Teacher’s journey from the Air Force to Tai Tokerau Campus

Teacher’s journey from the Air Force to Tai Tokerau Campus

Lindsay Laing had a long journey into teaching, despite his desire to be a teacher starting early in his life.

Now as co-ordinator of the University of Auckland’s Tai Tokerau Campus in Whangarei, he wants more young people to choose teaching as a profession so they can enjoy it as much as he has.

Lindsay initially trained as an electrician before joining the RNZAF in 1967 as an Education Officer. He remained in the RNZAF until 1987 during which time he completed his New Zealand Certificate of Engineering, Diploma of Education and Diploma in Teaching. His time in the Air Force took him to London where he taught at Brixton College and to Woodlands School in Singapore. Despite his varied background he rates his time in the classroom as his most rewarding.

He credits two teachers who inspired him during his school days; Miss Crane at South Invercargill Primary School, and Miss Gunn at Tweedsmuir Intermediate School.

“They showed me that they really cared. I had lots of good teachers that have been able to teach subjects, but they showed a level of caring for people that really inspired me.

“They engaged us. Learning was fun, we still had boundaries - it wasn’t too laissez-faire – but in those days they made an effort to make the learning inside the classroom and outside the classroom more enjoyable and engaging.”

After retiring as a Wing Commander from the RNZAF Lindsay held a senior management position with the Northland Polytechnic. He then taught mathematics and science for eight years at Mangakahia Area School in Northland. Lindsay completed his Masters in Education Administration in 2000. He went on to become Principal at Inangahua College at Reefton and then Principal at Tokomairiro High in Milton.

Lindsay says he now finds his work as co-ordinator of Tai Tokerau Campus just as rewarding as his time in the classroom. The campus offers students the option of taking the Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Primary Specialisation or the Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Huarahi Maori Specialisation at the university’s Whangarei Campus, thereby removing the stress of relocating to Auckland.

Students also benefit from the Tai Tokerau campus staff expertise. Many of the academics and lecturers have taught in the Northland schools where their students are planning to teach.

Lindsay says while teachers need ‘a degree of commitment and patience’ there are great benefits and rewards in the profession.

“They have to reflect: do they have the passion to work with all types of students, not just the competent ones, the ones that readily engage? They need to ensure the way they’re facilitating the learning is enough to include those that have been disengaged for a while too.”

“We are certainly fortunate to be around young people when the learning moment occurs, when they actually get it. They come to a point where the concept is grasped by them and we’re just fortunate we are there for the ‘oh, I understand’ moment. That’s where the joy lies.”

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