Jo Williams

Jo has been teaching for over 30 years and teaches at Laingholm Primary School, out West. She has been a mentor and facilitator to beginning teachers for over 15 years, previously for Kohia Education Centre and then for Learning Network as well as the PCT Manukau Programme.

Although Jo has taught across the age ranges, including ECE, she is passionate about new entrant/Year 1 children and believes that new entrant teaching is a specialised area which is why she runs courses/offers consultation for new entrant teachers at the start of the year or who take on a new entrant class mid-year. Her strengths also lie in developing early numeracy and literacy skills and she runs courses in these areas specifically aimed at children aged 4-6 years old.

Embedded in Jo’s philosophy is a desire to keep courses practical, realistic and visual with an emphasis on integration across the curriculum. Having been a One Day School teacher for the Gifted and Talented Centre, she also believes in the importance of fostering inquiring minds and a sense of wonder in children and developing a questioning and thinking culture in the learning environment.

Jo has taught in a range of schools both in the UK and in Auckland, particularly in multi-cultural schools. She has been an ESOL/ELLs teacher.