DYSCO

08/05/2026

“Get ready for school” is actually lots of hidden steps, decisions and sequencing all happening at once.

Simple visual routines like this reduce the thinking load.

One step.
Flip the flap.
Next step.

Clear. Visible. Repeatable.

Sometimes the support is not about trying harder.
It’s about making time visible.

For younger tamariki or non-readers, using real photos of themselves, their lunchbox, shoes, bag or toothbrush often works even better because it is instantly recognisable and more meaningful to them.

Because time blindness is real for many dyscalculic, ADHD and dyslexic tamariki.

16/04/2026

I’ve worked with a number of young people with Tourette Syndrome over the years.

What made the difference was never trying to stop the tics.

It was changing what was around them.

A place to “tic off” in private
Working on the floor instead of sitting upright
Calm, low tone from adults
Big movement breaks that look normal to others
Simple ways to stay out of the spotlight when needed

When the pressure drops, the tics often do too.

One whānau tracked me down years later to say thank you.

Their son is now front and centre on stage, dancing.

That’s the goal.

Not less tics.
More freedom.

Good article here from Education Gazette that aligns with this approach:

Tourette Syndrome is widely recognised but often misunderstood. Many educators are familiar with the name, yet uncertainty can arise when supporting a student whose tics are visible in the classroom. Emma Henderson, general manager of the Tourette’s Association of New Zealand, explains more about ...

15/04/2026

Your child doesn’t hate maths.
They’re stuck.

I saw this today from BBC News about dyscalculia.

It matters that it’s being recognised.

But here’s the part that often gets missed:

A label doesn’t change learning.
Access does.

Most of the learners I work with aren’t “bad at maths”.
They’ve missed the starting point.

Number sense wasn’t built clearly.
Patterns weren’t made visible.
The load was too high too early.

So they get stuck.

When we slow it down and rebuild:

* make it visible
* make it physical
* make it repeatable

Things start to shift. Fast.

Confidence comes back.
Then progress follows.

I work with you and your child to fix the starting point, so you know what’s going on and what to do next.

If this sounds like your child, you’re not alone.

Happy to kōrero.

Often referred to as the "dyslexia of numbers", dyscalculia is thought to affect one in 20 people.

14/04/2026

“They just won’t do it.”

Most of the time, it’s not that they won’t.

👉 It’s not a choice problem
👉 It’s a processing problem

Some children struggle with demand (PDA)
Some struggle with load (ADHD)

When we understand that, we can actually help.

If this sounds familiar, message me.
Happy to kōrero.

13/04/2026

You don’t need another report. You need answers.

In 2 hours, I work with you and your child to:
• see how they learn
• understand what’s getting in the way
• give you tools that actually work at home

No long reports.
You leave knowing exactly what to do.

If this sounds like what you need, message me

03/04/2026

Start here.

If a learner is still counting, maths will stay slow.

This is the next step.
Seeing number without counting.

Try this:

Show a pattern
Ask “How many?”
Pause
Say it out loud

Keep it short.
Keep it steady.

Clear. Visible. Repeatable.

Brain Coach: Maths that Makes Sense.

03/04/2026

Start here.

If number to 10 isn’t solid, everything slows down.

This is how to build it:

See how 10 is made
Say the pairs out loud
Watch the gap close

Keep it steady.
Keep it simple.

Clear. Visible. Repeatable.

Brain Coach: Maths that Makes Sense.

03/04/2026

Start here.

Most maths struggles don’t start with algebra.
They start with number to 10.

If this isn’t automatic, everything slows down.

Try this:

Count in pairs
Slide and say it
Keep it steady

Make it a game. Race someone.

Clear. Visible. Repeatable.

02/04/2026

They got it yesterday.
Today it’s gone.

That’s not effort.
That’s how your child’s brain processes numbers

Often alongside:
Dyslexia
ADHD

What you’re seeing:

Forgetting what they just learnt
Counting instead of knowing
Getting stuck on simple steps

They are not lazy
They are working much harder just to keep up

This is not about lowering expectations

It’s about removing barriers
so your child can actually access maths

Most tutoring won’t fix this

This needs a specialist approach

I start with solutions

Make it visible
Make it hands-on
Build patterns
Support how their brain processes numbers

I do educational assessment
Not medical diagnosis

Clear. Practical. What to do next

Start simple:

5–10 minutes
Say it out loud
Use something hands-on
Watch and rewatch

Keep it calm

Clear. Visible. Repeatable.
That’s how learning sticks

Message me if you want help understanding your child

02/04/2026

Try this with your child tonight.
Most people think this is about counting. It’s not.

I hold up 5 and 2 and ask, “How many?”
Then I move one across and ask again.

What happens next tells me everything.

If they go back to 1 and count again,
they’re not seeing the whole.
They’re rebuilding it every time.

That’s not ability. That’s processing.

This is one of the quickest ways I spot a processing issue in maths, from young tamariki right through to adults.

This is where I start.
Hands-on. Concrete. Step by step.

I’ve got 2 spaces available at the moment.

I work alongside the child and train an adult in the whānau
so it carries on at home.

Message me if you want to talk it through.

Filmed in my outside classroom. Real life. Real learning.