Life and Honorary Members

Life & Honorary Members

OMEP World Honorary Members

Mrs Valerie Burns (deceased) Wellington 2002

Robin Houlker/Auckland 2005

Betty Armstrong/Wellington 2005 DECEASED

Doreen Launder/Wellington 2015 DECEASED

OMEP Aotearoa Life members

OMEP Aotearoa Honorary Members

Val Burns/Wellington 1996 DECEASED
(first life member of OMEP Aotearoa)

Robin Houlker/Auckland 2005

Elizabeth (Betty) Armstrong/ Wellington 2005 DECEASED

Doreen Launder/Wellington 2013 DECEASED

Lyn Foote/Otago 2013 DECEASED

Barbara Hale/Auckland 2013 DECEASED

Jayne White/Wellington 2015

Hilary Alach/Auckland 2015

Wendy Lee/Waikato 2019

Professor E. Jayne White

Has a long-standing interest in the work of OMEP, now spanning over thirty years. As an ECE teacher, then teacher educator, she has represented Aotearoa New Zealand across numerous OMEP fora. She served as President over several years, held the international research portfolio leading the New Zealand arm of the International Play Project. Jayne is also a co-editor of OMEPs International Journal of Early Childhood, and currently co-leads the development of the OMEP Water Project in her capacity as Professor II at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. As Professor ECE at University of Canterbury, NZ, Adjunct Professor RMIT (Melbourne) and International Editor-in-Chief of Video Journal of Education and Pedagogy, Jayne's work focuses on the complex processes and practices of meaning making in contemporary 'open' societies that are focussed on pedagogical possibilities for proto learners. She critically engages with a variety of methods to support her work, including the extensive and original use of 'polyphonic video' - and other means of visual ethnography and digital tools for pedagogical practice. At the heart of her practice lies a strong emphasis on dialogic pedagogy, and the ways in which teachers across the globe can best engage within complex learning relationships - regardless of the age of the learner.

Margaret Stuart

I began my involvement with early childhood education when my baby son was asleep in the bedroom and I found a toddler wandering past our front porch. He had wandered away from a group that shared facilities with Peachgrove Playcentre. My inolvement with Waikato Playcentre Association began that year. I have been fortunate to have a number of experiences across ECE in Aotearoa. I was the relieving head teacher at Te Kōhanga Preschool, Waikato University/ Knighton Normal School. It was here I began to question my upbringings, social class and accepted norms. While there I complete my Masters looking at colonial history. The preschool had been established by Jane Ritchie who had looked at HeadStart and Peabody preschools while in USA. I learned that all children do not learn to play spontaneously, and some were overwhelmed by middle-class play ideas. I worked as a therapist at the McKenzie Centre for Young Children with Special Needs on the grounds of Hamilton West School, working with a range of young children with diagnosed condition. This led to jobs in the new environment of Tomorrow’s Schools and Before Five, as I held down two point 5 positions : one as an Early Intervention Teacher, Special Education Services Waikato West, working in Huntly and Ngāruawahia. The second position was with the newly created Early Childhood Development Unit (Later ECD). Both SES and ECDU were part of the newly created ‘education family’ set up under the Education Act 1989. I worked with playgroups, establishing ECE services and community education. I delivered professional development in South Auckland and Taranaki, as well as Te Tiriti workshops. I was appointed Regional Manager ECD two years before Labour Education Minister Trevor Mallard disestablished the Unit and brought both ECD and SES under the Ministry of Education. I lecturered at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) and later Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa / NZ Childcare Association. Such a background had me searching for answers about the terms ‘governance and management’ and ‘parent-led’ and ‘teacher-led’. It was seeking answers to such question that led me to do my next degree. I have published articles on neo-liberalism in ECE and the effects of managerialism on government policies, such as the National Party’s social investment. OMEP Waikato I attended initial chapter meeting when Robyn Houlker visited Hamilton in about 1999. I became a Member, and later Chapter Secretary when Margaret Nicolls was President. I rejoined Waikato Chapter 2011 when Jayne White was Chapter President. I was Waikato Chapter representative on National Executive and we helped drives for Fiji resources after the tsunami hit. We organised guest speakers for members and wider community e. g. political debate with local politicians 2017. Coordinated Waikato OMEP Chapter submission to Ministry of Education on proposed revision of Te Whãriki :He whāriki ātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Together we wrote submission to governments on ECE for OMEP e .g. DR-167-OMEP-Waikato.pdf (productivity.govt.nz) DR-148-OMEP-Aotearoa-New-Zealand.pdf (productivity.govt.nz) OMEP Aotearoa - Strategy Submission (4 December 2018) | Child and Youth Wellbeing (childyouthwellbeing.govt.nz) OMEP supporting the call for a cut in child poverty | Scoop News Sub-020-OMEP-Waikato-Bay-of-Plenty-Chapter.pdf (productivity.govt.nz)

Charles Beeby 1993 DECEASED
(elected ‘patron’ at inaugural AGM of OMEP Aotearoa in Wellington 1993)

Beverley Morris 2015 DECEASED

Anne Meade 2019

Dr Anne Meade

Anne was one of the first PhD graduates in Aotearoa New Zealand whose study focused on early childhood education. She also has a Diploma of Teaching (Primary) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching (ECE). As well as teaching primary and early childhood education aged children, Anne has been a university lecturer and academic researcher at Victoria University and the NZ Council for Educational Research (NZCER). She was seconded twice from academic positions to serve different Ministers of Education in policy advisory roles (e.g., culminating the Meade report in 1988). Anne was the Director of NZCER before becoming an independent education consultant working in Aotearoa New Zealand, England and State of Qatar. Anne and her daughter Linda co-founded Daisies Early Education and Care Centre in 2008, and Anne continues to contribute as one of Daisies pedagogical leaders.