Whangarei local, Tom Brooker, joined Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in February this year as a kaiako, but also as a tauira.

Tom teaches Kāwai Raupapa Level 4 and last semester he completed He Puāwai, Certificate in Adult and Tertiary Teaching.

“While I was studying, I was learning strategies and getting tools that I was able to take straight back to my classroom. I learnt strategies on how to bring the classroom back to a vibrant state and make it more learner-friendly,” he says.

Not only was Tom able to use his learning in his classroom, but he was surprised to discover that a lot of the programme content could also be implemented into his day-to-day life.

“You can use what you learn in everyday life. You gain skills that you can apply to your family life, your home life as a parent, as a coworker. It's a multi-faceted programme that you can draw skills from and apply to multiple levels in your own personal life.”

Studying locally was a benefit of the programme that appealed to Tom, saying, “There was nothing else around quite like this and no other institute delivering. It was cool not having to go away to study.”

Tom spoke highly of his kaiako, Terese Moriarty, and her ability to teach in such an engaging way, demonstrating just how highly skilled and knowledgeable she is.

Tom found that the kaupapa Māori intertwined into the programme content and learning environment made the learning process much easier and more engaging for him.

Building connections with other tauira, some of which are also kaiako at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, was another highlight for Tom and he is hopeful that those relationships will continue to grow.

“As a new kaiako it was nice meeting other kaiako while studying the same programme. Even though a few were from different areas, it’s still been good to make those connections outside of Whangārei.”

Find out more about our Education programmes.