Tumultuous but rewarding journey for early childhood education graduates

NEW GRADUATES: Graduating with their Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood Education degrees last weekend are, back row (from left): Emmaray Clarke, Elyse McGregor, Fleur Bolton, Jessica O’Dwyer and Amy Crarer. Front: Abby Mead, Sashi Lata, Crystal Grayndler-Cleeton, Christine Taare and Jessica Tomalin. Picture by Stephen Jones Photography

Gisborne welcomed 10 new graduates when they took the stage to accept bachelor degrees from Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand.

The graduation is a celebration of commitment and dedication, says Gisborne leader of education delivery Gerry Koopu.

“This is also a chance to acknowledge the support of family and friends in every graduate’s success. The stories we hear are always uplifting and inspiring.

“Te Rito Maioha is confident our graduates are well prepared for careers in early childhood education.”

Graduate and Gisborne Kindergarten Association professional leader Christine Taare said it was a great occasion and she acknowledged the hard work put in by her fellow graduates.

“It’s a tumultuous and rewarding journey, with many balancing full-time work with study and family commitments,” she said.

Graduate Jessica Tomalin said she completed her degree in June last year so it was great to finally be capped.

She works at Kids House in Wairoa, and family came from Whangarei and Auckland to celebrate her graduation.

“We had to complete four block courses of study and were the first intake to do the degree component,” she said.

Most of the programmes of study require students to be working at least part-time in an early childhood centre.

This enables students to earn while they learn and immediately put into practise what they learned, Mr Koopu says.

“Our students also provide qualified teachers with exposure to new early childhood education research and teaching methods.”

The Te Rito Maioha programmes of study are bicultural, which means delivery is informed by te ao Maori.

“Our students gain a deep understanding of te reo Maori and tikanga Maori.

“Te Rito Maioha graduates are exactly, perhaps uniquely, the kind of early childhood teachers that New Zealand’s tamariki (children) need.”

Te Rito Maioha has 11 teaching bases from Whangarei to Dunedin.

Over the next month, more than 150 early childhood teachers will graduate from these bases.