Homeschooling aswell as going to school question

[crazymaisey]

My 5 year old goes to school full time in September. I love the thought of homeschooling but I also have 2 younger ones aswell and having him home all day aswell as looking after the other two is very hard work. Plus when he's at home he can be very naughty, which is a phase I'm hoping will subside soon, and besides, he was extremely well behaved at half day nursery so going to school should work well for him.
So anyway, I was thinking why not give him the best of both worlds? I work with him at weekends and whenever school was closed. I'm not planning to give him hours and hours of work and no play. But you know what I mean.
Do any of you know some good books or websites that could be helpful?

[RuthG]

I home schooled both of mine. I think it will be way too much for a 5 year old to be 'doing school' at weekends as well as attending school full time. Is there any way you could do part time schooling?

[Thomzo]

There's lots you can teach him without making it seem like school. Take him out for walks and show him how to identify plants and birds (if you give him the book it'll help with his research and reading skills). Get him to read a bed time story to you and then encourage him to read to his siblings (reading, teaching, social skills). Get him to help you bake cakes - (weights and measures as well as the science of baking powder etc). When he's a bit older, he can help plan menus (reading and nutrition). A bit older still and he can help research days out, holidays (geography, research, reading skills as well as planning routes and map reading). Get him questioning the world around him and teach him how to research the answers for himself using books and the internet. I've noticed that if children feel important and useful, it sometimes helps with their behaviour.

Lots of sport will be good for him and help his co-ordination and judgement and any activity that involves playing with other children will be good for his social skills.

In short, just helping him be a child will help him to learn.

But, then, I don't have any kids so what do I know?

Zoe

[Annpan]

ditto everything that Thomzo and Ruth said

and I home-educate my 4YO (who otherwise would be starting school in 2 weeks time)

[Merry]

ditto - ditto -
I homeschooled my grandaughter some years ago but I don`t think she ever realised that she was 'learning' when we did gardening, cooking, shopping, painting, sewing, storytelling, finding-out, letter writing, playing, playing, playing - - - - -

[nessnco]

I homeschooled my four kids, a five yoear old only takes about 1/2 hour formal schooling a day. The rest of the time doing normal activities as others have said is all thats needed. I was a single parent and the biggest thing I learnt was you as the parent need to be in charge whether you are home schooling or not. The other thing is look into your homeschooling laws - in New Zealand I know people whose kids went to school till lunch time then came home and here kids can stay in Kindy till they're 6 which may make having a break easier.

[crazymaisey]

Dont get me wrong..... I wasn't planning on not letting my child have a life of play and discovery. I already try to do most of the above. It's just that this particular child of mine has a pretty short interest span and to prevent him getting behind in school, I thought I may be able to help his progress by teaching him similar things at home. I'm all for teaching about life as it certainly does stick in their brains better when they don't realise they are learning. But sadly at school, it's not all learning about life. It's maths and history and R.E. and stuff like that. Obviously not the hardcore stuff at such a young age, but you know what I mean.

[Merry]

I know what you mean and I`m no expert and more experienced folk than me will prolly give you a definitive answer to this but - -
If it were me I`d stick to the play and discovery at home and leave the school to follow the National Curriculum. In my limited experience most 5yo children have a short span of attention. Hopefully the school will do lots of play and experiential learning. I reckon you`d do best to broaden his learning rather than just trying to reinforce what the school does.

[crazymaisey]

I suppose you're right Merry. Broadening rather than reinforcing is better in the long run. And thankyou everybody for your advice and ideas. It's all very much appreciated!

[julie_lanteri]

Help him with his literacy every day, 10min or so. He should have reading books from school or a bed time story would do. It doesn't have to be reading, play games: how many "a" can you spot on the page, find a word that starts with "p" etc.
The other important thing is numeracy. As advised by other ishers, use everyday situations to help him understand the different concepts of adding, subtracting, multiplying (several lots of...) and dividing (sharing equally). There shouldn't be any problems in the first couple of years but if you're confident with your maths I strongly advise teaching him how to work out long additions, subtractions, multiplications and divisions when the time comes. They will cover a lot of methods in school but I haven't seen many that go to secondary school and can actually work them out at all! and the few who do have been taught by mum/dad/grandpa/grandma!

Just the fact you care and are involved will make a world of a difference! if only they could all be like you...

[crazymaisey]

Thankyou for the ideas of the little games I can play with him when reading with him Julie. It's easy to forget the little useful things that help them learn when you have 5 kids at various stages.
And thankyou so much for your kind words at the end. It means a lot!