Niki Burtenshaw

Niki has been teaching for thirteen years and has developed a passion for Environmental Education for Sustainability.  She is very passionate about te taiao – nature and the environment. Niki’s classroom programme has integrated curriculum concepts that focus on environmental issues. Looking after the environment, and inspiring rangatahi to become empathetic and caring towards nature – leading to positive action and change, is very rewarding for Niki. Some of the changes made at her kura include; cultivating a school orchard, Pou Kaitiaki (enviro students), river/stream cleanups, changing from plastic trays to paper wrapping for school-wide sushi orders, developing environmental themes into the school’s local curriculum that is connected to the whakapapa and waterways of their community.

In 2019, Niki attended the annual BLAKE Inspire for Teachers programme. There, she was able to participate and collaborate with other like-minded teachers and create ideas and teaching plans for students, other kaiako, and the wider community. Her other interests include reading, gardening, bushwalking, water activities, and enjoying living in Aotearoa New Zealand.