Basics Better Ltd

Kiera Jones

Kiera is an educational psychologist – with a particular interest in supporting teachers’ efforts in overcoming barriers to learner engagement.

Dr Paul Lowe

Dr. Paul Lowe, a passionate outdoorsman and sports enthusiast, has championed innovative educational methods like COLA and PROBLIT. With his students achieving both nationally and internationally, he’s been recognized with the KUDOS award and Prime Minister’s Science Teacher award. His global educational experiences span from Abu Dhabi to Tokyo, emphasizing student-centric learning and hands-on STEM projects. Handle: @problit.

Dr Angie Winnington

Angie has teaching experience in the classroom prioritising ‘scientific engagement’ learning at primary, intermediate and college level NZ students. She is enthusiastic and keen to encourage students of all abilities to find their own pathway into discovering the science around them.

Tom Coyle

Tom is a forensic scientist with over 35 years’ experience specialising in locating, developing, and preserving all types of physical trace evidence from crime scenes. He is also an internationally certified Fingerprint Expert and Disaster Victim Identification specialist. His passion for forensics inspired him to launch Forensic Insight Ltd. The ‘CSI Guy’ introduces teachers and students to a unique hands-on learning experience in all aspects of trace evidence. This is the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Kathy Broadhead

Kia ora, I’m Kathy Broadhead – nature lover, nature education specialist and environmental educator. I am a trained teacher with a MEd, PGDip, BSc and over 20 years in a variety of teaching and environmental education roles, and for the last 4 years running my own Nature School. I am passionate about helping kids connect with, learn in and develop a love of nature, and supporting teachers to do the same, using nature as their classroom and co-teacher. My In-school Programme, PLD Programmes and Resource Kit have been developed from extensive experience and are designed specifically for New Zealand teachers and tamariki.

Dr Jane Riddiford

Jane has been passionate about learning outside the classroom with a focus on native plant restoration and soil to plate community food growing for over thirty years. Creative and holistic in her approach Jane has designed and delivered cross curricular primary and secondary school programmes in Aotearoa and London. Her strength is in bringing different parts of the community together, supporting the local curriculum and enabling children and young people to have a voice within the wider community.

Joseph Potangaroa

Kia ora I am Joseph Potangaroa from Masterton. I love nature, so have always enjoyed wandering around outdoors day and night observing, listening, learning and playing. My mum suggests that our Romany bloodline might have something to do with this. I am also a kaitiaki of my hapu and iwi. This means being selected as a child and then trained by kaumatua in a number of subjects. Part of the learning is to strive for more knowledge to be able to help other people and the atua/natural energies and elements. Four of the main subjects are history, atua/nature/environment, social matters and health and wellbeing. I bring a combination of those main subjects and others when working with schools. We have found that this holistic approach often compliments the teaching of subject specific experts. Oh, I found the guitar in the photo in a stream during a clean-up. I can't play any instrument to save myself.