In this second-to-last episode of Identity Talk 4 Educators LIVE, we sit down with two powerful voices in inclusive and student-centered education, Sally Ratemo and Donica Merhazion, learning support educators from the International School of Kenya (ISK). Together, we explore how they are redefining inclusion, belonging, and identity-affirming practice in international school settings. Drawing from their collaborative work in ISK’s Life-Centered Education (LCE) program, as well as their recent presentation at SENIA Unplugged, Sally and Donica share the strategies, mindsets, and community-centered approaches that help neurodiverse learners thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We unpack the importance of psychological safety, culturally responsive pedagogy, co-teaching partnerships, and the intentional use of digital tools, all while centering humanity and student dignity. Finally, Donica shares about her newest book, "Born at the End of the World" and the journey she embarked on to complete it. To learn more about Donica's work, you can visit her website at dmerhazion.com or follow her on Instagram (@donica_merhazion) and LinkedIn. To learn more about Sally's work, you can follow her on LinkedIn. To learn more about Identity Talk Consulting and the professional development services that we offer, visit our website at https://identitytalk4educators.com. STAY CONNECTED WITH KWAME: 👉🏾 Instagram: / https://instagram.com/kwamtheidentityshaper 👉🏾 YouTube: / @kwamesarfo-mensah5785 👉🏾 LinkedIn: / https://linkedin.com/in/kwamesarfomensah LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: 👉🏾 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/identity-talk-4-educators-live/id1509599570 👉🏾 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/23k0HRkXxi1OJSahtqS7xO SIGN UP FOR A E-COURSE WITH KWAME! 👉🏾 https://eduspark.world/profile/9312b128-7573-440d-8d78-fb24cc4fa066/creator SUBSCRIBE TO THE IDENTITY TALK NEWSLETTER! 👉🏾 https://identitytalk.kit.com/9e744003e9 READ MY BOOKS! 👉🏾 “Learning to Relearn” - https://www.routledge.com/Learning-to-Relearn-Supporting-Identity-in-a-Culturally-Affirming-Classroom/Sarfo-Mensah/p/book/9781625316226 👉🏾 “Shaping the Teacher Identity” - https://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Teacher-Identity-Lessons-Define/dp/1723480835 VISIT THE IDENTITY TALK APPAREL SHOP! 👉🏾 https://the-identity-talk-apparel-shop.creator-spring.com/ TO SEND A DONATION: 👉🏾 CashApp - https://cash.app/$idtalk4ed 👉🏾 Venmo - https://venmo.com/u/kwamesm 👉🏾 PayPal - https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kwamesm ____________________________________________________________________________________ Timestamps: 0:00-1:04 - Welcome to IDTALK4ED LIVE 1:13-3:17 - Podcast Subscription Reminders & Learning to Relearn Promo 3:18-6:29 - Introducing Sally Ratemo & Donica Merhazion 6:30-10:51 - Who or what inspired you to be an educator? 10:52-13:19 - Donica's K-12 Education Journey 13:20-18:59 - Sally's K-12 Education Journey 19:00-25:21 - What does a "safe classroom" look like? (Donica) 25:22-31:43 - Strategies for Building Psychological Safety for Students 31:44-44:17 - What is Life-Centered Education? 44:18-50:42 - How her inclusion approach has shifted as a school leader (Sally) 49:47-54:05 - Donica's New Book, "Born at the End of the World" 54:06-58:37 - How do you stay true to the teacher in you? 58:38-1:00:07 - How to connect with Sally & Donica 1:00:08-1:01:35 - Thank Yous & Goodbyes BIO: Donica Merhazion is a middle school educator with extensive experience in special education, specializing in Orton-Gillingham instruction and inclusive practices that address diverse learning needs. Her expertise includes implementing Responsive Classroom strategies and blended learning to create dynamic, student-centered environments. She is committed to differentiated instruction that prioritizes individual strengths and challenges, fostering self-worth and confidence while addressing the unique needs of students with disabilities. By designing equitable, inquiry-driven learning experiences, she equips learners with critical thinking skills and resilience, empowering them to overcome barriers and thrive as lifelong learners. Sally Ratemo is an international special education teacher with a master's degree in both special education and leadership. She is passionate about each student's unique needs and thrives on building the student's strengths and confidence in order to foster their social and academic growth. Sally believes that by being seen, valued, and accepted, all students can reach their full potential and contribute purposefully to our ever-changing world. She has a passion for equity and inclusion which is continually inspired by her culture, family, and students.

In this week's episode, I sit down with global inclusion consultant Lauren Jones, a leading voice in international education whose work spans continents, cultures, and communities. With experience supporting schools across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond, Lauren specializes in building inclusive ecosystems that affirm every learner, particularly those who have been historically marginalized or misunderstood. Drawing from her extensive background in learning support, neurodiversity, trauma-informed practice, and whole-child development, Lauren shares how she partners with schools and organizations to shift systems, strengthen leadership, and cultivate cultures of belonging. Together, we explore her consulting work, leadership coaching, and contributions to projects like The Guardian Project. Throughout the conversation, Lauren offers practical insights for teachers, leaders, and school communities working to create more inclusive, equitable, and humane learning environments. To learn more about Lauren's work, you can visit her website at laurenjonesconsulting.com or follow her on Instagram (@laurenjonesconsulting) or LinkedIn. To learn more about Identity Talk Consulting and the professional development services that we offer, visit our website at https://identitytalk4educators.com. STAY CONNECTED WITH KWAME: 👉🏾 Instagram: / https://instagram.com/kwamtheidentityshaper 👉🏾 YouTube: / @kwamesarfo-mensah5785 👉🏾 LinkedIn: / https://linkedin.com/in/kwamesarfomensah LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: 👉🏾 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/identity-talk-4-educators-live/id1509599570 👉🏾 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/23k0HRkXxi1OJSahtqS7xO SIGN UP FOR A E-COURSE WITH KWAME! 👉🏾 https://eduspark.world/profile/9312b128-7573-440d-8d78-fb24cc4fa066/creator SUBSCRIBE TO THE IDENTITY TALK NEWSLETTER! 👉🏾 https://identitytalk.kit.com/9e744003e9 READ MY BOOKS! 👉🏾 “Learning to Relearn” - https://www.routledge.com/Learning-to-Relearn-Supporting-Identity-in-a-Culturally-Affirming-Classroom/Sarfo-Mensah/p/book/9781625316226 👉🏾 “Shaping the Teacher Identity” - https://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Teacher-Identity-Lessons-Define/dp/1723480835 VISIT THE IDENTITY TALK APPAREL SHOP! 👉🏾 https://the-identity-talk-apparel-shop.creator-spring.com/ TO SEND A DONATION: 👉🏾 CashApp - https://cash.app/$idtalk4ed 👉🏾 Venmo - https://venmo.com/u/kwamesm 👉🏾 PayPal - https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kwamesm ____________________________________________________________________________________ Timestamps: 0:00-1:04 - Welcome to IDTALK4ED LIVE 1:05-3:59 - Podcast Subscription Reminders & Learning to Relearn Promo 4:00-6:56 - Introducing Lauren Jones 6:57-14:38 - Lauren's Early Childhood, Schooling Journey & Early Years in Education 14:39-21:52 - What Does It Means to be a "Good Student"? 21:53-25:18 - Cross-Cultural Influences on Inclusion 25:19-34:30 - Auditing & Assessing Inclusion Systems in Schools 34:31-38:38 - Emerging Challenges That Impact Inclusion in Schools 38:39-42:59 - Neuro-Inclusive Teaching Toolkit 43:00-49:40 - The Guardian Project 49:41-55:36 - Celebrating The Wins! 55:37-57:03 - How do you stay true to the teacher in you? 57:04-58:01 - How to connect with Lauren 58:02-58:49 - Thank Yous & Goodbyes BIO: Lauren Jones is an educational and leadership consultant focusing on supporting schools and organizations with building and expanding programming to support neurodivergence in their communities. Lauren helps schools through professional development, inclusion audits, coaching, board and leadership training, and programmatic and policy design and implementation. Lauren has a Master’s degree in Special Education and a post graduate certificate from Harvard University in School Management and Leadership. Lauren has lived and worked in Nigeria, South Sudan, The U.S., Qatar, and Rwanda. She most recently served at the Head of School at the International School of Kigali. Prior to that, Lauren led instrumental work in Qatar, expanding programming and policy to include a broader scope of neurodiversity.

In this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with Nicole Bonnah, journalist, storyteller, and Founder & Director of Tap in Think Tank, to explore how storytelling can be a transformative force in education, identity, and social change. Drawing from her acclaimed writings such as “The Black Orient: The Emerging Black Presence in China” and “Black China Life” in The Huffington Post, Nicole reflects on her experiences living and reporting abroad as a Black woman navigating cultural identity, belonging, and representation in global contexts. Together, we discuss how her journalism journey shaped her mission to create Tap in Think Tank, a social impact consultancy dedicated to helping schools and organizations engage in meaningful dialogue about race, equity, and identity. From the power of informed perspectives to the importance of narrative ownership, Nicole offers rich insights on how educators can use storytelling to humanize learning, build cultural consciousness, and foster truly identity-affirming classrooms. To learn more about Nicole's work, you can visit the Tap In Think Tank website at tapinthinktank.com or follow her on Instagram (@tapinthinktank) and LinkedIn. To learn more about Identity Talk Consulting and the professional development services that we offer, visit our website at https://identitytalk4educators.com. STAY CONNECTED WITH KWAME: 👉🏾 Instagram: / https://instagram.com/kwamtheidentityshaper 👉🏾 YouTube: / @kwamesarfo-mensah5785 👉🏾 LinkedIn: / https://linkedin.com/in/kwamesarfomensah LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: 👉🏾 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/identity-talk-4-educators-live/id1509599570 👉🏾 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/23k0HRkXxi1OJSahtqS7xO SIGN UP FOR A E-COURSE WITH KWAME! 👉🏾 https://eduspark.world/profile/9312b128-7573-440d-8d78-fb24cc4fa066/creator SUBSCRIBE TO THE IDENTITY TALK NEWSLETTER! 👉🏾 https://identitytalk.kit.com/9e744003e9 READ MY BOOKS! 👉🏾 “Learning to Relearn” - https://www.routledge.com/Learning-to-Relearn-Supporting-Identity-in-a-Culturally-Affirming-Classroom/Sarfo-Mensah/p/book/9781625316226 👉🏾 “Shaping the Teacher Identity” - https://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Teacher-Identity-Lessons-Define/dp/1723480835 VISIT THE IDENTITY TALK APPAREL SHOP! 👉🏾 https://the-identity-talk-apparel-shop.creator-spring.com/ TO SEND A DONATION: 👉🏾 CashApp - https://cash.app/$idtalk4ed 👉🏾 Venmo - https://venmo.com/u/kwamesm 👉🏾 PayPal - https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kwamesm ____________________________________________________________________________________ Timestamps: 0:00-1:03 - Welcome to IDTALK4ED LIVE 1:04-3:54 - Podcast Subscription Reminders & Learning to Relearn Promo 3:55-5:38 - Introducing Nicole Bonnah 5:39-18:51 - Nicole's Early Childhood, Schooling Journey & Early Years in Education 18:52-19:57 - Moving to China 19:58-20:56 - The Forum Promo 20:57-23:15 - Inspiration for Journalism & Storytelling 23:16-34:17 - Navigating Life in China 34:18-38:14 - Conversations with Children about Identity 38:15-38:27 - Service Learning in South Africa 38:28-39:13 - Identity Talk Consulting Promo 39:14-52:03 - Tap In Think Tank 52:04-56:08 - Lessons Learned 56:09-57:01 - How do you stay true to the teacher in you? 57:02-58:33 - How to connect with Nicole 58:34-59:08 - Thank Yous & Goodbyes BIO: Nicole Bonnah is the passionate founder of Tap In think tank and host of Talks on Tap, a unique intellectual experience that brings together curious minds in the vibrant atmosphere of Beijing's bars. A London native residing in China since 2013, Nicole holds a bachelor's in Journalism, News Media, and Film and a master’s in International Journalism. With a decade of teaching experience, Nicole is also a documentary filmmaker specialising in ethnicity and culture. Her writing has been featured in prominent publications such as China’s Global Times, US-China Focus, and AfricaChina Magazine. As an avid learner and connector, Nicole's mission is to foster meaningful discussions and build a community of lifelong learners who are eager to explore new ideas and perspectives.