Natilee Orbell

Collaborative educator with a proven track record at Te Kura O Paetūmokai, adept at fostering positive learning environments and enhancing student engagement. Committed to collaboration and effective classroom management, I leverage critical thinking and cultural competence to drive exceptional student achievement. Passionate about professional development and dedicated to nurturing student success.

• Gina Smith, Former Principal, Te Kura O Paetūmokai, 0275960517
• Sue Button, Syndicate Leader, Te Kura O Paetūmokai, 0273682967
• Lindsey Dailly, Principal, Saint Teresas Featherston, 0277331636

My teaching philosophy is a living document and it changes as I grow and learn more as a teacher. With that said I know I have started my teaching career offering a culturally responsive classroom and understand that good classroom management strategies are vital to the smooth running of a class. I see myself as a teacher that is present in the classroom in the sense that I take the time to get to know my students and build relationships, I want the students to see that I have a genuine interest in them, I do not want my class to be just faces that I get to teach each day. I want my students to view me also as a learner, not someone who stands in front of them with a wealth of knowledge. I want them to understand they too come with knowledge and together we can gain new knowledge and learning. New Zealand has a very multicultural makeup today, so therefore teaching in New Zealand needs to teach and cater to these needs. My approach to creating a culturally responsive environment is to create a welcoming environment for not only students but for the whole whanāu. I have an open door policy. I believe that both students and their families need to feel accepted and valued within the school community. By creating such an environment teachers can gain the insight to the knowledge that the families bring with them, this important and invaluable knowledge can be integrated to the classroom, after all this is where the student gains their cultural identity from. I believe to be a culturally responsive teacher all students need to be comfortable within their own identity of who they are and also see the value that it brings to a classroom. My vision in the classroom is to share power not to use power to teach, I am aware that all students have diverse backgrounds, I recognise this everyday in the classroom and my teaching style is forever adapting to these needs. It is my responsibility to ascertain what motivates them to learn and also how to motivate them to learn. A key focus for me is the building of relationships and getting to know my students. It will be through building relationships with my students that I will learn what motivates them, some students will be intrinsically motivated and others will be extrinsically motivated, some may have a combination. I view teaching to be a community of learning and teachers to not stand alone. I endeavour to ask for help when needed and understand the importance of building collegial connections in order to shape my practice. Teaching means constant reflection on both yourself and your craft. My teaching philosophy will always be evolving as will I, there will be times that I have failures and successes, however it’s the learning that I take from this that is the most important.