Welcome to Paper Planes Early Years! How did we get here? 🙂
I have always believed in the power of children, that they are truly more capable than we think. From my past experiences with them and from spending time with my child over hist first 2.5 years, I have seen how children can beautifully blossom at their own pace when given a conducive environment, empowering guidance and appropriate freedom.
Dr. Montessori said, “The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.”
I believe that there should be an environment where our children are able to play, explore, build habits and nurture independence whilst still preparing them for the National school curriculum. Thus, the beginning of the Paper Planes chapter with my family and team.
Our beliefs and hopes are reflected in our logo:
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- The paper plane and spring are like an arrow, representing our children’s journey to wherever they dream of, a journey that they own and work towards to
- The twirls & loops represent learning and life – where the adventure is never linear!
- The three spring colours symbolise how it takes a village to raise a child. Family, school and community supporting one another on this mission
Are you ready to board on this flight together?
Love, 
Caryn & team
Our Team of 10
Caryn
EDUCATOR & FOUNDER
Caryn has always been passionate about children & youth – starting her journey at 16, teaching in public and international schools and eventually co-founding ActonKL in 2016.
Since giving birth, she decided to focus on being a full-time mama to her now cheeky 4-year-old. She loves sharing stories on working with children and her journey of being a new mama to encourage each other on this parenting adventure.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, exercising and dancing!
Caryn graduated in Molecular Biology from the University of Michigan, holds an AMI Early Childhood Certificate, and is also a certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator.
Vijaya
GUIDE
Vijaya brings over 12 years of experience in the preschool sector, and tutoring elementary students in Science and English to Paper Planes.
She loves being a part of her students’ learning journey, and exploration of the world around them.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing/twittering, journaling and painting. She is planning to hold an exhibition of her own paintings soon!
Vijaya holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education.
Lizah
GUIDE
Lizah joins the Paper Planes team with over 9 years of experience in kindergarten learning.
In her free time, she enjoys travelling and exploring new places.
Lizah holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education.
Sula
GUIDE
Sula has dreamed of becoming a teacher since she was young. She has a deep passion for educating and nurturing young minds, with over three years of experience in Early Childhood Education, teaching in both preschools and international schools.
Committed to providing the best learning experiences, Sula actively researches online to explore new curriculum ideas, teaching methods, and strategies for managing diverse classrooms and student behaviors.
In her free time, she enjoys singing, dancing, and reading, always seeking personal and professional growth.
Sula holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is dedicated to creating meaningful and engaging learning experiences for every child.
Uma
GUIDE
Uma’s passion for teaching began at a very young age. As a child, she often engaged in pretend play as a teacher with her brothers and even involved her parents, confidently taking on the role of an educator. Her mother would proudly share with friends that Uma always said she wanted to become a teacher when she grew up – a dream that has now become her reality.
Today, Uma is a dedicated educator teaching young children and primary school students, including providing tuition support. She is deeply committed to guiding children in their learning journey and creating a positive, engaging, and supportive learning environment where every child feels valued.
Beyond teaching, Uma is a classical dancer, which is an important part of her personal journey. She proudly holds 10 world records, including a Guinness World Record.
In her free time, Uma also enjoys reading books, always seeking to expand her knowledge and grow both personally and professionally.
Uma holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Education on a part-time basis.
Ain
JUNIOR GUIDE
Hailing from “Negeri Bawah Bayu,” Ain first joined the Paper Planes team as an intern for her degree. After three great months, she decided to stay and start her career here because she loves learning new things and is passionate about helping children learn and grow.
During her free time, she loves staying active. She is a big fan of pickleball and hiking. In fact, she has already climbed Mount Kinabalu twice! She is excited to climb it for the third time soon with the Paper Planes team.
When she isn’t outdoors, you can find her baking in the kitchen while listening to music.
Ain holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
Puteri Elisa
JUNIOR GUIDE
Hailing from Sabah, Puteri first joined the Paper Planes team as a practicum student and loved the experience so much she decided to stay. As a fresh graduate with a passion for growth, she is excited to launch her career in an environment where she can constantly learn new things.
Outside of work, she stays active through sports and finds joy in experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen or sharing her love for music through singing.
Puteri holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and is currently working toward her goal of mastering sign language.
Ashley
ASSISTANT GUIDE
Ashley embraces the quote, “While we try to teach children all about life, children teach us what life is all about.”
With over 3 years of experience in childhood education, she has a passion for teaching and caring for children.
Ashley is currently completing her Diploma in TESOL (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages).
Imala
CHEF AND HELPER
Imalah joins the Paper Planes team from Jawa Timur, Indonesia.
A dedicated mother of 2 boys, she is here in Malaysia to secure a brighter future for her children back home.
Imalah is an amazing cook, and makes the most mouthwatering Ayam Soto…from scratch!
Ann
HELPER
Ann joins the Paper Planes team from Manila, Phillipines.
A dedicated mother of 3 boys, she is here in Malaysia to secure a brighter future for her children back home.
Julian
Handyman
Julian is always on-call to assist Caryn 24/7 whatever is needed – from ensuring she eats her lunch to updating the website, and even putting up whiteboard stickers on a Friday at 11pm!
He enjoys anything that is vint-‘aged,’ and has recently taken up the art of making a perfect cup of filter coffee.
Julian holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant.
In his free time…. wait-a-minute, what “free time”!… back to doing claims & invoicing for Paperplanes… ;p
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