About Us

I believe that it is important to teach different ways of thinking in order to understand one another and to create a more thoughtful and empathetic school environment. I realized that these students needed a space that allows them to develop, flourish, and achieve success in all areas.

In 2018, with the help of my wife, Sydney Hill, we opened our teaching studio on Vancouver Island. We had a space to accommodate students to learn, grow, and have fun using different types of multisensory learning approaches and techniques. 

In early 2020, we had a metamorphosis. We were ordered to shut down, and we had to change multisensory learning to be online-accessible. I knew that I needed a way to engage my students again, and they were also facing new anxieties, and more behavioural problems due to isolation. I needed a solution to get these kids socializing and feeling a sense of community again. 

I did some research, and discovered that Minecraft, a popular and accessible LEGO-like video game, had a number of educational applications and resources. So, in April 2020, I played my first game of Minecraft with my students. I challenged them to build a playground, and about halfway through, they started recreating their schoolyard games in Minecraft. To my delight, I noticed that they were socializing, problem solving, and interacting just like they would in a regular playground. Something intriguing was happening. My students who struggled in social situations became dynamic members of the group, adding ideas, contributing to discussions, and staying on task. Minecraft was a safe place for them to talk and interact. Due to the success of using Minecraft during our social meetups, I began using Minecraft’s built-in signage and custom text in combination with video cameras and touch screens to practice spelling and penmanship with my students.

During the summer, we hosted a virtual camp using a Minecraft social skills curriculum developed by the Australian psychologist Raelene Dundon. Campers completed a multitude of problem-solving activities while practicing their social skills both at home and in the game. Parents were thrilled that their kids were engaged and actually using the skills they learned, with many parents telling me that their children had never been so engaged in other social skill interventions. Minecraft was a definite success!

Looking to continue with a less formal, but more frequent, form of our Minecraft social skills camp throughout the school year, we created our Minecraft Socials! During these Socials, students would gather twice a month to play Minecraft, reconnect, and make new friends. As more kids joined, I needed the extra support, so Pam Lee and Sydney Hill were introduced to the Minecraft Social team.

With her seventeen years of experience teaching special education with the Orton-Gillingham approach, Pam helps discover and source various multisensory learning materials as well as new and innovative teaching techniques. Sydney took on the role of moderator, managing all of the virtual calls and handling extra administrative work.

In 2021, we got started with a new curriculum using Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment, and a new staff member, Kristen Kodama, joined our team. As well as being a Minecraft expert and professional Minecraft player, Kristen has a background in education, digital design, coding, and business administration. During our Minecraft Socials, she introduces our students to various game-related tips and tricks, and her presence was an immediate hit with the students! Outside of the Socials, she has been taking care of administration and using her web development skills to work on this website. Most importantly, Kristen has been helping reimagine our traditional curriculum, by designing custom educational Minecraft maps and materials that have made our special education the most engaging, enjoyable, and fun-filled programming possible! 

Moving forward, we will continue to develop new and exciting ways of teaching Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment and the Orton-Gillingham curriculums through Minecraft and other mediums, working within the community to help our learners become the people they most aspire to be!