Sura Obeidat
Hamilton,New Zealand
Summary
Innovative primary educator with over three years of experience raising achievement in classrooms representing more than forty nationalities and a high proportion of English Language Learners. Skilled in designing and delivering inquiry-driven, culturally responsive curricula grounded in evidence-based practice, integrating digital technologies and coding to accelerate academic growth and foster global citizenship. Recognised for creating, inclusive, high-trust learning environments and building strong school–family partnerships that strengthen student agency, wellbeing, and whole-school engagement.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Year 1 Classroom Teacher
Hukanui Primary School
Hamilton, NZ
10.2024 - Current
- Elevate achievement with 80% of students meeting curriculum benchmarks through targeted, data-driven instruction.
- Spearhead targeted reading interventions that enabled students to surpass expected reading outcomes.
- Leverage evidence-based programs including Heggerty, Yolanda Soryl, Structured Literacy, The Writing Revolution, and Numicon to accelerate literacy, numeracy, and language development.
- Engineer and implement inquiry-based, hands-on lessons differentiated through scaffolding, learning centers, and student choice to meet the needs of ELL/EAL, neurodiverse and high-achieving learners.
- Cultivate a supportive classroom culture by integrating PB4L, restorative practices, and a motivational reward system to strengthen self-regulation, peer connections, and student agency.
- Strengthen school–family partnerships through consistent communication, digital tools, and parent meetings, reinforcing learning at home and increasing engagement.
- Collaborate in co-teaching and team planning to ensure instructional coherence, shared responsibility, and whole-child support.
- Guide 5-year-olds’ transition into school life by modeling SEL, establishing consistent routines, and creating an inclusive, play-based environment.
- Championed schoolwide initiatives, including cultural events and school productions, fostering community engagement, student creativity, and a sense of belonging.
- Facilitate communication between the Senior Leadership Team and Arabic-speaking families through translation support, promoting equity and inclusion.
Year 4&5 Classroom Teacher
Willowbank School
Auckland, NZ
01.2022 - 07.2024
- Led inquiry-based projects integrating literacy, numeracy, and digital tools, enabling students to solve real-world problems through collaboration and critical thinking.
- Launched coding and robotics initiatives that enhanced creativity, digital fluency, and future-ready skills, contributing to whole-school innovation as a member of the Digital Technology Curriculum team.
- Embedded the Learning Pit framework and co-developed a classroom learning metaphor with students, cultivating resilience, metacognition, and a growth mindset that boosted student confidence and engagement by 80%.
- Adapted the New Zealand Curriculum for ELL/EAL learners, students with special needs, and high-achieving students through inclusive, differentiated instruction.
- Leveraged culturally responsive practices by aligning lesson content with students’ identities, experiences, and prior knowledge.
Bilingual Teaching Assistant
Otago Polytechnic
Dunedin, NZ
09.2020 - 11.2021
- Recruited, trained, and coordinated volunteers to facilitate weekly English Conversation sessions, increasing speaking fluency, confidence, and peer collaboration for over 30 ESL students.
- Delivered tailored instruction across NZ English Language Certification Levels (L2, L3 General, L3 Academic, L4 Academic), adapting strategies to diverse learning styles and enabling over 85% of students to progress to the next proficiency level.
Bilingual Course Coordinator (Summer Program)
Otago Polytechnic
Dunedin, NZ
10.2020 - 03.2021
- Designed and delivered a 6-week ‘Pathways to Independence’ program equipping 30 refugee-background youth with essential life skills, career readiness, and confidence to transition successfully to independent living.
- Coordinated communication among families, service providers, and academic staff, achieving 95% attendance and strong community engagement.
Bilingual Support Worker
Carisbrook School
Dunedin, NZ
09.2017 - 12.2019
- Mediated between students, families, school staff, and external agencies in Arabic and English, successfully resolving over 90% of issues through collaborative problem-solving.
- Delivered targeted academic and wellbeing support to refugee-background students, improving attendance and engagement.
Education
Master of Teaching and Learning - Primary Education
University of Otago-Dunedin
Bachelor of Science - Immunology and Microbiology and Food Science
University of Otago-Dunedin
Skills
- Inquiry-Based Pedagogy
- Culturally Responsive Teaching Practice
- Differentiated Instruction
- Cross Cultural Communication
- Evidence Based Teaching Strategies
- Student Growth and Wellbeing
- Assessment and Intervention
- System
- Google Workspace
- Seesaw
- Coding Integration
- Robotics Integration
- Canva
- Digital Fluency
- Heggerty
- Yolanda Soryl
- Structured Literacy
- The Writing Revolution
- Numicon
- Microsoft Office Suite
Timeline
Year 1 Classroom Teacher
Hukanui Primary School
10.2024 - Current
Year 4&5 Classroom Teacher
Willowbank School
01.2022 - 07.2024
Bilingual Course Coordinator (Summer Program)
Otago Polytechnic
10.2020 - 03.2021
Bilingual Teaching Assistant
Otago Polytechnic
09.2020 - 11.2021
Bilingual Support Worker
Carisbrook School
09.2017 - 12.2019
Bachelor of Science - Immunology and Microbiology and Food Science
University of Otago-Dunedin
Master of Teaching and Learning - Primary Education
University of Otago-Dunedin