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Meet Shelley the LEARNZ Kaiārahi

Job: 

I am a LEARNZ field trip kaiārahi or guide

Job description: 

I organise science, geography and social science trips to a variety of places including orchards, cities, mountains, glaciers, forests, Antarctica and geologically active areas. In term one you can join me on the Seaweed Aquaculture field trip to Kaikōura and Nelson to discover more about this amazing resource.

Each LEARNZ field trip has background pages so that everyone knows where we're going and what we are going to see. These pages give helpful supporting information and are linked to the curriculum. I am happy to make videos, take photos and organise web conferences with experts about anything related to your classroom programme.

There are also activities associated with the background pages to further assist your students' learning. Please don't hesitate to share any ideas that you may have that can help us to improve the programme.

On location I am lucky enough to work alongside experts and we talk live to schools during web conferences. You and your class can feel part of the journey by exploring the field trip in Google Earth. From the comfort of your own classroom you can also experience new images and videos.

Work background: 

I taught for ten years, mostly in Intermediate Schools. I was in charge of science and outdoor education. I became a LEARNZ teacher in 2009.

Favourite part of job: 

Meeting interesting people in amazing places.

Least favourite part of job: 

Filming in the rain!

A (humorous) story about a job that went badly and what you learned: 

While I was working on the rugged West Coast of the South Island, we stopped on a corner of the track to complete a web conference. During the conference a cheeky weka sneaked out from under a flax bush and grabbed one of the ambassadors. After we had finished the web conference I looked for the ambassador and wondered where it had disappeared to. Eventually we found it well off the track after we had scared the weka away. I learned to keep an eye on the ambassadors!

Qualifications: 
  • Bachelor of Science majoring in Physical Geography
  • Bachelor of Education
  • Diploma of Teaching
Interests outside work: 

Spending quality time with my husband Paul, and our cat Tommie. I love anything that involves the outdoors and a bit of exercise. I enjoy mountain biking, climbing, ski touring and hiking. I'm always keen to learn more about our environment and how we can protect it for future generations.


Shelley is one of the LEARNZ field trip kaiārahi who will guide you during online field trips. Image: LEARNZ.

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