Staff

At PMK we have purposefully selected our teachers for their commitment to the Montessori philosophy, their diverse skills, talents and experiences they bring to their role, contributing to the creation of a strong, passionate and committed team.

To us, TEAM means:
Together
Everyone
Achieves
More

PMK teachers see education as a journey not a race. We believe that each teacher is a leader in their strength and our children are both initiators and leaders of learning. We demonstrate collaboration and reflection while actively encouraging and engaging with our community in the learning process.

Our teachers see themselves as partners in discovery and co-constructors of knowledge as we scaffold learning and guide participation. We role model on-going learning, our centre values and respect for each other and our environment.

 

Shelley (Owner/Manager/Teacher)

Master of Educational Administration (Honours), Massey University, NZ

Diploma of Teaching (Primary), Christchurch Teachers’ College, NZ

Fully Certificated Teacher

Shelley is an onsite owner/manager and teacher who purposefully chose to move from the primary sector where she held a senior leadership role, to the early childhood sector because she wanted to make a difference in early learning through working among our younger learners within the preschool environment. With significant experience in the ‘transition to school process’ and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and several years of teaching internationally within the private sector, she brings both leadership and teaching skills specific to the ‘early years’ of education.

A strong background in the acquisition of early literacy and numeracy skills and a knowledge of what makes for a successful transition to school assists Shelley in ensuring our programme represents our children’s on-going interests and needs. She is committed to reflecting and aligning the Montessori Philosophy within the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki.

Shelley is a parent to three adult daughters and grandparent to four active learners. She understands the joys and challenges of parenting in today’s world!

 

Vanessa (Senior Practitioner)

Teacher’s Diploma (Montessori Education Programme), Mercy Montessori Africa, SA

Vanessa has served the PMK community for the last ten+ years and in some cases is teaching the third sibling in a family! Vanessa studied in South Africa and holds a Pre-Primary Teacher’s Diploma (Montessori Education Programme) from Mercy Montessori. Vanessa eagerly shares years of experience in demonstrating the use of the Montessori equipment to children, teachers and parents and this is evidence of her strong belief that the human race ‘learns by doing’.

A committed Montessorian whose three sons all attended a Montessori school, Vanessa daily demonstrates the Montessori ‘way of being’ as she expertly transitions youngsters into our community.

 

 

Canaan (Assistant Manager/Teacher)

Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education), University of Auckland, NZ

Post-Graduate Diploma of Business (Human Resource Management), University of Auckland, NZ

Bachelor of Arts, University of Auckland, NZ

Fully Certificated Teacher

Canaan’s background prior to joining PMK brings to our team a strong understanding of the Reggio Emilia approach and experience as both a Lead Teacher and a Centre Supervisor.  This experience meshes well with our Montessori approach. Canaan holds a Graduate Diploma of Teaching (ECE) and a Post-Graduate Diploma of Human Resource Management along with a Bachelor of Arts. Canaan studied Montessori Education for two years with the Aperfield Montessori Trust.

Canaan seeks to facilitate an environment where children feel safe to challenge, query, take risks, ask “why” and explore their skills as natural researchers while engaging in meaning making about their world. She believes in empowering children to make decisions about their learning and in presenting them with provocations to explore new learning.

A parent to two sons and one daughter, Canaan appreciates the “ages and stages” of both pre-schoolers and school aged children, bringing this understanding to her daily work with our PMK tamariki.

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Danny (Teacher)

Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education), New Zealand Tertiary College, Auckland

Bachelor of International Hospitality Management, Auckland University of Technology

Fully Certificated Teacher

I was 16 when I came to New Zealand from mainland China. I went to High School  here in New Zealand before attending university where I obtained a Bachelor of Hospitality Management. A variety of experiences taught me that my passion was not in hotel work but in early education. Consequently, I retrained as an early childhood teacher graduating from the Tertiary College of New Zealand with a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE).

As a male teacher, I believe I provide an excellent role model and in particular I am able to help children extend their personal physical capabilities. Speaking both Chinese (Mandarin) and English I am able to support children who are Chinese and new learners of English while contributing my own experiences of living in a multicultural environment.