Returning to School? This will help.

With the recent UK Government announcement that schools are re-opening in a limited fashion teachers may be wondering what to expect from pupils. Back to teaching after lockdown answers these questions.   Equally parents will have expectations that may not match the emotional capability of their children in this strange situation. The return could be bumpy. Returning to school after lockdown provides answers to parents that are both supportive … Read more

Getting Wise to Nuero-diversity

Ironic that todays newsletter, in the current climate, talks about what to include when we talk about inclusivity! It’s easy to identify obvious indicators of neurological difference – those with diagnosable conditions, whether physical or mental.  What some may not realise is that there is a much wider range of learning behaviours that need inclusivity strategies and solutions too.  You will … Read more

Black Lives Matter

It’s been a week of expressions of anger, sadness and hope.Some people are posting on social media.⠀Some are protesting in the streets.⠀ As an educator I aim to learn as much as I teach. I will not stand silent and I will assess my own prejudices and privileges and take action.  Here at Koa Ltd. we are focusing first … Read more

Are you good at joining in?

Are you good at joining in? Or are you someone who stands and watches for a bit before joining? Or are you someone, like me, who has to work hard to join in? You would think, wouldn’t you, that someone who talks for a living would find joining in quite easy but, in my case, … Read more

2 mistakes made about vulnerable mental health

Today I wanted to share 2 of the most common mistakes I’ve noticed that people make about children with vulnerable mental health. 1. “I should micro-manage their learning.” Yes, of course there needs to be planned, incremental units of learning for those pupils who have barriers to learning- poor learning behaviours, learning difficulties, special needs … Read more

Handling sensitive and controversial issues

Learning from real life experiences is central to the Primary curriculum and we recognise that vulnerable children may not have a range of experiences as building blocks. However, when it comes to emotional learning, these pupils may have lived a lot more! This learning may not have been healthful, reflected upon or made coherent.  So when … Read more

Are you aligned to your mission?

My company is called Koa – you may have noticed. If you are a gardener, you may know why.  Can I take a moment to talk to you about the Koa tree?  The Koa is a very tall kind of Acacia tree. It is thought so precious in the Hawaiian Islands that the wood is … Read more

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