Home schooling at secondary level

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aliportico
Posts: 888
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:19 pm

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by aliportico »

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HE-Exams- ... -OU-Others" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Plenty of blogs out there too, see all the different ways people do things - this blog ring has several families with secondary-aged children - http://liveotherwise.co.uk/_ringmaker.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by fatbananas »

Thanks so much Aliportico. Have asked to join the Yahoo group and have been browsing the blogs. Must go to bed now but am feeling a LOT happier - dare I say, excited - about it all than I did at 6.30am when I had the conversation with DH! Must remember not to talk to him first thing in the morning :wink: :lol: Thanks again.
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
wonderwoman
Posts: 511
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:07 pm

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by wonderwoman »

yoyo123 wrote:
Have no personal experience ..in fact would rather run a marathon than teach my own children, one of the things that gets you through the day with teenagers is the fact that they are being grunted at by others during the day (other uncaring parent opinions are available)
Have you decided? I have had the pleasure of teaching mine in school, which was bad enough. Though I tend to be sympathetic towards DS2's poor teachers, so long as they don't complain too much :wink:

My problem would be that I'm not so knowledgeable about some of my children's preferred subjects and I wouldn't want to home ed and then have to find various tutors.They'd have to do what I wanted. And this is the same for out of school activities - they all ride horses because I love it, but don't play football, because OH and I hate it. But they can secretly play at school and even get on the teams! (Then we have to watch :shock: )

DS's best friend always hated school and his parents decided to home ed from Y4. I think they did an excellent job, on the whole - both v bright and shared the job. DS couldn't understand why he couldn't leave too. Their younger child stayed in school - loves it. The boy decided to return to school in Y8. I have always been impressed by the family for choosing what was right for each individual child.
But in this individual case, the child was a bit socially awkward (probably why he and DS were BFs!) and taking him out of school did not help this. We continued to see a lot of him, but his social skills have not improved. He is over confident with adults and appears to have very little respect for them and is quite happy to tell former classmates they are stupid, if they don't agree with him. We had a particularly hideous trip to the cinema a couple of years ago. Whilst my DS has conformed and now enjoys spending time with his peers his former BF spends most of his time with his parents or on computer games. For me this confident independence is very worthwhile and it is what my DS has gained from being at school. Others of course will disagree and would rejoice at not having a typical teenager.

But you have to follow your heart and do what's right for both you and your child.
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by fatbananas »

Hi Wonderwoman,

Well, insofaras decided goes, I will definitely be HEing if GS doesn't come off and in this area it's very difficult to get in: so few spaces; so many applicants. And the comps are not an option for us. But I've read up on a lot of HEing today and am really excited about it. I want it to start now!

I would love/ do love DC to do activities I'm not interested in. I admire them for making their own choices. I think I would worry if my DC were socially awkward/ gauche, but they are not. I suppose my main worry, actually, would be if they didn't have a lot of social contact because I know it's important to them and I know it's another vital aspect of education; but with all the group activites (music/ sport) that DC already do, combined with other social things that my local HE group do, I don't see it being a problem. The GSs divide their pupils into smaller groups for GCSEs (some really very small, of 1-5 children), so not a lot different to being tutored at home on one's own, or with a couple of other HE children. I have a concern about how to manage science (I have no bunsen burner!) - a subject DS loves - but I haven't done any investigation down that road yet, so my concerns may be unfounded.

I think you make a useful point about your son's best friend always being with his parents or on computer games. That is something to be aware of. DC are very independent now (for their respective ages) and I want them to always be that.

We'll see what happens. I felt I needed to think about how to handle/approach the whole 11+ 'thing' without anyone thinking they'd failed or that there was a second best option. I think home edding can provide an excellent education (in many ways, it's what we all do already, we just fit it round a school day!) and so second best doesn't come into it.

Thanks for taking the time to provide a thoughtful response. It all helps clarify my own thoughts and feelings. :D
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
ourmaminhavana
Posts: 966
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by ourmaminhavana »

What a brilliant post Fatbananas. I'm so pleased that you have an exciting alternative and peace of mind. :D
I expect your child will get into grammar school now! :lol:
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by fatbananas »

Thanks Ourmam! :D
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by sherry_d »

fatbananas wrote:I have a concern about how to manage science (I have no bunsen burner!) - a subject DS loves - but I haven't done any investigation down that road yet, so my concerns may be unfounded.
Just noticed your thread but you don't really need to worry at all about science. There are lots of outreach programs for science in particular, check local universities too as they always have these too. There are also certain big dates in science like the Science and Engineering week in March when there are plenty of science outreach activities at most Universities, then summer schools, space schools etc

We have followed a very hands on inquiry based American curriculum which means an experiment first then activity worksheet afterwards. Science has been a big hit with my DD. In addition to experiments we do at home, she has participated in amazing science outreach programs in proper labs. I am arts-y myself and only did general science to GCSE level.

I can pm you what we use and the plenty plus (over 40 hours of bunsen burners in superior University Labs) that DD has done if you are interested just to see the unlimited potential. As home edders I have found you can also do loads of activities that are normally reserved and cherry picked for the elite few "gifted and talented" in schools because we simply cherry pick our own lot to participate in these programs :lol:
ourmaminhavana wrote:I expect your child will get into grammar school now! :lol:
Me too :D
...but its good to know that there really are other options out there. Even home ed itself is just as diverse, all families do it differently. You simply choose what works best for your child and family.
Impossible is Nothing.
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by fatbananas »

Oooo Sherry that sounds really exciting. Please could you Pm those details; I'd love to see them. :D
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by mystery »

It does sound good. Maybe you are going to be willing your DC not to pass now.
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Home schooling at secondary level

Post by fatbananas »

Part of me thinks, why sit the darned thing at all? Practising a whole load of VR and NVR when he could actually be learning something ...

But, then, all his classmates will be taking it, so maybe it will seem odd to him that he's not doing it too. :?
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
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