Finding a calling in the classroom

Not every career path begins with a clear plan. After finishing her bachelor's degree at Massey University and feeling unsure about her next step, Sophie Marsden took a chance on teaching. This decision has shaped her future and led to graduation with a Postgraduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching (Primary).

Originally from Manawatū, Sophie attended the University of Otago before returning home to be closer to family and complete her bachelor's degree at Massey University, where she now lives, teaches, and continues to build her future.

When reflecting on how she arrived at teaching, Sophie admits the path was not always clear.

“I remember, I was finishing my Bachelor’s, and I had no idea what to do. I didn’t want to do a theoretical Master’s at that point, and suddenly an ad popped up for teaching, and my mum’s a teacher, and so I was just like, why not give it a go?”

What began as a practical next step soon developed into a genuine passion.

“So I decided I’m primary. In the end, I really love school because you are kind of like a role model in each school. My mum’s a great role model. She teaches in high school, but you can always teach high school later on. But at the moment, my passion lies with teaching younger kids.”

Balancing study with full-time work was not always easy, but Sophie credits the people around her for helping her reach the finish line.

“My lecturers really pushed me through when I was getting to the end. I was working full-time while studying, and they went out of their way to make sure that I graduated and I got everything done ready to start my job.”

Now preparing for the next chapter of her teaching career, Sophie hopes her journey encourages others who may be considering study alongside work commitments.

“I think I was lucky in the fact that I got my full-time job, so I was teaching before I had my qualification, so that made it easier for me, but I think it’s also making sure that you make time for things outside of study. Study takes over a huge chunk of your life, and it’s not always going to be that way.”