Kaiako

Ko te reo ake o Aotearoa nei, ko te reo Māori. Ko te reo te mauri o te manab Māori. I have a passion for te reo, and for teaching this beautiful language. My goal is to give you the tools to feel confident to converse and write in te reo.

Tōku reo, tōku ohooho, tōku reo, tōku māpihi maurea, tōku reo, tōku whakakai marihi! 

Te reo Māori is home for me. Raised in the depths of te ao Māori and tikanga Māori; strong Māori identity; strong involvement in Māori communities.

Ko te reo te kaikawe i ngā whakaaro ki te ao Māori. A proud product of the kōhanga reo movement and further venturing into the Māori worldview,

 I've become a passionate advocate of our indigenous language and I'm here to share it to those who are hungry to learn and safeguard our language. 

My teaching philosophy is grounded in creating a supportive, inclusive, fun-learning environment where both the student and the teacher look forward to meeting up. I like to create environments where students feel safe to ask questions, make mistakes, and engage fully—especially in their journey with te reo Māori. I place strong emphasis on listening to students’ needs and encouraging correct pronunciation to ensure respectful and confident language use. No matter what the setting, I aim to empower students to feel confident in using our reo in their everyday lives.

I was born on Waiheke Island and grew up at Piritahi Marae. I then moved to Hamilton where my knowledge of the Waikato people grew extensively. My passion for teaching comes from the love to share and nurture the growth and learning of students. I love using the oral traditions of my tipuna, sharing te reo Māori and te ao Māori through storytelling.