The Parker House, located at Columbia College, is the home of The Barclay School. To educator, Gillian Barclay- Smith, a child is a whole being, not just an academic one. Starting on July 23, she will take a holistic approach to education at The Barclay School, where she will teach children with learning differences like dyslexia and attention deficit disorder.

Barclay- Smith has been an educator for approximately 35 years. She served two years as principal at Glenforest School, a West Columbia school for students with learning differencess.

Barclay- Smith left the school to spend time writing children's books. But several parents of children with learning differences approached her in hopes of finding affordable education. That's when she decided to open the school.

Barclay- Smith says many children who struggle in a traditional classroom setting are afraid to take risks and ask questions. "Where there is fear, there is no learning," she says.

But classes at The Barclay School aren't traditional. Barclay- Smith has chosen the Parker House at Columbia College as the backdrop for her students' learning environment. The primary classroom has a fireplace where students can sip cocoa in the winter while working on their assignments. Some of the other classrooms include a science room, computer room, and a wood- paneled library Barclay- Smith calls the "Sherlock Holmes" room.

Gillian Barclay- Smith with her dog, Daisy, in front of The Barclay School. The structure is a house, with its wooden floors and pastel walls; it feels like a home. And Barclay- Smith's Chow- mix, Daisy will welcome students each day.

Creating a secure learning environment where children relax helps them feel comfortable asking questions, says Barclay- Smith. "The method to the madness is to bring out the best in the kids."

Helping children succeed requires focusing on their strengths. When Barclay- Smith assigns proj- ects, students may choose among skits, models and other demonstrations to show what they have learned. This "strengthbased" method of education helps reduce test anxiety that many students feel. Students benefit in terms of confidence, she says. Many parents even tell her they have their child back. "All I'm doing is honoring their strengths," Barclay- Smith says.

But she will also help students work on their weaknesses. She will use curricula like Project Read, a program that allows Dyslexic children to work at their own pace, and Math- U- See, which makes problem solving practical.

Barclay- Smith is also planning as many field trips as possible. Students will learn about the world around them by being active participants in it. Barclay- Smith and her students will occasionally walk to the local public library, update their blog so parents can track progress, and work in the garden behind the house.

But sometimes, the world will come to the students. Barclay- Smith will host experts in a variety of professions, from poetry and art to education and magic. Patrick Saucier, Barclay- Smith's husband and a USC sociology professor, will be helping her around the school.

The calendar at The Barclay School is also non- traditional. Most breaks last for weeks, as opposed to the several months- long break traditional schools offer. This calendar helps students who struggle with memory issues and reduces the burnout many students feel at the end of the school year, says Barclay- Smith.

Approximately five students will attend The Barclay School this summer, but Barclay- Smith hopes to add to the number of students she can help. She also hopes to provide scholarships to students in the future.

For more information on The Barclay School, visit www.thebarclayschool.org