I have been working in Early Childhood Education (ECE) for nearly 30 years now, enjoying any opportunity to grow my teaching learning philosophy and practice. I have experience in all aspects of ECE, working as a kaiako, in leadership and in curriculum development. I am passionate about supporting kaiako in their teaching learning journeys, strengthening their practice and inspiring them to grow as professionals.
Infant and Toddler Learning and Development
I am very passionate about providing our youngest learners with the best start to life and learning. I have worked in, and led, teams in developing programmes designed specifically for infants and toddlers. I have been inspired by the work of Magda Gerber and Dr Emmi Pikler, being on the RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) Professional Development Pathway, as well as having completed a number of Pikler modules. These approaches see our youngest learners as able to take the lead in their learning, have a focus on Care as Curriculum, and align beautifully with our national curriculum, Te Whāriki, in particular the principles. At the heart of both is Relationship, working in partnership with child, whānau and kaiako, to support learning and development. This is built on the foundation of Respectful and Reflective Practice. Nature and sustainability are also important to me, and I love any opportunity to work with teams to create environments and offer children experiences with this in mind.
Mentoring
I have cherished the opportunity to support a number of kaiako in their teaching learning journeys, providing support, advice and guidance. It is inspiring to see kaiako grow as reflective practitioners, critical thinkers and advocates for children’s learning and development. I understand that learning is a life long journey, and feel privileged to be there to support kaiako in growing as reflective practitioners, including those going through their teacher certification, supporting kaiako with the Professional Growth Cycle, or those who in leadership.
Curriculum and Assessment
I have worked with teams on implementing Te Whāriki into daily practice and bringing it to the forefront in Learning Stories. When we think of Learning Stories as a way of assessment, we are open to seeing children’s learning in a variety of ways, not just a single story. It has been exciting to see teams gain an understanding of Learning Stories, with a commitment to taking the learning deeper, as well as being intentional in how to further support children’s exploration and learning.
Inquiry-based Research
I have had the privilege of being both a participant and a facilitator in the ELP professional learning clusters. Being a participant in the infant and toddler cluster in the early 2000’s was a turning point for me, leading me to working with kaiako to create programmes and environments for infants and toddlers. I believe that as early childhood educators, we have the opportunity to be innovative thinkers and creators of new ways of supporting learning and development for children. I have facilitated cluster groups, using Inquiry-based Research as a way of strengthening teaching and learning and have enjoyed seeing the shifts in practice and the positive impact this has made on children’s learning.




