Gae
Thawley

Lead Facilitator

Region: Canterbury/Chatham Islands
Gae Thawley

Qualifications

Gae Thawley Lead Facilitator (Early Years)

Dip ECE, Dip Tchg (Primary) 

Accredited facilitator English medium ACC1263

Accredited wellbeing facilitator NZIWR

Professional profile

Gae has a strong and proven commitment to early childhood education with many years experience working in a diverse range of settings and roles. These roles include teaching, leadership, management, facilitation, working with leaders and aspiring leaders, communities, kaiako, Kāhui Ako, whānau and tamariki.

Gae is a creative and clear communicator with strong social and cultural competencies. She is an initiator and innovator who is driven by strong values and the desire to make a positive difference. She brings professionalism, respect, creativity, integrity, energy, and heart to her work.

Expertise

  • Designing and creating peaceful, playful, and respectful environments
  • Curriculum design and implementation
  • Mentoring leaders and aspiring leaders
  • Designing and delivering  leadership programmes 
  • Designing and facilitating professional learning experiences 
  • Social justice and inclusive pedagogy
  • Wellbeing and resilience
  • Leadership
  • Conferences, presentations, seminars and workshops

2021: Leaping into Leadership webinars
2021: Taking a closer look at cultural competence webinar
2019: uLearn Matika Maranga – a call to action – Te Whāriki
2018: He poutama whakapakari o te hautūtanga. Exploring and growing leadership. Kidsfirst Kindergartens. “Leading with Heart”

Personal statement

Te tāpaepae o te rangi.

This whakataukī speaks of looking to the place where the sky reaches down, seeking out the furthest horizon. This whakataukī guides me in my work, thinking and commitment to ongoing learning. It also speaks to me about the way I work with others in collaborative and inclusive ways to seek out these horizons together.

My ways of being are based on whanaungatanga, creating authentic, sincere relationships, manaakitanga, valuing diversity, and being an advocate for social justice, inclusion, and equity.

I am part of a close-knit, large whānau. I am constantly learning and gaining wisdom from the life experiences that being part of a large family offers.