Ciara James: Educator answers the 'why' of limitless learning

For Ciara James, understanding the "why" behind whatever she does is the foundation on which her success is built.

The founder and CEO of Limitless Learning TT, a virtual educational facility for students who struggle with math believes that once someone has a true understanding of what they are doing, it will be near impossible for them to fail an exam.

“We are a testing society – focused on rote learning and we don’t really explain to students why we are doing what we are doing,” James told WMN. She said it was not until she was a university student that she was able to grasp the relationship between knowledge and understanding, and the difference the combination could make in learning.

“The funny thing is that I’m the daughter of two educators. I love math and was always good at teaching, since my days as a student at St Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando. But what really made me get into the teaching was when I got to Morgan State University in Maryland, and what I did for A-Levels finally made sense. I only understood the ‘why’ then.”

James said she wished she had had that experience while at primary and secondary school, and she wanted to bring it back to students at home. “The focus is on the knowledge and understanding, and everything else will follow. Once you have that in place, the results will be unimaginable.”

A meticulous James holds a first degree in math with a concentration in statistics. Her master’s is in applied financial math from the University of Connecticut. “The plan was to get into investments, finance and banking, which I did for a while, but that didn’t work out…But because I am always well organised, I always have a backup plan, even for a backup plan…I hope for the best but I’m always prepared for the worst.”

The 36-year-old is originally from San Fernando, and conducts her classes from her home in Santa Rosa, Arima via the Zoom platform. “It’s interactive, and we were online even before the Covid19 pandemic forced everyone to operate virtually.”

She said following an assessment, her sessions are personalised for each student. “I am focused on the students themselves. I try to figure out what their personality is, what level they are at, if there are foundational areas that need to be addressed, the best pace for them, their learning style, and based on all this we craft lessons for them.”

Limitless Learning TT was launched in May 2015, and James and her two part-time tutors have since been conducting classes with local, regional and international students. “I always tell parents and prospective students that our focus first is on knowledge and understanding, so if they are looking for a quick fix to get good grades in a test, then this facility is not for them.”

But, she said, because testing is not the focus, once the students understand what they are doing, failing an exam becomes difficult. “I have had students who were failing math, and I have seen them do the SEA and pass for their first choice with 98 per cent in the space of one to two terms. I work with students who take SATs and have seen them get partial or full scholarships. Even that shift in attitude can also be the difference in them doing well – the mindset change plus the new understanding propels them to success.”

James said she works with students at any age or levels, with her youngest being six years old and the eldest, in their late 60s. “So whether you’re at primary or secondary school, homeschooled, an undergrad or post-grad student, the criteria is that you struggle and we will provide services to you.”

James told WMN a lot of people think of education only in the formal sense. But, she said, informal learning methods are also quite useful and she encourages her students to take their math knowledge out of the classroom and into the real world. She said experience is one of the greatest learning tools, whether it’s through your own experience or through that of other people.

“I also host a podcast entitled Taboo, which tells the stories of Caribbean women.” She started the podcast in February, after her divorce and she was unable to find a forum through which she could get support to navigate through the experience. “I looked around and there was nothing that looked or sounded like me and what I was going through, so I decided to create it myself. But it morphed into something different. It was created to highlight the divorce experience, but turned into stories for women with different experiences and conversations, all of which helped.”

The two seasons, each with eight episodes, covered the stories of women in the diaspora that people generally don’t talk about – women who are queer, who’ve had miscarriages, who’ve been divorced, who are in polygamist relationships, and much more.

“I knew most of the women in season one and asked them to share their stories. Others heard and decided to share their stories. People have sent messages saying that they are grateful to hear the stories of other women and decided to reach out to tell theirs.”

James said her life as a teacher and storyteller is quite satisfying, especially with her dog Mocha always by her side. "She is my bestie and has been with me through it all – the ups and downs."