Partners
Partnership is a guiding principle for Tiny Nation and we are really passionate about collaborating with parents and whānau, educators, the community and other like-minded services so that they can participate in and contribute to our journey. It does, after all, take a village to raise a child.
We believe that the real magic happens when we partner with others to offer our children, educators and families opportunities that they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to benefit from. We’re proud to work alongside some incredible early childhood education talent and specialists in the field of child wellbeing and development.
Key advisors of our programme, delivery and professional learning and development focus include:
Kimberley Crisp
Kimberley Crisp Professional Development and The Heart School
Kimberley works as a trained teacher (B.Ed (Teaching) ECE) in a range of early childhood services, and through adult teaching, has grown to see that ultimately it is ‘how’ adults are with themselves that is pivotal in ‘how’ they are with young children’. Kimberley has a ‘hands-on, hearts-in’ mantra that guides her work and is a champion of the Piklerian approach to early childhood education. This approach is based on kind and respectful relationships between adults and children, through tender care moments, naturally paced motor development, free movement and uninterrupted play.
Judy Hunter
Childhood Matters
Judy is a Child Mental Health and Well-being Specialist who works in a range of roles centered around child (and family) mental health and well-being. This includes delivering training, consultation and professional development to the children’s workforce. Judy is an accredited facilitator of the Circle of Security® Parenting™ programme and the FAN (Facilitated Attuned INteractions) training. She also offers ‘Mindfulness for Kids’ work using the MindUP™ curriculum in education settings, including ECE. Judy believes our children are our future – and that it’s up to us, as adults, to nurture and inspire them to be able to live their best lives. Her focus is on giving parents and educators the support to do this crucial work.
Sarah Aiono
Longworth Education
Sarah is a Director of Longworth Education and an accredited Ministry of Education PLD facilitator. She delivers workshops on teaching and learning through play with a specific focus on effective teaching practice within play-based learning environments. She is currently completing Doctoral-level research with Massey University, examining the role of the teacher in a successful play-based environment and how to support teachers in their professional practice. She is passionate about building children’s socio-emotional competencies so that they can experience success as adults.
Jenny Yule
Trail Blazer of Home-Based ECE in NZ
From primary school teacher and nanny tutor to education entrepreneur, Jenny has been a formidable figurehead in both influencing and leading a shift in perception about early childhood education and care across New Zealand. She founded PORSE over 25 years ago and has been challenging the status quo of large group childcare for children under the age of three ever since. She is credited with significantly contributing to the popularity and growth of home-based early learning in New Zealand.
Maria Robin
Te Reo and Tikanga Māori Consultant
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
Ko Maria Robin ahau, he kaiako ahau i roto i nga ao e rua, ara, ko te ao Māori, ko te ao tauiwi hoki.
Maria Robin is an ECE teacher and consultant with 30 years’ experience in both mainstream and Māori medium. Her mission is to inspire and empower Kaiako (educators) to achieve personal goals and to enhance professional practice, especially focusing on cultural locatedness and competence in Te Reo and Māori practices, Tikanga. The Education Council has a current focus on Tataiako competencies as an area to strengthen within the Standards for the Teaching Profession. Maria is excited about this renewed challenge, to uplift and enhance the professional learning and development of kaiako to positively impact on the learning of our tamariki.
Affiliations and Memberships
To support our Tiny Nation community to have a strong voice and advocate for our children, we are members of the following representative groups:
