she has obtained extensive experience with children of different ages and nationalities. She likes to spend time with friends, travel, and especially be in nature.
Lucie Konopiská
Assistant
Lucie Konopiská is a native of Prague. She graduated from the first grade of elementary school with a specialization in English at Charles University. For many years, she devoted herself to the individual education of children of foreigners and also prepared elementary school students for entrance exams to grammar schools. She also worked as a photographer and production assistant in a school photography company.
Lucie likes to take pictures of everything around her, draw logos and designs for t-shirts, and paint pictures. In her spare time, she runs around the city or in the forest and indulges in a half-marathon several times a year. She lives with her husband in Modřany, where they are raising three children, Oliver, 20, Natálka, 14, and Viktor, 12. Lucca's ideal day starts with coffee.
After-school club and activities
Karolína Fidrmuc
Head of After School Club
Karolína Fidrmuc comes from the Orlické Mountains. After graduating from grammar school in Žamberk, she graduated from the Jan Amos Comenius University in Prague with Bachelor's Degree in Special Education. From March 2024, she will start her studies at Cardiff Academy in the MBA program Psychology and Management. As part of her further education, she has also completed a medical course. Working with children has fulfilled her since an early age, when she even set up and organized suburban camps in Prague 15. In addition, she has also worked as an animator, lifeguard, and lecturer of leisure activities for children.
Her hobbies include traveling, hiking and spending time with family and friends.
Moises Torres
After School Coordinator for the English Section
Spanish Teacher
A native of New York City, Moises Torres studied behavioral science at Mercy College. He has almost ten years of work experience as a leader of leisure activities and a mentor, and he has regularly participated in children's residential camps. He has also worked in the field of social services. Before moving to Prague, he worked in a non-profit organization in New York, where he learned not only to help others in need, but also to work effectively with children of all ages and inspire them to take on new challenges. He enjoys programming Lego robots, and he likes to pass on his experience to others. Together with his mentees, he achieved the New York State Lego Robotics championship in this skill three times. In his free time, he is passionate about sports, watching movies, traveling, and, last but not least, he likes to try new food.
Nikola Žamberská
vychovatelka školní družiny,
koordinátor vzdělávacího programu
Nikola Žamberská comes from České Budějovice. She graduated from the Secondary Pedagogical School in Prachatice and then joined the Faculty of Education of the University of South Bohemia with a focus on natural science and history for the second grade of primary schools. She had to interrupt her studies due to illness. She is now studying remotely at the Faculty of Theology in České Budějovice. Nikola always knew that working with children was an area that she enjoyed and gave her fulfillment. From the age of 15, she went to children's camps, among other things, as a leader, and, after interrupting university, she started working in a private kindergarten. Later, she started elementary school in České Budějovice, where she worked for two years as a school group teacher and teacher's assistant. She also led creative afternoon circles and activities.
Richard Jenčo
Teacher in the After School,
Web Administrator
Richard comes from eastern Slovakia but has spent most of his life in Moravia. He graduated from the police secondary school and is currently completing a major in evangelical theology at Charles University. He has many years of experience working with children and adolescents. For example, he has worked as a coordinator of weekend stays, the main leader of summer camps and suburban camps, and a lecturer of interest groups, especially sports clubs. In his free time, he is primarily a passionate athlete. He works out and plays floorball or volleyball. He also enjoys board games and is a big reader. He loves to travel and feels at home in the mountains, especially in the Tatras. He is always in a positive mood and is up for any entertainment.
Jana Cimfe
Teacher in the After School
Jana Cimfe was born in České Budějovice, where she graduated from grammar school. Her parents were actors in the South Bohemian Theater, in which she spent a lot of her free time with them. Her brother is a musician, her sister is a radio director, and, actually, most of her ancestors on her mother's side were artistically oriented. After graduating, Jana went to Prague, where she graduated from the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory, majoring in pantomime, and then the Music Academy of Performing Arts, majoring in non-verbal theater. After graduating from HAMU, she applied her experience as a mime - actress in the black theater, as a choreographer in drama performances, and also as a lecturer in workshops with children on the topic of theater - circus. For a long time, she worked abroad in the artistic field, specifically in Switzerland. She applied herself in theater productions and also got to the modern circus, where she had a number of opportunities to use and deepen her experience with children in the form of animations and workshops on this topic. After returning to Prague, she completed the necessary education at Charles University, majoring in pedagogy, so that she could continue to work professionally with children in education. She has been working as a kindergarten teacher for 11 years. Her biggest hobbies are theatre, film, and art in general, but she also has a breeding station of large black schnauzers. She recharges her energy by walking and exercising with them. She has a son, Milda, who studies acting at the Prague Conservatory, and they share the same interests.
Ludmila Grundzová
Teacher in the After School
Special Education Teacher
Ludmila Grundzová comes from Beroun. After graduating from the Drtinova Secondary Vocational School in Prague, she decided to study at the Jan Amos Comenius University, where she majored in special education. She is now entering her final year. In the past, she has worked as a children's nanny.
She knew from an early age that she wanted to devote herself to working with children. Children are everything to her. Children are everything to her. She comes from a big musical family, so her interests include music and singing. She spends most of her free time with her family and likes to take family trips. She also really enjoys cooking.
Jana Špreňarová
Teacher in the After School
Jana Špreňarová comes from Hronov, a town near the Polish border. She has longed for a life abroad since high school. She graduated from the University of Tourism in Prague, where she also gained her first valuable work experience, especially in the field of administration.
After finishing her studies, she decided to fulfill her dream and go to New Zealand. Here she not only enjoyed the beautiful nature, but she also tried various jobs, such as working in orchards, hospitality, in an office, or walking dogs. However, in the end, she found meaning in caring for children and helping local families. As an au-pair and nanny, she gained extensive experience with children of different ages and nationalities.
She likes to spend time with friends, travel and loves nature.
Slavica Tedder
Teacher in the After School
Slavica Tedder, born in North Macedonia, comes to Prague from Florida, USA with her husband, John, and daughter, MiaBella, to be closer to her family. Her years of experience working with children began in her hometown after graduating with a bachelor's degree in social work at the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje and continued in Florida. She believes that all children are unique and are wise mirrors of the world, reflecting innocence, hope and potential and revealing the true nature of society through their untainted perspective. In addition to spending time with her family, she enjoys hiking, journaling, and reading. She is looking forward to working at Wonderland.
Teachers of after school activities and private lessons
Mike Bevevino
English Teacher, Private Lessons Coordinator
Mike Bevevino was born in Upstate New York. He graduated from Springfield College in 2011 with a degree in Communications/Sports Journalism. However, a few years later, he decided to pursue opportunities in the field of education and in 2016 earned a master's degree in secondary education. In 2019, he moved to Prague and obtained TEFL at The Language House. Before joining the team in Wonderland, he taught mainly adults for two years. In his free time, Mike enjoys traveling, writing and watching sports.
Hanna Krassa
English Language Teacher
Hanna Krassa comes from Ukraine. She has a Master's Degree in Education and a TEFL Certificate. She has been teaching children English as a foreign language for the past 10 years. She has valuable work experience in leading educational courses. She has also organized school clubs for mathematics, science, and history that were conducted in English.
Her hobbies include yoga, art and traveling. She enjoys working with children and is really excited to join the Wonderland team!
Cristina Atienzar
Spanish Language Teacher
Cristina Atienzar studied Teaching at the University of Alicante in Spain, specialising in the teaching of English. Immediately after graduating, she moved to the Czech Republic to complete an internship in a primary school in Prague. She also took part in an Erasmus programme in Norway during her studies. Before deciding to become a teacher, Cristina had already worked with children as a babysitter and helping them with their homework. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for children and how much she enjoyed spending time with them. She believes that working with children is a beneficial process not only for children but also for teachers, as both sides can learn from each other. In her spare time she enjoys travelling and spending time with her family and friends. She also likes to spend time on her own, reading a book or going for a walk in the city while listening to music.
Lukáš Pařík
Music Teacher
Lukáš Pařík is a singer, music composer, and musical actor. He studied singing at the International Conservatory and is completing his studies in film and pop music composition at the Prague Conservatory. He is the author of many songs and the rock fantasy musical The Kings of Avalon, which was performed at the Hybernia Theater in Prague in the 2015/2016 season.
He has been teaching since he was 16 years old and has been organizing public performances by students since 2017.
His main teaching philosophy is focused on developing the creativity and and imagination of children. He is a singing, piano, and guitar teacher at Wonderland Academy.
Petr Kubín
Music Teacher
Petr Kubín is a pianist, guitarist and trombonist. He is a graduate of the Jan Deyl Conservatory in Prague. He has been teaching guitar and piano privately for three years. Currently, he is enriching Wonderland Academy as a lecturer of the music clubs.
Music is both his job and hobby. When not teaching students, he also plays in several bands.
In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, running and recording music. While he can play the piano and guitar, he admits that he is not very good at singing. He enjoys all of the steps of the music creation process, including writing music and lyrics as well as recording.
Štěpán Pokorný
Music Teacher
Štěpán Pokorný is a singer, composer, conductor, choirmaster, and multi-instrumentalist. He studied choral conducting and music education under Marko Štryncl at the Faculty of Pedagogy at Charles University in Prague. He currently works as a professional solo and ensemble singer, harpsichordist, and organist. He works with ensembles such as Musica Florea, the Victoria Ensemble, the Czech Ensemble Baroque, and the Prague Philharmonic Choir.
As a trained choirmaster and conductor, he founded his own ensemble "Humble Ensemble", which is mainly dedicated to the informed interpretation of music from the 16th to the 19th century. In addition, he performs his own compositions and devotes himself to educational projects. Štěpán's greatest passion is composition. He is self-educated in playing many musical instruments. In fact, he plays the harp, double bass, flute, guitar, and the viola da gamba.
He also occasionally tunes and services musical instruments, does woodworking, creates various kinds of art, and writes and translates poetry.
Lukáš Konfršt
ICT Consultant
Lukáš Konfršt was born and has lived all his life in Prague. In high school, he studied civil engineering, but he decided to change his direction and pursued a career in education. He majored in education in Ústí nad Labem. He studied how to teach the English language and went on to obtain both a bachelor's and master's degree in the subject. He then went on to work at a primary school, where he taught in the first grade for the first year. Over the next five years, he had the opportunity to teach across all grade levels at the school.
At Wonderland Academy, Lukáš will mainly apply his educational skills as a member of the team of educators in the school group. He likes to work in a multilingual environment, where, as an English language teacher, he has the opportunity to develop communication skills in both Czech and English.
In his free time, of which he does not have much left, he likes to spend time playing table tennis. He also likes to read up on following findings from the world of science, technology, and psychology.
Support centre
Marek Lansdorf
Head of Counserling Center,
Interventionist
Class Teacher for 6.A
Marek Lansdorf graduated from the Faculty of Education at Charles University in Prague, specializing in biology and health education. During his studies, he realized that it is necessary to be able to provide additional help to pupils who may have difficulties in relation to education, and therefore, he decided to study special education with a focus on speech therapy at the same faculty. During his studies, he gained experience in the creation and application of preventive programs for primary and secondary schools. He gained the most experience in teaching biology and health education at the Secondary Medical School in Prague, and he applied his knowledge from speech therapy studies at the Prague Basic School of Speech Therapy. He happily teaches biology in nature and likes to awaken curiosity in children. Feedback from students is very important to him. With this, he can better direct his teaching. He claims that a safe classroom environment is the cornerstone of teaching.
Tereza Macurová
School Psychologist
Tereza Macurová graduated with a degree in psychology from Palacký University in Olomouc. She has been working with children since she was in college. During her time in college, she taught educational LARP programs and assisted children with ASD. She later gained valuable experience while working at the Safety Line, a crisis line for children and adolescents. She currently works at Wonderland Academy as a psychologist. She specializes in working with children on creativity and resilience. She also specializes in working with children on issues related to digital environments and social networks.
Petra Chramostová
Teacher Assistant, Head of Assistants Team
Petra was born in Prague. She graduated from the business academy. So far, she has tried working both in corporate companies and in smaller Czech companies. She has several children with special educational needs in her immediate vicinity. This brought her many life experiences. She supported her interest in this issue by studying pedagogy for teaching assistants. The effort to help led her to change her profession. She finds meaning in this work and believes that the right support and approach can positively shape children from an early age. At the same time, she believes that mutual communication and cooperation between the school, parent, and child must work. She likes to spend her free time with her family, playing sports, walking in nature, or traveling.
Ludmila Grundzová
Special Education Teacher
Teacher in the After School
Ludmila Grundzová comes from Beroun. After graduating from the Drtinova Secondary Vocational School in Prague, she decided to study at the Jan Amos Comenius University, where she majored in special education. She is now entering her final year. In the past, she has worked as a children's nanny.
She knew from an early age that she wanted to devote herself to working with children. Children are everything to her. Children are everything to her. She comes from a big musical family, so her interests include music and singing. She spends most of her free time with her family and likes to take family trips. She also really enjoys cooking.
Maintenance
Kateřina Steinbachová
Dispensary Manager
Kateřina graduated from the Secondary Vocational School of Clothing and then studied at the Business Academy. She likes working positions in which she can deal with people, so she looks forward to joining the Wonderland Academy team every day. She has two daughters with whom she is definitely not bored. The younger one plays the piano, which inspired Kateřina herself, so she also started learning. She is not idle in sports, either. She enjoys traveling, and her other great hobbies include sewing and gardening.
Miroslav Utitz
Cook
Mirek was born in Prague, where he also graduated from a vocational school as a chef. Cooking has become his passion, and he has been cooking all his life. For the last 15 years, he has worked at a restaurant in a zoo. He likes to try new things in gastronomy and is creative. Joining Wonderland Academy is a welcome change and a challenge for him, with the possibility of self-realization.
He spends his free time with his large family, mostly on trips to the countryside and exploring. He also likes to relax and enjoy a good cup of coffee, preferably with a homemade cake.
Vladimír Bezkočka
Technician
Vladimír graduated in the field of electromechanics. He has worked in various technical fields,. He has also worked as an insulator, painter, and varnisher. In 2010, he decided to go back to school to complete his high school diploma. After successfully completing a business course, he worked as an air conditioning technician. He completed several HVAC-focused extension courses and was able to become a certified technician for the Ministry of the Environment. An important moment for him was when he acquired an older family home. This was when he discovered his passion for DIY and gardening. He likes to continue to expand his knowledge in other craft fields.
He prefers to spend his free time with his family at the cottage and takes care of his brick house. He likes Marvel movies, family trips and mushroom picking. At Wonderland Academy, he appreciates the nice family atmosphere and the opportunity to combine his DIY hobby with work.
Jiří Plíva
Bus Driver
Jiří Plíva holds the position of school minibus driver at Wonderland Academy. With his positive and friendly approach to children, he enriches their everyday lives. He has always been very fond of sports. He practiced judo for many years, reaching 3rd dan. However, his greatest hobby is collecting and repairing antique clocks.
Josef Račák
Bus Driver
Josef Račák graduated from a secondary agricultural school, thanks to which he was able to strengthen his manual skills in many areas. He has had a number of interesting work experiences. In the past, he worked at Mlékárna Kunín as a manager for the department of milk distribution to schools. Thanks to this, he also got to know the school environment better and decided to apply his many years of driving experience here.
He is a great addition to the Wonderland team. At Wonderland, he picks up children in the morning and drops them off in the afternoon. Above all, he appreciates the overall calm atmosphere that prevails in the school.
He likes nature, so he tries to spend as much of his free time in nature as possible. In addition, he his also very interested in everything related to cars.
Would you like to join our team?
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Wonderland Academy team, please send your structured CV and cover letter to hajian@wonderlandacademy.cz