About Us

Kaini Gu, Ms. Ed

Educational Therapist, Founder


Kaini sees learning as a lifelong process. Her own learning journey includes learning English as a second language, learning how to navigate different cultures, learning drawing and painting, and many more. To help students discover the joy of learning, Kaini started teaching in general education settings in 2011, but was inspired by her neurodivergent students to become an educational therapist. She firmly believes that with the proper tools and support every student can be successful and enjoy learning. 


Kaini has taught high school and college students in China, and middle school and high school students in the US. She has a master’s degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Professional Level Member of the Association of Educational Therapists. She is Orton-Gillingham trained and certified at the Academy Associate Level and used to work at the Carroll School in Massachusetts, one of the handful of schools accredited by the Orton-Gillingham Academy in the US. She has also interned with  SMARTS, a nationally recognized executive function training program. Her other trainings include Lindamood-Bell On Cloud Nine Math Program, Structured Word Inquiry, Lindamood-Bell Visualizing and Verbalizing, and Wilson Reading System.


Kaini has lived and taught in Shanghai, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Boston before she moved to Colorado. She is fluent in both English and Mandarin. Her favorite past times are watercolor painting, traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Testimonials

"Working with Kaini has been a very positive experience for our son; not only did we see improvements in his academics but also his self-esteem. He is more confident when reading.  After an assessment , she was able to  specifically identify areas to remediate. She has strong knowledge of the subject matter and helped develop techniques to strengthen key areas. She is supportive, patient, and engages with a fun and effective approach. As a parent, her insight and guidance has been invaluable to us. She was always open to meeting with teachers and other school personnel. We have been so fortunate to work with her."

Parent of a 5th grader

"Kaini worked with my daughter in Orton-Gillingham reading instruction through 7th grade and into 8th grade. My daughter has language based learning difficulties and is also an English language learner. Her expertise in both realms was very evident. My daughter loved working with Kaini! They developed such a wonderful rapport beyond reading and language instruction. Because of Kaini our daughter made great progress!"

Parent of an 8th grader

"I have had the opportunity and privilege to work closely with Kaini Gu during her Orton-Gillingham training. As her primary instructor and supervisor, I observed her ability to grow professionally and to become an excellent diagnostic/prescriptive teacher. 

Kaini brings a positive attitude and a real sense of enthusiasm to the work she does with each student. She distinguishes herself with a strong work ethic, excellent organizational skills and a passion for understanding and teaching all types of learners. She worked hard every day to ensure each student’s success."

L.F., Fellow/Orton-Gillingham Academy