Fern Elizabeth Hoskin
All about me...
My Past, Present and Future
Kia ora, my name is Fern Hoskin, I am 22 years old and live in sunny Nelson. I have just finished (end of April) a degree in Sport and Recreation through AUT, and now this; post graduate diploma in Primary School Teaching!
Being fairly young in age, going straight from secondary school into tertiary study, I am feeling rather fresh at life and little in knowledge of life’s experiences compared to some on this course. I have never left New Zealand, though travelled the country far and wide for sport over my 22 years.
I was brown in a small town settlement within Golden Bay, called Collingwood, where my childhood was spent up trees, swimming in the school pool and at the beach and building swings off banks. Some would call me a ‘tom boy’ which is most probably very true…
My family consists of 5 people; myself, my Mum, Dad, older sister (29) and older brother (25), that’s right I’m the baby of the family! My parents split when I was 7, with Dads visits being few and far between. My Mum is an exceptional woman, raising three children on her own, running a household, getting us all to our chosen sports and managing her illness.
She has Multiple Sclerosis, has had since she was pregnant with me, so 22 years. She lives independently, and is the woman I respect the most in my life, purely for her high sprit and can do attitude, regardless of the fact a lot of the time she can’t. Doctor visits and injections on a weekly basis and hospital stays becoming more frequent, the more I see the changes in her mobility and functional ability. Never the less, always with a smile on her face.
This played and still does play, a huge part in sculpting the woman I have grown up to be and aspire to be, which largely influenced my decision to become a teacher. From a young age, I tried to look after Mum, by cooking and cleaning, which in a way forced me to grow up a bit too fast because I knew someone had to look after Mum when she was sick. I took on the responsibility of being her person she could rely on. Independence came with this, and I am grateful that years of my teenage life weren’t wasted doing what a lot of teenagers do.
I moved to Nelson to finish off NCEA at a more prestigious school, Nelson College for Girls, and began my career as an amture athlete with big dreams in mind. Playing netball, touch rugby, rugby and rugby 7s, all at a representative level I really value the decision to move away from the small town I was so comfortably in, to extend my opportunities and broaden my horizons. Rugby 7’s is now my priority, being identified at last year’s nationals as an up and coming talented player, with my long term goal to represent New Zealand. I am contracted under the Tasman Rugby Union as a High Performance player, receiving free gym membership and the best trainers in town, intuitionalist, psychologists, and life coaches etc. at my disposal.
My goal to represent New Zealand in Rio Olympics was the short term goal I had my eye on. This goal fell off track when I became sick with Glandular Fever in early 2013 and was bed ridden for 7 months. Since then, my goals changed, to getting stringer, fitter and back to being better than I was before and overcome this sickness which still hinders me on a daily basis.
In between school, study and the present, I worked in a Special Education Department with children who required special learning and teaching approacehs. These kids were down syndrome, utistic, ADHD, dyslexic, had developmental issues etc. This is where I grew my passion for teaching and discovered my skill for working with people who benefit so greatly from a little time and love being put into their lives.
One step at a time, along with study and great partner support, I am now where I am today. Starting this elephant, little bits at a time, but I will get there J