Kia Ora! Welcome!
I’m your literacy & effective communication teacher, Ms Lilli Kenny.
There is a disparaging saying that ‘those who can’t do, teach’, with which I strongly disagree. Teaching English, Drama, Media Studies & Music has enriched my knowledge and understanding of the subjects I love to practice. Actually, I prefer Einstein’s perspective on the relationship between teaching and subject mastery: “If you can’t explain something to a 5 year old, you don’t fully understand it yourself!”
I became a qualified teacher at just 16 years old, while still a high school student, when I gained the top marks in Auckland for my Associate Teaching Diploma in Speech and Drama from Trinity College London. As part of my teacher training I opened my private teaching practice, preparing students for success in Trinity College London drama, singing and music theory examinations.
After completing my Bachelors degree in Film, TV & Media studies, and Music at The University of Auckland, I furthered my teacher training. I completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) at the University of Auckland. After graduating with one of the top grades in my cohort, I was invited to begin a Master of Education. However, I had to postpone further study as I had already been hired to teach English, Drama and Media Studies at Macleans College, a top academic school in East Auckland. For more than a decade my students have enjoyed success in both Cambridge International Examinations, as well as New Zealand’s NCEA university entrance exams.
Ever committed to my ongoing professional development, I did complete my Masters degree in Education in 2018. My dissertation looked at representations of LGBTQIA+ characters in SLANZA recommended young adult fiction.
This year, 2026, I’m adding a new string to my bow- I have begun teaching senior NCEA English to speakers of other languages! I have worked with English-fluent international students throughout my career, and I have loved learning about different cultures and perspectives. Teaching my subject to students for whom English is not their mother-tongue requires breaking down the mechanics of the English language in greater conscious detail than ever before. I’m enjoying the challenge because the students are polite and motivated to learn, and I know this experience will make me a better writer and teacher.
I’ll bet you’re thinking that with all the study and teaching I have done over the years, that I was always a great student, right? No. Unfortunately, due to undiagnosed ADHD, I spent nearly every year of school alone with my desk in the hallway, separated from my classmates. Teachers hated me because I talked too much and disrupted the class. In turn, I hated school and thought I was stupid. Very little was understood about learning disabilities in the 1980’s, so I wasn’t offered extra help, as students with ADHD now would be.
Little did I know, but ADHD would become my academic superpower, enabling me to eventually teach four subjects at a senior level. So, what changed? Well, in year 7 I had kind teacher who was very patient with me, an encouraged me to use my energy and speaking skills to pursue drama and public speaking. I soon discovered that when I am passionate about a subject that I am able to ‘hyperfocus’, which means I can study harder than any of my peers and achieve remarkable grades. I earned the top marks in Auckland, New Zealand for grades 3, 5, 7 & 8 in my Trinity College Speech & Drama examinations. This success helped me gain confidence in my language skills, and I began doing much better in my written subjects at school, as well. I actually graduated high school a year early because my grades in English, Music and Media Studies were all in the top 5% of New Zealand students, and I had been accepted by Auckland University. Success really does breed more success! No matter what my students’ ‘weaknesses’, I believe that with the right learning structures, and discovering how certain knowledge can help you reach your goals (in all areas of life, not just at school) that learning can be both fulfilling and fun!
Language barriers and learning difficulties can actually turn out to be a blessing that gives us an appreciation of our achievements, that other ‘good students’ may never get to experience.