Kay-Lee Jones is a teacher of teachers, committed to "helping grow a heart for te Ao M膩ori". The Board Chair of Te P膩 o R膩kaihaut奴 describes her as "a great role model not only for her wh膩nau but all who meet her."聽 In addition to winning a UC Teaching award in 2020, Kay-Lee has also been recognised on the national level by the prestigious Ako Aotearoa. Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching award 鈥 Kaupapa M膩ori category 鈥 only the second teacher at UC to achieve this success.聽聽
What sets Kay-Lee apart is the way she radiates two important qualities. She personifies manaakitanga as she uplifts and empowers her "kaiako 艒 膩p艒p艒", and deeply embodies whanaungatanga, stating that "you can empower teachers holistically to be strong in a M膩ori and a P膩keh膩 world by really getting to know them."聽聽
"I made the choice to learn te reo M膩ori. I love it and will always be a learner. I love teaching the history of our land and seeing a spark in those I teach from connecting with language, culture and identity."
One 膩konga describes how she "builds a strong sense of whanaungatanga through her enactment of the learner/teacher duality of ako. This is undertaken in a way that seeks to akiaki the mana of the individual learner鈥"聽
Her colleague Professor Angus Macfarlane says: "Kay-Lee sets herself apart by way of her passion for, and her competence in, M膩ori-language teaching." He describes her gentle, but effective, style of advocacy. "Kay-Lee has the potential to shift people's ideas and philosophies nationally and locally, while maintaining calm and acceptable relationships at the learning and teaching level."
Kay-Lee has helped nurture a love for te ao M膩ori in over 2000 student teachers at UC.聽 As graduates, they are now putting their understanding into practice in schools throughout Aotearoa, normalising M膩ori language and culture in everyday education. Kay-Lee understands the importance of her work, inspiring her future teachers to also value culturally-relevant spaces, to normalise this in their teaching practices and to embellish this in their children鈥檚 futures. This is espoused in the whakatauk墨 that closely relates to her teaching, "poipoi膩 te k膩kano kia pu膩wai ai 鈥 nurture the seed and it will blossom".聽
