Michelle Daniels - Bachelor of Education (Teaching)

“My teaching journey began with a phone call from the principal of the local area school to see if I wanted to work in the school library; I immediately said yes. I worked in that role for five months and really enjoyed it, before I was offered another position as a teacher aide in the primary side of the school, where I was able to work alongside students, teachers and whānau that I was familiar with. I jumped so quickly at the opportunity because I have always loved being in a learning environment.

“After three years of being a teacher aide, I decided to take my career a step further by upskilling and understanding the dynamics of teaching. I wanted to give new knowledge back to my hapu and iwi, in the same way that they instilled so much knowledge in me. I was encouraged by my son Wiremu who was proud to say his mummy is a teacher at his old school.

“I was driven not only by my colleagues and family, but also by the students I was so privileged to help teach. My students said to me, "Whaea, go and do your teaching degree, and when you are finished, come back home and teach us", and because of this, I took the leap and enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (Teaching) at the University of Auckland. In the beginning I was nervous but I knew that it was the best thing I could have done.

“The best thing about the Bachelor of Education (Teaching) is the relationships. I started university as a shy Māori girl who moved away from her family in the country. I was in a foreign place and felt that I might be misunderstood because of my lack of knowledge about Auckland itself but that was short-lived. All I knew was that my knowledge would be different to others and that made me unique. I felt comfortable enough to start talking to one person, and then one led to two, and so on.

“I formed relationships with a diverse range of people, each one bringing their own experiences and knowledge with them. Meeting new people and establishing good relationships with my colleagues and staff of the University has made what I thought was going to be an arduous journey an easier one. Yes, I still have challenges, but knowing that I have someone to talk to who has walked in my footsteps has made it a little bit easier.

“Everything that I have learned during this programme has either helped to improve prior skills, or has become a new skill and tool to use – from accessing resources online to differentiating lesson plans to meet the learners’ needs. In a teacher aide position, sometimes we get told what to do without an explanation or guidance on why we do this and how we do this. However, the Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Primary programme supports upskilling and offers a wide range of support to help you develop those skills. Practicum prepares you to use those skills in a class and school setting. The University staff are very supportive and understand any issues and challenges you might be facing. It is very easy to be passionate and stay passionate in becoming an educator.

“In the future, I’d like to return to the University of Auckland to complete a higher degree in Education. I also see myself teaching in a school up north, giving back to the families and the community by using the tools gathered and knowledge attained while at the University of Auckland, to teach and facilitate learning within the school and wider community.

“My advice to teacher aides considering further study is simple: Tu whitia te hopo. Feel the fear and do it anyway.”