Kia ora Kaylee! Thanks for taking the time to chat, we know you must be busy in your first year of teaching. Congratulations on the new gig by the way!
Thank you! I am the teacher in charge of performing arts at Manawatū College in Foxton. I got the job before I graduated, as teachers are often hired the year before the new teaching year starts. When I applied for the position, the school knew I was graduating with a Massey qualification. A letter of support from my lecturers saying I was almost qualified helped me get the role because of Massey’s reputation and they trusted I would be prepared. It was such a relief knowing I had a job to go to while I was completing my studies.
You have had a varied career in performing arts before teaching – performing all around the world and then working as a flight attendant for 8 years. What made you choose teaching at Massey?
Performing arts is my passion, but as I turned 30, I was thinking about a career which could offer more stability and less travel. Working in performing arts, you might have a contract for 2 days for a commercial or one for 3 months, so it’s not stable. At the time, I was turning 30 and was thinking about where I wanted to be in 5 years (hopefully married with kids!), so I wanted something that could be Monday to Friday, and that’s when a friend suggested teaching, which had always been at the back of my mind. I was living in Auckland but thought I could move back to my hometown in Whanganui, so with Massey just down the road in Manawatū, it made complete sense!
Tell us about your experience at Massey.
I left fight attending and went into full-time study at university with a mix of on-campus and online. I loved the flexibility and connection with my classmates and lecturers – even our online classes were a great time. I formed strong connections with my lecturers because they were available anytime I needed them, so they provided a strong support network. I'm still in touch with some of them even though I've left the university because they genuinely want to see you succeed, so they want to help you, even outside of Massey.
How have you found teaching performing arts so far?
I love it, it's amazing. I love being able to ignite that spark in rangatahi and encourage or help them to find a passion for arts and drama. A lot of my students might not have had access to dance and drama outside of school for a range of reasons, so it’s been awesome to help these kids find a passion.
To begin with, many of my students did not want to get up and do anything in front of anyone. They were feeling so whakamā, they were nervous and being teenagers, they're at a time in their life where they are so self-conscious and worried about what others think. Now, they’re performing confidently in front of each other and at assemblies, and it’s lifted their confidence and self-esteem. I feel like I’m making a real difference in their lives – the kids are my ‘why’. I don’t think I've ever had a job this rewarding.
Your passion must be so inspirational for the students. What are some of your goals for the future?
I want to be better at my craft and grow as a teacher, so I am just learning every single day. I want the arts to thrive at Manawatū College and for people to see the value it carries and the difference it can make in students’ lives. In a couple of years, my goal is to do a full production filled with singing, dancing and action.
