A Home Schoolers Tale
Created | Updated Oct 29, 2013
Nearly 4 years ago I took myself and my son out of school. I was working there and he was supposed to be
learning. He was learning a bit but he was also being bullied. A lot. The school didn't like using the term bully and instead insisted that my son and the leader would be best friends in the end - yeah I believed that too. To that end, whenever there was a change of activity they were both placed at the same table despite the protestations of both parents. We'd had enough, so we decided to Home School. We have never looked back.
So, what to we do all day?
Well, we learn all sorts of things, Maths, English and Science are a given, but we do not need to follow The National Curriculum. If my son is having problems with something we can spend as much time as we like making sure he gets it. He's still having a few problems with fractions, but can understand quite happily basic Algebra. His Creative Writing can be well, very creative, but he sometimes forgets what a noun is. We do fun experiments and Scrapbook all the things he's interested in.
During the World Cup we each chose a country and he made food associated with that country every time they played (which we ate while watching the match). We have great fun in the run up to Eurovision each year as well. Flag making, looking for the countries our favourite songs are from on the map, learning about the culture and history of the countries, and again the food, always the food.
Last school year would have been my son's final year at Primary School, I was curious as to whether we'd grounded him enough in the basics so we 'Prepared for SATS' and took some of the past papers towards the end of 'school year' - that was when I really noticed the fractions hiccup - he did quite well actually so that was pleasing to note.
Astronomy, coding, World War II aeroplanes, more maths, English and Science are some of
the things on the horizon for this year, but if we get distracted by something else as well it doesn't matter. It makes the journey much more intresting and much more fun. Learning should be fun, right? It's not only my son who is learning either mum learns new stuff too.
Most of the parents I met when I worked at the school think (or at least say they think) that we've taken the right decision. I don't just think. I know.
