Claire Ashmore, Dip. Teaching; Dip. TESL , MA Applied Linguistics

Cambridge, Waipa District, New Zealand

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About Claire

Kia Ora Koutou and Hello to All!

I’m an educator and literacy advocate working in strength-based ways with children, adults, and their whānau/families.

I believe happiness comes from knowing we can grow our own strengths, and the Davis methods make that possible!

After 40+ years in education, I discovered my own dyslexia while training with the Davis tools. It was a huge relief to finally resolve my confusion and recognise my creativity, empathy, and big-picture thinking as part of the gift of dyslexia.

The results I see with clients are truly transformational. I’m proud to offer Davis programmes for individuals and groups in schools, workplaces, tertiary settings, and beyond. I am a qualified to work with Dyslexia, Autism and Concepts for Life programmes - facilitated and/or coached.

Growing Choices (Cambridge, NZ), in true collaboration with Parehuia Mafi (Ōpōtiki, Eastern Bay of Plenty, NZ), is working together as IWWA Whānau Learning, an innovative movement that grows, nurtures and supports whānau (family) and community systems of learning. We have been working with whānau, hapū & iwi in Aotearoa, New Zealand through IWWA Whānau Learning as a collective of Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, and Te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa.

As Growing Choices, I also collaborate with Rachel Barwell of Master Dyslexia with our online Dyslexia Support Courses for parents and tutors of bright yet struggling learners.

We work globally also contributing on a volunteer basis to dyslexia education in Kakamega, Western Kenya, in collaboration with Geoffrey Ashiono, Director of Maths E-Zee Tutoring Centres (in 4 locations in Kakamega County). This is supported by The Whole Dyslexic Society (The WDS) charity in Canada who now receives and disburses funds for our Kenyan work.

As Growing Choices, I facilitate 1-1 programmes and online or in-person Group Parent/Tutor Dyslexia Support Courses for individuals and groups in schools, tertiary institutes, workplaces and organisations anywhere in the world. I would love to have a conversation with you about what is possible for you, your community or organisation. Transforming Lives and Learning.

Licensed to provide:

Licensed since: June 30, 2017

Certifications:

  • Masters in Applied Linguistics
  • Dip. Teaching
  • Dip. TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)
  • Fundamental Training in Systemic Constellation Facilitation
  • L4 Certificate in Small Business & Project Management

Travel: I am willing to travel to clients

Online services: I coach online or in person

Delivery Languages: EnglishEnglish

Davis

Claire's Success Stories

“You need to go to all the schools and find boys like me – and stop the torture! ... I thought there could be one more thing I could do – and you have done it for me!”
~ 19-yr-old Building & Construction student, Responsive Trade Education (RTE) Hamilton, New Zealand

This young man went on to redo parts of his course and… to everyone’s surprise including his own, 3 months later, was awarded ‘Student of the Year’ academic award which included $1500 of building tools.

This student’s results prompted me to take the Davis Facilitator training seriously and so I devoted myself full time to completing the training. Best decision I ever made!

"I am incredibly grateful for Claire's program, which has significantly impacted my son in just a few days. He has grown immensely, becoming more comfortable and confident in his own skin, taking control of his identity. This transformation is all thanks to Claire's dedication and passion for enhancing perceptual learning abilities. Her professional yet caring approach is a blessing to everyone she works with. Thank you, Claire, for taking the time to work with our son, making such a difference in his life." 🌟
Lili'a Lemuelu-Viliamu, Auckland, New Zealand

“I want to thank you personally for your work with S. this year. As far as I am aware, this was the very first time that we have brought on board a programme of one-to-one assistance for someone with dyslexia. And I am very glad we did so. I feel that the Davis programme has opened a door for S. that had been tightly shut for some time.

Without a doubt, it’s really been an eye-opener for me just how dangerously easy it can be to write off people who have trouble learning things in the way that most of us learn things and, very fortunately, that quality non-judgemental assistance is available to help people with dyslexia.

Yes it’s taken longer than we originally planned but it has been very worthwhile for the organisation and very rewarding for me to see and hear of the changes that have occurred as a result."

~ Chris Beck. Area Manager, OJI Fibre Solutions. Kinleith Pulp and Paper, NZ

Before doing the programme, my daughter would get easily confused and overwhelmed. At the start of the course, she said she wanted to be clear. By the end of the course, she said she was.

During the programme, she learned how to focus when she needs to and to see written letters and words clearly. She had told me in the past that written text had been overlapping or jumbled, and she sometimes skipped lines when reading or said words mixed up. It blew me away that after the course, my daughter could read a page of text she’d never seen before correctly and without getting anxious.

Claire also taught her concepts to do with time. This is something my daughter previously struggled with. She can now tell the time on a clock with hands. I had tried to teach her myself for years.

I liked how the course was structured and I could see what would be covered beforehand, and the progress made that day. It gave me confidence that the program was professional and worthwhile.

Claire established a lovely, no-pressure connection with my daughter. She explained everything clearly and went at my daughter’s pace. It is clear that Claire is a very caring, experienced teacher and I felt good about her working with my daughter. I think it also really helped that Claire could also truly understand my daughter’s struggles, as a Dyslexic herself. This also made my daughter trust her and want to work with her.

Learning using clay is a really good idea. My daughter learns well when she can touch, hold, move and manipulate objects. She also learns best in a face to face, one on one learning environment, so working with Claire was ideal.

I am so glad my daughter did these two courses with Claire. I can’t explain it, but they helped something click inside my daughter. I feel that the progress she made during the mastery course has really set her up for life.

~ Mother of a 13-year-old, Auckland, New Zealand

"My son kept asking me what we were doing about his double vision as it was distressing him and, as he couldn’t see the board at school very well, he was falling further behind in his literacy skills. If you are a parent, you can imagine how helpless I felt... I brought my son to see Claire Ashmore when he was nine. My son did the week-long intensive program four months ago and we have been working on the homework since then.

Using the Davis focusing techniques my son was able to stop the double vision problem when he focused; this was in the first few days of the course...

The Davis ideas and teaching techniques are very original and fun. So different from the phonics they are teaching at school. Now, four months after the course, he tells me he never sees double anymore. He is becoming more willing to do his Davis homework, I think because it is getting easier for him to do.

His teacher comments on his very clear jump in ability – he is clearly thinking about what he is reading while he is reading now, he has moved up a reading group and willingly does his reading comprehension tasks and does them well...

It is a huge change in such a short time, I am so beyond thrilled and thankful and delighted. By doing the Davis course I feel we have changed the trajectory of my son’s life. I am so enormously relieved that I was able to find something that actually helped my son."

~ Mother of a 9-yr-old, Waikato, New Zealand

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