Role

Annie delivers teaching papers for the early childhood tauira across the motu, and supports the academic and pastoral care for local tauira at Te Whanganui-a-Tara takiwā ako.

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Education Background

Annie began teaching in early childhood in the Hutt Valley back in 1996. After 12 years teaching, she took on a role within the Ministry of Education (MoE), Special Education, as a specialist teaching in the early intervention space. Her 16 years with MoE, allowed her to experience a wide range of aspects of education in Aotearoa; from an early childhood portfolio holder across Wellington, to the management of the data systems.

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Research Background

Annie’s most recent research has been in management and business studies, the professional practice element of her papers have always been driven by the mahi she is involved in at the time. She is thrilled to immerse herself back into early learning and development, and help strengthen the lens of diversity and inclusive environments and attitudes, enabling access to high quality education and care for all.

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Teaching Interests

Annie is absolutely passionate about inclusion, and access for all. She loves to utilise a variety of different teaching styles in order to meet the needs of our tauira. Annie is creative, expressive, energetic, and drawn to opportunities to learn and develop. When she first started teaching in the late 90s early 2000s, she was struck by how often she was asked “what I did for a living?” And when she answered she was a teacher, she was asked whether she taught primary or secondary, so she began telling people that I was an artist. When the “type of art” was the following question, she would respond, “sculpting”. When asked “what medium” she explained that she sculpted and moulded young children as they experienced the world around them and grew and developed – she was an early childhood educator!