Bernadette Woffenden
My educational background
I began my journey supporting a friend to set up a Preschool when my children were preschoolers. This led to training in Early Education with Te Taari Puna Ora o Aotearoa and working with 0-2 yrs, then leading 3 Year old sessions then 4 year old preschool sessions. Overall I was involved with Early Education for 10 years but my heart was with the Primary level learner. I utilised my Sociology Degree to do Post-Graduate Training with NZ Graduate School of Education. From there I had a short fixed term position at Northcote School in Christchurch working running extension programmes and Learning support programmes from Yr 1 to Year 6. I then secured a permanent teaching position at Elmwood Normal School where I worked for 10 years. At Elmwood I had a range of roles over the years including Lead teacher for Technology, Science, Team leadership Support and eventually part of a Curriculum lead team of three.
I began my journey supporting a friend to set up a Preschool when my children were preschoolers. This led to training in Early Education with Te Taari Puna Ora o Aotearoa and working with 0-2 yrs, then leading 3 Year old sessions then 4 year old preschool sessions. Overall I was involved with Early Education for 10 years but my heart was with the Primary level learner. I utilised my Sociology Degree to do Post-Graduate Training with NZ Graduate School of Education. From there I had a short fixed term position at Northcote School in Christchurch working running extension programmes and Learning support programmes from Yr 1 to Year 6. I then secured a permanent teaching position at Elmwood Normal School where I worked for 10 years. At Elmwood I had a range of roles over the years including Lead teacher for Technology, Science, Team leadership Support and eventually part of a Curriculum lead team of three.
My interests outside of work
I breed Purebred Shetland ponies and are currently the president for the NZ Shetland Pony Breeders Society. We show and compete our ponies at A & P and breed shows. I also sometimes compete with my ponies in harness driving competitions or pleasure drives. I love horses and have always ridden and have breed our own horses as well and do some dressage and show judging. We live on a small holding and besides ponies we have Miniature Schnauzer dogs, a toy poodle and kune-kune pigs. I love gardening, making and creating, recycling furniture and sewing. I am very involved with my two children and their partners and my twin granddaughters. I enjoy reading, movies and being outdoors.
I breed Purebred Shetland ponies and are currently the president for the NZ Shetland Pony Breeders Society. We show and compete our ponies at A & P and breed shows. I also sometimes compete with my ponies in harness driving competitions or pleasure drives. I love horses and have always ridden and have breed our own horses as well and do some dressage and show judging. We live on a small holding and besides ponies we have Miniature Schnauzer dogs, a toy poodle and kune-kune pigs. I love gardening, making and creating, recycling furniture and sewing. I am very involved with my two children and their partners and my twin granddaughters. I enjoy reading, movies and being outdoors.
Liaison Schools: St Joseph’s, Ashburton Christian, Wakanui,Tinwald, Hampstead
My educational passions and superpowers
I am passionate about the transition to school being supported and positive for tamariki. I consider the first year at school as pivotal to set a student up for lifelong learning so I am always very keen to support teachers in their role with this. I am a positive practitioner who is genuinely strengths-based and value every opportunity to work with teachers in a coaching mentoring role. Collaboration may be my super power because I enjoy engaging with teams in systems work, working with students and their whānau and learning from the amazing RTLB colleagues in our cluster.
I am passionate about the transition to school being supported and positive for tamariki. I consider the first year at school as pivotal to set a student up for lifelong learning so I am always very keen to support teachers in their role with this. I am a positive practitioner who is genuinely strengths-based and value every opportunity to work with teachers in a coaching mentoring role. Collaboration may be my super power because I enjoy engaging with teams in systems work, working with students and their whānau and learning from the amazing RTLB colleagues in our cluster.
I taught primarily in the Junior school. Being a Normal School meant that I had a beginning teacher with me every term to mentor and support. My next school was closer to home at Southbridge Primary School where I had the opportunity to do ALIM (Accelerated Learning in Mathematics) with Senior students, taught Yr 0/1 and Liaised with the feeder Early Education Centres. Eventually I became the Junior Team leader and a member of the School BOT. I had always aimed one day to become an RTLB when I was ready to leave the classroom.