"A teacher.....(must be) ready to be there whenever she is called in order to attest to her love and confidence.
To be always there....that is the pint."
- Marie Montessori (1956,p.76)
HI, I am Sarah Li. I am from China and have been living in New Zealand for almost 9 years. I have 14 years of teaching experience. Before immigrating to New Zealand, I was teaching English in China for 7 years to both primary and intermediate school children. I have a bachelor of Education (specialising in Montessori) from Auckland University of Technology. I have been teaching preschool children in Auckland for 7 years, including 4 years in the Montessori field.
I love working with children and believe that the foundation for teaching children is based on love and respect. All children are capable and unique learners and have their own ways to learn. As a teacher, I would like to provide all children ample learning opportunities in terms of their developmental levels and individual needs.
(26th October 2010)
My name is Anulani Liyanagama. I have been working as an Early Childhood Teacher for 21 years. I come from Sri Lanka and have been living in New Zealand for 14 years. I am married and have a daughter and a son.
I completed my Montessori training in Sri Lanka and worked in a Montessori school for 8 years prior to residing in New Zealand. I have completed a Bachelor of Education (Teaching) at the University of Auckland and have worked 13 years in New Zealand.
I believe that early childhood education is extremely important, as it is the foundation of children’s learning and development. I believe children learn best in a safe environment where they have a sense of belonging. I truly enjoy working in a Montessori preschool as I believe Montessori is an education for life – a learning process where children are encouraged to develop at their own pace in a safe and caring environment. The whole environment provides children with the freedom to follow their natural tendencies towards independence, exploration, co-operation, order, repetition, imagination and communication.
(8th November 2009)
Welcome Ramanpreet! :)
Information coming soon.
Welcome Shayal! :)
Information coming soon
Tena Koutou, greetings to you all. My name is Yanyan Li (李燕燕). I am from China and have been living in New Zealand for 7 years. Summer is my favorite season, therefore, when my Chinese name always got mispronounced a few years ago, I named myself Summer.
Before I came to New Zealand, I lived in our capital city Peking (北京) for five years. I worked as a student consultant in AIDI International School, where I realised I wanted to be a teacher. I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge with parents and students, and I strongly recognised the power of education. This experience inspired me to study in New Zealand and become a teacher.
I graduated from Auckland University of Technology with a Bachelors Degree in Montessori Early Childhood Teaching in July 2017. Now with one year working experience in the Montessori field, I see that the Montessori approach supports a child’s independence. It is fundamental to their development. Being independent is beneficial not only to a child’s childhood but also to his/her adulthood. When someone is independent, they can adapt to society and explore the world without relying on others. Also, the Montessori method provides children with freedom of choices. I believe this is of importance to a child because when he/she has a choice to choose what he/she really likes, he/she tends to be more focused and motivated.
I am very glad to work at Smart Start Montessori Preschool and look forward to getting to know each family. Thank you for your warm welcome.
