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Faculty and Staff

Primary

Co-Founder

Co-Founder of Garden House Waldorf School, Cannie Bennett

Coming from a family of education professionals, Cannie has been involved in early childhood education for almost three decades. Drawn to Waldorf by its focus on play, emphasis on the natural environment, and integration of creativity and imagination into quality education, she enrolled in the Waldorf Early Childhood Education Course and became active in teacher training and Waldorf education conferences throughout China and Southeast Asia; she also holds an Executive MBA from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. A mother of two grown up daughters, Cannie opened Garden House Waldorf Kindergarten in 2008 and co founded the first Waldorf Primary School in Hong Kong in 2015.


After celebrating Garden House’s recognition in 2019 by the International Association for Steiner/Waldorf Early Childhood (IASWECE), Cannie began to work with Jane Xu on making a broader Waldorf education available to a wider community in Hong Kong by adding a primary school to Garden House. Outside of work, Cannie serves in the Scout Association of Hong Kong, the Kowloon City Baptist Church and the CUHK EMBA Alumni Association, to name just a few. She enjoys all kinds of handicrafts and is an enthusiastic hiker, naturalist and animal lover.

Cannie

Bennett

Co-Founder

Co-Founder of Garden House Waldorf School, Jane Song

After completing her Bachelor of Arts with a major in Museum Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, Jane worked for some years in marketing and public relations for major international companies. She discovered Waldorf education when her two children joined Garden House Kindergarten. Impressed by the Steiner commitment to nurturing the whole individual in a caring environment so that students become life-long learners, she was inspired to devote herself to expanding Waldorf education in Hong Kong. Working together with Cannie Pang to add a primary school to Garden House, she has participated in Waldorf workshops in Hong Kong, such as the China Waldorf School Leadership and Management Course, she is dedicated to helping children achieve their full potential and develop their unique capacities as part of a supportive community that stimulates the mind, strengthens the body, and fosters the spirit and imagination. In her free time, Jane delights in exploring the world with her growing children. She is a practitioner of yoga and mindfulness and a firm believer in an active lifestyle grounded in the natural world.

Jane

Song

At our school, our faculty approaches teaching as an art that fosters children's imaginations and is tailored to their developmental stages from early childhood to adolescence. Every Waldorf teacher is dedicated to helping each student realize their full potential, by offering diverse experiences and cultivating multiple interests and abilities. Our curriculum is designed to provide rich, sensory experiences, classical academics, and artistic beauty in every subject. 

Class Teacher

Class 1 Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Sihle Mbodlela

Sihle grew up in Camphill Village West Coast, just north of Cape Town, South Africa. Having been a Waldorf pupil from kindergarten all the way to Class 13, he has a deep passion for creating and supporting communities that address the urgent issues of our time, such as sustainability, social life, climate change, and diversity. Sihle believes that Waldorf Education's hands, head, and heart approach offers a valuable framework for addressing these issues, and he is a strong believer in the power of intentional community.


Sihle is a trained Waldorf teacher with a Bachelor of Education degree, and he has over a year of teaching experience. He has taught at the Michael Oak Waldorf School from Class 1 to 6, one of the most established Waldorf schools in Africa, and he has also worked as a Class 1 Waldorf homeschool teacher in Newlands, Cape Town. Sihle is excited to be a part of Garden House Waldorf School and is looking forward to immersing himself in Asian culture while sharing his unique gifts as a Waldorf teacher.


Sihle

Mbodlela

Class Teacher

Class 2/3 Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Jumana Rangwala

Jumana is an experienced educator who specializes in teaching primary grade children. She is a trained Steiner teacher who also holds a Bachelor of Education degree, as well as a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology from Mumbai University. She believes that children have beautiful minds and that teaching helps her explore the uniqueness of each of her students.


Jumana has been a class teacher for many years, and her passion lies in teaching History and Mythology. She enjoys taking students through an immersive experience of the curriculum through storytelling and art. A mother of two grown up children, both of whom were educated in a Steiner school, Jumana worked in the travel industry for over 10 years before coming to education. Traveling the world and exploring the history and cultures of various places is what she enjoys most.

Jumana

Rangwala

Education Director

Education Director of Garden House Waldorf School, Noel Dallow

Originally from New Zealand, Noel Dallow is a long standing Waldorf educator and an even longer standing Anthroposophist. Discovering the work of Rudolf Steiner at 18, he was drawn to it as a path of high ideals but also of practical character. He has spent the rest of his life enacting those ideals in different countries. He first joined the Camphill ( Hōhepa ) movement in New Zealand for 4 years. He subsequently attended Emerson College in the UK for Teacher Training and has since worked in Scotland, New Zealand and Taiwan for over twenty years.

Before joining Garden House, he worked in Upper School Humanities and Sciences (with crafts and music on the side) and was responsible for the Adult Education program at a Waldorf school in Taiwan, an experience which has served to deepen his understanding, awe and appreciation of Rudolf Steiner’s contribution to the world.

Noel has a keen professional interest in the practice and ideas of Bothmer Movement.

Noel

Dallow

Eurythmy Teacher

Eurythmy Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Sandise Ngxumsa

Sandise was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Growing up, he loved the performing arts and took part in big projects like the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. He obtained his BA in Eurythmy at the Centre for Creative Education, Kairos Eurythmy in Cape Town in 2016. He is the world’s first black male Eurythmist and has done performance tours in Switzerland and Germany.


Sandise has experienced how Eurythmy awakens the children and fills them with joy and enthusiasm; it nourishes their souls and strengthens their bodies. Sandise is a creative teacher with a passion for learning: “I love what I do and what I do loves me too”. Movement is life and without movement there is no life.

Sandise

Ngxumsa

Mandarin Teacher

Mandarin Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Allen Liu

Allen’s interest in Waldorf Education is derived from a long process of exploration as he searched for the truth about the nature of human consciousness. He first earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology at Qingdao Agricultural University and a Master’s Degree in Neurobiology at Hsiang Ya Medical College, Central South University. But the prospect of working professionally in an ever more subdivided research field did not satisfy him. His wide reading, including works about Krishnamurti and Rudolf Steiner, led him to enter Waldorf Education. From 2013 to 2017, Allen worked in the first Waldorf Kindergarten in Jinan.

Allen

Liu

German Teacher

German Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Astrid Gödel

Astrid is from Germany and lives in Hong Kong with her husband. After graduating from high school, she has been trained as a nurse working at the University of Freiburg and later in the Herz-Jesu-Krankenhaus in the areas, stroke unit, interdisciplinary intensive care unit and anaesthesia departments.


During her professional years as a nurse, Astrid also accompanied and supported the nursing students in their training as a practical instructor. With many years experiences as in nursing, Astrid advanced her professional field to become a specialist in hygiene and infection prevention in hospital.


It was during her time in internship, Astrid worked with children in kindergarten.  From 2015 to 2019, Astrid taught German to children of refugees of kindergarten/primary school age.  She got to know Waldorf pedagogy, above all theoretically, during her vocational diploma.

Astrid

Gödel

Early Childhood

Kindergarten Teacher

Kindergarten Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Phillipa Christley

Ms. Phillipa comes to Garden House from the UK where she began her journey with Waldorf education at the age of 3, going through Waldorf school until the age of 17. After exploring the world for a while, she decided to train as a Waldorf kindergarten teacher to bring the love of learning developed in her own childhood to the children of today.  Ms Phillipa love arts and crafts in particular felting and working with wool, as well as gardening and cooking.  She believes in working with parents to create a nurturing environment to allow the children in her care to grow into confident, happy and inquisitive young people.  She is very excited to begin this new chapter in her life and joining the Garden House community.

Phillipa

Christley

Kindergarten Teacher

Kindergarten Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Talia Valverde

Ms. Talia, a qualified educator in the field of Early Childhood Education, has been residing in Hong Kong for the past six years with her family. Originally from Spain, she brings with her a wealth of experience having attained diplomas in Early Childhood Education, Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher Training and Waldorf Teacher Training in her home country. Further, Ms. Talia has worked in both England and Spain, in Waldorf and private schools alike.


Ms. Talia's dynamic personality, coupled with her passion for reading and crafts, has led her to strongly believe in working collaboratively with families to ensure that young children feel at ease and are equipped with the necessary skills to transition smoothly into primary school. She is eager to embark on yet another adventure with the children in her care, and to learn more about the diverse and beautiful cultures that Hong Kong has to offer.


With Ms. Talia's extensive experience and her unwavering commitment to providing quality education, parents can rest assured that their children will be in loving hands.

Talia Valverde

Garcia

Kindergarten Teacher

Kindergarten Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Anasuya Mathrawala

Ms. Anasuya is an experienced and dedicated early childhood educator with 6 years of experience co-teaching Grade 3 at Hong Kong International School. Her background, including training as a Waldorf Early Childhood teacher and pursuing a Masters in Waldorf Education from the Rudolf Steiner College in Norway. Ms. Anasuya is committed to creating a nurturing and child-centered community in her classroom, emphasizing the importance of the three-fold approach to child development.


Ms. Anasuya's curriculum reflects her passion for the arts and incorporates crafts and outdoor activities to encourage children to develop their skills and express their ideas and feelings. Her teaching approach is centered around creating a supportive and engaging learning environment where children are encouraged to explore and learn at their own pace. She has been living in Hong Kong with her family for the past 16 years, and her daughter is currently studying at King George V School while her son attends English School Foundation School.

Anasuya

Mathrawala

Kindergarten Teacher

Kindergarten Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Alice Tsui

Ms. Alice, a passionate educator, delights in spending time with children and engaging in outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking. She holds qualifications as a Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher and a certified kindergarten teacher. Though she is yet to have children of her own, she considers herself a second mother to all the children under her tutelage, as the adage goes, "Teacher is the second mother." Ms. Alice trusts that connecting with nature and using music and art can help children balance their physical and mental needs. She strongly believes in the importance of rhythm as a fundamental aspect of life and endeavors to create a serene, stress-free environment for the children in her care.

Alice

Tsui

Parent and Child Class Teacher

Parent and Child Class Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Anna Wilson

Ms. Anna started her journey in Waldorf education when her two sons studied at Garden House. Her experience as a parent at Garden House led her to want to become more involved and learn more about Waldorf education so she went on to become fully qualified as a teacher through the London Steiner Early Childhood Centre.  She began to work at Garden House nine years ago, since then she has been fully immersed in its philosophy. Through many years of training and practice, her knowledge and understanding of the Waldorf philosophy have deepened and extended. Her formal study and personal appreciation of Waldorf education enrich the love and warmth that she brings to the children at Garden House. She is keen to keep learning and teaching year after year and she loves seeing the children growing and changing and the parents becoming so engaged in the philosophy, just as she did. Ms. Anna particularly enjoys the crafts and music; Waldorf’s commitment to integrating the full range of arts into education allows her to give full rein to her talents, which enrich all her classes.

Anna

Wilson

Teacher Assistant

Teacher Assistant of Garden House Waldorf School, Katherine Fung

Katherine joined Garden House in August 2022 after completing her studies as an Early Childhood Playground Instructor. With over two decades of experience in aviation field, Katherine brings with her a naturally empathetic and caring demeanor, and a passion for working with young children. As a mother of two young daughters, she understands the importance of nurturing and spending quality time with children.


Katherine also has a personal interest in cooking and has been practicing yoga for the past 10 years. She is excited to be a part of the Garden House community and is committed to developing and working with students to meet their individual needs.

Katherine

Fung

Teacher Assistant

Teacher Assistant of Garden House Waldorf School, Michaela Pennacchini

Ms. Michaela has been with Garden House for the last 2 years summer school, and is now joining us full-time in the Dragonfly class.  A permanent Hong Kong resident, Ms. Michaela was born and raised in South Africa. Prior to working at Garden House, Ms. Michaela has worked in a variety of educational and childcare roles for two years. Other than early childhood education, she is passionate about animal welfare and environmentalism. She believes that it is important for children to be in an educational environment that encourages individuality and creativity, as well as fostering a sense of compassion for others.

Michaela

Pennacchini

Parent and Child Mandarin Teacher

Parent and Child Mandarin Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Luna Xiang

Ms. Luna is a qualified kindergarten teacher with a passion for children's language development. She and her family relocated to the United States from China in 2006, where she worked at a daycare center in Michigan for two years before moving to Hong Kong in 2010. Ms. Luna pursued a master's degree at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and has since been working as a Mandarin teacher at Garden House and have two-year Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher Training during this time.


Ms. Luna firmly believes that exposing children to language from an early age will benefit them greatly. Ms. Luna uses music and games to engage with children, creating a lively and interactive learning environment. Her dedication to her students' language development and her ability to make learning fun has made her a beloved teacher among her students, colleagues and parents.

Luna

Xiang

Mandarin Teacher

Mandarin Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Kate Keung

Ms. Kate is a qualified kindergarten teacher with a degree in Chinese Language.  She studied at two universities in Xiamen, China before she obtained her certificate at The Education University of Hong Kong as an early childhood educator.  Having six years of experience as a Chinese teacher in an international kindergarten, Ms. Kate joined Garden House family in 2021.  She enjoys spending time with children, exploring nature with them.  She is looking forward to joining Caterpillar class this year to provide the children a loving and stable environment.

Kate

Keung

Mandarin Teacher

Mandarin Teacher of Garden House Waldorf School, Jane Tseng

Ms. Jane has been living in Hong Kong for 8 years, and this is her 8th year at Garden House. Originally from Taiwan, Ms. Jane taught in a Waldorf Kindergarten in Taiwan for two years, her specialty is teaching Mandarin, her Taiwanese songs and games are among the children’s favourites. Ms. Jane believes that the best way for children to learn a language is through lots of activities and movement, such as singing, playing games and storytelling.  Herself a mother of two boys, one five and a half and the other three and a half years old, Ms. Jane loves children, she is very much looking forward to the learning experience with the children in the new school year.

Jane

Tseng

Administration

Finance, HR & Admin Officer

Finance, HR & Admin Officer of Garden House Waldorf School, Karen Leung

Ms. Karen joined the Finance & HR team at Garden House in 2023. With three years of experience in an NGO, she is well-versed in handling full sets of accounts and preparing financial reports for various services. She has developed the ability to work independently, which has proven to be a valuable asset in her career.


Ms. Karen is an intelligent and humble person who gets along well with her colleagues both within and outside the school. She recently completed a postgraduate diploma in professional accounting and is eager to be a part of the Garden House community. Her expertise in finance and HR operations will enable her to support our school's financial management and human resource operations.

Karen

Leung

Administration Manager

Administration Manager of Garden House Waldorf School, Joyce Tam

Ms. Joyce is a familiar and welcoming presence for Garden House families. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, she brings strong problem-solving and communication skills developed through years of experience working with a diverse customer base. During the pandemic, Ms. Joyce supported our kindergarten class and developed a passion for Waldorf Education. She is currently taking a Waldorf Teacher Training Course and is dedicated to continuing her education in this field.


Ms. Joyce has transitioned to a new role as Head of the Administration Team, where she serves as a bridge between families and teachers. She interacts with parents and children to better understand how she can assist Garden House families, and she never stops learning. Her cheerful and outgoing demeanor makes her an essential member of our team, and we are grateful for her dedication to our school community.

Joyce

Tam

Finance, HR & Admin Manager

Finance, HR & Admin Manager of Garden House Waldorf School, Suki Tang

Ms. Suki is the Finance & HR department head at Garden House since 2021, her expertise includes financial planning, budgeting, and cash flow management, and she is known for her attention to detail and helpful nature. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Ms. Suki is dedicated to ensuring that our school's finances and HR operations run smoothly, and she is always available to help solve any problems that arise.


Before joining Garden House, Ms. Suki spent 3 years at a big 4 firm providing financial consulting services to companies. Her experience and knowledge in financial planning, budgeting, and cash flow management have been invaluable to the school. Ms. Suki's attention to detail, helpful nature, and dedication to ensuring the smooth operation of our school's finances and HR operations make her a well like team member in our school.

Suki

Tang

Administration Officer

Administration Officer of Garden House Waldorf School, Angela Tsang

Ms. Angela is a valued member of our administration team, bringing a wealth of experience to her role. With over four years of experience in her field, she has developed strong skills in administrative work and in education.


Her studies in Early Childhood Education have given her a deep understanding of the needs and experiences of children in school, enabling her to work effectively with teachers and families to achieve our educational goals. Ms. Angela's expertise in administrative work makes her an essential member of our team, and she is always willing to assist with any enquiries or concerns.


Ms. Angela's friendly and approachable personality is well-liked by everyone in our school community. She is a great listener and always willing to help our families and others. Her positive attitude and dedication to her work inspire everyone around her, and we feel fortunate to have her on our team.

Angela

Tsang

Support Team

Housekeeper

Housekeeper of Garden House Waldorf School, Yu Jingwen

Ada is a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the Garden House community. She joined the team in 2021 and has since been very well liked to teachers, staff, and children. Ada takes great pride in her work, and works tirelessly to maintain a clean and hygienic environment for everyone in the school. She understands the importance of creating a welcoming and safe space for children to learn and play, and takes her responsibilities very seriously.

Ada

Po

Housekeeper

Housekeeper of Garden House Waldorf School, Yu Jingwen

Auntie Man has been a valued member of the Garden House community since 2020. Her main responsibility is to ensure that the school and office are clean and tidy at all times. Auntie Man dedicated to her work and took extra precautions to thoroughly clean and disinfect the school and office. Her commitment to her job has made her a beloved member of the Garden House community.

Jingwen

Yu

Bus and Maintenance

Bus and Maintenance of Garden House Waldorf School, Mr. Luk

Mr. Luk is a well-respected member of the Garden House community, known for his extensive knowledge of the school and his ability to fix just about anything. He has been an integral part of the school for many years, overseeing all school bus services and maintenance work. Mr. Luk takes great pride in his work and performs his duties with love and dedication. In addition to his bus duties, he is also responsible for maintaining the school's facilities, such as the playground and electrical equipment. His expertise and contributions have made him an invaluable member of the school staff.

Mr.

Luk

School Keeper

School keeper of Garden House Waldorf School, Mr. Hui

Mr. Hui has been caring for the building where Garden House is located for over 40 years, even before the school was established. As the school's gardener/care taker, he is the first to arrive each day, ensuring that the school gates are opened and secured. Mr. Hui takes great care in maintaining the playground area and keeping it clean and tidy, showing his attention to detail and diligence in his work. His dedication and expertise have earned him the respect and trust of the school community. Additionally, he also care for our rabbits in the garden, showing his love for all of the school's residents, both human and animal.

Mr.

Hui

+852 2358 1177

7 Silverstrand Beach Road, Sai Kung, Hong Kong

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