Meet our Team

special needs tutor - xenia howison

Ms. Xenia Howison
Founder/Director – Shine Education

Areas of expertise:
Students with Learning Difficulties, Special Needs

Shine Education was founded in 2010 by Ms. Xenia Howison who identified the need of many parents to seek additional help for their children. Xenia is fully qualified primary school teacher, registered with both NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) and the Department of Education.

Xenia has over 15 years experience working in private and small group tutoring as well as teaching at a number of primary schools in Sydney. Xenia completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education (Macquarie University) and she is able to cater for the needs of children with a range of special needs, including attention disorders and learning difficulties.

The founder of Shine Education, Xenia Howison holds the following qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Arts (Education, Macquarie University)
  • Diploma of Primary Education (Macquarie University)
  • Post Graduate Diploma of Special Education (Macquarie University)
  • Approval to teach identification number (D.E.T) 1193230
  • Registered with NESA: Accreditation number: 190419

Some of our Team Members

Lucy

Lucy joined Shine in late 2017. She earned her degree from the University of Melbourne. She has extensive experience working with children with specialised needs. She has previous experience working in educational settings with children who have social, emotional and behavioural needs on a one-to-one basis and with group sessions. Lucy has a particular interest in helping students who are struggling in their learning journey and need a tailored approach. She is skilled in keeping students engaged and enjoying learning. Lucy also has a Graduate Diploma in Psychology from Monash University and is passionate about working with those needing support to achieve and feel positive about themselves. Lucy currently teaches students online.

Carole

Carole joined Shine Education in 2018. Carole is an English tutor who has extensive experience working with students with special needs and learning difficulties. She has 20 years of experience tutoring, English, Journalism and Business. Carole has also taught various group courses in these subject areas. She also teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) to children and adults. Carole particularly enjoys working with younger students and combines educational content with games and songs. Carole currently teaches students face to face in Bayside area of Melbourne and online.

Steve

Steve joined Shine in 2019. Steve taught English in Thailand for 12 years. He also has tutored students with special needs both in the UK and Sydney. He has experience with a variety of special needs, and currently tutors several students with autism. Steve tutors English, Maths and Science for both primary school and high school students. He makes his lessons engaging and focuses on connecting his teaching to real life experiences outside the classroom. He uses a visual approach especially when working with students with autism. He has an encouraging and caring approach to all his students. Steve currently teaches students face to face in Sydney.

Jade

Jade joined Shine Education in 2011. He has over 15 years of tutoring experience. He specialises in helping students prepare for Selective High School entrance exams and private school scholarships. He also has experience working with students with a range of learning difficulties. His subject areas of expertise are Mathematics and Science. He makes his lessons hands on, practical and engaging. He is very encouraging and tailors his lessons to the students needs.

Nelly

Nelly joined Shine in 2019. She currently works at a catholic primary school in Melbourne as an Education Support Officer, helping students with learning difficulties. Prior to this Nelly worked as a Teacher and Coordinator of English Language for Grades 9-12 for over 15 years. She completed a Post Graduate Degree in Teaching English Language and Literature and also has a Certificate III in Education Support. She is highly qualified, organised and meticulous. Most importantly she builds warm rapport with all her students and creates a safe and engaging environment for learning. Nelly currently tutors students online.

Annette

Annette joined Shine Education in 2022 and is a qualified Dyslexia specialist. She has significant experience tutoring in Sydney and the UK. She does both online and face to face tutoring. Her specialty is supporting students one on one with a range of learning difficulties, and she helps with all aspects of literacy. She believes that confidence building is crucial. She works with all age groups including pre-school and early intervention.

Roshni

Roshni joined Shine in February 2024. Roshni is from the UK and is currently living in Melbourne. She has tertiary qualifications in teaching English. She helps students with all aspects of literacy and has experience tutoring students from Kindergarten to age 25. She worked as a TESOL Teacher in Thailand and Vietnam for a year. She has also tutored one to one for several years. Roshni is enthusiastic and makes her lessons practical and engaging. She particularly enjoys adding educational games to her tutoring sessions especially with students in younger years. Roshni currently teaches students face to face in Melbourne and online.

Maribel

Maribel joined Shine in 2023.She works with students with a variety of special needs and has considerable experience teaching students with autism. She teaches English and Maths to students from age 3 up to age 12. She also teaches Certificate IV in Disability and has taught at a variety of private colleges in Sydney. She is patient, reliable and has a confident and positive personality. She is extremely empathetic and builds positive relationships with all the students that she works with and their parents. Maribel currently does face to face tutoring in Sydney.