Akiva Toren entered education following his B.A. in philosophy and music from McGill University in Montreal, QC. He spent a year working with first graders and kindergarteners before and after school in the Seattle Public Schools system. Following that, he received his M.A. in teaching from University of Portland through their P.A.C.E program, a teaching fellowship that places its teachers in schools throughout the west. The P.A.C.E. program placed him in Kearns, UT, and he taught fourth grade there for four years. In 2017, Akiva joined the Waterford team to teach Class IV.
Akiva’s interests vary widely, as he has studied music, philosophy, ancient languages, and even received honors in Hebrew. He has lived in many countries, from Israel to Scotland, and loves to share his love of languages, cultures, and history with his students. Utah, with its varying mountains, deserts, forests, and snow, has captured his heart. He enjoys the outdoors by hiking and running, and loves the arts Salt Lake City offers, such as the Utah Symphony, Ballet West, and the many festivals that take place in and around the valley.