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Celebrating Jill Eggleton: A Literary Luminary at The Foundation
General News
17th Jul 2024
Celebrating Jill Eggleton: A Literary Luminary at The Foundation
Among the many remarkable residents at The Foundation is Jill Eggleton, a celebrated author, teacher, and educational consultant whose contributions to children’s literature and literacy education have touched countless lives.
Jill’s journey began in the lively classrooms of New Zealand, where she quickly realised the power of storytelling to engage young minds. "I started to write poetry because I thought the poems were something that they could connect with; every child has rhythm," she recalls. Her commitment to improving literacy among her students became the driving force that shaped her professional journey. Recognising the educational value of engaging stories, Jill’s early experimentation blossomed into a prolific writing career, with several poetry books and over 800 children's books to her name.
A Passion Ignited in the Classroom
Jill’s success as a classroom teacher, led to her appointment as an Assistant Principal where she trained and appraised teachers. The literacy programme she implemented in this role to support teachers was recognised by reading specialists and administrators from both New Zealand and around the world. "Educators from New Zealand and USA regularly visited my classroom to see how I was teaching," she explains. Her classroom set a new standard of excellence, and her talent for creating engaging, educational content earned her invitations to train teachers on a global scale. "This was the beginning of my career as an Educational Consultant," she notes. "I loved training teachers and teaching them how to help kids read and write better, to help them love it and excite them and motivate them," she says passionately.
Building a Legacy of Literacy
For the past 25 years, Jill has travelled the world, providing professional development in literacy and classroom management in countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Dubai, South Africa, China, Czech Republic, Malaysia and Thailand. "I trained and appraised teachers, developed assessment and evaluation programs, and worked directly with administrators and reading specialists in various school districts," she recounts.
Jill's impressive array of children’s books were written to captivate and educate young readers while supporting classroom learning. "My books are designed to provide children with the skills of learning to read in an enjoyable way," Jill explains. “All of them have fabulous illustrations, as you can’t have a children’s book without illustrations to bring the story alive.” To fully realise her vision for children's literacy, Jill and her business partner Tracy, established their own publishing company, Global Education Systems.
In recognition of her work, Jill has earned prestigious accolades, including a Margaret Mahy Award and being appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order (QSO). Despite these honours, Jill remains humble. “It was an honour, but there are so many people who deserve recognition," she reflects modestly. “My goal all along has been to teach children and ignite their love for learning and be the best teacher I could be. I didn’t do any of it for an award - I didn’t even do it for the pay check, to be honest.”
Jill fondly recalls an experience in the Dakotas, United States. "I walked in the classroom, and the teacher introduced me, and this little boy came running up and said to me, 'you write happy books.' And I just thought, oh, wow. That's what I want. Happy books. These kids were from a very poor background, and to know that my books made them feel happy, was a very memorable moment," she says.
A Lasting Impact
Having moved into The Foundation earlier this year with her husband, Nelson, Jill finds joy in the supportive community and the peaceful environment. "It’s a lovely place to live. People are so caring, and nothing is too much trouble," she shares. She fondly recalls an incident where the hot water ran out, and the management promptly sent a bottle of champagne along with their apologies. "How is that for service! They are amazing here," she adds with a smile.
While Jill continues to write and inspire, she also enjoys travelling and spending time with her six grandchildren, who range in age from 8 to 23. Her two children, Kyle and Brylee, have pursued their own successful careers. Kyle is a doctor and Associate Dean of Rural Medicine at Auckland Medical School, while Brylee is a teacher and manages Strategic Partnerships at King’s School.
Having left an indelible mark on children’s literature and education to date, it is no doubt that Jill’s legacy will continue to inspire and educate future generations.
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