NZTC student graduates 19 years after her last qualification
The road to achieving a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE) was filled with obstacles for New Zealand Tertiary College (NZTC) student Kate Pooley, but with hard work, perseverance and support she completed her qualification.
“Kate demonstrated tremendous perseverance while studying with NZTC. She had a few challenges along the way that she was determined to overcome,” explains Vanessa O’Neill, Pastoral Support at NZTC’s Christchurch campus.
“She made the most of the support available at the college, including seeking support from the lecturers, the academic skills team and Pastoral Support, and had good support from her Associate Teacher and centre.
“Kate showed real devotion to her passion of becoming a qualified teacher by remaining focused, staying positive and being committed to her studies.”
After educating children in the UK for many years, Kate, who is in her 60s, moved to New Zealand in 2014.
While working as a relief teacher for children aged up to 13 years old after the move to New Zealand, Kate identified gaps in her knowledge that she felt could be addressed through further study.
“After having a discussion with the staff at a school where I taught frequently, they affirmed that studying with NZTC was the best option for me to achieve the additional knowledge I needed,” said Kate.
“I then pursued this ambition after settling in the South Island and finding that there was a local need for qualified ECE teachers,” she said.
During the course of her studies it became apparent to Kate that studying through the college’s NZTC Online platform posed some challenges; according to Kate, the computer skills that she had were lacking for online study.
Kate also found that there was often a mismatch between her understanding of an assessment and what was actually expected.
However, with the support of lecturers and Pastoral Support at the college, as well as the Associate Teachers at her centre, she succeeded in achieving her goal of graduating with a qualification that enabled her to apply for New Zealand teacher registration.
“The best advice I can offer is to write down your interpretation of an assessment as soon as you receive it and directly speak to the person who will be marking it to ensure you are on the right track,” said Kate.
Following graduation, Kate hopes to find a permanent, part-time position at a local community-based preschool and nursery and join a mentoring and assessment program in order to gain full teacher certification.