Laura Hornsey
Forward thinking and future proofing
Where’s there’s new and innovative technology at play, you’ll find Laura Hornsey and her class at its centre.
The Tauhara primary teacher – and self-confessed IT nerd – is not afraid of stepping outside the box when it comes to testing and trying the latest and greatest in gadgets and technologies – including robots.
“Currently, I have my class working with Bee-Bots and Wonder-Bots,” she says. “They’re designed to help with maths and geometry. For example, one day the class designed mazes with compass points and the next day we programmed the robots to produce the same mazes using coding. It’s exciting times!”
Whilst Laura doesn’t deem herself a technology expert, it’s her drive to introduce the new and never-before to the students of Tauhara Primary, that’s earnt her a ‘go-getter’ title amongst her peers – and she’s the youngest member of staff.
“I introduced lunchtime drama work-shops for the middle and senior school this year because my class really thrive on it and we had a few others knocking on our door,” she says. “I’ve always had a passion for the arts, so being able to involve students in an area they might not have ever considered – and simply provide them with another outlet for creative expression – is so rewarding.