http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.growingchoices.co.nz en-us Sat, 09 May 2026 23:19:59 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/162938/a-new-beginning-grows-an-update-from-kakamega/ You can help support children in Kakamega from the very start of their learning journey. Every contribution, big or small, helps create safe classrooms, empower teachers, and build an inclusive, strength-based model of education.💛 Donate hereScroll down to see the latest photos of the kindergarten kids and the maths tutoring centre.... Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:26:22 +1300 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post162938 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/160003/learning-through-the-body-why-movement-matters/ A few years ago, Claire overheard a conversation as she walked past a young man and an authority figure.The words were sharp.“You’re lazy.”“You haven’t handed in your assignments.”“Study is off the menu.”Claire paused, not out of judgement, but out of curiosity and care, and gently asked a different question:“What happens when you read?”The young man’s answer was simple, honest, and devastating:“I start reading, but after the first few words, all the words disappear.The p... Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:21:26 +1300 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post160003 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/159273/the-kakamega-global-star-academy-from-kakamega-to-the-world/ We are excited to officially share the name of the school being established in Kakamega, Kenya:... Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:32:08 +1300 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post159273 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/158342/reflection-from-iwwa-whanau-learning-team/ Inviting indigenous and community groups, and anyone who relates to visual-spatial ways of thinking, to explore how the Davis Methods can support learning.Photo of our dedicated IWWA Whānau Learning Team. Literacy as Peace Education. From left to right: Parehuia Mafi, Claire Ashmore, Tutangiora Mafi.... Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:42:26 +1300 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post158342 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/158255/the-davis-room-a-long-held-vision-for-learning-family-and-growth/ Some spaces are created quickly. Others are quietly imagined, planned for, and lived into over many years.The Davis Room is one of those spaces.Back in 2008, I took three weeks to step back and imagine the next chapter of my life. I began shaping a vision, not just of what I wanted to do, but how I wanted to live and work. It has taken over 23 years of planning, saving, learning, and patience, but that vision is finally taking physical form.At the heart of it was always the same intention: to cr... Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:24:01 +1300 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post158255 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/158203/understanding-dyslexia-through-ron-davis-perceptual-talent--neurodivergence/ When I first learned about Ron Davis’ story, it struck me deeply.Ron was called “dummy” as a child. He didn’t speak until he was 17 and couldn’t read until he was 38. He carried labels like autistic, dyslexic, “retarded,” and “uneducable.” And for a long time, he believed them.“I don’t like me,” he said.“I wasn’t a real human being. I was a mistake that God made.”As a parent or educator, you can imagine how heavy that feeling is, to live in a world that doesn’t se... Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:28:51 +1300 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post158203 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/157924/see-breaking-news-update-looking-for-a-christmas-miracle-for-kakamega-can-we-secure-a-new-venue-for-dyslexic-learners-in-kenya/ In Western Kenya, something extraordinary is unfolding — a quiet, determined movement to transform the future of children who think and learn differently.For the past five years, Geoffrey, a passionate Davis facilitator-in-training and finalist for the I Am Humanity Award has supported neurodivergent learners in Kakamega. Through his maths tutoring centres, he has witnessed the life-changing impact of the Davis® Methods on children who once struggled with reading, focus, confidence, and self-... Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:14:44 +1300 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post157924 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/155959/small-school-big-impact-how-waihao-downs-keeps-the-davis-magic-alive/ When I last visited Waihao Downs School in 2018, Jane Severinsen’s sabbatical report highlighted something remarkable:  the Davis Learning Strategies® had become a natural part of the school’s culture. The results were clear: calmer classrooms, confident learners, and reading progress that exceeded expectations.👉 Read Jane’s 2018 sabbatical research here.Seven years later, I returned to see whether those results had stood the test of time. What I found was deeply encouraging.... Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:07:24 +1300 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post155959 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/152876/geoffreys-humanity-flourishing-award-finalist-certificate-a-moment-of-pride/ In the heart of Western Kenya, in Kakamega County, a rainforest region known for its rich wildlife and raw beauty, a quiet but powerful change is happening for children who learn differently. At the centre of it all is Geoffrey Ashiono, a dedicated educator and Director of a maths centre with three tutoring branches across the county.For many children in this region, dyslexia is misunderstood. By the time they are nine or ten, most have left school, labelled as “lazy,” and often punishe... Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post152876 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/post/152798/nairobi-conference/ The Kakamega Project team was delighted that Geoffrey attended the Dyslexia Rising Africa Conference 2025 in Nairobi. He traveled safely to and from the city, and his stay was comfortable. But the stories, experiences, and connections he made left the deepest impression.... Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.growingchoices.co.nz/blog/#post152798