Kovalik required that all teachers at a school want to participate in her training before accepting the school for a coaching relationship. The cornerstone of Kovalik's approach was the development of a brain-compatible learning environment. Kovalik argued that schools should design learning environments in ways that were compatible with what is known about how humans learn. Students feel physically and psychologically safe from harassment, put-downs or hostility from their peers or teachers. Students are provided with different ways of knowing something.
Students work together in group learning activities.
This intensive work was followed by a Kovalik consultant coaching teachers over a long-term period. Kovalik coaches assisted teachers in developing thematic units and creating a brain-compatible learning environment. Despite the fact that Kovalik's theories and approaches were not specifically designed for LEP students, Hanshaw Middle School teachers and administrators reported that they were effective with minority and LEP students. San Francisco Project 2061. Project 2061 was an endeavor sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.