The Pokeno Team
This is our team of teachers and staff at Educare Pokeno. Scroll through to find out more about our teaching team.
Paula Hutching
Centre Manager, Registered Teacher
I was born in West Auckland but came to Pukekohe when I was 2 and have spent the majority of my time in the Franklin area. My passion for teaching developed when I volunteered at my children’s kindergartens and schools, and I made the move to teaching in 2016. I believe every child has so much to offer and through my teaching practice I like to make all tamariki feel they have the power to achieve anything they set their minds to. I spent 6 years as a Head Teacher before moving on to take on this leadership role at Educare Pokeno.
I have two adult children, I am a classic car enthusiast, enjoy spending time outdoors exploring Aotearoa and love spending my days working alongside passionate teachers and fabulous young learners.
Rajwant Kaur
Team Leader, Registered Teacher
Kia ora, My name is Rajwant Kaur. I am from India and came to New Zealand in 2013 with my family. I am a qualified ECE teacher. I love this job and I have always wanted to be a teacher. I recently moved to Pokeno with my husband and two children.
I believe that we learn everyday from each other. I believe in treating children with love, respect and care which will teach me to listen carefully to the children and give respect to their choices. I believe in working together with whānau to learn more about cultures and languages and to share our experiences with each other. During this learning journey with Educare, I will try to create the best way to learn for your children by sharing information with one another about your child’s interests, areas of concerns and strengths.
Maninder Kaur
Registered Teacher
Kia Ora koutou, Namaste sab ko, Hello everyone! I am from Punjab, India, and have lived in New Zealand since 2020. I am a qualified ECE teacher working in the toddler room. I completed a Graduate Diploma in ECE Level 7 from ICL Business School. I have had a passion for being a teacher from an early age and I like to spend time with children, these things motivated me towards Early Childhood Education. My goal in teaching is to provide a safe, secure, and healthy environment for children for their holistic development. I am used to sharing my knowledge with others for better learning outcomes. I look forward to meeting you and your family and hearing your stories. This is my story.
‘Stories are great, they help us make connections and
form relationships.’ Let the story begin!
Ruchi
Registered Teacher
Kia Ora, my name is Ruchi. I am from Punjab, India and came to New Zealand in 2019. I am a qualified ECE teacher. I graduated with a bachelor of Teaching (education) in ece from NZTC. Education has played a major role in my growing life as my mother was teacher in India and she motivated me to become a teacher. I love teaching and learning alongside children. I am passionate about children and their development. I believe to work closely with children and families and aims to deliver the best for children learning and development. I am happy to meet you and work in a collaborative way to support children interest and learning.
Rosebean Chand
Registered Teacher
Kia ora whānau, I am Rosebean Lata Chand from Fiji. I moved to New Zealand in 2023 from Fiji, where I was a primary School Teacher for 22 years. I am a registered ECE teacher here in New Zealand.
I am happily married with two beautiful girls. I reside in Pukekohe and love to work with the tamariki at Educare Pokeno. Seeing the lovely tamariki each morning is an overwhelming experience which makes me enjoy my work very much. Along with the children, enjoy making connections o make friends with my colleagues and parents as well.
Elaine De Vera
Registered Teacher
Kia ora! Hello! Kumusta! I'm originally from the Philippines and in 2010, I came to New Zealand to continue my passion as an Early Childhood teacher. As a kaiako, I firmly believe in the power of play in teaching our tamariki and empowering them to make independent choices. Creating a positive impact on their learning and development is always my heartfelt aspiration. My teaching practice is centred on respect, compassion, kindness and building meaningful connections and trusting relationships with children and their whānau.
Outside of work, I cherish moments with my family and take pleasure in exploring the great outdoors. Baking, cooking, gardening, travelling and photography are some of my favourite pastimes.
Mandeep Kaur
Registered Teacher
Kia Ora, my name is Mandeep Kaur. I am from Punjab, India and moved to New Zealand in 2016 with my family. I am a qualified ECE teacher working in Educare Pokeno. I completed Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE) level 7. My teaching philosophy is underpinned by the fact that play is an important aspect for holistic development of all tamariki. As an educator I love to plan and create enriched learning environments that facilitate the learners to explore and become competent and confident individuals. I believe in reciprocal relationships with families and Whānau through respectful and positive trust. I strive to ensure that Whānau aspirations for their children are acknowledged and valued.
Shikha Nayyar
Registered Teacher
Namaste! Kia Ora!
My name is Shikha Nayyar, I was born and brought up in Punjab, India. I came here in New Zealand in 2019. I am working in the Fantails room as a
Qualified Teacher. In my philosophy, a child is like a precious metal that needs to be grown properly and needs to flourish and be nurtured. As a baby teacher my passion is to provide a child with a loving, caring and secure environment where they can play and learn together.
In my viewpoint, every child has the potential to be a champion, and he or she deserves to grow up to be an adult who also never stops on them. At last, my strength to build positive relationship with my tamariki, parents and my whole Educare team.
Roberta Tautari
Teacher
Tena koutou katoa
Ko Puketutu te Maunga
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua te Waka
Ko Ngati Hine te Iwi
No Waiomio ahau
Ko Roberta taku India
No reira tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa
I have been an ECE kaiako since 2012 when my daughter was born and I was inspired by working with children. I enjoy my mahi and working alongside little humans very much.
I provide tamariki a fulfilling teaching and learning experience where I continue to grow to become a kaiako with a positive, fun and empowering attitude impacting the lives of our little humans.
Mandeep Rege
Nutritionist
Kia Ora, I am currently live in Te-kauwhata. I am originally from India, the place where I developed all my skills and passion towards early childhood! I am someone who loves to be very organised and tidy, I also love cooking.
In India, my whanau were also teachers: this was one of my biggest inspirations towards teaching. During my late teenage years I would often take care of my younger brothers and cousins teaching them new things and helping them when needed.
As you may know, I used to work as a teacher and only started as an ECE chef two years ago , but I have always had a great passion for cooking. Whenever I see the little ones eating scrumptious meals and enjoying the food I made, it gives me a warm feeling as I succeed in giving them the nutrition they deserve.
Riana Rossouw
Administrator
Hi, I'm Riana, the cheerful Administrator. Originally from the stunning South Africa, I bring a sunny spirit and loads of love for what I do. Being a parent to three amazing kids, I totally get the magic of watching children learn and grow. I love the outdoors and sunshine, so you'll often find me soaking up the warmth of the sun.
With years of admin experience in various industries, having recently made the change to early childhood education I absolutely love witnessing the incredible journey of children as they explore the world of learning. Seeing their eyes light up with curiosity and experiencing their growth firsthand is super rewarding! I love being part of creating a nurturing and inclusive space where every child feels cherished and valued.
