Hayden Finkelshtain

Subject: Public Speaking / Performance

What will my child walk away with? Real confidence — not the performed kind, but the kind that comes from actually practicing the skills of public communication in a supportive environment with honest, kind feedback. My decade of professional acting and voice work, combined with teaching at Toronto Metropolitan University, gives me a clear understanding of what separates a capable communicator from a confident one.

What can families expect? A teacher who genuinely believes in meeting students where they are and building confidence through compassion. Not every student arrives comfortable in front of an audience, and I know from experience that the path from uncomfortable to genuinely confident is specific, teachable, and available to any student willing to do the work.

What does class actually feel like? Warm, honest, and encouraging. I believe the most important thing a public speaking teacher can be is clear and kind at the same time, and I work hard to maintain both. Students receive real feedback in an environment where they feel safe enough to actually use it.

How do you challenge a curious mind? I give students increasingly demanding performance contexts once the foundation is solid. A curious student who is already articulate needs to learn to maintain that clarity under pressure, with a live audience, in an unfamiliar format — and that progression is where the real growth happens.

Credentials and Experience B.F.A. in Performance Acting, Toronto Metropolitan University. Over ten years of professional experience as an actor, voice artist, and teacher. Screen credits include See, Murdoch Mysteries, and Bakugan: Battle Planet. Commercial representation for Spotify, Oh Henry, and Coca-Cola in national and international campaigns. Teaching experience at Toronto Metropolitan University and Thatz Showbiz Theatre Project in audition technique, public speaking, voiceover, and performance. Featured poet on the League of Canadian Poets website.