considering home educating

[fluffymouse]

Dd (4) did not get a place at our local school, which was our first choice, to start reception in September. I'm absolutely gutted. I felt that this school would really suit her, and the schools which still have places are terrible (London).

I'm on maternity leave and seriously considering home schooling her for a term, deferring her entry to less preferred school till December, and hoping a waiting list place will come up in the meantime.

Dd is extremely active, excellent motor skills, but speech and language is a bit behind (awaiting salt referral). We have tried gently introducing her to numbers and letters, which she is also learning at nursery, and she is making slow progress in recognition of these. She however hates picking up a pen. While she is able to write her name she usually refuses.

I was planning to do learning in a manner that suits her, through activities, going out looking at things etc as I know she would struggle to sit still. I however worry this would leave her I'll prepared when she does start nursery. I will also have a baby, who will probably be crawling by September!

Any thoughts? I am very new to this.

[Saracen]

Sounds like an excellent plan. I always think the name of the game is meeting the child's current needs, whatever those may be, rather than trying to shoehorn her early into a system which is not suited to her.

Take the sitting still, for example. Maybe it is just a matter of maturity, and your daughter will be better at it when she is five than four. Most kids do develop a longer attention span and ability to sit and concentrate as they get older. If that is true for her, why make her unhappy by forcing her to learn in a way which doesn't work for her right now? It will fix itself in time.

Or, perhaps she will always be a person who dislikes sitting at a desk and writing. Even if she is destined to spend most of her childhood years at school being made to do just that, such a child may as well have a year or two or three of freedom beforehand spent learning in the way which is most effective for her. She'll learn more, she'll be happier, and she'll enter school with a higher self-esteem.

In either case, in this moment you have the freedom to give her just what she needs. It's a great gift. Why impose unnecessary restrictions on her by making her learn in a way which doesn't actually work very well and which makes her unhappy?

Your little girl can have loads of fun AND get a good head start on her education if you follow your plan of active learning. The baby will like it too! Babies are all about active learning.

[fluffymouse]

Thank you.

It is reassuring to hear this isn't a crazy idea.

What resources would you suggest using for reception? Is it worth following eyfs?

[ommmward]

Reception?

• invest in the odd iPad literacy/numeracy game
  
• go on lots of trips to places that interest your children (museums, parks etc)
  
• hang out with other people - HE families are useful because they are available in the middle of the day midweek, so HE groups can be good for that
  
• read to your child when they want to be read to
  
• scribe for them when they want you to
  
• put out craft stuff when they want it
  
• answer their questions
  
• help them learn to ride a bike/ swim/ whatever they are interested in physically. Or just chase them around the park regularly.
  

The end.

[Scout19075]

Sometimes I wish MN had a like button, Saracen and ommmward!

[Saracen]

Aw thanks Scout!

[morethanpotatoprints]

Ditto, Scout.

The two people you know will not only be nice and supportive but give a mind full of info.

[ommmward]

[Scout19075]

Ommmward's list is exactly SmallBoy's (current) Reception year. He is so incredibly happy. So am I. The only thing we do differently is we do a bit of "formal" learning with books/pencils/crayons/glue/scissors partially for me but totally for SB because he asks for it and loves it. I mentioned on another thread that SB wants to be the next Prof Brian Cox (Professor/physicist/astronomer/possible television documentary presenter) and he has said to me that to be like his idol he needs to read and read and read-- and study. He'll bring me his books and just plow through them or ask for his science experiments. But we spend loads of time running around, getting dirty and letting SB be five.

[Scout19075]

Ommmward's list is exactly SmallBoy's (current) Reception year. He is so incredibly happy. So am I. The only thing we do differently is we do a bit of "formal" learning with books/pencils/crayons/glue/scissors partially for me but totally for SB because he asks for it and loves it. I mentioned on another thread that SB wants to be the next Prof Brian Cox (Professor/physicist/astronomer/possible television documentary presenter) and he has said to me that to be like his idol he needs to read and read and read-- and study. He'll bring me his books and just plow through them or ask for his science experiments. But we spend loads of time running around, getting dirty and letting SB be five.

[Scout19075]

Gah, sorry about the double post. Damn phone and playing telephones with SB at the same time.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Scout

I would not be at all surprised if he doesn't follow through with his ambitions.
He sounds very motivated and driven.
I have one like this who is realising her dream, knew what she wanted at 2.5 years old.
I think this is the main point, allowing them to do what they want to and encouraging them to ask for it.

[fluffymouse]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'm viewing the local schools with places and have a lot to think about.

[Scout19075]

morethan, I totally believe he will. Recently I told a HE friend of his dreams (her children are older and I met her when SB was about ten months old) and she said "I've had him down as a physics professor since he was a toddler.".

He already understands how to research to find the answers in books, online and on television (Stargazing and The Sky at Night are his favorite programs). We went to the eclipse lecture at Ye Ol' University he was the youngest there and totally entranced at being in the university lectures hall, meeting professors and meeting someone he knew from television (an episode of Sky at Night). I've come to the conclusion I need to see if Prof Cox is giving any lectures in a two hour radius of us to get SB to.

It's wonderful tailoring his education to him (but we also make sure he has the other fundamentals like citizenship, reading/writing, history, languages, etc.).

[morethanpotatoprints]

Scout

It truly is great. Giving them the opportunity to pursue an education that is so fitting for them.
If they then go on to a specialist school or one with a strong dept in your preferred subject they fit in great.
I was quite worried about this, but as soon as i saw the dc at dds future school they were a near carbon copy.
I couldn't see her at any other school though and when she left primary 3 years ago we had all planned to go through to GCSE.
I'm thankful we aren't though as I have enjoyed some peace the last few days she been to trial the school.

[lilyfire]

Just be careful. I was in your position 6 years ago. We are in London and near top of waiting list of preferred school, but no place I wanted to send my son to. I was on maternity leave with no. 3. Thought I'd just home ed for a little while until a place came up. So we started going to home ed groups and doing days out and I read up about home ed. By the time we got offered a place 2 weeks into term we were having such a nice time I couldn't bear to accept it. It's been really fun and I'm glad we started it, but eldest son doesn't really fancy secondary school at the moment, so short term is turning out to be fairly long term. No regrets though, we've met loads of lovely people and done lots of interesting things that would never have done if they'd been at school.

[Saracen]

Shh lily, do not reveal our dark secret.

Come hither, unsuspecting innocents. Just home educate for a liiiiiittle while. Just a term or two, where's the harm? You can return to school any time you like. Heh heh heh.

Hotel California.

[lilyfire]

Saracen - this is so true. You start off on the soft stuff, maybe bicarb and vinegar volcanoes with your own kids in the kitchen- nothing you can't handle and before you know it you're running a workshop for 25 random home ed children making origami frogs or some such and it's all a bit out of control.

[ommmward]

Too true.