Jack in the Box
for English-speaking children
Teachers
Lysiane Dixte (BA Hons, QTS)
Class Teacher
I first joined Jack in the Box as TA in 2018 before completing my teacher training studies in the UK, and am delighted to be returning to Jack in the Box as class teacher!
I am half French and half Irish and spent my childhood growing up across Asia, living in Taiwan, Malaysia, and India. This international upbringing allowed me to experience a wide variety of educational systems, including Chinese, American, Irish, French International, and Scottish schools. These experiences sparked my passion for languages, cultures, and education.
My teaching career began in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, where I worked as an EFL teacher. I later moved to France and opened my own language school. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of the business, it allowed me to continue teaching online and gain my TEFL qualification.
More recently, I trained in Bristol, UK, to become a primary school teacher and will be receiving my Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) this summer. Alongside my training, I have worked as a preschool teacher in a public school, a preschool teacher in a private French school, and a primary special educational needs teacher.
My diverse experiences have shaped me into the teacher I believe I am today: open-minded, curious, patient, and understanding. I believe that every child has unique strengths, and I am passionate about creating a nurturing environment where we can all learn, grow, and shine together.
I am thrilled to be rejoining the Jack in the Box community and look forward to an exciting year of learning, discovery, and growth together.
Daria Courtes (BA Hons, MA Linguistics)
Class Teacher
I’m thrilled to be teaching at this remarkable school and sharing my passion for language with the children. Originally from Southern Russia, I studied English and German at university before earning my M.A. in Linguistics. Diploma in hand, I set off for New York City and began my career at a multinational translation company. A few years later, I took my first steps into teaching at Berlitz, where I worked with young learners, and soon realised how much I loved it.
After nine unforgettable years in the U.S.—where I managed to pick up some Spanish and Italian—life took me to Toulouse. I’ve been here for 15 years now, raising two trilingual children and fully embracing the French culture, but English has always held a special place in my heart. Teaching lets me combine that passion with my professional experience, and there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing children grow in confidence and ability.
An avid reader since childhood, I’ve always sought to share my love of books, inspiring my own children to read and even starting an English-speaking book club in Toulouse. Theatre is another big love of mine—I once performed a 15-minute monologue in Italian in an amateur production in New York, even though I didn’t actually speak the language! These days, our Franco-Russo-American family spends a lot of time biking around Toulouse (dodging urban chaos), travelling across the U.S. and Europe, enjoying quiet movie nights, and playing boisterous games!
Carmen Lau (BA Hons, PGDE)
Teaching Assistant
I am originally from Hong Kong and speak English, German, French and Chinese fluently. I have worked as a piano and English teacher in Hong Kong, Germany and France and have discovered over the years that my greatest enjoyment comes from working with children.
I obtained the Postgraduate Diploma in Education at Hong Kong Baptist University and, after moving to France in 2022, worked as an English teacher with CP and CE1 children in the Bordeaux area, which I loved.
In 2025, I decided to move to Toulouse and share my passion for English at 'Jack at the Box'. I am delighted to be part of the team!