Tēnā koutou katoa & Ni sa bula vinaka!

My name is Chloe O’Connor. I have recently completed my Bachelor of Teaching and Learning (Early Childhood Education) from the University of Canterbury. I am originally from the beautiful islands of Fiji. I moved to Aotearoa in 2018 and have been living in Ōtautahi ever since. I am honoured to be part of the Moa Kids team.

I am incredibly passionate about early childhood education and believe that tamariki are precious taonga who should be nurtured and protected. I appreciate the uniqueness that each child brings and aim to provide an environment that promotes their language, culture, and identity. Coming from a multicultural background, I am especially passionate about encouraging our tamariki to embrace and share their culture, as well as to celebrate diversity. Relationships are at the heart of my teaching practice. I believe in building trusting, meaningful, and authentic relationships with children and their whānau. I firmly value the importance of whānau partnership and believe in the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In saying that, I recognise that the collaboration of teachers, parents, and whānau plays a vital role in a child’s holistic well-being, learning, and development. I am a strong advocate for social justice and believe that every child should be given equitable opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed. This is embedded in my teaching philosophy, as I recognise that every child has a voice and deserves to be heard.

I feel honoured to be part of Moa Kids and am excited to embark on this journey. Being at Moa Kids gives me the opportunity to bring my passion for early childhood education to life. I look forward to building meaningful relationships with the tamariki, their whānau, and my fellow kaiako.