Nikki
Grazier

Qualifications

Bachelor of Teaching and Learning (ECE) – Christchurch College of Education
Graduate Diploma of Teaching (ECE) – Christchurch College of Education
Bachelor of Education – University of Canterbury
Diploma of Teaching (Primary) – Christchurch College of Education

Professional profile

Nikki has been an Early Years Facilitator at Tātai Aho Rau Core Education since 2017 (known then as CORE Education) when she was appointed as a Curriculum Champion supporting the implementation of the updated curriculum Te Whāriki (2017). Prior to this she had 27 years’ experience teaching, managing, leading and mentoring in a diverse range of mainstream early childhood services. She reviewed for the Education Review Office from 2005-2008, after which she was one of the inaugural teachers at Daisies Education and Care centre in Wellington, with Dr Anne Meade.

Nikki now works with leaders and kaiako in varied early childhood settings, facilitating and challenging teachers' pedagogical thinking and beliefs to enable them to make transformative change in their practice. This is work that she is passionate about, and in which she can use her varied skills, knowledge and expertise. Her core value is to awhi and tautoko kaiako to strengthen practice and lead to excellence for tamariki.

Nikki currently leads SELO projects contracted by the Ministry of Education, and undertook an advanced leadership course and a cultural capability course. Nikki supports culturally responsive practice through Pasifika programmes and Tapasā mahi.

Nikki is a creative and clear communicator, who likes to weave story-telling into her mahi. She is a powerful role-model of life-long learning, she is driven by strong values and the desire to make a positive difference. She brings professionalism, respect, creativity, advocacy, integrity, energy, and heart to her work.

Expertise

• Curriculum implementation (Te Whāriki 2017)
• Localised curriculum
• Intentional teaching
• Relational pedagogy and respectful practice
• Pedagogical leadership and management
• Emotional intelligence and social competency
• Infants and toddlers
• Working theories and learning dispositions
• Schema Learning Theory
• Planning, assessment and evaluation
• Internal evaluation
• All early childhood service settings, support and guidance.

Publications

Meade, A. and Grazier, N. (2011) How children learn about responsibility. Daisies Early Education and Care Centre.

Recent conferences and presentations

2018 uLearn
2016 NZTC conference presentation, “Continuity of care at TLC; planning for the future.” (Grazier and Marouchos).

Personal statement

Ko koe kei tēnā kīwai, ko au kei tēnei kīwai o te kete.

This whakatauki speaks of people working together to each hold a handle of the basket. It resonates with me because I passionately believe that kaiako grow stronger as we work collaboratively and interdependently to do our work with tamariki and whānau. In the spirit of ‘ako’, I work alongside the kaiako as a teacher and learner and I feel truly blessed to be doing this mahi. Tātai Aho Rau Core Education is an amazing innovative and empowering organisation to work for. They have strong values for excellence and being culturally responsive.

I live in the Waitākere ranges, surrounded by ngahere, the beauty of Aotearoa. In my spare time I like to spend time with my family, walk the dogs, and paint.