See new landscapes.
HAVE NEW EYES.
Welcome to OtherWise Education.
We promote creative writing, powerful literacies, self-reflection and even a bit of joy!
Click 'Our Projects' to see how we can work with you.
The academic is vital, but it is not enough.
For kids to harness the full potential of their intellect, they need opportunities to consider their values, communicate clearly, and reflect upon themselves and their relationships with others.
I run a range of projects with pupils which develop children's self-expression and self-understanding. These include Poetry Retreats, Poetry Residencies, and the Iliad Project. I want for the experience to be transformative, thought-provoking and (unapologetically) enjoyable.
Whilst COVID has temporarily paused things like the Poetry Retreats, I am enjoying working with schools in new ways, focusing on modern ways of telling the oldest stories.
The Iliad Project is my main project for 2021-22, and I am enjoying teaching it in East London schools. I've been obsessed with mythology since childhood, and have relished the chance to get deeply invested in the beautiful weirdness once again.
When creativity, knowledge and self-confidence interweave, children and their teachers can achieve remarkable things together.
From June 2020, we are supported by the Arts Council Emergency Response Fund, with money from the National Lottery. This generous support is enabling us to adapt our organisation to lockdown, and to the new realities facing schools. Our Arts Council/National Lottery funding supported us to restructure our aims, continue KUDOS and Writes of Passage digitally which began pre-lockdown, and to develop new projects to support children and teachers.
JONNY WALKER
Director of OtherWise Education
JO CASTRO
Coach
Jo runs learning projects and training, as well as leading on coaching. She is a freelance coach, and former specialist teacher. Jo co-facilitates KUDOS, Writes of Passage and the Connected Teacher Programme.
JONNY WALKER
Founder, OtherWise
Jonny leads OtherWise, teaches the projects and runs the CPD. He is a specialist teacher, focusing on poetry and mythology. Jonny teaches in schools and on Outschool.
He has co-authored a book on poetry with Michael Rosen.
ADISA THE VERBALISER
Poet
Adisa co-facilitates Poetry Retreats and leads staff training and poetry projects with Jonny. He is a dynamic event host and is a published poet, author of 'Lip-Hopping with the Fundi Fu'.