Pre-Service Teacher at Hauraki Plains College (HPC), Ngatea, Waikato
(Mar–May 2025):
Delivered Media Studies (Y9, Y13) and Social Studies (Y10, Y11 NCEA), covering audiovisual/media industry topics, scriptwriting, environmental issues, human geography, global citizenship, and geopolitics. Fostered respectful relationships with students, whānau, and colleagues, and integrated digital technologies to enhance learning and collaboration.
Pre-Service Teacher at Thames High School, Thames, Waikato
(Jul–Sep 2025):
Led a cross-curricular media production for the Vista Foundation 48Hours Filming Competition, coordinating senior students across Social Studies, Drama, Music, Photography, and Technology. Taught Year 9 units in Social Studies (Polynesian culture, Dawn Raids, civil rights), Te Reo Māori (Boer War project, grammar), and English (fiction film scriptwriting). Supported Year 12–13 Gateway students in Social/Community Services and Creative Industries with CVs, interview prep, and marketing roles for the KiwisSA Expo 2025.
As part of the Year 9 Social Studies program at Thames High School, students participated in a unique three-week project titled The Great Polynesian Exhibition, exploring Pacific Migration to New Zealand with a special focus on the Dawn Raids, the Polynesian Panthers, and the Government Apology.
The project was led by pre-service teacher from the University of Auckland, Carla Grosman.
The program used a research-creation methodology, encouraging students not only to learn history but also to embody it through creativity. Over three weeks, students:
Conducted research to map migration topics in historical, cultural, and social contexts.
Analyzed photographs, slogans, and media messages to understand representation and power.
Applied their learning to create posters or comics expressing their own perspectives on justice, identity, and multiculturalism.
Aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum, the exhibition also reflected Kaupapa Māori principles such as Ako (learning together), Kotahitanga (working in unity), Whanaungatanga (building relationships), and Mana (dignity and respect). By combining digital tools like Google Slides and Canva with critical thinking and creativity, students developed both academic and personal skills, strengthening their voices as active, informed citizens.
The project concluded with a public exhibition, where students showcased their creative works, discussed their process, and celebrated cultural pride and diversity in New Zealand society.
In 2025, Thames High School students formed the team Golden Ratio to compete in the Vista Foundation 48 Hours Furious Filming competition. Over one weekend, they transformed the school into a movie set, producing their entry with creativity, teamwork, and strong community support.
Although the school doesn’t offer Media Studies, multiple departments collaborated: Photography provided gear, Music offered the studio, Drama supplied costumes, Food Tech baked snacks, Kapa Haka hosted meals, and the library became their creative hub. Senior management and teachers supported logistics, while parents and sponsors—including COROMIND magazine and Burton Catering—ensured meals, resources, and encouragement.
The project embodied whanaungatanga (community bonds), ako (peer-to-peer learning), and mana aotūroa (creative resilience). Students learned practical skills in directing, writing, editing, and sound design, while also deepening collaboration, respect, and cultural pride.
Practicing teacher Carla Grosman, who led the team, highlighted the event as an unforgettable learning experience that gave students the chance to share their creativity and identity on a national stage.
Backstage
Man Vs Nature Across Aoteroa (Short Film by "Golden Ratio" School group)
Bloopers!!!
Practicum 1, Media Studies NCEA L3 , Documentary Scriptwriting. Interactive and collaborative blogging. Hauraki Plain College, Waikato
(March to May 2025):
Media Studies, NCEA L3 HAuraki Plains College. Su descripcion es: "The Documentary Script Writing assessment (Media Studies AS 91497) requires students to master professional screenwriting conventions, grammar, and sophisticated narrative structures. The highly structured, multi-week process is broken into four stages: Plan (developing narrative structure), Script Snapshot (analyzing examples and terminology), First Draft, and Revision. The teaching approach is collaborative, relying on a dedicated digital environment—created via Padlet—to provide a flexible, asynchronous, and interactive platform for students as they develop their individual projects."