Bernice Mene - Guardians
"The whole reason I went into the classroom was to try and make a difference"
Bernice Mene
Bernice is an experienced languages teacher. She is currently involved in a range of projects, including sports writing and Athlete Career Education for the New Zealand Academy of Sport.
Both of Bernice's parents represented New Zealand in sport, providing the inspiration for her to become captain of our Silver Ferns.
Bernice has a particular interest in working with Pasifika communities and young people.
Read more from Bernice:
"I have always had a love of education and learning. Right throughout school I dreamt of being a teacher, like my mother, and three inspiring language teachers that hugely influenced my life and career path. I went on to teach English, French, German and Maori in various secondary schools and loved my time in the classroom. It was by far the most rewarding job I have ever done - albeit the hardest." Addressing Graduating Teachers - University of Auckland
"I think that's one of the really powerful things about this Secondary Futures process - everyone can relate to it. It's about us. And it's positive. It's about what we can do - not what we can't."Addressing the 2004 PPTA Conference.
"We're lucky here in New Zealand. Our education system, and the range of experiences we can have growing up means that New Zealanders can strut it with the best of them on the world stage. We can set our sights on a goal, and then go out and achieve it. We have this "can do" attitude that no other country seems to have in such abundance."Addressing Carmel College (Auckland)
"At Secondary Futures we're gathering information about the world we'll be living in, our environment, population, technological aids, the world of work and so on, so that we can think about the best options for learning in the future."Bernice speaks to students, teachers and parents at the Mt Hutt College 2004 prizegiving.
"By looking a long way out, and thinking about the sort of society we will be living in, we can think about what sort of adults we want populating that society, and the role secondary education might play in supporting our young people to participate fully in those communities."Bernice speaks to the 2004 Arts Advisors' Hui.
