Dr. Christianne Hayward founded the Lyceum of Literature and Art as part of her dream to contribute to the rich literary and arts community in Vancouver. She has been educating children and adults for over thirty years. Christianne established her unique parent and youth bookclubs in 1996, and now facilitates 17 bookclubs, 4 writers' workshops and literature and art classes for young children at the Lyceum. She also teaches at post-secondary institutions, works as a teacher consultant, facilitates parent groups in the ANCHOR Program at the Vancouver Child Study Centre, works at Vancouver Kidsbooks, and is mother of two sons.

Christianne is a local storyteller and popular reviewer of children’s literature. Her Ph.D studies in education (UBC, 2000) focused on using select children’s literature to develop socially relevant curriculum in early childhood settings through to high school. Christianne’s M.Ed studies (Bristol, 1982) centered around the use of literary theming in nursery schools and its effect on children’s attitudes toward reading. Christianne completed her B.Ed (U of A, 1978) in Special Education and received her Diploma in Early Childhood Education in the same year. Her first year of study at the U of A was dedicated to Fine Arts which fuelled a life-long love of the arts.

 

Susan Ma helped Christianne make the founding of the Lyceum a reality. Working with Christianne’s bookclubs since 2005, she has been able to further her innate love of helping others connect with literature and find their learning paths. She manages the challenging administrative tasks at the Lyceum with competence and a friendly smile. In addition to working fulltime, she is completing a bachelor’s degree at UBC with concentrations in Asian studies and languages.

She has worked at Vancouver Kidsbooks since 2002; as the resident expert on graphic novels and manga she has given lectures to educators, library students and youth on the import of this medium in today’s literary community. She reviews books for the Canadian Children’s Book News and the B.C. Teachers of English Language Arts (BCTELA) English Practice.

Michelle Caven has reconnected with her marketing background as she works to build a larger community profile for the Lyceum.  She has known Christianne since 1995 when they piloted a multi-aged program “Global Perspectives in Early Childhood” at the U.B.C. Child Study Centre.  As an early childhood educator, she was influenced by Christianne’s philosophy around using literature as a provocation for co-constructing curriculum with children.  Michelle spent the next dozen years using her passion for children's literature to develop curriculum at the Child Study Centre’s sister school in Shanghai, P.R. China, Small Talk Centre for Language Development and Bowen Children’s Centre on Bowen Island.

Vanessa Braun has recently completed the Early Childhood Education Program at Capilano College. It was during her studies that she first encountered Christianne’s philosophies regarding literature, art and families as partners in the education of young children. Christianne and Vanessa’s connection as instructor and student quickly evolved into a more collegial relationship as researchers in educational theory and inquiry. Vanessa’s passion as an educator is the enlightenment and awareness that comes from careful observation, documentation and reflection. It is the sharing of this learning process with parents and families that continues to inspire her work as a documenter.

She has been working with young children for 5 years and continues to be inspired by their free spirit, curiosity and sense of wonder. Vanessa is also a children’s yoga instructor and enjoys sharing the art of creative movement and connection through body mind and spirit.