Jacky
Young

Qualifications

Teacher Registration (full) - 160935 

Accredited Facilitator (Ministry of Education) - ACC 223 (maths, structured literacy, assessment, and cultural capability endorsements)

Master of Education (Educational Leadership and Administration) - Massey University

Diploma of Teaching – Auckland Teachers’ College

Bachelor of Arts – University of Auckland

Professional profile

Jacky joined Tātai Aho Rau Core Education (then known as CORE Education) at the beginning of 2016 as a professional learning facilitator. Her belief in the importance of equity for all, and her deep and broad experience working within the secondary education sector as a secondary senior leader, teacher, middle leader, assessment and pastoral leader have been valued by those she works with. Her main teaching subject was within the Sciences and Maths learning areas (with a specialism in Biology). However she has also had experience in teaching Computer Science, English and cross-curricular Integrated Studies where she was able to weave multiple learning areas together to suit the needs of her learners.

As an experienced facilitator, Jacky has worked extensively in both primary and secondary educational settings. She co-creates tailored professional learning opportunities in a wide range of areas, working collaboratively with leaders and staff in both contexts. Her work has also connected her with clients from outside the educational area. Regardless of the context, she is able to support people in successfully leading change. She co-designs learning opportunities that are responsive to the needs of the client. She ensures the development and implementation of desired outcomes, competencies and capabilities, using proven strategies designed to deepen engagement, learning and achievement. While underpinned by research theories and evaluative frameworks, her work always contains practical elements of what can be used within any context, to transform learning for all those who are involved.  She ensures everyone achieves their desired outcomes.

Jacky has been involved in a number of Tātai Aho Rau projects besides facilitating professional learning and development. She has also worked closely with schools to review their curriculum delivery, strategic plans and professional development projects; and has written a number of  curriculum resources related to the science learning area, drawing on her prior experience as a science advisor in primary schools. She was also part of the Greater Christchurch Schools’ Network (GCSN) providing personalised learning programmes for staff as they improve their digital fluency capacities to enhance the learning of their students.

Expertise

Jacky has expertise in the following areas:

Change leadership

Successfully supporting leaders to:

• build leadership capability
• support leadership of change
• work collaboratively to improve learning outcomes for ākonga
• align practice to a school's vision, values and strategic intent
• plan strategically for future-focused teaching and learning
• facilitate appropriate professional learning opportunities with staff to grow professional capability
• consult and gather feedback from all stakeholders.

Curriculum design

Successfully supporting schools to:

• implement new learning areas such as the revised Maths and English curricula.
• understand and respond coherently to the NCEA change programme initiatives
• review what is currently in place and to then strategically consider areas to focus on and next steps
• honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi within their teaching and learning programmes
• explore literacy and numeracy development in both primary and secondary contexts
• co-create a more localised curriculum that is reflective of a school’s needs and aspirations
• build on and extend existing pedagogies to support success for all learners
• develop their inclusive practices and skills (eg using Universal Design for Learning) to design equitable programs so that all students experience success
• implement authentic and meaningful learning opportunities related to the revised New Zealand Curriculum Te Mātaiaho
• investigate STEAM/STEM programmes of learning

Assessment for learning 

Successfully supporting schools to:

• use assessment principles that best support effective learning and teaching.
• implement assessment for learning strategies school wide
• engage ākonga within the learning process
• investigate and implement a range of assessment strategies to ensure success for all ākonga
• build learner agency

Evaluative capability

Successfully supporting schools to:

• interpret and make sense of quantitative and qualitative data to inform practice, evaluate progress, and target interventions and achievement
• use achievement data to inform curriculum design, delivery and assessment programmes
• develop school-wide self-review processes to support school improvement and accountability.

Cultural capability

As an Ministry of Education attested facilitator, successfully supporting schools to:

• explore and design culturally responsive practices for their context
• explore their ability to honour their Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations
• critically review and then implement professional development to ensure that all are able to see their culture reflected in what learning occurs and achieve success.

Digital fluency

Successfully supporting schools to:

• develop the processes and capabilities required to provide opportunities for all learners to become digitally literate and fluent
• use best practice strategies to enable accessible, relevant and high quality, blended learning to improve learner engagement and achievement

Testimonials

• “Jacky has been super responsive to our needs and facilitates so well to our staff. She is a real treasure who is welcome at our school!” (Primary Principal)
• “Jacky's professional development activities have been instrumental in my growth as an educator.” (Primary Teacher)
• “Jacky's approach to professional development has been transformative, offering practical resources, evidence-based insights, and a thoughtful blend of learning formats. I am grateful for the valuable knowledge and skills gained, and I look forward to further growth in my teaching journey.” (Secondary Teacher, middle leader)

Personal statement

I love learning, and the sciences and processes involved in learning. I believe that we are all learners and we are all teachers (ako). Teaching and learning have been my lifelong passions, and will continue to be so. I enjoy the creativity, the energy and excitement that comes with learning and applying new skills and in seeing the potential of what could be. I enjoy imparting that passion and sense of fun with learning to others and seeing that ‘lightbulb’ moment when a learner (of any age) has just ‘got it’, and what that could mean to them, how they could then put that learning into practice that’s relevant to them.

I am passionate about improving the learning experiences of all students by finding ways to remove barriers and to improve their learning experiences and opportunities. To me, this is what equity is all about, and strongly believe that everyone has the right to learn.  

You are never too old to learn, and never too young to teach. 

“When you stop learning, you stop living.” 

(Alan McDiarmid, NZ recipient of Nobel Peace Prize, 2001, a variation on a quote by Albert Einstein).