telling others you want to home ed your kids

[getting there]

Maybe 'normal' school is seen as better because when it started 200 years ago it was better and the children did learn more than at home and they did get ahead. Maybe it is seen as better because it's easier or more convenient or maybe because if things go wrong it's somebody elses fault. Or maybe it's because it's what our parent and grandparents etc did.

[red]

well in the uk only 51% of secondary schools are considered good or outstanding.. ie 49% are only satisfactory or indadequate -

in fact 10% hit the inadequate level.. so what are we saying here - one in ten of school kids will get an education that the authorities provide and also admit are inadequate!

- tell that to your relatives when they question your decision!

BBC report here

they also say that 20% of kids leave primary school without a foundation in literacy or numeracy.. so thats one in five kids wont even get that much...

I enjoy maths, personally, but dont stress over not being able to teach the difficult stuff.. as already said you can learn together.. but the begining of numeracy is the simple stuff.. telling the time, recognising coins , handling money, shapes and comparision.

[chadspad]

I know nothing about home education apart from what I read on here so dont shoot me down for asking questions but dont the home taught kids still have to do exams at the end of the school years? And if so, will the types of teaching u are doing at home, as fun and as informative as they sound, cover the things necessary to get them thru these exams? and if they dont do the same exams, how are they going to get on in the employment world when companies ask for certain qualifications?

[Annpan]

In Scotland there are no complusury exams, at any level.

A lot of home schooled kids choose to go into a further education college (6th form college) for a year to prepare them for A-levels, and being used to independent learning they are more adapt to adult learning than alot of adults are.
Alot of home schooled kids that I have heard of have either continued education to university or have become self-employed or joined the family business.

Exams don't really mean anything in themselves IMO, they are a means to an end, but most employers disregard school leavers qualifications if they were gained more than 2 years ago.

[red]

no exams are not compulsory - although lots of HE kids do take them. one advantage of HE is you can sit them when you want.. when you are ready, and in many cases this is earlier than at school.
Many HE kids skip gcses and go straight to A levels. - others take the attitude that exams dont actually get you through as many doors as all that - and FE colleges will often accept kids on a course based on other information.. eg I know a lad who got on his design course based on his portfolio of drawings.

I have 9 o levels and 3 A levels. they dont make much difference to my life at all. the qualification I took in accountancy at my own expense and in my spare time when I had a baby is more worthwhile.. but for my job (I'm a book-keeper and prepare wages) - its my experience that counts the most.

in my personal situation, as my son has learning difficulties.. we are not worrying about passing exams at all, merely focusing on lifeskills, the basics, that and I firmly believe a happy childhood is a really good foundation to a happy life.

school works out for a lot of people, but home ed is a viable option too.

[Helsbells]

I am so sad to hear people who have had bad experiences at school. I am currently training to teach art and design at secondary level, and am constantly shocked, disappointed and disheartened at the lessons the other teachers provide, their attitude towards their subject which is the total opposite of passionate, and the way they speak to the kids. I dont want to be this kind of teacher, and to be honest am not sure I would want to send my future children to the schools like the one I am training in. It makes me so sad, and depressed today as I had to teach a class how to draw liquorice allsorts, and it felt totally pointless, meaningless and unimaginative. *sigh*

[Chickenlady]

I offered to HE my eldest daughter a couple of years ago when she was having problems at school, but she rejected me!!! She is now on her third secondary school in year 10, and generally tries to have as many days off as possible.

I think she just doesn't have the 'right' personality for school. But my second daughter loves it and my third is fine too. DH is a teacher, and would only agree to HE in special circumstances. He is a firm believer in school, but then he is, by all accounts, a very good teacher.

I wish I had been able to afford a Steiner type education for DD1, but there is no way we could find the money. Shame our schools don't provide different types of education to suit the individual. It is getting more and more prescriptive.

[Annpan]

I am so sad to hear people who have had bad experiences at school. I am currently training to teach art and design at secondary level, and am constantly shocked, disappointed and disheartened at the lessons the other teachers provide, their attitude towards their subject which is the total opposite of passionate, and the way they speak to the kids. I dont want to be this kind of teacher, and to be honest am not sure I would want to send my future children to the schools like the one I am training in. It makes me so sad, and depressed today as I had to teach a class how to draw liquorice allsorts, and it felt totally pointless, meaningless and unimaginative. *sigh*

Sorry you had such a tough day, my sister is also training to be a teacher (and I know she will be a great one too) It seems that the training process is tough and she is left often frustrated and miserable.

Please don't be dishartened Helsbells, please use it as insperation to do better.

Be the teacher that makes a difference to the childrens education.

Be the one they remember 20 years later.

Be the one who makes them want to become good teachers too.

Good luck with your training.

[Helsbells]

Thanks so much for your post AnnPan, it brought a litle tear to my eye. Hopefully it will get better. Its very frustrating as I spend most of my time having to shout for the few noisy kids to keep quiet so I can speak. But I sometimes feel like, well why shouldnt they talk??! Perhaps the work is not engaging enough?

[Annpan]

I offered to HE my eldest daughter a couple of years ago when she was having problems at school, but she rejected me!!! She is now on her third secondary school in year 10, and generally tries to have as many days off as possible.

Sounds like how I reacted to secondary school. I hope you find a solution.

I was never offered home-ed, I don't have that kind of Mum. I did go to a private school (on scholarship) but it was a very academic school and I didn't cope well with it.

I'll need to google 'Steiner' to find out more about it.

[Chickenlady]

I offered to HE my eldest daughter a couple of years ago when she was having problems at school, but she rejected me!!! She is now on her third secondary school in year 10, and generally tries to have as many days off as possible.

Sounds like how I reacted to secondary school. I hope you find a solution.

I was never offered home-ed, I don't have that kind of Mum. I did go to a private school (on scholarship) but it was a very academic school and I didn't cope well with it.

I'll need to google 'Steiner' to find out more about it.

The solution is to try to get her through the next couple of years and get some GCSEs, then she can go to college to do something she actually enjoys and wants to study - in her case this is musical theatre.

The link you want for Steiner schools is: http://www.steinerwaldorf.org.uk/

Jane

[PurpleDragon]

I have three kids - two primary school age and the third in playgroup.

My oldest (who is dyslexic) would probably shoot me thru the head if I tried to take him out of school .. he totally loves it and does well there.

Middle child, though, is a completely different beast. I am dithering with taking a 'time out' of school with her. She is in Primary 1 and it has been torture for her. I am doing extra work with her at home, but it means she has to work longer hours to keep up with her peers, and I just think that the current blows to her confidence aren't worth it. I would rather educate her at home for a couple of months, without pressure, and then put her back (if that is her choice) when she can keep up with the other kids and not be judged because she is so far behind.

My decision isn't made yet, but I am currently wavering on the cusp.

[baldowrie]

ask the school about setting up and individual education programme for her, even if it's only temporary

My decision isn't made yet, but I am currently wavering on the cusp.

You and me both!

[red]

sorry to hear your child is having a difficult time PD - it is not an easy decision

[Fizzy Izzy]

I am so sad to hear people who have had bad experiences at school. I am currently training to teach art and design at secondary level, and am constantly shocked, disappointed and disheartened at the lessons the other teachers provide, their attitude towards their subject which is the total opposite of passionate, and the way they speak to the kids. I dont want to be this kind of teacher, and to be honest am not sure I would want to send my future children to the schools like the one I am training in. It makes me so sad, and depressed today as I had to teach a class how to draw liquorice allsorts, and it felt totally pointless, meaningless and unimaginative. *sigh*

I'm in my first year of teaching (Maths) and I have some of the same feelings. It all feels so pointless sometimes. I love maths and there are so many exciting things things to do, but you are really under pressure to get through the curriculum and teach to the test.

When I have kids I will definitely be thinking seriously about home educating them...