Katie Hamilton Hopkins

Email: katiehamiltonhopkinscim@gmail.com

I have been coaching with Connections in Mind for over 5 years. I co-developed the Connections in Mind Executive Function Adventures programme; a ten week programme for children under 12yrs. As well as delivering the programme myself, I train other coaches in delivering the programme and create bespoke coaching experiences.

As well as guiding students through their English Language and Literature GCSEs, I supported students who were struggling to access the curriculum because their reading age was below the national requirement for KS3 by delivering phonics interventions to help students to identify the relationship between letters and sounds. I ensured that all students with SEND could access the curriculum by differentiating lesson content and creating resources.

I also work as a youth mental health first aider, offering support and guidance to young people who are struggling to manage their mental health. I have over 10 years experience teaching drama workshops in Secondary and Primary Education. These workshops are varied in content from exploring themes in Shakespeare’s plays to learning about Neuroplasticity and Growth Mindset. They are high energy, challenge-orientated and fun! I directed school productions and took part in festivals including Connections at the National Theatre.

Neurodiverse Expertise:

  • ADHD
  • ADD
  • Dyslexia
  • ASD
  • Neurotypical
  • Dyscalculia
  • Dysgraphia

Client Group:

  • Education
  • Primary
  • Students
  • Children
  • A-levels
  • GCSE’s

Specialisms:

  • Planning and Time Management
  • Homework Routines
  • Emotional Regulation and Self Control
  • Organisation and Tidiness
  • Making and Keeping Friendships
  • Essay Writing
  • Revision Planning
  • Revision Skills
  • Resilience
  • Bedtime Routines
  • Screen Time
  • Mental Wellbeing
  • Health and Wellness
  • Self-Awareness and Relationships
  • Prioritisation and Decision Making
  • Effective Problem Solving
  • Productivity and Self Efficacy
  • Sleep Hygiene
  • Procrastination and Task Initiation
  • Personal Growth

Experience:

Connections in Mind – Progress Coach

2017 – Present
I work with children, in KS2, 3, 4 and 5, and their parents, to support challenges with their executive function skills which are creating barriers to their learning and preventing them from developing their full potential. I work with them to set goals and create strategies that will strengthen deficits in these areas and improve their academic progress and over-all well-being. I co-developed the 10-week learning programme for Key Stage 2/3 children called EF Adventures. This included creating the content and accompanying resources and working with a designer to create the EF Character cards. I facilitate workshops with primary school children of class sizes of 30+ to teach them about neurodiversity and I am looking forward to working with primary school focus groups to deliver workshops using the EF Character resources to evaluate how the children respond and interact with them. As well as EF Adventures, I deliver the Metacognition Building and Coaching for Independent Learning Programmes. My skills sessions are tailored to each of my individual students’ learning needs and I create resources to support the sessions which they can also use in a school setting. I regularly liaise with my student’s parents, teachers, support staff and SENco within their school to ensure that my support strategies align with theirs.

Southfields Academy – Drama and Literacy Teacher

2013 – 2017
As part of my MA in Applied Theatre, I worked with a group of students taking part in the Connections festival of new writing for young people at the National Theatre. Engaging young people in the transformative power of theatre is what excites me about working with young people. My quiet confidence and tenacious approach were perfectly suited to the role of Literacy support, where every day I strived to remove barriers to learning and empowered students to challenge themselves. I worked in small groups to deliver phonics support to help students to identify the relationship between letters and sounds. I ensured that all students with SEND could access the curriculum by differentiating lesson content and creating resources. I was a form tutor so my role included pastoral support and I had the privilege of using the coaching tools that I had learnt with Connections in Mind.

Qualifications:

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

PGCert Directing Text, Applied Theatre

University of Kent

2:1, BA Hons Theatre Practice

Meet Katie:

Email coach to book time: katiehamiltonhopkinscim@gmail.com