Teaching Team

I have been teaching at OMP since 2016, before this I was Head Teacher at a Montessori Preschool in Sri Lanka. I am married to Channa and have two lovely twin daughters Cheyenne & Skyvie. I am a highly motivated and dedicated teacher who is committed to the Montessori teaching philosophy because it encourages children to grow up as independent personalities with their own unique potential. As a Montessori educator, it is my aim to provide a carefully planned, stimulating environment which will help the child develop an excellent foundation for lifelong creative learning while maintaining a positive, collaborative parent/teacher relationship which helps to make learning more meaningful for each child.

Hi! I’m Lena. I’m super excited to be part of the kaiako team here in the Tui class at OMP. I graduated from the University of Auckland in 1999 with the Bachelor of Laws/Arts. After that, I went on to do a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESOL) and subsequently I taught ESOL for about 5 years. In 2001, my husband and I got married and since then we’ve had 3 beautiful children, Zach, Mikayla and Caleb who will be turning 16,14 and 13 respectively this year. My 3 children started their very happy learning journeys here at OMP many years ago and Pauline was their teacher; hence the special connection with this place. In 2016, I graduated from the University of Auckland with the Graduate Diploma in Teaching and since then I have been passionate about teaching, particularly with the preschoolers. I have completed my AMI 3-6 Orientation Certificate Course and I am very excited to start my Montessori journey. I believe that the Montessori approach provides the best learning environment for children. As a Montessori educator, I aim to empower children to be independent and to follow their innate desire to learn and grow to be confident and respectful individuals. In order to achieve this, I will make sure the environment is one that is calm, safe and stimulating while maintaining a positive parent/teacher relationship.

I initially began teaching at OMP as a student teacher in 2015. I continued to work here during 2016 as a reliever teacher while completing my studies, teaching in both of Fantail and Tui classroom. In December 2016, I finished my teaching degree and began to work full-time in the Tui class. I aim to encourage children to be independent, peaceful and diligent with my knowledge of Montessori philosophy. I will also support children’s need for creative activities through different types of arts and craft activities. As a member of Montessori teaching team, I will maintain an environment of consistent learning and communications with parents and teachers. In my spare time I play ukulele and guitar; this helps children during mat-time for musical instrument fun. During my 15 years of living in New Zealand, I have become fluent in English, I am also fluent in Korean which is my mother language

I am a passionate early childhood teacher with six years’ experience working in early childhood centres. I have a big family with seven siblings, and it is through looking after my nieces and nephews that I found my passion for early childhood education. I am new to the Montessori philosophy and look forward to learning more about the philosophy with the guidance of the knowledgeable kaiako at Orākei Montessori Preschool. In line with the Montessori philosophy, I believe it is my role as a teacher to be respectful in my practice and foster children’s independence and sense of self. I particularly enjoy working with younger children so I am looking forward to teaching in the Fantail Classroom.

With nearly four years of hands-on experience in Montessori centres and a steadfast commitment to fostering a positive and nurturing learning environment, my passion lies in igniting a lifelong love of learning in young minds. I firmly believe in the uniqueness of each child and strive to provide a stimulating, safe, and supportive space for them to explore their potential. Confident in my ability to make meaningful contributions as Fantail Classroom Kaiako/Teacher at Orakei Montessori Preschool, I am dedicated to promoting intellectual and social development while prioritizing the safety and well-being of every child. I aim to contribute to the team to cultivate a warm and supportive atmosphere where our children feel empowered to explore and embrace the joys of learning.

My name is pronounced quickly as sir-ch-wen. I am married to Hiram and we have a daughter named Aria. I love the balance of freedom and stability that a bird has and always relate this to my own life. I have lived in many cities and my environment has changed but I am loving where I have landed and am quickly feeling a sense of home in beautiful Orakei. I have worked with young children for six years. I love to personalize education for each child while moving all forward and am intent on helping tamariki become lifelong learners and doers. I believe that capable individual is the most valued outcome of childhood development so I want to help with their independence, discovery, and skill-building capabilities while building greater connections to others and the world around them.

Kia Ora, my name is Ruby. I am a mother of two energetic boys, Jake and Jordan who attend Kohimarama School. I am fully qualified and registered. I went to Avondale College and studied Early Childhood when I was in high School in 2007. I studied Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching Level 7 with M.I.T in 2010 and obtained my degree in 2012. Over the past years I had practical experiences working for different childcare centres and home-based teaching experience where I have proved to be a confident, responsible and reliable children handler with a warm soft touch. I was born in Beijing, China. I came to New Zealand when I was 16 years old on my own. I went to a “boarding kindy” in China when I was 2 and half years old, and I became an “explorer” when I was 9, I just hop on and hop off the trains or buses and explore the city all by myself. I am very adventurous, independent, organised and ambitious! My hobbies include but not limited to travelling, cooking, gardening, D.I.Y./ candle making, watching horror movies and play zombie games. I joined OMP in March 2024 as a reliever. Before OMP, I worked for an agency and I was sent to different centres all over Auckland. After I joined OMP, I know this is my centre, a home away from home centre, so I left the agency and I only relief for OMP.