The logo of Sharp, Kinane Limited was developed through the collaborative partnership of Jacqui Sharp and David Kinane. Their professional relationship was established many years ago through sharing the same values and vision for supporting and developing educators across Aotearoa. Both were dedicated and passionate about facilitating new growth in teachers in order to grow capable, confident and resilient ākonga. Jacqui and David view education as life-long learning and with their experiences and belief in fostering collaborative practices formed Sharp, Kinane Limited.
Therefore, the symbolism represented in the kowhaiwhai design signifies the joining of their combined knowledge within education. Alongside this is the reflection of their desire for perpetual growth, renewal through sharing while creating new understanding through combining different paths of learning. The colour red relates to the pohutukawa flower that aligns with people and the pedagogy that underpins teaching and learning. The green of the koru represents new growth, ideas and renewed learning. As facilitators weave the kete of knowledge with those they work alongside, the harakeke gradually changes from the greenness formed from new ideas through to the embedded wisdom of experience the colour brown portrays. As Sharp, Kinane Limited has grown, Jacqui and David are proud of the like-minded and equally passionate facilitators that they have brought into the team. This has helped to establish and create a company that values, reflects and celebrates the diversity, experiences, perspectives and skills that each person brings. As we grow, we continue to assimilate new ideas and continually weave our new learning into our products and services.
It is this collaborative philosophy that we all bring to our mahi with kura and kaiako in our PLD contracts. We recognise that our team and kaiako are experts and all have a skill and a perspective to share and learn from each other. Sharing allows new growth, new learning and new confidence for all to explore new ideas. In this way, we also bring back to our team the wisdom we have learned alongside the kura and akonga we individually work with. Our vision and statement for Sharp Kinane is Ka rārangahia tahitia ō mātou ara mātauranga mā te ako ngātahi. This reflects our belief that to make a difference and be effective in our mahi we are committed to ensuring the principles of ‘Weaving our pathways of knowledge through learning together’ guide our journey.
Meet the team:
Jacqui Sharp
Contact Jacqui: jacqui@sharpkinane.com
Jacqui’s PLD specialisms:
Local Curriculum design, Aotearoa New Zealand Histories, Social Sciences, Literacy, Assessment for Learning, Digital fluency, Digital Technologies curriculum. SeeSaw Ambassador.
Jacqui has been at the forefront of digital learning innovation for many years, mostly working in year 0-8 classrooms throughout the North Island. Jacqui believes that all kaiako have the potential to take action to change the way they teach and deliver content. Her facilitation style is to work alongside teachers and encourage them to build capacity to make the changes that develop a culture of learner agency within their classrooms; where ākonga are expected to be able to identify their learning goals, build learning resilience and be risk takers in their learning. Kaiako as well as ākonga have to be risk-takers and know that it is ok to fail. Jacqui’s role in this process is to be an active support person to demonstrate, listen, discuss, observe and reflect with the ultimate goal of making a difference in teacher practice and student learning.
Jacqui follows an inquiry approach when working with individual teachers to establish what they know and what they need to know. They then work together to collect a kete of new knowledge which is practised, reflected on and new goals are set. She values diversity and brings cultural sensitivity into all her interactions with teachers and students and through the mahi she creates.
Jacqui has been leading the PLD of Sharp, Kinane facilitators through the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories and company-wide they have developed a wide range of resources to support kaiako and ākonga in learning about the land on which they stand.
Jacqui has a vast array of resources, websites, courses and workshops which are known, trusted and used by teachers locally, nationally and internationally, built up over 20 years. Jacqui is a SeeSaw and Book Creator Ambassador.
Jacqui is based in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau and is currently servicing PLD contracts in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, Northland/Te Tai Tokerau and Taranaki.
David Kinane
Contact David: david@sharpkinane.com
David’s PLD specialisms:
Digital fluency, digital technologies curriculum, local curriculum, Just In Time Maths (JITM), literacy, ANZH, design, coding, maker spaces, CAD/CAM and maths.
In 2022 David delivered PLD contracts in: Digital Fluency, Digital Technologies Curriculum, Local Curriculum Design and Aotearoa New Zealand Histories Curriculum (ANZH)
In 2023 David will be delivering PLD contracts in the following areas: Digital Fluency, Digital Technologies Curriculum and ANZH
Prior to setting up Sharp, Kinane Limited with Jacqui, he already had a long established business providing digital learning PLD to the education sector in New Zealand. Prior to this, he worked for Team Solutions at the University of Auckland as their e-Learning facilitator responsible for delivering the digital learning, schools support contract to all secondary schools in the Auckland//Tāmaki Makaurau and Northland/Te Tai Tokerau regions.
David has been an e-Learning/ICT specialist since the 1990’s. He built his first digital classroom in 1997 with 6 computers a laptop and a data projector. The students had their own website, which they updated daily, despite the computers not being networked and the only internet connection was in the school staff room. David was the County Advisor to schools in the UK, head of IT at a large secondary girls’ school in the UK, director of IT at a large intermediate and a large primary school in Auckland.
David has presented e-Learning workshops and theory at conferences all over New Zealand and has also presented on e-Learning pedagogy and integration at conferences in Hong Kong, Australia and the Czech Republic. David writes regularly for Interface Magazine. In a previous life David had a photographic studio in the heart of London where he produced studio photography for some of the largest advertising companies and their clients.
David is based in the Waikato and is currently servicing PLD contracts in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, Northland/Te Tai Tokerau and Waikato regions.
Phil Sharp
Contact Phil: phil@sharpkinane.com
Sharp, Kinane Limited, Executive Officer.
Phil, comes from a retail background where he held a variety of Senior Management roles working for some very large and well known NZ high street and big box store retailers. Phil is married to Jacqui and encouraged David and Jacqui to join forces to form Sharp, Kinane Limited. He joined Sharp, Kinane Limited at the beginning bringing his business expertise to the company. Phil’s business acumen and extensive high-level management experience are invaluable to the company. Phil’s expertise ensures that Sharp, Kinane Limited operates efficiently and effectively, freeing up David and Jacqui and the rest of the team to do what they do best, deliver innovative PLD to schools.
Bex Langton
Contact Bex: bex@sharpkinane.com
Central and Lower North Island regional manager
Bex’s PLD specialisms:
Just in Time Maths (JITM), Assessment for Learning, Local Curriculum Design, Aotearoa New Zealand Histories and Social Sciences, Teaching as Inquiry, Digital Fluency, Science, Leadership, Proposal Writing Support, SeeSaw Ambassador, Te Mātaiaho curriculum refresh.
Bex has 25 years teaching experience working in both the primary, intermediate and secondary sectors, specialising in science, chemistry, and mathematics at the secondary level.
In the classroom, Bex encouraged her students to integrate personal interests whilst supporting them to actively design their own learning journey. Bex enjoyed delivering learning through a student-centred integrated approach with an emphasis on STEAM. Bex also encouraged them to explore learning beyond the classroom walls and enjoyed supporting students to enter in local, regional and national competitions, across all curriculum areas.
In her leadership role as a Deputy Principal, she was responsible for curriculum development, data tracking and analysis, student reporting, teaching as inquiry, the implementation of ALiM, and developing systems for collaborative planning and practice.
Bex’s strengths include effective analysis of assessment data to guide planning and the construction of personalised learning programmes, creating systems for collaborative planning across the school and working with schools to develop their local curriculum.
Bex has previously received nominations for the ASG Excellence in Teaching Award and for the More FM Taranaki Teacher of the Year. Bex is a SeeSaw Ambassador and values this platform as a way for students to be effective agents of their own learning.
Bex is based on her dairy farm in Taranaki and is currently servicing PLD contracts in the Taranaki and Manawatu regions.
Donna Davies
Contact Donna: donna@sharpkinane.com
Donna’s PLD specialisms:
Mātauranga, Te Reo and Tikanga Māori, Mātaiaho development (curriculum refresh), Local curriculum/place based learning, cultural capabilities, ANZH – Social Sciences, digital fluency, digital technologies, critical inquiry/learning to learn/future focus skills, assessment for learning, education for sustainability, effective pedagogy for priority learners in Numeracy and Literacy.
Te Reo Māori language certificates: NZQA level 4 and level 5
Tikanga certificate: NZQA level 3
Te Ahu o Te Reo full immersion: Currently completing level 1 2023 in order to support kura with developing Te Reo Māori pathways.
Donna is an experienced facilitator. She collaborates with kura around the motu to design innovative, authentic, place-based local curriculums that position schools for the Mātaiaho curriculum refresh. She ensures school curriculum documents draw on the aspirations of iwi, whanau and community, leverage off relationships for learning, optimise curriculum integration and value student voice.
She is skilled at supporting kura to define their “why” and to weave the voices of all stakeholders, the identity of the area (manawhenua) and the principles and values of the kura into the development of graduate profiles that ensure that the learning important to the people in that place is not left to chance.
She guides the design of coherent across-school student inquiry models to ensure that akonga acquire the key competencies to be actively involved, lifelong learners. Digital Technology is strongly integrated to share and give voice to a living curriculum.
She has a passion for local histories and a commitment to ensure that te Tiriti o Waitangi is lived through a bi-cultural perspective that amplifies the Māori voice. She is known for her workshops and resources that focus on local places, histories and stories integrated with Digital Technology. Her past mahi facilitating for the Enviroschools program ensures that Kaitiakitanga is integrated into all learning experiences.
Donna enjoys being on a learning journey with kaiako to build digital capability through modelling key concepts and co-constructing engaging resources and experiences. Her facilitation style is practical, flexible and responsive to each kura’s needs.
Donna is based in Taranaki and is currently servicing contracts in Taranaki and Manawatu.
Melisa McEwen-Shepherd
Contact Melisa: melisa@sharpkinane.com
Melisa’s specialisms:
Local Curriculum Design, Assessment, Digital Fluency, Play-Based Learning, Early Years, Mentoring, . SeeSaw Ambassador
Melisa has spent her teaching career at the cutting edge of innovative teaching and learning practices, with experience across all primary school year levels including New entrants right up to Year 8. Her experience in teaching in Innovative Learning Environments provides a fantastic platform for developing effective systems to support agentic learning and effective collaboration for teachers and learners alike.
Melisa uses her experience in play based learning to facilitate teachers in exploring ways to plan and implement playful learning that has the best fit for their unique environments. She enjoys using her extensive knowledge of The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Whariki to develop resources that help teachers and leaders reach their play based and project based learning goals.
In her leadership role as AP, Melisa was responsible for transitioning, curriculum development and assessment. She has also been the Staff representative on the Board of Trustees.
Valuing life long learning, Melisa continues to undertake study with Massey University where she has completed post grad study including: Prevention and Remediation of Literacy Learning Difficulties, Understanding Learners with Behaviour Difficulties, Enhancing Teacher Learning and Mentoring and Trends in Digital Education.
Melisa is based in Taranaki and is currently servicing PLD contracts in Taranaki and Auckland helping schools to develop and deliver their Localised Curriculums, refine their play based learning, use digital technologies in rich and authentic ways and develop their Assessment for Learning Practices.
Kirstin Hensman
Contact Kirstin: kirstin@sharpkinane.com
Kirstin’s PLD specialisms
Digital Fluency, Digital Technology, Local Curriculum, Learner Agency and Rich Learning Opportunities
Kirstin has worked as a Primary School teacher for 13 years. During that time she has led teams of teachers, as well as working as a Within School Lead Teacher and then an Across School Lead Teacher within her Kahui Ako. She has worked as a facilitator for Sharp, Kinane Ltd since 2019. She is passionate about future focused education, enabling our learners to understand how they learn best and giving them the ability to drive and lead their own learning.
Kirstin has been responsible for facilitating a range of curriculum areas, including Mathematics, Literacy, 21st Century Learning and e-Learning.
She has led the implementation of cloud-based tools used for assessment, reporting and learner agency, with both schools and their communities. Kirstin works with schools to design assessments that are meaningful for students and teachers, to ensure that students are assessment capable and understand their next learning steps.
She has supported a number of schools to develop teachers’ understanding of the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories Curriculum, including working with schools to create resources.
Kirstin is passionate about learner engagement and agency. She supports teachers to design rich learning opportunities that relate to students’ local curriculum. Kirstin works hard and utilises a range of evidence-based strategies to work with teachers to identify students’ passions and design learning with them, that relates to their interests.
Kirstin develops resources for teachers to use, that enable them to integrate digital technologies across the New Zealand Curriculum.
Kirstin is based in Auckland and is currently servicing PLD contracts in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau.
Chris Appleton
Contact Chris: chris@sharpkinane.com
Chris’ specialisms
Curriculum Design, Maths, Digital Fluency, Digital Technology and Robotics
Chris has been employed as a Primary School teacher for 18 years. During that time he has a wide range of experience across Years 3-8 in a number of primary and intermediate schools. Chris has a passion for robotics having been a lead teacher and judge in many Auckland Robocup Competitions. He uses this knowledge and experience to support schools develop an innovative and creative approach to teaching and learning using LEGO Mindstorms and Edison robots.
During his time as a teacher, Chris has been responsible for leading teams of teachers as well as a Curriculum Lead in Maths, Digital Technology and e-learning. This has helped him build schools digital fluency and student agency by creating innovative, practical resources that help build digital tools and technology across a range of curriculum areas.
Chris is based in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau.
Jon Pirini
Contact Jon: jon@sharpkinane.com
Jon’s Specialisms
Music specialist in primary and secondary, innovation.
Born in Waikato but having spent most his life in the Far North, Jon has been teaching for around 20 years in both primary and secondary contexts. His teaching was initially as a general classroom teacher in Primary but transitioned to teaching Secondary and NCEA music. Having spent time teaching in England, Ukraine and back in NZ, Jon brings a breadth of cultural experience to his teaching and forms strong relationships with his students.
As a life-long learner and as a musician, Jon relocated with his family from Kaitaia and returned to study in 2018 to complete a Bachelor of Jazz performance at Victoria University in Wellington. Upon completion of this degree, he returned to teaching in the Far North and to live near to family.
Having studied amongst the young and seriously talented musicians in Wellington, he returned to the Far North with a firm resolve to work with young and talented musicians in the year 4-8 levels in various primary schools through his project Te Hiku Music Academy. It has been clear that the Far North has an abundance of talent with music but many arrive at high school not having touched an instrument. Currently, Jon with his wife and 9-year-old daughter live in Houhora where he volunteers part-time with St John, teaches music and performs across the motu, fishes the Houhora Harbour and clears space for his wife’s tunnel houses using his 6-tonne digger.
Jon is based in Te Tai Tokerau
Karen Russell
Contact Karen: karen@sharpkinane.com
Karen’s specialisms
He uri tēnei nō Ngāti Mutunga ki Wharekauri rātou ko Te Ati Awa ki Taranaki ko Ngāti Raukawa ki Otaki. Mauri ora e te iwi!
Karen is a fluent Māori speaker and has worked predominantly in te reo Māori immersion education for over 25 years, as well as in English medium settings. Listed below are her previous roles in education
Primary School:
- classroom teacher (Māori and English medium)
- Reading Recovery Teacher (English)
- English Teacher of Rumaki students
- Rumaki Team Leader
- Within School Māori Medium Kahui Ako Leader
- Assistant Principal – Rumaki
- Resource Teacher Learning Behaviour Māori
- Resource Teacher Māori
- International English School Principal (Galle, Sri Lanka)
Secondary and Tertiary:
- te reo Māori teacher
- Te Kotahitanga Facilitator
- Teacher In-service Māori Medium Facilitator (University of Auckland)
She is passionate about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, education for Māori as Māori, and normalising te reo Māori in Aotearoa. Karen has extensive teaching experience in Level 1 te reo Māori immersion settings; prior to, during, and following her most recent studies, receiving her master’s degree (honours) in 2019.
When working with schools and teachers, Karen can draw on her knowledge of empirical research in the area of effective learning approaches for minority language contexts as well as her personal experience when discussing effective teaching and learning practice.
She played a key role in culminating Te Marautanga o Aotearoa achievement objectives with indicators from second tier Ministry of Education material, in order to tailor and digitise progressions for planning and teaching reo ā-waha, pānui and tuhi, while with her previous school in 2022. In addition, she has had strong involvement in the creation of digital resources to support these progressions and enable learner agency.
Karen facilitated several Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (2008) interactive workshops across Auckland following its launch and supported schools with creating graduate profiles as well as school-based curricula. She co-facilitated te reo Māori workshops for English medium settings and is well-positioned to support all schools with the curriculum refresh.
Karen values positive and collaborative relationships between educators. She supports this by ensuring teachers are able to actively contribute in a safe environment, creating a collective responsibility for all learners.
Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro nōna te ngāhere, ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao.
Karen is based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Pauline Sutton
Contact Pauline: pauline@sharpkinane.com
Pauline’s Specialisms
Local Curriculum Design, Assessment for Learning, Digital Fluency, Leading for Change, Community Engagement, Literacy and Communication, Leadership, Local Curriculum design, Professional Growth Cycle, Sole Charge Principal, Mentorship, Priority Learners, Multi Level, Accelerated Learning, Strategic Planning, New Entrants (Foundational Learning)
Pauline has many years experience teaching in the primary sector. She is a passionate advocate for rural schools, believing that they occupy a special place in the Aotearoa New Zealand education landscape.
In her time in education, she has been a teacher and principal, 12 years of which were as a sole charge principal. Pauline’s experience places her in a unique position to support sole charge principals’ who, in today’s pressured education landscape, can find they get quickly swamped with the responsibilities of leadership and curriculum design. Pauline’s role as a mentor to sole charge principals helps them to identify and build pathways to success and ultimately raise student achievement.
Pauline is based in Taranaki and is currently delivering contracts to support rural schools and sole charge principals in Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatu regions.