CLAIRE BUIST | Associate Principal | HAPORI D

I am a passionate educator and a lifelong learner. 

My career in education can be summed up in three chapters. The first chapter of my career was focused on learning and developing the craft of teaching. My roles were a mix of full time and part time while my children were young but always involved stretch and leadership in Mathematics and ICT.  

The second chapter,  I refer to as the innovative stage. I embraced the emerging technology in a fast changing world and ensured I remained current in my practices and kept learning. It was during this phase of my career that I developed my theories around ubiquity, agency and autonomy for the learners and how technology advanced and accelerated engagement and learning. “Know when to turn it on and when to turn it off,” became a catch phrase of mine. 

The third chapter of my career, has been focussed on leadership development and I have been incredibly fortunate to do this from the establishment phase of Shotover School and as a team leader at St Clair Primary in Dunedin.  

I feel very fortunate to live in Queenstown and to be a member of the Shotover Primary School community. I  enjoy getting outdoors as much as I possibly can and am often seen trekking the trails with my foxy x, Baxter. . When I can be outside with my two adult daughters and young grand daughter, I feel at my best!