The Clara James Approach to learning

In this podcast we will look at how you can support your home educated child without it becoming a cause of overwhelm for the whole family.

Making the decision to support your child’s education at home is a huge decision but at the same time you know in your heart-of-hearts that it is the right decision, especially when your child isn’t fitting into the mainstream educational system for whatever reason: anxiety, neurodiversity, bullying, to name but a few.

Alongside the perceived added workload there is the emotional commitment. Will it work being parent and teacher? Will you be good enough? Can you make this work?

With so many parents deciding that the best option is to support their child at home, there is an increasing amount of support to ensure that you are given every opportunity to make it a success, whether that be for the rest of their years in education or until you are able to find an appropriate school for their needs.

In the podcast I mention the Clara James Approach, if you are interested and would like more details, click here: 

https://theclarajamesapproach.co.uk/cja-info-page

I have just put the handwriting bundle live inside the membership group, but I thought I'd share the video with you as there might be some suggestions in there that you would find helpful when working with your own child.

Things like playing noughts and crosses but using letters instead of the traditional symbols, completing mazes or dot-to-dots. Creating wordsearches for someone else to solve as having to concentrate on each individual letter will help to create it more neatly.

The overriding message is to start with a small target (such as a letter, word or sentence) and build up rather than starting with a huge paragraph and the concentration and skill fading off before the end.
I hope you find it helpful.

If you are interested in the membership group, you will find the details here: The Clara James Approach

One of the comments I think I hear more than any other is that of parents concern that if they explain something differently to how the teacher has explained it, it will just confuse their child further.

But I think we all need someone in our lives who will explain things differently, in a way that makes sense to us rather than just the generic masses.

I hope this short podcast offers the reassurance you need if this is you

I think these two things have been the most powerful things I have done to grow Clara James Tutoring. Neither of them cost anything but will take how you think about your business and those that you work with to a whole new level.

What are they?

Firstly, think about every lesson you do as if it was your own child, or the person you care most deeply about in the world. What would you offer them? What would you expect for them?

The second is, every day ask yourself what 1 thing can I do today to let more people know about my business? It can be something tiny like a post on social media or it might be something much bigger like creating a workshop.

I hope you find this short podcast useful. If you want more ideas/support in growing your tutoring business find us on LinkedIn at (33) Dawn Strachan | LinkedIn or The Clara James Tutor's Group

One of the most common fears I have heard from parents over the past 13+ years, is that if they explain something differently to how their child has learned it at school it will confuse them. But actually, sometimes a different explanation. 

Not because the teacher is wrong, but because we all have different life experiences and understanding we will all perceive things and understand things differently. Sometimes we just need someone to explain something in a way that makes sense to us.

A lot of parents live in fear that if they attempt to explain something to their child, it will confuse them. But sometimes we need things presented in a different way for them to become relevant and make sense to us.

I remember as a child sitting in a GCSE maths class and the teacher was explaining something to us. I had no idea what she was talking about and, unfortunately, she chose me to answer her question.

I sat and looked at her blankly before giving her an answer with only the slightest glimmer of hope that it might be right.

No chance. She explained it again using the exact same words. She asked me again for the answer, but I was still none the wiser. She might as well have been talking in a foreign language. I had no clue.

With a roll of her eyes, she explained it for the third time in the exact same way. I still had no idea what she was on about. But, now with a bright red face and a fear that the tears I could feel welling up inside would escape down my cheeks, she moved on to someone else. I felt like a complete fool in front of the whole class.

That night I sat with my dad who used the idea of balancing scales. It was something concrete I could visualise, and I got it. It was simple. He wasn’t a teacher; he just had the patience to explain it to me in a way that I understood it.

That has stayed with me for a long, long time.

It wasn’t magic—it was just a different approach.

To read the whole article click here: https://theclarajamesapproach.co.uk/will-i-confuse-my-child-if-i-explain-things-differently

To learn more about the Clara James Approach, click here: The Clara James Approach

If you are mulling over the idea of becoming a tutor you might be trying to decide which is the best route to go down: self-employed, franchise, employed?

In this article I will try to explain the pros and cons of each approach from what I have learned and experienced since I started Clara James Tutoring, started employing tutors to work with me and preparing the business to offer as a franchise.

I hope it helps.

To read the whole article click here: 

What is the best way to become a tutor in the UK

Welcome back to The Clara James Approach Podcast—I’m Dawn, your host. In today’s episode, we’ll explore how parents who don’t feel like confident readers themselves can still create a supportive, fun, and effective reading environment at home. Whether it’s anxiety, neurodiversity, or a lack of confidence holding you back, there’s plenty you can do to help your child flourish.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Why Reading Can Feel Tough—For Both of You

• Many of us remember the pressure of reading out loud in class and how it triggered worry or embarrassment—so our natural response is to avoid it. But that doesn’t reflect our potential—it’s just how our brains handle pressure.
  theclarajamesapproach.co.uk

2. Learning Is Unique & Multi-Modal Works Best

• We each learn differently. Giving children multiple ways to practice—flashcards, picture matching, writing in sand, or using games like Jenga—creates more “memory paths” in the brain. That helps information stick.
  theclarajamesapproach.co.uk

3. Hold Their Hand (Figuratively!)

• Learning to read is like learning to walk: we hold them, cheer them on, and let go when they’re ready. It builds confidence and independence the gentle way. 

4. Understanding Why Some Children Struggle

• Struggles aren’t about laziness. They might stem from limited language exposure, hearing issues, vision problems, anxiety, or diverse processing styles (e.g., neurodiversity like dyslexia, ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, auditory processing difficulties, working memory challenges). 
• Importantly: these are not obstacles to reading—they’re just hints we need to adapt our support. 

5. Positive Learning Environment

• Focus on progress rather than perfection. Celebrate small wins. Avoid comparisons or shaming.
• Reduce pressure and create a nurturing, relaxed space.
  
  

6. Multisensory & Assistive Strategies

• Let children see, feel, and move as they learn:
  • Use letter tiles, magnetic letters, sand tracing, or writing with water.
• Use assistive tech:
  • Try audiobooks, text-to-speech, dyslexia-friendly fonts, coloured overlays.
    
    

7. Phonics & Word Play

• Break words into sounds (phonics), play with phonemes, patterns, rhymes. Turn repetition into play with songs or chants.
  
  

8. Reading Together—On Your Terms

• Reading together builds fluency and confidence. Choose books that spark your child’s interest, even if they’re below their level.
• It’s okay to share the reading: you read the hard parts, they read what feels comfortable. You “learning alongside them” is powerful modeling.
  
  

9. Use Positive Reinforcement

• Praise effort over accuracy. If your child stumbles, gently guide rather than correct. “So close! Let’s try that together.” Encouragement builds self-esteem.
  
  

10. Partner with School

• Stay in touch with teachers. Ask how reading is progressing and how to align home support with classroom strategies.
  
  

11. Resilience & Growth Mindset

• Reinforce: struggling is part of learning. Reading difficulty doesn’t define ability.
• Everyone has strengths. Encourage perspective that challenges are just another path to learning.
  
  

12. Games to Make Reading Fun

• Dotty Board Game
  • A fun board game where landing on certain colours prompts a reading challenge or a playful twist on turns. It cre

Starting out as a tutor can feel overwhelming — should you work with younger children, teenagers, or exam students? Do you stick to your favourite subject, or go where the demand is? In this video, Dawn shares her own journey of starting with primary-aged children, only to discover her passion (and strength) in supporting GCSE students.

We’ll explore:
✅ Why specialising can help you stand out and attract the right students
✅ How to discover your strengths, style, and what truly lights you up
✅ The differences between tutoring younger vs. older students
✅ How to balance enjoyment with market demand
✅ Ways to “test the waters” before committing to a niche
✅ Real-life stories of what worked (and what didn’t!)

Finding your niche as a tutor isn’t a straight line — it’s a journey of discovery, trial and error, and plenty of surprises. By the end, you’ll feel clearer about how to position yourself so you can connect with the students who need your way of teaching most.

👉 Want to connect with other tutors on the same journey? Join our friendly support group here: The Clara James Tutor's Group

Struggling to get your child confident with their times tables? In this video, I share fun, practical, and stress-free ways to help them remember their multiplication facts. From games and songs to real-life practice, these ideas will make times tables learning easier and more enjoyable for both you and your child.

Whether they’re just starting out or need a confidence boost, you’ll discover tips you can start using today to help them succeed in maths.

📚 Resources mentioned:
👉 Read the whole article: How can I help my child to learn the times tables
👉 The general version: Learn The Times Tables - The Clara James Way: Putting confidence and smiles into learning the times tables: Amazon.co.uk: Strachan, Ms Dawn, Sequin, Hannah: 9798345478455: Books

In today’s world, we’re lucky to have a wealth of free educational resources at our fingertips. A quick Google search or a scroll through Pinterest can reveal thousands of activities, printables, and ideas. So, on the surface, it seems like the answer to this question should be yes.

But is it really that simple?

If you’ve chosen to home educate your child, it’s likely a decision you’ve made with great care, passion, and thought. While you’re not tied to a rigid curriculum, there may still be areas — like maths, English, or science — where you’d appreciate a bit of extra support. After all, the expectations placed on children today can feel overwhelming, even for confident parents.

Much of the joy in home education comes from exploring and learning together, watching videos, doing hands-on projects, and diving into rabbit holes of curiosity. But there are also days when you want something different: a creative activity that doesn’t involve screens, or a ready-made resource that saves you time.

This brings us to the heart of the matter: what do we really mean by “free”? Is it simply about not spending money, or is it also about not spending hours searching, prepping, or second-guessing?

FInd the whole article here: Are Free Educational Resources Really Enough for My Child?