The Childern's Corner

Our Teachers

Meet the team at The Children’s Corner childcare in Howick, Auckland

Our Kaiako (Teachers)

We recruit and retain the very best early childhood teachers; highly qualified, experienced individuals who feel a strong connection to our centre vision and are committed to providing our children with quality learning.

Our Montessori teachers are facilitators, mentors, coaches and guides. Through careful observation, they get to know a child’s learning style, personality and interests and guide them through the Montessori curriculum accordingly.

Our teachers treat every child as unique and their learning journey specific to them, encouraging in them a love of learning.

Montessori teachers encourage children to ask questions, think independently, explore, investigate and discover.

Diane Cornelius, Qualified Teacher/Centre Owner

Diane Cornelius

Qualified Teacher/Centre Owner

Originally from Scotland, I came to Auckland in 2003 with my husband Baz and I am very proud to now call New Zealand home. I have a Bachelors Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Sociology and a Post-graduate Diploma in Personnel Management. I am a fully registered teacher holding a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education and a Montessori Diploma.

I have had the pleasure of being Centre Owner of The Children’s Corner Howick since January 2007 and the best part of my role is getting to know all our preschoolers and their families. I believe every child deserves the very best start in life and together with our talented teachers, this is what we aim to provide your child with…a quality foundation for lifelong learning.

My aspirations for every child include; developing love, respect and compassion for themselves, others and the world around them and to have the skills to be socially and emotionally confident and responsible individuals. As professional leader, I advocate for children to have a holistic and balanced learning experience at The Children’s Corner where they can thrive in all domains of learning.

In my home life, I enjoy nothing more than a quiet day reading my Kindle on the sofa, surrounded by family and our 4 dogs!

Baz Cornelius, Qualified Teacher/Centre Owner

Baz Cornelius

Qualified Teacher/Centre Owner

Kia ora my name is Baz and I’m co-owner of The Children’s Corner Howick.

I have had the pleasure of working with children and families since 2007 in both South and East Auckland, babies through to preschoolers, in both play-based and Montessori philosophies and across diverse cultural contexts. It always fills me with joy when I see children realise their potential as capable and competent learners.

Although I originally gained a degree in Chemistry then went on to work in the corporate world as a Finance Manager it is early childhood where I have finally found my passion. I have a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education, a Montessori Diploma and hold full teacher registration.

Together with Diane, we have 4 children and enjoy sharing our lives with our many animal friends including 4 dogs, goats, pigs and alpacas! My particular interests lie in conservation and the outdoors and I’m hoping to inspire and encourage our young learners in these valuable areas too.

Radhika Chawla, Qualified Teacher/Head Teacher

Radhika Chawla

Qualified Teacher/Head Teacher

Tēnā koutou katoa ! Ko Radhika Chawla tōku ingoa.

Greetings to you all!  I am a fully registered and qualified teacher currently working as a Head Teacher in this beautifully located, close-knit Montessori centre.

I started my teaching career in 2002 in India with a Degree in Commerce and a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, and I worked there for ten years. Since 2017, I have been working at The Children’s Corner. I completed my Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) and hold a Montessori Diploma.

Originally from India, I migrated to New Zealand in 2013 with my husband, Bharat and two adorable children, Pavani and Himank. In my leisure time, I find joy in exploring different cuisines through cooking and travelling to new places with my family.

I believe every child is full of energy, love and a zeal to learn and explore the world. My teaching philosophy is that parents, whānau, teachers, and the broader community significantly influence the child’s holistic development in a child’s life. A child’s emotional, social and spiritual growth is equally essential in his life as his physical, language and cognitive development. Hence, I believe working in partnership with them is pretty vital. Building strong connections and relationships with the parents and whānau helps them build trust and security in their children. I am enjoying my experience and learning journey in this beautiful and warm centre, which is supported by my leaders and colleagues continuously.

Joanna Xiao, Qualified Teacher

Joanna Xiao

Qualified Teacher

Kia ora, my name is Joanna Xiao. I am a fully registered teacher with a Graduate Diploma in ECE teaching. I also have a B. A. degree in High school English Teaching and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education.

My education career started back when I worked for Kumon China. From observing and interacting with young children, I found my passion for working with young children and started my ECE further study in New Zealand. I have been involved in early childhood education with all age groups in New Zealand since 2012.

Originally from South China, I grew up with three other siblings, and I am the oldest one. My husband and I came to New Zealand in 2012, and now we have two lovely daughters Kaia-Belle and Jemma-Belle. We are enjoying life here in New Zealand. In my spare time, most importantly, I love to have quality time with my family. Also, I love reading (especially about ancient history and archaeology), swimming and hiking.

I am passionate about partnership with our whanau to create a meaningful learning journey for our tamariki.

Josephine Difuntorum, Qualified Teacher

Jo Difuntorum

Qualified Teacher

I am originally from the Philippines. My family and I lived in Brunei, a small country on Borneo Island. This is where my passion for teaching started while raising our four sons. The Montessori philosophy inspired me to study for the Diploma in Children’s Services and Montessori Education from Australia Montessori Society. Then I gained a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education in New Zealand.

I have varied experiences teaching children from 2 to 6 years old in different philosophies like Montessori, Reggio and play based. These experiences exposed me to diverse cultures and varied developmental and learning needs of young children.

As a Montessori teacher, I am committed to supporting children in their early life success and development. Each child’s curiosity and needs are different, and my goal is to treat them with genuine interest and love.

Catherine Dong, Qualified Teacher

Catherine Dong

Qualified Teacher

Kia ora! 你好(Ni Hao)! My name is Catherine Dong, and I am originally from China.

I am a fully registered Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher with a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE) and Montessori Diploma, both gained in New Zealand. Additionally, I have a Bachelors degree in Business Management and a Masters degree in Human Resource Management from the UK.

With almost five years of experience in ECE, working with children of different age groups, I firmly believe that every child is unique, and I strive to use various teaching strategies to collaborate effectively with families (whānau) and the wider community to support our tamariki.

I moved to New Zealand alone in 2019, and my family joined me in 2022. My husband, Eddy, and I have a lovely daughter named Freya. I am passionate about travelling and exploring different cultures during my free time.

Linna Wang, Qualified Teacher

Linna Wang

Qualified Teacher

Kia ora whānau, My name is Linna Wang, and I am originally from the Northeast of China. I am a provisionally registered early childhood teacher with a Bachelors Degree of Teaching in ECE in New Zealand. I also have a Degree in Business Administration in China. In my leisure time, I like reading, traveling, hiking, and photography. Having lived in New Zealand for five years, I have gained experience working with children of different age groups.

I am excited to be part of The Children’s Corner, where I look forward to supporting the children and celebrating their early successes and developmental milestones.

Wai Shan Siu (Shanny) Teacher in traning

Wai Shan Siu (Shanny)

Teacher in Traning

Hi there! My name is Shanny and I was born in Hong Kong and grew up in the U.K.  My family and I later moved to Auckland where I graduated with a degree, double majoring in International Business and Marketing.  I worked mainly in Hong Kong after graduating where I was a financial analyst.  In 2021, my husband Patrick and I decided to move back to Auckland with our two young children, Kieran and Kaysie. 

I love interacting, playing and learning together with young children and so to pursue this further, l am studying for the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education.  I am a firm believer in that children can reach their full potential and become confident learners in a loving, stimulating and fun environment.  I am thrilled to be part of The Children’s Corner family and to embark on this learning journey together with the children and their family/whānau.

We'd love to show you around our preschool centre in Howick

Come and meet the team, talk to our centre manager, say hi to the kids and see first hand why we’re different. We’re more than happy to take you on a guided tour around the centre.  You can book in your visit now, just click on the button below and choose a time and day to suit you. We look forward to seeing you soon!

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