Welcome to the Clara James Approach!

Our mission is to help you support your child in building their confidence and knowledge in Math and English

Read on...

Are you looking to take the tears and frustrations out of supporting your child with their Math and English?

Welcome to the "Clara James Approach". The home of some of the best, tried and tested, enjoyable resources to support children in primary education with their Math and English.

I have always believed that if a child is relaxed, they are in a better mindset to learn. If they are enjoying themselves, they will want to participate. The more they participate the better they get and the more confident they will become. With confidence comes a willingness to participate. And so, the cycle continues...

MY APPROACH

What is the Clara James Approach?

The Clara James Approach is an accumulation of everything I have learned over the past 20+ years of working in education and various childcare settings. It is the belief that education is something that should be and can be enjoyed. It doesn't need to be formal and rigid. Instead, it needs to be engaging, inspiring, and fun. Agree?

20 years ago, when I started my journey into education, my early experience was in early years and learning difficulties. It quickly became clear that most children don’t learn through worksheets and textbooks. They learn when they are inspired, actively involved and motivated.

Each time we do something we create a memory. If we consistently use the same teaching technique, we are creating one memory but making it stronger. But the brain only has one place to go to find the information that it needs.

However, if you use a range of resources, you will create multiple memories and the brain will have more places to go to where it can find the required information. By using a variety of resources, you are also incorporating more learning styles: visual, audible, kinesthetic. Although most people may feel they have a preference to one, by using a variety you are once again stimulating more places in the brain.

I'm Dawn Strachan,

Clara Is my oldest daughter, Jamie is my son. The logo, an angel, is my youngest daughter, Angel.

Learning is an individual act. We are all unique and we all do it differently. This personal approach was in part why I wanted the give the business a personal name and my 3 kids mean more to me than anything so naming the business after them, seemed logical.

I did my degree in education as a mature student. I think I was about 24 at the time I started. I had 3 young children and whatever I did had to fit around them, as my (now ex) husband was working away, so through default, I ended up working in early years. Then as the years progressed, I worked in mainstream schools, in settings for children who couldn't cope in mainstream schools, as an NVQ assessor supporting adults. I had my own childminding business, then in 2012, I started the tutoring business.

I realize that a tutor isn't right for everyone, especially those with younger children, so that was when the idea of the Clara James Approach and creating individual courses and the membership group was born.

HOW CAN I HELP YOU

THE MEMBERSHIP GROUP

The home of many varied, fun, resources for you to use at home with your child to support both their Math and English. The place to get 1-to-1 support from myself and others who like you are looking for the best support for their children's education.

THE SHORT COURSES

Find confidence in supporting your child with one of these short courses ranging from creative resources to understanding dyslexia

THE FACEBOOK GROUP

The place where you can ask questions, share concerns, celebrate achievements with other like-minded parents

I wanted to say a huge ginormous thank you to you for everything you've done. You have helped him so much in his Math and English. But for him it's more than that. Before starting with you he was in a really bad place. He felt education wasn't for him and had no hope of passing anything or achieving anything. But by teaching him M in a way he understood he started to believe that he wasn't totally stupid and maybe he could pass. And then that spiraled as he got better at math he started thinking he could maybe do other things and it's really changed his whole outlook .