Samantha Harvie

I am originally from Taranaki and attended Hawera High School.

My whole whānau is made up of teachers - my grandparents, mum and aunty - so for me it was something I had a knack for, and having two younger siblings aged 11 and 5 also helped.

Teaching to me was a no-brainer as I love being around children and helping tamariki to learn is something near and dear to my heart.

I chose the University of Waikato as they had the best teaching degree on offer and my best friend was also going to go there.

I have had a lot of opportunities while studying at Waikato. I went to Singapore in January and February 2023 on a five-week educational exchange through the National Institute of Education, Singapore.

The classroom in Singapore was definitely different to New Zealand.

Each student had a compulsory subject called Mother Tongue, where they had to learn their cultural language - Malaysian, Tamil, or Chinese - as well as English so they essentially become fluent in two languages from a young age.

It was a really interesting experience to have the opportunity to teach in another country, and will help me be more inclusive within the classroom in the future.

I enjoy teaching because I like seeing the progress children make in their education with my help, and seeing their smiles when you make them feel good about their learning.

There is nothing better than when your kids give you something they made from the heart, like a card or a drawn picture, and you know that you have had an impact on their learning and life.

After graduation, I hope to use my degree to teach overseas, so that I can continue to explore the world while pursuing my passion for teaching.