I have a whole collection of therapy-related qualifications, ranging from Ofqual-regulated Level 3 and 4 Diplomas to shorter accredited qualifications. (Let’s not mention the yoga teaching and coaching qualifications. I am addicted to learning, what can I say?) I also hold a Level 3 Award in Education and Training, Level 3 Assessing and a Level 4 Internal Quality Assurance qualification. On paper, that should be enough to teach, assess and IQA.
But lately I’ve found myself asking a bigger question.
Is “good enough” REALLY good enough when you’re trying to create learning experiences for people who have spent their entire lives believing they can’t learn?
For me, the answer is no.
So I’m back at it again. I’m currently studying for a Professional Certificate in Inclusive Education and Training while I decide which Level 6 qualification will best support my longer-term plans.
Not because anyone has told me I need to.
Not because a regulator requires it.
But because I care deeply about getting this right.
This feels personal
I didn’t have a particularly positive experience of traditional education. Primary school was fab. Proper brainbox me. It all went downhill when I passed my 11+ and went to a grammar school. Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVED my school, but for all the wrong reasons. I had great friends, (some) great teachers and an all-round jolly good time. However, even though we were constantly being told we were in the “top 5%”, I came away with 3 GCSEs.
I spent years believing I wasn’t very academic. Years thinking other people were clever and I wasn’t.
What I’ve come to realise is that none of that is true. I was failing to thrive in the environment I was placed in, and so were lots of others like me. The teaching methods didn’t suit us. The environment didn’t suit us. The expectations didn’t suit us. And personally, I have never been a fan of “rules”.
And instead of questioning the system, many of us questioned ourselves.
Since starting Plymouth Holistic Training, I’ve met countless learners with similar stories:
- People who left school believing they were stupid
- People who were told they weren’t academic
- People who dreaded classrooms
- People with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, anxiety, trauma, confidence issues, health conditions or simply different ways of processing information
Then they come onto one of our courses and suddenly realise they can learn. Not because they’re different people, but because the environment is different. I have had new learners walk into my training room and burst into tears of relief, because they had been so stressed about walking back into a “classroom”.
Equality versus equity
One of the first ideas I’ve explored on this new learning journey is the difference between equality and equity.
Honestly? I already knew it, but had never REALLY thought about it. And actually, it’s blown my mind a bit.
I’ve always believed in treating everyone equally. That sounds fair, doesn’t it? But here’s the problem. If everybody starts from a different place, giving everybody exactly the same thing doesn’t necessarily create fairness.
Imagine giving every learner the same resource. That sounds equal, doesn’t it? But what if one learner has dyslexia? What if another has a visual impairment? What if someone struggles with processing large amounts of text? What if English isn’t their first language? What if someone has ADHD and finds pages of black-and-white text overwhelming?
They’re all being treated equally, but they’re not all able to access the learning equally.
That’s where equity comes in. Equity isn’t about giving everybody the same thing. It’s about giving everybody what they need: different support, different resources, different approaches, different adjustments. The goal isn’t identical treatment. The goal is a comparable opportunity to succeed.
That distinction has really got me thinking.
What this means for Plymouth Holistic Training
If I’m honest, I’ve already been doing some of this for years. (I also have to remember that I am only one person, and I won’t be able to make changes overnight.)
I’ve always tried to be flexible. I’ve always tried to meet learners where they are. I absolutely do my best to create an environment where people feel welcome rather than judged.
But good intentions and trying aren’t enough. I want to understand the theory, the research and the legal frameworks. I want to understand what genuinely inclusive practice looks like, beyond being kind and accommodating.
I don’t want to provide a tick in the box. I want to provide a genuinely brilliant service, consistently.
The bigger vision
This learning isn’t just about qualifications. It’s about a vision I’ve had for a long time, and one that’s slowly becoming clearer. A vision of training that’s… Done Different.
- Training that recognises there isn’t one “right” way to learn
- Training that understands some people need movement, some need visuals, some need discussion and some need quiet reflection
- Training that values practical intelligence as much as academic ability
- Training that builds confidence instead of destroying it
- Training where learners don’t spend the day worrying they’ll look stupid
- Training where people feel safe enough to ask questions
- Training where differences aren’t accommodated as an afterthought, but considered from the start
I don’t have all the answers yet. In fact, the more I learn, the more I realise how much I still have to learn. But that’s exactly why I’m doing this.
Because if I can help even one learner avoid spending years believing they’re incapable, when the real issue was simply that nobody taught them in a way that worked for them, then every assignment, every qualification and every late-night study session will be worth it.
This is the start of a journey, and I’m excited to see where it leads.
Karen
Plymouth Holistic Training: Flexible Inclusive Learning 馃А
Follow the journey: Done Different is now up and running. Visit Done Different to find out more and join the mailing list.