Life Learning Founder Maria Johnson: Early Childhood Educator and Leader
Hi, I’m Maria Johnson, the Life Learning founder and managing director of Little School. I’m a qualified primary and early childhood teacher with more than three decades in education, and I’ve spent my career supporting young children, their families and the educators who work with them.
My Background and Training
I grew up on a farm in New Zealand with my parents, two brothers and three sisters. I trained as a primary school teacher at Hamilton Teachers College and completed my Bachelor of Education at Waikato University. After moving to Wellington, I studied full time in 2006 and gained my early childhood qualifications from the New Zealand College of Early Childhood Education.
My qualifications are BEd, DipTchg and DipTchg (ECE).
How I Became the Life Learning Founder
I established Little School in 2002. Since then it has grown to meet the needs of our families. I have worked in education since 1992.
I wanted to share our knowledge, skills and expertise in quality education, especially in early childhood and leadership within the sector. So in 2016, I established Life Learning to help teachers, educators, leaders and parents provide quality programmes for children.
I am passionate and ambitious about young children discovering their abilities and gaining the knowledge, skills and values to become lifelong learners. For that to happen, children need teachers and parents who are educated, passionate and want to make a difference in their lives.
Life Learning Founder and Leader in the Early Childhood Sector
I continue to aspire to be a leader in education, and I work alongside a dedicated team of teachers at Life Learning and Little School. Together, we aim to be widely recognised leaders in preschool education. My work in the sector includes:
- Executive member of the Early Childhood Council from 2008, and President until 2015
- Member of the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal, where I enjoy giving back to our professional community
- Speaker at conferences in China, the Philippines, America, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand.
- New Zealand representative at the inaugural education showcase in Saudi Arabia in 2016
- Work with New Zealand Government organisations representing early childhood education
- Roles in National Educational and Business Boards
Recognised Excellence in Early Childhood Education
2011 HER Regional Wellington Business Woman of the year Supreme Winner
2011 HER Regional Wellington Best Small to Medium Business
2012 Finalist in Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
2012 Education Finalist in NEXT Woman of the year Awards
2017 Finalist in the New Zealand Woman of Influence Awards
2017 Finalist in the Wellington Gold Business Awards
2024 Finalist in New Zealand Leadership Awards for Small to Medium Businesses
2024 Finalist of the SME Business Leadership Award
Every child deserves a chance to thrive, and with the right support and guidance, we can unlock their limitless potential.
Maria Johnson, BEd, DipTchg, DipTchg(ECE)
Managing Director/ Owner/Licensee
Our Purpose and Vision at Life Learning
The purpose of Life Learning is to improve the quality of early childhood education throughout the world.
Life Learning's Vision: Changing Education throughout the World so NO Child is Left Behind
We can realise this future by introducing best practice standards to learning environments in the following areas: programme development, team development, design of environments and regulatory framework. Empowering both teachers and children to be the best they can be.
We work to ensure teachers are not just qualified with theory but also with an understanding of what best practice looks like. Learning how to be a teacher that can engage with children, listen attentively, and ask the right open-ended questions that spark a sense of wonder and creativity in each child.
When teachers are passionate and purposeful with their work they feel as if they are part of something bigger. Our vision is to empower these teachers across the sector with a voice when they feel things aren’t right or where there is room for improvement.
Ultimately, your child is at the heart of every decision we make. We believe that a child’s skills and interests should be the vehicle for learning. And that success is not just measured by pure academic outcomes but also by confidence, resilience, creativity, risk-taking and well-rounded social and emotional capabilities.
We want to help create environments where children are comfortable to be themselves and are confident in who they are. The benefits of maintaining best practice in our early childhood learning environments are massive for children, families, communities and society as a whole.
By placing the right stone in the lake we can create a positive ripple effect across society, creating the innovators and leaders of the next generation.
We will help you:
We work with individual teachers and the leadership group to develop a programme that is purposeful for both teachers and children. So, at the end of each working day teachers feel as if they’re making a real difference to children’s lives.
Unlock the tools to transform early education – enrol in our Life Learning Courses today and take the next step in empowering young minds!
Work With Life Learning
You can learn at your own pace with our online courses at Life Learning Academy, or work with us directly through our consulting, coaching and professional development services.