Connie Yin - Our Team

Connie Yin

Learning Support Coordinator

Connie’s passion in language and literature leads her to various areas, from advertising to translation studies, and eventually to bilingual education. She has taught in private bilingual schools, ESF schools and other international schools in Hong Kong, with curriculum experiences over Chinese immersion, IB PYP Chinese and Chinese as a foreign language. Connie holds a MA in Translation from Hong Kong Baptist University and a MED from The University of Hong Kong. She also finishes her PGDE from Education University of Hong Kong, where she is trained in special needs education with a focus on supporting students with challenges in Chinese reading and writing. She is experienced in one-on-one and small group learning support, as well as classroom lead teaching for all Primary grade levels.

With a firm belief that students’ well-being is the foundation of education, Connie is dedicated to research and design engaging Chinese lessons with appropriate differentiation strategies. She has also applied her training from art and music therapy to help channeling students’ emotions, and actively integrated multi-sensory and multimedia tools in her classes to motivate learning. In her spare time, Connie enjoys books and movies, hiking and cycling. She is looking forward to taking her students to the bigger classroom outside — parks and trails, art venues and local communities — to experience and explore the beauty and creativity shaped by languages and culture.

OTHER BLOOM MEMBERS

Teresa Lee

School Counselor

Teresa Lee is a professionally trained counselor who focuses on children and young adolescent development.

Teresa is responsible for the social-emotional development and psychological wellbeing of students. She works closely with the learning support team at Bloom to help students acquire the skills needed to cope with stress and embrace adversity as opportunity for growth, and develop true grit and resilience when navigating an increasingly complex world.

A Singaporean Shanghainese American by birth, Teresa moved to Hong Kong at a young age when her father took up a teaching position as one of the first professors at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Having lived and studied in multiple countries and under different education systems, including American local and Hong Kong international schools, Teresa has a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by third culture kids, and appreciates the importance of being able to adapt to and thrive in changes.

Teresa holds two Masters degrees in Counseling and Psychology from Monash University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) respectively. She has experience in working with children with and without special education needs from pre-nursery to primary levels. She graduated from the University of California – Los Angeles with a BA in History, and went on to obtain a Juris Doctor degree from CUHK. Prior to becoming a counselor, she worked in one of the leading matrimonial and family law firms in Hong Kong for seven years.

In her spare time, Teresa enjoys reading, going on trail rides and receiving private therapy from her mini Shiba Inu (dog) named Norii.

Matthew Gibbs

Deputy Head of Pastoral Care and Head of PE

Matthew Gibbs was born and raised in Queensland, Australia, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science at Bond University. After gaining his TESOL Accreditation at the American TESOL Institute in Thailand he went on to obtain his Post-Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Sunderland in England.

Matt began as an educator at Thewphaingarm Canadian Bilingual School in Bangkok, where he taught English and Social Studies in addition to Drama, Health and Art to Grades 7-12 students. Through teaching there and in Spain, he acquired a genuine understanding of the particular needs and expectations of students in multicultural schools.

It was while leading classroom learning at the Canadian International School after moving to Hong Kong that Matt developed his focus on physical training and the health sciences. As sports coach in rugby, football, and basketball, he led numerous ISSFHK sports teams in Hong Kong, and was heavily involved with Senior rugby and the National Age Group in the Hong Kong Rugby Union. He later served as Head of Physical Education at The Harbour School and also their After-School Activity Director where he taught skill acquisition and organized school-wide event planning and sports coaching.

Matt is a firm believer in a PE curriculum based on the tenets of physical literacy – mens sana in corpore sano (a sound body in a sound mind). He cultivates an enthusiasm for learning, trusting, and trying that helps young minds to search for true value in their personal development and well-being. His curriculum planning and trans-disciplinary teaching methods nurture resilience, compassion, sportsmanship, and collaboration. He succeeds by challenging and making physical health fun ... he’s even a licensed AntiGravity Fitness Instructor!

At Bloom KKCA Academy, Matt will help lay the foundations of a robust P.E. Program and build our inter-school sports teams.