Ginalyn Yumul (Centre Manger)
Kia ora,
my name is Ginalyn Yumul but you can call me Gina for short. I am married to a wonderful husband and we have two big grown-up children. My eldest is Yasmin and my youngest is Johnne. I came from the Philippines and moved to New Zealand in 2006. I have been an educator since 2001. I have two Masters in Education (TESOL and English Teaching). In 2010, I completed my early childhood education at Victoria University, Wellington. During my spare time, I do gardening, tramping, reading books and surfing the net. Teaching is my passion. I found that teaching young children is very fulfilling and rewarding. I believe that they are competent, capable and powerful learners. Teachers should provide children the opportunities to explore and develop their knowledge and skills. I also believe that each child should experience a sense of belonging. Each child should be provided a warm, calm, supportive and stimulating environment to support their learning. The teachers must also have a responsive relationship between and amongst one another, family and whanau. I look forward to getting to know you and your children as we continue our learning journey together at Karori Kids Preschool.
Zhonggen Li (Regan)
Registered Teacher
Kia ora!
My name is Zhonggen Li (Regan). I completed my graduate diploma in Early Childhood Education in 2022 at University of Canterbury. I also have a Bachelor degree in accounting at Victoria University of Wellington. I always believe that tamariki have infinite potential, and I enjoy conveying mana and kindness between children. I will be willing to accept new challenges, contact different pedagogy and philosophy, help each child reach their highest potential based on their unique characteristics.
Reena Sajwan Gusain
Registered Teacher
Kia ora,
My name is Reena Sajwan Gusain. I was born in India and have been living in New Zealand since May 2011. I am married and blessed with two beautiful boys, Rayansh (Ray) and Priyanash (Anshu).
I have been working as an unqualified kaiako since 2025 and began my degree in 2022. I am a passionate and dedicated kaiako, deeply committed to building strong, trusting relationships with tamariki and their whanau. I believe every child is unique, and it is my responsibility as a kaiako to create a nurturing environment that is safe, loving, caring, and inviting for all.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing badminton, watching movies, and taking long walks, which help me relax and stay active.
Merciana De Guzman
Teacher-in-training
Kamusta,
I am originally from the Philippines and moved to New Zealand in 2009. Since then, I have been an early childhood educator with massive experience in Montessori pedagogy. Engaging with children every day is my passion. I enjoy forming relationships with tamariki, kaiako, whānau and community. I love supporting and imparting knowledge with the children to help them build their confidence and learn skills that are important for their learning journey. I believe children need a sustainable and caring environment with variety of learning opportunities to help them develop holistically.
Debbie Godwin
Registered Teacher
Kia ora!
New Zealand has been my home for thirty years, I am originally from South Yorkshire in the UK. I have two daughters in their mid-twenties, a fifteen-year-old son, and a fluffy old white bichon dog. I have a passion for New Zealand’s natural environment, and enjoy hiking, gardening, cooking and art. I volunteer in a governance capacity for Vincents Art Workshop in Wellington, with a purpose of ‘Changing lives through art’ by providing art workshops and social connection for people going through tough times.
I began my teaching journey during 2012 when my son was just 3 years old, since then I have developed a teaching style that is warm, respectful, and inclusive for all learners. I have done a lot of professional development on supporting children’s social and emotional competence and have a good understanding about the environmental and teaching strategies needed to ensure children are thriving during their time spent at daycare. All Tamariki have their own special strengths, interests, and abilities and it is my job to discover these, and then further their development by planning learning opportunities that extends these attributes in meaningful ways.
