Tiny Nation Educator - Whanganui - Courtney M

About Me

I am a mum to two wonderful children—a busy one-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son—who inspire me every day.
My career in education began in primary schools, where I worked from 2018 until I welcomed my first child in 2020. Since then, I have been working in early childhood education, where I discovered my passion for supporting children during these important early years. I love being part of their learning journey and celebrating the many milestones they achieve along the way.
I have a genuine passion for children's learning and development, and believe every child has amazing potential. My goal is to help children build confidence in themselves, develop a love of learning, and believe that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.
I love to make learning fun!
We love to go on adventures, join in on a variety of activities that encourage children to try and experience many new things with my support as their educator and alongside their peers.

My Philosophy

I strive to create a safe, welcoming, respectful, and fun learning environment where children genuinely feel cared for, valued, and enjoy being a part of it. I believe the early years are foundational, and it is essential that every child feels cared for, safe, and comfortable.

By tailoring my care and learning experiences to each child's unique personality, interests, and stage of development, I help children develop a strong sense of belonging and confidence. I believe children learn best when they feel secure and are given opportunities to explore, discover, and take learning risks through hands-on experiences at their own pace.

I see children as inquisitive, capable individuals with a natural curiosity about the world around them. My role is to provide the right balance of encouragement, support, independence, and freedom so they feel empowered to follow their interests, experience their own successes, and develop a lifelong love of learning.

I strongly value a play-based approach to early childhood education. Through meaningful play, children build creativity, confidence, problem-solving skills, resilience, and strong social connections. I also value the unique benefits of home-based education, where children become part of a close-knit group, forming genuine friendships and developing social confidence in a calm, caring, family-like environment.

At the end of each day, I hope every child leaves feeling happy, safe, valued, and proud of who they are.

My Environment

My home offers a warm, welcoming, and relaxed environment in a peaceful semi-rural community, where children have the space and freedom to learn through play and exploration.

I provide a wide range of toys and resources to support children's interests and development, along with bikes, a playhouse fort, and a spacious backyard where children can enjoy active outdoor play. We also have a covered deck, allowing children to continue exploring and playing outside even on wet days. We also have a small fish pond with a viewing platform, providing wonderful opportunities for children to observe and learn about nature.

One of the special features of my environment is access to our second family property, where we spend lots of time exploring. With wide open spaces, mini bush walks, muddy hills, and opportunities to connect with nature, children are encouraged to be adventurous, build resilience, and develop an appreciation for the outdoors. We are just a short walk from our friendly local school, which has a welcoming community atmosphere.