‘My teachers make me feel special!’

We are proud to be part of our little Tuatara whānau. Each one of us is unique but we make the perfect Tuatara puzzle. Our heart is right here, with the tamariki, at Tuatara Kids.

Tena koutou katoa. Ko Kayla tōku ingoa.

Hello everyone, my name is Kayla and I am a kaiako and 2.I.C here at Tuatara Kids where I have been teaching since February 2022, after teaching in Porirua for over 7 years.

An aspect of teaching I really enjoy is setting up captivating, open-ended learning environments that invite exploration, creativity and imagination. I enjoy being part of some of their magic moments when they discover or achieve something new.

An important part of my teaching Kaupapa is believing that Tamariki need to be immersed in aroha and acceptance. I believe when you focus on enhancing a tamaiti’s mana that you bring out the best in them and build strong, confident, capable and resilient Tamariki.

When I’m not teaching, you’ll find me at the beach or exploring our beautiful hiking trails in Whanganui-a-tara, spending time with friends, or more recently training for a powerlifting comp.

Kia ora, ko Lucy toku ingoa.

My name is Lucy and I have been teaching for over 10 years. In between teaching I lived in London where I worked as a Nanny and travelled to nearly 50 countries.

Establishing and maintaining warm and respectful relationships with Tamariki and their whanau are extremely important to me and I believe these relationships lay the foundations for lifelong learning and development. I am passionate in supporting childrens social and emotional competence and encouraging Tamariki to love and respect papatuanuku (our planet).

I am loving the journey of motherhood and in my spare time, I enjoy doing yoga, baking and spending time with my friends and whanau.

Tena kotou katoa, ko Angela Toku ingoa.

Talofa everyone, I’m Angela and I am one of the faiaoga here at Tuatara Kids as well as key faiaoga for our under two pepe.

With over 14 years of experience in early education, I’ve come to see the world through a unique lens. I’m passionate about creating environments that inspire curiosity and encourage open-ended learning. I believe in empowering children to explore new things through play, and I’m always seeking to improve my teaching strategies.

One of the things I love about working at Tuatara Kids is seeing how our under twos and over twos learn together (tuakana/ teina) and that social and emotional skills are embedded through daily routines and rituals. It’s wonderful to be part of a supportive team that values what each of us brings.

Outside of teaching, I enjoy hospitality, cooking and baking which is something I do through my church community hosting events/ celebrations. On Wednesdays I facilitate a sisterhood women’s support group. My favourite hobbies are being creative with household items.