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Support staff

16 May 2025

Can’t stop the fight: Linda Jordan on 25 years as a teacher aide 

After 25 years as a teacher aide, Linda Jordan has just reluctantly retired from her much-loved job. She’s a dedicated member of NZEI Te Riu Roa and travelled the country interviewing teacher aides to build a picture of the role for the pivotal pay equity claim. Anna Bracewell-Worrall finds out what she misses and how she feels about the Government’s abrupt changes to the equal pay act.

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9 May 2025

Teacher aides are ‘the glue that keeps a classroom humming’

Often supporting students one on one in the classroom, teacher aides are vital to ensuring tamariki get the extra support they need at school, but their funding is precarious at best. Ngāmotu-based writer Emma Hislop (Kāi Tahu) visited Avon School in Taranaki to hear from staff, parents and akōnga about the amazing mahi of teacher aides.

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7 Mar 2025

Day in the life series: Jaydn Robson

From managing sports trials and uniforms to liaising with coaches, students and parents, Jaydn shares his busy day as Assistant Director of Sport at Newlands College. Warning: you may get tired just reading this.

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5 Feb 2025

ECE and support staff scholarships

Did you know NZEI Te Riu Roa awards over $30,000 worth of scholarship funds each year to ECE teachers and support staff? Ako spoke to some of the 2024 recipients about how they used the funds and the impact it has had on their mahi.

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5 Feb 2025

Victoria Goode: 2024 scholarship recipient

Teaching assistant Victoria Goode facilitates a Nurture Group at Nelson Central School. She received a Support Staff scholarship from NZEI Te Riu Roa in 2024 and used the funds to train with Nurture International in the UK. She answered some questions about her experience of the scholarship.

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5 Feb 2025

Paul Hartland: 2024 scholarship recipient

Teacher aide Paul Hartland received a Support Staff scholarship from NZEI Te Riu Roa in 2024 and used the funds towards his study to become a qualified counsellor. He is now working as a counsellor at Pukekohe High School. He answered some questions about his experience of the scholarship.

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26 Aug 2024

Let’s celebrate the learning support staff of Aotearoa

One in five children and young people need extra support for their learning. Whether it’s teacher aides, classroom and ECE centre teachers, specialist roles including RTLBs, SENCOs/LSCs or school leaders, almost all professionals in education connect on a daily basis with unmet need in learning support. Here, we profile a range of NZEI Te Riu Roa members working as learning support specialists, as part of the inaugural Learning Support Awareness Day, intended to raise awareness of the gaps between learning support need and provision.

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15 Aug 2024

Advice to your past self: reflections from Mt Cook School 

AKO visited Mt Cook School in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington to talk to five NZEI Te Riu Roa members. We heard their reflections on their careers in education and the changes they’ve witnessed over time, and then asked them one powerful question: what advice would you give your past self starting out in the profession, knowing what you know now?

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18 Jul 2024

Inclusive education – let’s talk about OCD 

When obsessive compulsive disorder is misunderstood, students and staff living with OCD are alienated from classrooms — how do educators create more inclusive learning environments for all? A psychologist, a teacher living with OCD, a student and his mum share their perspectives.

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Summer 202322 Feb 2023

Learning for life

Professional learning and development (PLD) is a critical part of practice for all educators. But how do they ensure their ongoing learning has the best impact for ākonga? These personal stories showcase some outstanding PLD experiences that benefit students, educators and whole communities.

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Autumn 202218 Mar 2022

History can hurt

In interviews with practitioners Ako asks how kaiako can prepare for difficult conversations in the classroom that might arise when teaching Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories.

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Kapanui School.
Winter 201910 Sep 2019

The community of kapa haka

For nearly a decade, Kapapapanui School in Waikanae has been using kapa haka as a way of building community in and around the school – and the benefits have been extraordinary for both Māori and non-Māori students.

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