The Clara James Approach to learning

Dawn Strachan

When it comes to learning we are all individuals. The past 20+ years have taught me that no matter our learning style if the child is engaged and relaxed they are more likely to learn. If we just keep giving them the same resources, varied over and over again, all we are doing is giving them one place in their brains to find the information. However, by giving them a variety of resources we can make it more interesting, more relevant, and help them to create multiple memories so that when they need to recall the information, they have more places they can go to in order to find it.If we can boost their confidence as well as their knowledge we will make their life and ours easier.For 20 years now I've been fascinated by different learning styles: ASD, Dyslexia, ADHD. The purpose of this podcast is to share my findings with you, so that maybe what I've learned will be of help to you too. 

  1. 5h ago

    Why Setting Boundaries Makes You a Better Tutor

    When we first start tutoring, most of us say yes to everything. One more lesson. One more family. One more evening. One more Saturday morning. After all, we became tutors because we want to help. But over time, without clear boundaries, the business we love can slowly begin to take over our lives. In this episode, I share some of the lessons I've learned over the past 14 years about setting boundaries as a tutor, including: • Deciding how many students you're willing to support before your diary fills up • Managing cancellations whilst remaining compassionate • Why payment policies matter • The hidden dangers of being "too flexible" • How boundaries can actually make you a better tutor Most importantly, we'll explore why being helpful and being professional are not opposites. Tutoring is one of the most rewarding careers I know, but if you want to enjoy it for years rather than months, boundaries matter. If you're considering becoming a tutor yourself, I also have a few free copies left of my book, Become a Tutor. Build Confidence. Change Lives. It's the book I wish someone had given me when I first started and contains many of the lessons I've learned along the way. If you'd like a copy, simply email me at info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk with your postal address and I'll happily pop one in the post for you. I hope you enjoy the episode.

  2. 6d ago

    "But They Knew It Yesterday!" – Why Children Sometimes Forget What They've Learned

    One of the questions I'm asked most often by parents is: "They understood it yesterday... so why have they forgotten it today?" It can feel frustrating. As parents, we naturally wonder whether they were concentrating, whether they were just guessing the answers the day before, or whether everything has simply disappeared overnight. But very often, I don't think they've forgotten it at all. I think they're struggling to find it. In this episode, I explore why learning isn't always a straight line and why forgetting doesn't necessarily mean a child hasn't learned. Sometimes new information is still fragile. It hasn't had enough opportunities to become secure. Other times, the information is there, but the child needs a different route to help them retrieve it. That's why simply repeating exactly the same worksheet over and over again isn't always the most effective approach. Instead, we can revisit the same idea in different ways. Perhaps it's a discussion. Or a mind map. Perhaps it's a practical activity. A YouTube clip. A board game. A real-life example. Every new approach gives the brain another opportunity to understand the concept from a slightly different angle. Gradually, those connections become stronger. One of the reasons we use so many games at Clara James Tutoring is because games naturally combine lots of different ways of learning. Children are talking. They're listening. They're looking. They're moving. They're making decisions. They're often laughing. All of those experiences help create multiple connections with the learning. There's another advantage too. If I was to ask a child to complete the same worksheet twice, I'd probably get a questioning sigh. Why would they want to do it again. It wouldn't make sense! But if I lose a board game... I'll probably say, "Best of three?" The learning is exactly the same. The experience feels completely different. Games encourage children to revisit skills again and again without it feeling repetitive. Of course, every child is different. Some children love games. Others prefer more structured activities. The important thing isn't the game itself. It's recognising that learning often becomes stronger when we approach it from different directions rather than simply repeating exactly the same thing. And perhaps that's one of the biggest misconceptions about learning. Progress doesn't always come from doing more. Sometimes it comes from understanding differently. In this episode we discuss:  Why children don't always forget as much as we think they have.  The difference between learning something and being able to retrieve it.  Why revisiting topics from different angles strengthens understanding.  How games create opportunities for repetition without boredom.  Why confidence grows as understanding becomes more secure.  How making learning enjoyable often leads to greater participation and better long-term progress. If this episode resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you. Whether you're supporting your own child at home or you're a tutor looking for fresh ways to build confidence alongside knowledge, I'd love to continue the conversation. Because every child deserves to be seen.

  3. 6d ago

    Don't listen to the negative voices that tell you not to have a go

    When I first started tutoring I had so many voices inside my head telling me I was a fraud and that I shouldn't be doing this.  For years, I dreaded going to a new family because I was sure that this was the family who was going to discover I wasn't actually a very good tutor. And no one ever said it, only me and my self doubt. Slowly over time you start to notice that when people are commenting about you it's with love and warmth and kindness. They are sharing your name because they have appreciated what you have done for their children, their family. And that voice inside your head starts to fade. Then, recently I got braver and I started to tell people that I wanted to franchise the business. People congratulated me on the idea, they asked me why I wouldn't do it. And the more I opened up to the positive words I was hearing the more confident I felt and the more I started talking about it. About our ethos that we should be working with the child sat in front of us in that moment - not the syllabus, the lesson plan, their label. Them as an individual. What, I am trying to say is if you are considering becoming a tutor and you too are hearing those negative voices of doubt, please remember that they only exist in your own head. Please do give it a go because you could change a child's life, or even the lives of many, many children and that is something you should always hold your head up and be proud of. So, good luck. I wish you well on your journey and if you want a chat or have any questions, please do ask. I am always ready to help: info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk

  4. 6d ago

    A Tutoring Chat & Coffee: The Legal Side of Tutoring – What You Actually Need to Get Started

    If I wanted to start tutoring now, what would I need to know? The legal bit, I guess. I think this is possibly the bit that stops people from getting started in becoming tutors in case they get it wrong or just don't do something and then they find themselves in trouble. They are confident with working with children but the legal side of it is a whole new ball game and it seems terrifying! So, in this podcast I chatter on about what I deem to be the most important bits and how I do it. You might embrace my ideas or ignore them. The choice is your but hopefully it will give you something to consider. So, if you've ever thought about becoming a tutor, or you're already tutoring and would like a bit of support to grow, please do get in touch. Whether that's a free copy of my book, our new tutor membership group, some 1:1 support, or simply a conversation about where to start, I'd be delighted to help if I can.

  5. Aug 14

    What if the problem isn't the child - A tutoring chat

    Sometimes, when a child is struggling at school, the first assumption we make is that the problem lies with the child. Perhaps they're not trying hard enough. Perhaps they're not naturally academic. Perhaps they just need to work a little harder. But what if we've been asking the wrong question all along? In this episode, I explore one of the beliefs I'm probably most passionate about. That sometimes the problem isn't the child at all. Instead of immediately asking, "What's wrong with this child?", perhaps we should pause and ask a different question: "Is the environment, the teaching method or the pace actually allowing this child to learn in the way that works best for them?" Education has traditionally been built around systems that expect large groups of children to move along the same path, at the same pace and often in the same way. For many children, that works perfectly well. For many others, it doesn't. That doesn't mean those children are incapable. It simply means the route they're being asked to follow isn't the right one for them. During the episode, I share a conversation with one of my students who made an observation that's stayed with me ever since. She suggested that perhaps children should be grouped according to how they learn rather than how they perform. At first, it sounds like a simple idea. But the more I thought about it, the more profound it became. Imagine classrooms where discussion-based learners could learn through discussion. Where practical learners could learn by doing. Where children who need more movement, more structure or a different pace weren't constantly comparing themselves to a system that wasn't designed around them. How many more children would discover that they are capable after all? This isn't about criticising schools or teachers. Far from it. Teachers work incredibly hard within a system that has developed over many generations. Instead, it's about recognising that every child arrives with their own strengths, experiences and learning preferences. If we continue expecting every child to travel exactly the same road, we shouldn't be surprised when some of them begin to believe they're the problem. At Clara James Tutoring, we've gradually come to see our role differently. Rather than expecting children to fit the path we've already created, we try to understand the child first. Who are they? How do they learn? What gives them confidence? What has their educational journey looked like so far? Only then do we begin planning the route ahead. Because every child deserves their own path. Some children will run. Some will walk. Some will stop for a while before continuing. Others may take a completely different route to reach exactly the same destination. And that's okay. Perhaps success isn't about getting every child to travel the same road. Perhaps it's about helping every child find the road that allows them to flourish. In this episode we discuss:  Why struggling doesn't always mean the child is the problem.  The difference between ability and learning style.  Why one-size-fits-all education doesn't work for every child.  A conversation with one student that completely changed the way I think about education.  Why confidence and reassurance often come before academic progress.  How creating an individual learning journey can help children achieve goals they once thought were impossible. If this episode resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you. Whether you're a parent looking for support, a tutor who shares this philosophy, or someone who's simply passionate about helping children reach their potential, I'd love to continue the conversation. Because I truly believe... Every child deserves to be seen.

  6. Aug 12

    Is It Really Laziness... Or Is Something Else Going On?

    Is It Really Laziness... Or Is Something Else Going On?"They're just being lazy." It's a phrase many parents, teachers and tutors have heard. Sometimes we've even said it ourselves. But what if what looks like laziness isn't laziness at all? In this episode, I explore one of the biggest misconceptions I come across when supporting children. Very often, what appears to be laziness is actually something much deeper. It might be fear. It might be confusion. It might be frustration after repeated setbacks. It might be anxiety. It might be a lack of confidence. Or it might simply be that the child has stopped believing they're capable of succeeding. When children repeatedly experience failure, many develop ways of protecting themselves. Sometimes that means avoiding the task altogether. Sometimes it means appearing uninterested. Sometimes it means saying they don't care. Because, emotionally, it's often easier to look lazy than it is to risk feeling incapable. During the episode, I share one of my own memories from school. I remember taking a piece of work to my teacher, only to be told I'd spelt a word incorrectly and needed to do it again. I corrected it as best I could and proudly took it back. Again, it was wrong. Again, I was sent away. The problem wasn't that I didn't want to learn. The problem was that nobody had given me the piece of understanding I actually needed. I wasn't refusing to learn. I simply didn't know how. Looking back now, I often wonder how many children experience exactly the same thing. They're expected to improve, but nobody has identified the missing piece that would allow them to succeed. It's one of the reasons I believe behaviour is often a form of communication. Instead of asking, "Why won't they do it?" perhaps we should ask, "What is this behaviour trying to tell me?" Because focus isn't just about concentration. It's influenced by confidence. By tiredness. By anxiety. By neurodiversity. By the learning environment. And by the child's previous experiences. When we begin to understand the reason behind the behaviour, we're in a much stronger position to support the child rather than simply reacting to what we see on the surface. At Clara James Tutoring, we believe that understanding always comes before judgement. Because once we understand why a child is struggling, we can begin helping them move forwards. In this episode we discuss:  Why "laziness" is often a symptom rather than the real problem.  How fear, confusion and frustration can affect motivation.  A personal story from my own school days that shaped the way I teach today.  Why behaviour is often a form of communication.  The relationship between confidence, focus and learning.  How understanding the child helps us provide the right support. If this episode resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you. Whether you're a parent trying to understand your child's behaviour, a tutor wanting to support children more effectively, or someone who believes learning should begin with understanding rather than assumptions, I'd love to continue the conversation. Because every child deserves to be seen.

  7. Aug 11

    Tutoring chat and a coffee: 5 cheap ideas I have used to grow my tutoring business

    Over the years I have paid for mentors, attended numerous courses and read hundreds of books about how to market my business. Some of the ideas have been gold dust. Some have just been just been wrong for my personality type and the business I want to build. I've done things which have worked: I have a website, created fliers, written a book (or two), but have cost time and money. I have also done other things which were easier and it is those I talk about in this podcast. Some of them I have spoken about before but I hope you still find your nugget of gold in here. I talk about how I use Facebook to offer help and write stories/memories from my experience as a mum, tutor, student (rather than just shouting that I am here to help). I mention the car magnets that I had on the side of my car that must be responsible for leads which have generated thousands over the years. Tutoring for charity gave be credibility and got me on the local radio.  Then finally our starter packs that we give in our first lesson with each child) and how we offer the first lesson free. The book I wrote: Become a Tutor: Build Confidence. Change lives offers answers to the questions that I had when I first started tutoring. If you would like a copy (completely free, a gift from me to you). Let me know and I will pop a copy in the post for you (info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk) I wish you loads of luck on your journey as a tutor

  8. Aug 5

    Joining a movement and not just a franchise

    When I first decided to franchise the business it was about sharing our systems and resources, but I felt misaligned with it. It felt like I'd got the paint out of the cupboard, but not yet painted the picture.  Gradually I realised that actually it is our ethos that is more important. Our philosophy.  We don't just talk about supporting SEND children, we start with the child in front of us and start with them, not generally but that child in that moment. A label (or lack of label) gives us a starting point, but it doesn't tell us everything, because we are all truly unique. The franchise is actually for those who want to become part of something stronger than branding and systems, and resources. It is those who feel aligned and genuinely want to make a difference to the lives of each individual child that we work with. If this sounds like you and you want to have a chat or learn more about our ethos, please do get in touch at info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk

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About

When it comes to learning we are all individuals. The past 20+ years have taught me that no matter our learning style if the child is engaged and relaxed they are more likely to learn. If we just keep giving them the same resources, varied over and over again, all we are doing is giving them one place in their brains to find the information. However, by giving them a variety of resources we can make it more interesting, more relevant, and help them to create multiple memories so that when they need to recall the information, they have more places they can go to in order to find it.If we can boost their confidence as well as their knowledge we will make their life and ours easier.For 20 years now I've been fascinated by different learning styles: ASD, Dyslexia, ADHD. The purpose of this podcast is to share my findings with you, so that maybe what I've learned will be of help to you too. 

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