Home education
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T.i.p.s.y
wouldn't have dreamt of sending their kids to school until 13 and home-eded them. Maybe we are missing a trick here! 
Really admire those that do this. Not sure I would have the discipline. Don't want to open a can of worms but what about the activities that encourage group work like drama, music and sport? Not critical at all just very interested.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
I always regretted remaining in the primary system for DS. He could have been so much happier at home. I kept him in for "social" reasons, believing that as he was already different I would have emphasised his out of placeness in the world. I thought that life was about learning to get along with other people, but that is hard when they reject you.
Why did you home educate and at what age? I am very interested, although I will keep DC in their grammars now.
Why did you home educate and at what age? I am very interested, although I will keep DC in their grammars now.
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T.i.p.s.y
I home eded when the kids were reception and year 2 age, initially because I couldn't afford the school fees. We did very little with them - 1.5 hours a day and the rest was play unless they wanted to do a project on the solar system, for example, and then we would incorporate all of the curriculum into these subjects. Only sent them back because they had scholarships and I wasn't brave enough to see it through until the end.
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;kysiesmum
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2009 11:59 pm
I home ed ds2 who is 7 but ds1 is in school.We're quite lucky because there is a home ed group local to us so we get together once a week and it gives the parents a chance to chat and compare ideas and the children get to interact with other children,although I'm not sure why people tend to think HE children lack socially ds2 does numerous clubs as well as visits to various play areas and he meets a wider range of children than he ever did whilst in school and has better friends than he did previously as well.As a group we also get to participate in 'school' visits to places of interest such as museums,talks, even the London planetarium and as we as parent/teachers get to go too when our dcs talk about what they have seen or learnt we know what they mean.It can be hard, I miss my grown-up time during the day, but it is also very rewarding and although we only tend to do one or two lessons a day just walking the dog can turn into an impromtu lesson.
I home educated all 3 of mine for over a year. We did a lot of travelling durinng that time, it was a kind of 'gap year' and I can honestly say it is the best thing I have ever done. I think the children would all say the same.
There are 2 arguments which people opposed to home ed usually put and the first is to do with missing out on the company of other children and not joining in group activities. I never quite understand this as of course you are not pulling them out of society, only out of school. My lot still did other activities (and were much less tired during them) with groups of other children, and things like music and swimming are great because you get to do them when no-one else is; so piano lessons can happen on a Wednesday morning and then you can go for a cup of tea afterwards!
Part of the same argument is that school is important for socialisation. This is true if you define socialisation as the ability to spend all day with a group of people the same age as you, competing on the same task. This is not a very good preparation for life if you think about it - it never happens again. If you broaden it and think of interacting with people of different ages, then there is no issue.
The other argument is that as a parent you are not able to teach them all they need to know, and this of course is true. But children are capable of learning what they need to know, and given their own space and the resources, they will do it. Of course, this will not usually be the same stuff as schools would be teaching - interests ours pursued during that time included different types of grasses, the history of Norway, seeing how many paints you could make using only natural materials, knitting, and identifying mushrooms in the French countryside. Some of these went on for weeks!
The curriculum is a doddle, especially at primary age. I did nothing formal whatsoever - writing was keeping a diary; we read, of course, and then we just did whatever we fancied. My lot went back to school and into all the top sets (where there were sets) and have been enhanced rather than hindered by the experience.
The only thing I would agree with is that it is hard to settle back into a school routine. A lot of time at school is wasted on admin, lining up, getting changed etc, and they found it hard to deal with that, as well as the constant being with other children and no let-up. I think the one who found it hardest was me - I missed the children tremendously and hated handing over the responsibility for their education to others who I sometimes felt were less able than I was. And like I said, every time I think about it, I come over all nostalgic and idealistic and want to do it again!
There are 2 arguments which people opposed to home ed usually put and the first is to do with missing out on the company of other children and not joining in group activities. I never quite understand this as of course you are not pulling them out of society, only out of school. My lot still did other activities (and were much less tired during them) with groups of other children, and things like music and swimming are great because you get to do them when no-one else is; so piano lessons can happen on a Wednesday morning and then you can go for a cup of tea afterwards!
Part of the same argument is that school is important for socialisation. This is true if you define socialisation as the ability to spend all day with a group of people the same age as you, competing on the same task. This is not a very good preparation for life if you think about it - it never happens again. If you broaden it and think of interacting with people of different ages, then there is no issue.
The other argument is that as a parent you are not able to teach them all they need to know, and this of course is true. But children are capable of learning what they need to know, and given their own space and the resources, they will do it. Of course, this will not usually be the same stuff as schools would be teaching - interests ours pursued during that time included different types of grasses, the history of Norway, seeing how many paints you could make using only natural materials, knitting, and identifying mushrooms in the French countryside. Some of these went on for weeks!
The curriculum is a doddle, especially at primary age. I did nothing formal whatsoever - writing was keeping a diary; we read, of course, and then we just did whatever we fancied. My lot went back to school and into all the top sets (where there were sets) and have been enhanced rather than hindered by the experience.
The only thing I would agree with is that it is hard to settle back into a school routine. A lot of time at school is wasted on admin, lining up, getting changed etc, and they found it hard to deal with that, as well as the constant being with other children and no let-up. I think the one who found it hardest was me - I missed the children tremendously and hated handing over the responsibility for their education to others who I sometimes felt were less able than I was. And like I said, every time I think about it, I come over all nostalgic and idealistic and want to do it again!
Moved as requested.finchleymum wrote:It's been fantastic listening to the experiences and opinions on this thread.
I have home schooled DD and DS for a short period of time at the primary schooling stage - I trusted my ability
Not so sure about what happens when kids get to higher stage of secondary schooling? Does it get more difficult with the curriculum and the different subjects (not sure I trust my ability in science and maths!)
Have others had experience of this?
steve
