Edited by Claire Goode

Why is it that we remember some teachers and not others? What is it that makes a teacher excellent, and do recognised educators see these traits and practices in themselves? Are these factors something which can be learned?

In August and September 2019, I had the pleasure of sitting down with many of Otago Polytechnic’s (OP) national Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award winners for one-to-one conversations. While I had a core set of questions that I wanted to cover, it was also important to let the conversation flow naturally, and to allow people to reflect on key moments in their respective careers. What was it that drew them to teaching? What has influenced them as they have developed their practice? How do they describe their professional practice now? What would
they like to see in teacher development for the tertiary context moving forward?

In terms of the context, it is important to note that, at the time when participants were sharing their stories, a governmental review of vocational
education was under way in New Zealand. The uncertainty around this is reflected in elements of my participants’ stories, as they grappled with trying to see what the future might bring.

The awardees include teachers from a wide variety of professions, including nurses, artists, designers, carpenters, and chefs. Some now hold formal leadership roles; others demonstrate leadership in their subject area. Stories are organised principally in alphabetical order, with the stories of four members of an award-winning team grouped together to close.

ISBN: 978-0-908846-97-9 (Online)