Local Christchurch girl Geneva Fraser came back to New Zealand during COVID for the safety of home and to be close to family. Little did she know that a worldwide heath emergency would lead to a Grad Dip (ECE) from bicultural education provider Te Rito Miaoha.
Geneva has always had a connection to teaching, “I grew up coaching in the local pony club and later teaching yoga. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. Teaching felt really natural to me and I wanted to share what I know.”
“Graduating is pretty exciting, because Te Rito Maioha do things differently from some of the larger education providers. We’re allocated six tickets to the ceremony which means I can bring my dad and his partner, my mum and partner, my boyfriend and friends. It’s that kind of inclusiveness that sets Te Rito Maioha apart. We also get to choose where we graduate because Te Rito Maioha have 11 regional locations, which can be really important if your family and friends are in a different part of the country, and you want to celebrate with them.”
“Te Rito Maioha is like that from the very first moment you interact with them. It’s as if they’re welcoming you into their whānau. The first thing I noticed was the lecturers knew my name, and over time you become aware that they are genuinely invested in your success, in the same your own family want you to succeed. The staff always welcomed feedback, which ensured learning was a two-way street and I never felt like a number which is something I’ve experienced before. At Te Rito Mioha I was always ‘Geneva’.”
“The bicultural nature of Te Rito Maioha was also a real plus as we got to experience and feel comfortable in situations such as pōwhiri, where we shared kai and I found those experiences very personal.”
Geneva is the first of the Mana in Mahi participants to graduate with a teaching qualification. Mana in Mahi means strength in work and was launched by MSD in August 2018. The programme helps people who need extra help to get into long term work, so they receive the training and careers they deserve.
“I found it so helpful, especially after the uncertainty that Covid created. The programme gave me somewhere to work and I’m so grateful as they paid for my study. For me, removing those barriers was really important and the financial support was a big incentive.”
Geneva had originally focused on the idea of becoming a primary teacher, “but I chose ECE because you tend to work in teams. The Grad Dip is such an intense degree as it challenges your thinking and the support that you get from the lecturers is amazing. A degree like this helps you to develop critical thinking. Rather than just accept the way something is done. I now look at what we are trying to achieve when teaching a child. This really helps you to grow and contribute new ideas and knowledge.
Raewyn Penman is the Regional Education Leader in Christchurch and has been with Te Rito Maioha for four and a half years.
“I’m very proud of this year’s 44 Christchurch graduands, 29 of whom are graduating in person. Included in the qualifications archived are Masters (ECE), Postgraduate Diploma in Infant and Toddler Learning and Development, Graduate Dip (ECE), B.Tch (ECE), B.Tch (Prim), NZ Dip Home based and NZ Dip Montessori.”
“These students have worked incredibly hard, and it’s amazing to have them back for a short space of time and to hear their work stories. That’s incredibly rewarding to hear how they are making a difference for our tamariki and in our communities. It makes this job even more rewarding,” says Raewyn.
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