The Clara James Approach to learning

Is your child struggling with low confidence in their learning? You’re not alone and there are gentle, effective ways to help them rebuild self-belief.

In this video, Dawn from Clara James Tutoring shares calming, heart-led strategies to help children who’ve lost their academic confidence. From starting with strengths to turning learning into play, you’ll discover how to create a safe, supportive space where confidence can grow.

✨ Simple, creative games to reduce pressure
✨ How to praise effort in a meaningful, authentic way
✨ The power of letting your child be the teacher
✨ Why your words matter — and how to use them kindly
✨ Encouraging your child without comparisons

💛 Because confidence doesn’t grow overnight, but it does grow.
Subscribe for more tips and real-life support.

https://theclarajamesapproach.co.uk

In this episode, I dive into a common but loaded question: “Is tutoring easy money?” 

I will try to be honest yet warmth, and with over a decade of lived experience, I will unpack the hidden hours, emotional investment, and behind-the-scenes prep that go far beyond the lesson itself. 

From myths like “if you can teach, you can tutor” to moments of deep reward and quiet frustration, this is a must-listen for anyone wondering if tutoring could be a quick win, or a meaningful path. Whether you’re thinking of tutoring casually or building a long-term business, this episode offers clarity, insight, and a nudge to reflect on your why.

In this episode, we talk about what to look for in a tutor when your child doesn’t learn in the traditional way. Whether your child has a formal diagnosis or you simply know that school hasn’t worked for them, this is for you. We'll cover how tutoring can be adapted to support children with learning differences, how to recognise flexibility in a tutor's approach, and why emotional safety is just as important as subject knowledge.

You can also read the full article on our website:
 https://clarajamestutoring.co.uk/my-child-learns-differently

or email me on: [email protected]

The short answer? No — you don’t need to be a qualified teacher to make a real difference as a tutor. At Clara James Tutoring, we believe what matters most is your passion, your ability to explain things clearly, and your desire to support children who learn a little differently.

In this blog, we break down what really counts when starting your tutoring journey — and how you can get started with confidence.
 👉 Read it here: https://clarajamestutoring.co.uk/do-i-need-to-be-a-qualified-teacher

🎁 Ready to take the first step? Grab your Start Tutoring with Confidence pack here:
https://clarajamestutoring.co.uk/start-tutoring

I love the 9x table because there are so many hints to help you to solve the questions. Things like when you hold your hands out in front of you, put the finger related to the number you are multiplying by down, and your answer is there in front of you, or by writing it down you can check your answers as they all line up and go up by 1, down by 1 each time. Or the quick check that you can do: 7x9 =63 6+3 =9. Your answer must be right! So simple. Or by knowing that 4x9, take the 4 and subtract 1 gives us 3. 3+what gives us 9. The answer is 6. So, 4x9=36

I hope this podcast helps to explain it. We also have a book on Amazon that includes many of the games that we use in our lessons so that you too can use them to practice with your children at home.

Interested?

Learn more at: 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

Have a great week and I hope this helps

In this week’s episode, I’m sharing something a little more personal. After recording several weekly episodes and seeing very few listens, I found myself wondering if anyone’s actually out there — and whether it’s worth continuing.

If you’ve ever started something new — a business, a blog, a course — and felt like you were shouting into the void, this is for you.

I talk about what it’s like to keep showing up when you’re naturally introverted, when you feel overlooked, and when it seems like louder voices always get the attention.

But I also share why it’s important to keep speaking anyway — because one day, someone will stop and truly hear you. And what you share might be the exact thing they needed that day.

Whether you’re a tutor or building something else from scratch, I hope this offers some encouragement and reassurance: your voice matters, and even if only one person hears it — that’s enough.

Keep going. Tiny steps still move you forward. 💛

 In this episode, we explore the idea that confidence is just as important as knowing the answer. So often, children feel like they’re “bad at maths” or “not good at English” simply because they lack belief in themselves. But when we nurture their confidence, we help them to engage more willingly, take more risks, and enjoy learning again. Through real-life examples and gentle insights, we talk about how parents and tutors can build a child’s self-belief — and why this can have just as much impact as academic revision. 

I had intended chatting about something different, but my editing software wouldn't work and I was creating this as well, so I thought why not...

This week has been a great week with the proof copy "Become a Tutor" dropping through the door yesterday. I have also been working on the platform for those looking to take up tutoring and we are also intending to take the Clara James Approach from what it is to an entire platform to support primary school aged neurodiverse children in maths. I know that's niche, but if I can achieve it, it will, I hope help so many children gain a better understanding and confidence in the subject

Prime numbers are numbers with only two factors. This basically means numbers which you will only find in the 1 times table of their own times table. For example, 5 is prime because it is only in the 5- and 1-times table, where are 10 is in the 1, 2, 5, 10 times tables so it wouldn’t be prime.

If you are practicing the prime numbers (I’ll put a 100 number grid in the 11+ resources today) create a visual table to help you to solve them quickly until you gain confidence.

Start by colouring square number 1. This is not prime as it is only in the 1x table and no other (so it has 1 factor instead of the necessary 2).

Now colour in everything in the 2x tables apart from 2. So, colour in the column below the 2 (but not the 2), the column where every number ends in 4. The 6 column, the 8 column, and the 10’s column. (2 is the only even prime number)

Next, we’ll colour in everything in the 5’s column APART from number 5.

Now we need to colour in all the multiples of 3 apart from 3. The easiest ways to do this is just colour in the ones you know which are multiples of 3 or to count on 3. However, if you’re not sure any number where the digits add together to create a number that is in the 3x table, it will be a multiple of 3.

Example: 96

9+6=15 (in the 3 times table but just to be sure add the digits in 15 together)

1+5 =6, also in the 3x table.

However, 43

4+3 =7

7 isn’t in the 3x table so neither is 43.

We completed the 4’s when we coloured in the 2’s so we don’t need to worry about that, and the 5’s were also completed. 

The 6’s were completed when we coloured in the 3’s so that’s done, so now we need to do the 7’s.

Unfortunately, there are no tricks for this one. It will be a case of just colouring in the ones you know and counting on for the ones in between. However, fortunately there won’t be many to do.

We’ve done the 8’s when we completed the 2’s or 4’.

The 9’s were done with the 3’s.

The 10’s were completed with the 5’s.

If there are any in the 11x table left, feel free to colour this in.

The 12’s were done with the 2’s, 3’s, 4’s, 6’s, 

What’s left not coloured in, are the prime numbers. You might choose to make those numbers into something more visually appealing or you may just look at those sheets for guidance, the choice is yours.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this game before. I used to play it a lot as a child when we went to a friend’s house so impart, I think I associate it with childhood memories and them.

Anyway, what I have done is taken out all the faces and swapped them with numbers. The numbers include prime numbers, even numbers, square numbers, odd numbers, numbers in the 3x table, numbers in the 5x table, etc. up to 100.

Now instead of trying to guess the person the other person has; you must guess the number by asking a series of questions. “Is it odd?” “Is it a 2-digit number?" etc. If I say it’s odd, they need to put down all the even numbers. In theory the number left standing at the end is the number the other person has.

It’s good fun, and an enjoyable way of practicing number values such as odd, even, prime, square, multiples, etc depending on the stage your child is at.

The Realities of Tutoring — Triumphs, Challenges & Unexpected Lessons

In this episode, I’m sharing a deeply personal collection of stories from my years as a tutor — the lessons learned, the battles fought, and the beautiful breakthroughs that make it all worthwhile. From the lad who initially refused help and went on to achieve top grades, to the young girl who locked herself in the loo rather than have a lesson — these moments shaped my journey in ways I never expected.

There’s laughter, frustration, and the occasional chewed-up Doc Marten, but above all, there’s the reminder that behind every child is a unique story waiting to be understood.

Whether you're a tutor, a parent, or someone simply curious about the world of one-to-one education, this episode offers a warm and honest glimpse into the rollercoaster that is tutoring.

An honest, funny, and at times emotional reflection on what it means to truly support children who learn differently.