An online teaching expert is ramping up support for returning pupils as they resume mainstream education. Following a recent survey, the founder of Uplevel Academy, Kellie McCord, discovered that 83% of parents wanted their children to return to school but had major concerns that have not been addressed.
The concerns included the risk of Covid infection and testing, catching up with schoolwork, re-establishing friendships, transitioning from home to classroom teaching and school management.
The parents and carers who took part in the survey said they wanted schools to take a child-centred approach with a focus on socialising and making more time for pupils to spend time with each other.
The survey also found that the largest academic concerns were centred on English, with 35 parents citing this compared to 19 worried about mathematics. Other issues included communication with schools, assessments to identify weaknesses and emotional support.
Respondents also wanted additional learning opportunities for young people who might not return to school at the same academic level as their peers and called for a focus on one-to-one tuition, extra homework and weekend lessons.
Kellie McCord said: “The results show that the two paramount pains that both parents and children faced are catching up with learning and being able to socialise. “With those two key problems in mind, parents and young people also felt a loss of motivation in learning and an increased level of social anxiety. “In response to this and to keep up with demand, I am launching two new programmes in April which are 11+ English and GCSE English Language – Year 11.”
Furthermore, parents and carers said there should be a strong focus on emotional well-being, including counselling and promoting discussion on thoughts, feelings, and coping strategies for dealing with negative thoughts and emotions.
As such, Kellie has established online group programmes to advance young peoples’ learning coupled with a strong social and communicative environment.
There is also an emphasis on mindfulness strategies, including goal setting and vision boards to help pupils maintain consistency and take greater responsibility for their learning.
Kellie McCord added: “I specialise in teaching English with a fun, friendly and forward-thinking approach.
“Inclusion is also crucial, so I have adapted programmes for learners with dyslexia and ADHD. This ensures the learner is at the centre of the process along with the interwoven mindfulness strategies, so that each pupil takes greater ownership and responsibility for their learning, thus improving their confidence, motivation, and grades.
“I am determined that young people see within themselves a host of possibilities and not be hostage to uncertainty. My tutoring online will go a long way to achieving this.
“Extra tuition promotes personal and academic attainment and confidence with far-reaching benefits that will sustain a young person as they progress into further levels of study and beyond.”
Kellie McCord has a decade of teaching and tutoring experience and her unique style and practices draw on the best educational techniques to ensure the young people she teaches are inspired, engaged, and motivated to achieve academic success in their exams and beyond.
Further information on Kellie McCord’s teaching and learning community are available at www.uplevel-academy.com
Kellie McCord – Founder Uplevel Academy
Kellie McCord is an award winning educator and speaker.
Kellie McCord has over a decade of educational expertise that spans the globe: from lecturing at Wuhan Yangtze Business University to offering educational support at Harris Girls’ Academy.
As an English Graduate from the University of Nottingham, Kellie McCord has aimed to continue to be an ambassador for its values of outreach and community by creating online tutoring programmes that inspires an inclusive, enriching and global dimension by utilising works from a variety of authors and writers, and by adapting all materials for SEND learners.
Valuing inclusion and a strong sense of community, as well as firmly believing that education goes beyond a classroom, Kellie took up internships with charity organisations: Nottingham Domestic Violence Forum (NDVF) and the Centre for Environmental Education (CEE). Through her experiences at the NDVF, Kellie was able to educate Primary and Secondary School students on the importance of healthy relationships. Furthermore, at the CEE, Kellie was able to work with prolific and renowned experts for the ‘Ethical Framework for Sustainable World’.
Kellie McCord has also worked in the Force Control Room for one of the biggest police forces in the UK – Lincolnshire Police. Therefore, she knows how to work under pressure, liaise with multiple agencies and utilise systems to co-ordinate a response to help people. Taking these learnings, Kellie has integrated the communication and data collection strategies into her online group tutoring, so that parents, guardians and carers know where their children are, and so that if there are any gaps in learning, it can be efficiently and effectively bridged.
Kellie McCord has experience of all forms of communication – in-person, online and over the phone – which she has used to work on BBC Learning English Programmes, design curriculum for University students in China and create online English and 11+ Tutoring programmes that give students a phenomenal, nurturing learning experience.
Wanting to have inclusion at the heart of Uplevel Academy, Kellie completed Diplomas in Dyslexia Therapy, Mindfulness and CBT, so that all of her tutees, not only advance in their academic careers, but are also empowered and supported mentally and emotionally.
With a genuine love of learning, Kellie has also taken up extra studies to develop and hone skills, thus allowing her to be a great role-model, since she lives and breathes what she tells her students. Hence, she took a Level 3 Veterinary Support Assistant online Course, and she has taken many short-courses in Acting, Film & Television at renowned institutions, such as RADA.
Kellie has also written text books and a children’s series to support young people in their learning. This is because she feels that we expect children to use advance vocabulary, yet the books offered are limiting.
To further hone and develop her communication skills Kellie joined Toastmasters where she has been Club Secretary for Riverside Communicators, and where she has participated and won many speaking competitions.
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