[split from a previous and now deleted post]
I have mentioned before
that I was at one point getting work in schools. This is relatively lucrative work and I highly recommend anyone wanting to teach Poi to others try doing so in schools, especially in the UK.
I did struggle however to bag contracts, this was due to the fact that the competition that was offering courses in basket weaving etc came with a nationally recognised qualification. This made the basket weaving a more attractive option to the school etc as they could justify spending their budget on it more thanks to the bit of paper.
So I put a buttload of effort into getting Poi recognised by the governing body of educational qualifications in the UK. This body is called the AQA. The acronym stands for “Assessment and Qualifications Alliance” they are the largest of the three exam boards, awarding 49% of full course GCSEs and 42% of A-levels nationally. In total, students take over 3.5 million exams with them each year. You can read more about them here. It was a long and arduous process but in the end, it was done and worthwhile.
Here is the actual qualification registered in their database : Nationally Recognised Poi Qualification – AQA
Pretty cool huh? If you are interested in doing this do get in touch, I am a big believer in Poi being taught in schools and am happy to assist others in doing it. To use the online back up will cost a nominal amount but you will find it to be extremely worthwhile as a sales tool. i wouldn’t recommend sending potential learners to Do More Poi though, not if they are under 16 etc.