Kia ora, I'm

Leo.

PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY TEACHER · UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY

I believe tamariki learn best when they feel known, trusted, and free to ask questions nobody has answered yet.

Joining Year 6 at Remarkables Primary School, Queenstown, for my upcoming placement.

Leo at Milford Sound, Aotearoa New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand · home, learning, and new beginnings.

01 / ABOUT ME

I came to primary teaching from the other end of the education system.

I used to teach first-year university students. What stayed with me was how important it is to build the foundations early: reading closely, disagreeing well, and staying with a difficult question instead of giving up. I now want to help tamariki develop those habits in a primary classroom.

Aotearoa is home now. I studied here, taught here, and chose to stay. Primary teaching is where I think I can give the most back.

02 / IN THE CLASSROOM

What I bring to learning.

These are habits I'm continuing to practise every day.

Relationships first

I want learners to feel known, respected, and confident that their voice matters.

Responsive teaching

I notice learner responses and adjust questions, explanations, and support.

Thoughtful preparation

Clear goals, purposeful resources, and room for students to think and try.

Learning through feedback

I ask for feedback, reflect on it, and use it to make my practice stronger.

03 / PRIMARY TEACHING EXPERIENCE

What I've taught so far

From my first placement — across guided groups, whole-class learning, structured literacy, and morning hui.

Reading — guided groups and whole class
Writing — modelled and independent writing
Mathematics — whole class and targeted small groups
Phonics — structured literacy lessons
Handwriting — explicit modelling
Health & PE — whole class
Morning hui — daily, whole class

04 / WHAT MATTERS TO ME

Learning is shared work.

Whanaungatanga

Respectful, reciprocal relationships create belonging.

Ako

kaiako and ākonga can learn with and from one another.

Clarity with curiosity

Ideas can be understandable without losing their sense of wonder.

05 / ALWAYS LEARNING

What I'm developing

01
Making instructions and teacher talk shorter and clearer.
02
Expanding behaviour-management and transition strategies.
03
Building confidence in using te reo Māori and tikanga Māori in everyday practice.

06 / OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

A few things I enjoy

Books

Stories, ideas, and the questions they leave behind.

Games

A good game can be a puzzle, a story, or a shared adventure.

Photography

I like noticing small details that are easy to miss.

07 / MY JOURNEY

From big questions to the primary classroom.

01
Political Science
Learning how ideas, institutions, and people shape one another.
02
Philosophy
MSc, University of Edinburgh · PhD, University of Otago.
03
Teaching & course design
University tutoring and creating history and ethics courses.
04
Beginning kaiako
Bringing inquiry, clarity, and care into primary learning.

08 / LANGUAGES

Languages are different ways of seeing.

I USE

I'M LEARNING