When I first arrived in New Zealand as a teacher from India, I felt like a novice driver switching from the left-hand wheel to the right-hand wheel. The rules of the road were unfamiliar, and I constantly doubted my ability to navigate. My years of teaching experience seemed distant as I stepped into a world where education was not only different but transformative in ways I couldn’t yet fathom.
In India, my teaching was rooted in instruction and discipline. A teacher commanded respect through authority, and learning often followed a linear path. Here in Aotearoa, I encountered something different—a curriculum woven with aroha (love and compassion), relationships, and belonging.
New Zealand’s early childhood education framework, Te Whāriki, became my compass. Its emphasis on relationships, holistic development, and co-regulation of emotions felt like a world apart from the directive methods I was used to. I learned that social and emotional competence isn’t built by telling children off but by walking alongside them, sharing their experiences, and co-regulating emotions together.
At first, it was uncomfortable. How could I guide children without instruction? How could I lead without authority? Slowly, I began to see the magic in this approach. Messy play, once something to avoid, became a symbol of exploration and creativity. Respect, once demanded, was now earned through genuine relationships.
Through Te Whāriki, I realized that teaching here was about weaving a rich tapestry of belonging, curiosity, and wonder. Children weren’t passive recipients of knowledge but active participants in their own learning. My role shifted from instructor to guide, facilitator, and a learner.
Growing Through Fear and Mistakes: Being a foreign teacher in New Zealand wasn’t without its challenges. I grappled with the fear of being wrong, of making mistakes, and using language all wrong. My ‘V”’s and “W” were laughed at but also built some deep friendships. As I worked alongside children and colleagues, I found that mistakes were opportunities for growth. The fear of losing myself was replaced by the joy of discovering new facets of who I was as a teacher—and as a person, happily reflecting and sharing as I grew.
The children taught me to slow down and be present in their world. Their curiosity, wonderings, and prompts became the foundation of our learning together. They showed me the joy of teaching wasn’t in delivering lessons but in co-constructing knowledge.
Blossoming Into Leadership: As the years passed, I blossomed. What began as a journey of learning and adapting transformed into one of empowerment. I found myself not only embracing this new way of teaching but sharing it with others. Today, I am PLD provider, supporting other teachers on their own journeys of growth.
I can empathize deeply with their fears—the fear of being wrong, the fear of losing themselves in a new system. But I also know the joy that awaits them on the other side. Teaching in New Zealand has taught me that growth comes from embracing uncertainty, building strong relationships, and trusting the process.
Finding My Place: Today, I stand in a place of belonging—not just within the framework of Te Whāriki but in the hearts of the children, families, and teachers I’ve worked with. My journey has taken me from being a teacher in a foreign land to becoming a part of its fabric.
In New Zealand, I didn’t lose myself; I found myself. I found the joy of teaching, the power of relationships, and the strength of vulnerability. Most importantly, I found my place in the lives of the children, teachers and leaders I’ve had the privilege to teach—and in doing so, I found my home.
From India to Aotearoa: A Teacher’s Journey of Transformation is written by Preety Sehgal
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