I have been teaching for sixteen years, beginning my career in the primary sector, and then moving into teaching in a special needs class in the secondary sector ten years ago. That move was inspired by the birth of our second child, who was born with Down syndrome. I was left asking the question, “How does learning and school work best for children with special needs?” which prompted me to do post graduate study to try and find the answer. Thereafter, doors opened for me to move into a special class within a mainstream, secondary setting. I also offered literacy support classes to students from the mainstream. In the past five years, I have moved into teaching English Language (ESOL) and have continued doing study to upskill in this area.

My greatest enjoyment as a teacher comes from watching ALL students discover the joy of learning and in watching their literacy skills develop. All students deserve to learn in classrooms that nurture their whole person (their mind, body and spirit) and in which their wellbeing is a central concern. There is a place in the world for everyone, and every student’s journey through school and on into life should be supported and celebrated. Therefore, it will come as no surprise that the values I want to see brought to life in my classroom are trust and respect, dignity, collaboration and joy as we make our way along the learning journey together.

I am excited about the opportunity to work as an Across School Teacher (AST) with the South East Auckland Kāhui Ako and to be part of a collective effort to raise achievement outcomes across our individual schools. Before being appointed to the role of AST, I had two years as a Within School Teacher, a role I thoroughly enjoyed as it gave me the opportunity to refine and improve my practice as I inquired with others. I look forward to serving the schools I have the privilege to work in and seeing what differences can be made for students.