Meet our World Teachers' Day Ambassadors
The New Zealand Teachers Council is the professional body for teachers in New Zealand, so naturally we fly the flag for our country’s teachers.
This World Teachers’ Day we’re running a conference called Mentoring the Next Generation – what does it take? The next generation are our newly qualified teachers and some teachers from overseas. These teachers start out as provisionally registered.
Meet three of New Zealand’s new generation of teachers. They are dynamic, committed and passionate about teaching children and young people.
And . . .you can quote them on that!
Krista Matich and Micheline Evans – Maungaraki School, Lower Hutt
Krista and Micheline are both provisionally registered teachers (PRTs) in their first year of teaching at Maungaraki primary school in Lower Hutt. Principal Carmen Jennings said they are two very capable and hardworking teachers.
Krista Matich and her class in action.
Carmen: “Not only do they run their classes fabulously, they also take on some extra school activities.
“Krista liaises with the kindergarten regarding new entrant students and with the parents of preschool children organising school visits for them at suitable times. She also organises the school netball teams - coaches, skirts and enrolments, runs and organises the staff social club. . .and helps organise a staff function at the end of each term.
“Micheline has started up a school Kapa Haka group which has performed at several whole school occasions, is one of two Enviroschools teachers, meeting with the Enviroteam weekly during a lunch hour and co-ordinating activities from this. She also set up and maintains the Enviroschools blog on the school website and helps to lead Te Reo Māori around the school."
The New Zealand Teaches Council asked Krista and Micheline about the defining moment that led them to teaching and what their first year has been like!
Pathway to teaching
Krista: “I didn't love what I was doing, and met a friend one day who was in her first year of her primary school paper and I couldn't help but love her stories.
“I decided to give it a go and absolutely loved the first week travelling around Dunedin visiting early childhood and primary schools.
“I still love it, and think how lucky I am that I get to wake up every day and go to work. Not many people get to feel like that.”
Micheline: “After I finished studying the first time round, I was offered a job working for the Science Roadshow, which is a science education programme that travels to primary and secondary schools around the country. I had never considered working with children before that, but after the first few days, I felt pretty sure that I wanted to teach.”
Micheline Evans and her class in action.
Entering the classroom as new teachers
Krista: “I'm a very organised person and thought I could conquer teaching in the January holidays before school started. WHAT A JOKE!
“I remember planning numerous activities days before I had even met most of the school staff. The morning came and I was incredibly nervous to meet the children and their parents. I even worried too much about what I was wearing!
“Luckily, I had a great tutor teacher and principal who came and guided all of the parents away so I could start the first day of the rest of my career! What a blast!"
Micheline: “I had some pretty mixed emotions. I was definitely excited about the prospect of having my own classroom, and incredibly scared. I remember being very eager to start the term, so I went into school quite a lot during the summer holidays before term started.”
Inspiration to teach
Krista: “I love how each child is different and how they each have their own sense of quirkiness. I spend a lot of my day laughing, which is inspiring in itself.
“I love it when a child discovers something, or reads a word that they only just learnt. I think it's awesome how I'm allowed to be a part of their learning.
“I'm inspired to come to work every day because of how cool the kids are that I get to teach. I get to spend my days, not in an office, but in an exciting place where we all learn and discover together. Their progress and their smiles inspire me!”
Micheline: “I love the enthusiasm children bring to the classroom. I find it really inspiring, because I think adults sometimes need to be reminded about how to get excited about the world around them.
“Children also often notice things that we don't, and look at things through quite a different lens. I really enjoy listening to all of the different perspectives that exist in a classroom.”
Being mentored
Krista: “I have an amazing tutor teacher. She is always available so I'm very lucky. She got to school this morning and I had questions for her before she had even turned her computer on. I pointed this out and we laughed together.
“I think that having a good tutor teacher is essential to your first year of teaching. I wouldn't be where I am now without her support.
“Having so many experienced teachers that are willing to help me has made my year so much easier!
“My teaching practice has been developed just by watching, listening and being supported by the wealth of knowledge that I'm surrounded in. It's AWESOME!”
Micheline: “My tutor teacher is really amazing. She is always available when I need to talk to her (even outside of school hours), and has gone out of her way to support me countless times.
“She has provided me with structured support and ideas at times and also let me do my own thing when I have wanted to. When I have come to her with a problem, or an idea, she has always provided me with resources, strategies and told me who else I can talk to for more information.”
And how do their students sum them up as teachers?
"Super dooper cool" said Zachary
"Nice" said Allie
"Good and lovely" said Joanna
"Happy and exciting" said Jamine
"Cool" said Frankie
"Fabulous” said Ethan
"Gorgeous and nicey" said Julia
"Wonderful" said Stephanie
"Silly in a good way" said Ben
Jesse Enriquez – Rosehill College, Auckland
Jesse is a provisionally registered teacher who entered our ‘Teachers in Action’ photo competition with a photo taken on a tripod. He captioned it “Finding relevance and fun in everyday things, Mr Enriquez teaching the art of origami in making a paper boat Waka in Y9 Social Studies culture lesson.”
We asked Jesse about the defining moment that led him to teaching and what his first year has been like!
Jesse Enriquez and his class in action.
Pathway to teaching
Jesse: “The defining moment came to me when I was conducting a seminar at Natcoll Design Technology and the participants thought I was doing a stand up comedy as they were laughing and enjoying my lessons.
“From that day on, I knew teaching was for me. I am not afraid to commit mistakes, take calculated risks and make up for it in an enjoyable fashion. When there are things I don’t know, I say to my students 'then let’s learn it together!'”
Entering the classroom as a new teacher
Jesse: “It was a mixture of anxiety and excitement in equal measures. I was anxious because all eyes were on me but excited at the same time because I would be an active participant in promoting the New Zealand Curriculum.
Inspiration to teach
Jesse: “Being inspirational and affecting students in a positive way. For instance, from a student’s ‘huh’ moment to progressing it to a happy reply of “aaahhh” makes my day worthwhile. It is really like turning on a cerebral lightbulb.”
Teaching at Rosehill College
Jesse: “I’m actually a trained Graphics and Technology teacher with a degree in Graphic Design. The principal has been good enough to give me an opportunity to teach Art Design and at some point Social Studies. I’m fortunate to have a dynamic principal.
“Teaching at a mid-decile school has provided me an opportunity to experience the full range of student learning abilities. As a result, my teaching style is continually evolving and makes me learn with the students as well. It is in this kind of environment that having a natural disposition to teach is just as important as being a subject expert in your field.”
And how do Jesse’s students sum him up as their teacher?
Inspiring, relevant, cool.
Note to media: to request a copy of the original photographs for publishing please email charlotte.brown@teacherscouncil.govt.nz