Ms Fišter holds a Master's degree in English and Slovene Studies and has been immersed in this captivating realm of human cognition (language) for over ten years. Whether she is admiring its beauty through reading, refining it through editing, or grappling with it through translation, she is continually captivated by the power of language. As a teacher, Ms Fišter has successfully fostered a love for language in individuals of all ages, from children to retirees.
In her leisure time, she passionately contemplates ways to make the world a better place, revels in dancing and running, and cherishes the company of her friends. When seeking moments of solitude, she loves to embark on journeys through diverse cinematic and literary landscapes.
Ms Hurst was born and grew up in London, before moving to Birmingham to complete her Bachelor of Music Degree at the University of Birmingham. During her undergraduate degree, she participated in many musical ensembles, before training to become a teacher and help children to learn. Ms Hurst completed her PGDipEd at the University of Birmingham and has since worked in an independent school in Birmingham.
Throughout the course of her education and work life, Ms Hurst continued to pursue her passion for Taekwondo, competing, teaching and reaching her 2nd Dan Black Belt, as well as her other hobbies (music, photography and baking). She is excited about moving to Slovenia and being able to enjoy all that the country has to offer.
Ms Lawrence is from the UK and holds a degree in Biology from Oxford Brookes University. She gained a PGCE in Secondary Biology and General Science from York University before embarking on her first teaching post in a secondary school in Botswana. Her next international move was to Brunei where her husband taught English while she took time off to be with her two young children. After returning to the UK and teaching her daughter for a year, she saw the light and decided Primary education was what she loved. After gaining a Certificate in Primary Education, she taught at independent schools in the UK and abroad including 12 years at Woodbridge School in Suffolk UK where she also took on management roles including subject leader in several subjects and Director of Studies. Other international teaching posts have included Japan, Cairo, Malaysia and Oman. The past year has been spent teaching at Ipswich Prep School in the UK, but now she is very much looking forward to teaching at BISL and moving to lovely Slovenia.
In her spare time, Mrs Lawrence enjoys hiking, exploring the outdoors, reading, swimming and gardening, but her great passion is travelling, so moving to the region will bring many areas of Slovenia, as well as other countries, into range for easy exploration.
Mr Lawrence has been teaching English for over thirty years, both overseas and in British independent schools. He took a degree in Language at York University where he also did his PGCE. Later on, he acquired a Masters in English Literature.
After teaching abroad in Japan, Botswana and Brunei, Mr Lawrence spent twenty years teaching in Britain, latterly spending ten years as Head of English at Woodbridge School in Suffolk. Once the children had grown up, he and Mrs Lawrence, who teaches in the Primary school, headed off abroad again, working in Egypt, Malaysia and Oman.
As you might imagine, Mr Lawrence’s first passion is reading, in literature, history and drama in particular. He also enjoys writing and directing plays and running drama activities. Time not spent reading or listening to music is spent outdoors. He is looking forward to exploring the culture and landscapes of Slovenia.
Mr Stuart is from Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in communications after his studies at Dublin City University. Before completing his PGDipEd (General Primary) in Birmingham at the University of Birmingham, Mr Stuart taught EAL across international and public schools in China.
Mr Stuart is incredibly excited to start teaching at BISL and meet the students. In his free time, he loves reading, photography, going to the gym and anything sports related.
Mr Knechten is from Uden in the Netherlands. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in international teaching after his studies at NHL Stenden in Meppel. Mr Knechten taught in different Dutch public schools and worked in a refugee school in the Netherlands and last year as a Reception teacher in BISL.
Mr Knechten is incredibly excited to start teaching at BISL in year 6 and meet the students. In his free time, he loves going to the gym and doing anything sports related.
Ms Lise is an accomplished educator and passionate advocate for student-centered learning. In addition to her Master's degree in Geography from the Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne University in Paris, she has completed her teaching qualification in the United States, specifically in the District of Columbia.
Lise has spent the past five years teaching in Primary, including a fulfilling experience teaching in Mongolia at a British school, where she worked with Year 2 and Year 4 students. Her teaching philosophy revolves around fostering inquiry-based learning and creating student-centered classrooms.
This year, Lise is excited to embark on a new teaching journey by joining the Year 3 team at the BISL. Outside of teaching, she enjoys traveling and is passionate about learning new languages, with a goal of adding Slovenian to her list. In her free time, she finds solace in nature and engages in various sports, such as dance, running, tennis, and horse riding.
Kate is from London, England and has a PGCE Primary specialising in Modern Foreign Languages from Canterbury Christchurch University. She has spent the last 6 years teaching in a British school in the Southwest of Spain and is now ready for a change of school and weather! Prior to her last position Kate spent 7 years teaching in a variety of schools in London and Kent as well as one in Verona, Italy and Madrid, Spain. Kate is really excited to be teaching Year 5 as it has been many years since she taught in KS2. In her spare time Kate likes to read, listen to music, watch TV and spend time with her family, especially her twin sister Hazel and her niece Darcy.
Ms Williams brings a wealth of artistic knowledge and experience to our team joining us from London. From a young age, she discovered her passion for the arts and dedicated herself to furthering her skills and education in this field. She pursued her artistic dreams by studying an art foundation diploma, which eventually led her to receiving a BA in Interior Architecture and Design. After working in events and interior design, Ms Williams decided to explore a different path and took a leap into teaching English abroad in Italy. It was during this time that she discovered her love for teaching and decided to pursue a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at the University of Liverpool studying secondary arts education.
Ms Williams teaching journey quickly progressed and became the Head of Art after just one year of teaching. In this role, she has created inspiring and vibrant environments for her students, fostering their creativity and helping them develop their artistic skills. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Hannah also runs her own painting business, where she hosts paint parties. This side business allows her to combine her passion for art with her love for teaching, providing an enjoyable and interactive experience for her clients.
Ms Williams is super excited to teach and live in Slovenia and looks forward to enjoying the beautiful landscapes and skiing!
