|
Yo is one of five award winners in the Kaupapa Māori category of the National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards (TTEA) 2020; the first win for Unitec in the Kaupapa Māori category. It is also the greatest number of Kaupapa Māori teachers to be recognised in any one year since the category was introduced ten years ago.
As an award winner, Yo will also be in the running for the top award, the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award, which will be announced at a later date.
The panel of judges said that Yo’s work in early childhood teacher education – embedded in Kaupapa Māori – is “motivational, transformative and empowering”.
They also said that, “Yo creates learning environments to enable leadership potential to flourish through relational teaching and the principle of ako. One course she designed, ‘Ngā Kete Manaakitanga’ – helping student teachers’ develop their competency in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori – has had a profound impact on learners.”
One of her students commented, “Through [this] course … I gained a more holistic understanding of who I am…”
Anyone who knows Yo will know her enthusiasm, her aroha for her students and her dedicated commitment to living our Te Noho Kotahitanga values in every aspect of her mahi.
I’d like to acknowledge the input of our Te Puna Ako team – and Karen Haines in particular – in providing support and mentorship to Yo in her journey to achieving this highly-esteemed accolade.
I’d also like to acknowledge Dr Kristie Cameron, Senior Lecturer in the School of Environmental and Animal Sciences, who was our other awards nominee, and whose outstanding level of teaching was recognised in her nomination.
Please join with me in congratulating Yo on her national success, and the pride that she has brought us all as a member of the Unitec whānau.
Ngā mihi
Merran Davis
Interim Chief Executive
|
