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 12 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

Angela

Angela joined Shine in 2018. Angela is a qualified primary school teacher. She completed her degree at the University of Sydney. She has extensive experience tutoring students with a range of different learning difficulties including Autism and ADHD. Angela builds rapport with students easily. She is patient, caring and encouraging. She tutors English and Maths to primary school students and English, History and Geography to high school students.

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.

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.

Helen

Helen joined Shine education in 2022. Helen is a qualified Primary School Teacher from Ireland. She completed her Education degree in Limerick, Ireland. She has taught in schools in Ireland, a British International School in Abu Dhabi and is now currently teaching in various schools in Sydney. She has 7 years teaching experience. She has vast experience working with students with learning difficulties and special educational needs. She has also worked with a number of students where English is their second language. She teaches all primary school subjects.

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.

Adam

Adam joined Shine in 2019. He is a qualified primary school teacher and has a Masters in Special Education. He has 18 years teaching experience and works extremely well with students with learning difficulties. He is very supportive and builds rapport with students quickly and effectively. Adam teaches all primary school subjects and maths for high school students. He clearly explains concepts and strategies to his students.

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.

Annette

Annette recently joined Shine Education 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.