How do I start ??

[Jasminena]

Hi All
I've taken the decision to start homeschooling my son who is turning 5 in about a month.
School was terrible and due to complex medical problems my son is not walking yet, also is not at an academic level a 5 year old is ment to meet( I mean what is that kids are kids at the end of the day ) but as a mother I am worried and of course want him to be independent and learn.
Just to get the point across he is in a position where he will be able to learn all that he needs to but my only problem is where do I start .. I'm so confused.. done tons of research and been online for nights on end but I just need someone to give me a rough guideline in where to start with him? In terms of learning letter- reading and soon writing letters (or copying) also number etc ..

[familybloke]

I am going to watch this thread. I suspect there isn't going to be much feedback for you because not enough people have undertaken this big step. However, I may embark on the same mission albeit with my child in year 5 (she is 9) who is being bullied at school. I will post my experiences on this website if I take the plunge and I hope I will be able to help you.

ixl seems to have a lot of resources. However, you do not have to follow the national curriculum which is great because there is nothing exceptional there and mostly it is unimaginative and can be improved upon. But creating your own is not that easy. Sadly, you need to have some focus on passing exams - that is how most institutions and companies plan their intake. Unless you are convinced your child has the talent to make it in the arts one needs to be practical.

I'm a newbie at this too.

Good luck - I think you have done the right thing. Please update your post and let us all know how you are getting on.

[Jasminena]

Hi familybloke,
Yes your very true in not a lot of people take this leap and decide to home educate and it's very difficult to start home education when having already been in the school education system.. it's what the 'norm' is unfortunately, but I believe we are the blessed ones to have had the opportunity to even consider and understand the benefits of home schooling.- not gona ramble on to much about it but so much Can be said.
Regarding your daughter.. it's really up to you and her in what decision to make.. I'd advise from personal experience if there's other ways try first and give a chance .. whether it's moving to a different school .. there are options, the journey will be long and a struggle for both you and her but at the end whatever the outcome you'll no you've tried them and you won't regret in the future, nother the less homeschool I believe can be amazing but we would have to be extra patient , and learn ourselves for our children .
Just to let you know I handed in the letter or de registration for my son to the schools head teacher ! Was so anxious that day but it's so worth it to see even in these few days that Ive not stressed on school my sons attitude and my has changed and especially mine! I think this is the biggest difference for our kids when parents are stress free they'll be more relaxed. 
Anyway let me know how your getting along! 
That's for the website! I'm going to hopefully use the Christmas brake to plan everything ready to start school in the new year .. and one thing I've learn which I still have to work on believing is that it's not all that hard and you don't have to do much especially at the age my sons at (thankfully) gets u use to starting 

[ommmward]

Ok he's fabulously young, so start very very gently!!

For letter recognition: Start with binge watching alpha blocks! There are lots of letter recognition games on the cbeebies website, and look out for superwhy as well (probably bits of episodes on YouTube, plus games on the pbs kids website. ) we loved Richard Scarrys Best ABC Video Ever, as well. Most importantly, read to him lots and lots -simple picture books, information books, whatever he wants. Take trips to the library, to read there or borrow books. Find books in the charity shops. Always put subtitles on when watching DVDs. Point out words you see around and about "bus stop" the name of your road etc etc. No need for work books at all, honestly. Be literate yourself, use reading with him and when he's ready, he'll learn too. Some good tablet games too, like Teach your Monster to Read.

[ommmward]

Oh, and when the letter recognition is there and beginning to put together words, in a year or two from where you are now, we spent hours in the bath making silly rhymes and repeatedly spelling "poo" (it's a life stage...) with those foam bath letters. Fridge magnet letters are just as good. Also, making letters with your finger in play dough. Cheap and fun to make at home.

[ommmward]

Numbers. Richard scarry's best counting video ever. There are millions of My First Counting book type things. Charity shop them! Count the stairs as you go up and down. Count red cars, lorries, whatever. Just count together!! Count vegetables together in the supermarket when buying them. Numbers are all around us!! And then you can start adding things together, using toys etc, but not till the number sequences are confident.

Writing: Just do lots of fine motor activities together. Lego, other construction toys, play dough, making pastry with him rubbing the fat into the flour, playing in sand. Mark making is the important precursor to writing, so get the crayons, felt tips, paint out, and do lots of painting/drawing together, at his level. When he's ready to, he can start putting his initial on a picture, or the letter of the thing he's drawn next to it or whatever.

Take your time!!! The only reason there is a hurry about all this stuff at school is because the teacher is looking after so many children, (s)he has to be able to put instructions in written form not repeat them 30 times, and she has to be able to glance at a piece of paper with work on, because (s)he can't have 30 conversations with the children to establish what they've understood. But you can converse with your child all day long! And you can read or scribe for them when needed for now. So you can relax, and let him learn at his own pace, which is the glory of home Ed!!!

[Jasminena]

Hi ommmward,
Thank you so much! I don't even have anything to say just that you've given me so many ideas which are amazing -some of which I'm already doing/ already know but to here it from someone else it just gives you the boost that yes it is ok and I'm in the right path( I mean is there any right or wrong with teaching you kids! I think not lol)
Anyways you so right about school and the rush/ pressure! It's mad! But like you said take time and he'll learn when ready so thank you so much, and for taking your time out to reply back to me !

[Saracen]

Fantastic advice from ommmward!

Jasminena, I'd put it to you that you really do know what you are doing in educating your son; you just don't know that you know! You don't have to change your approach just because he is turning five. All his life you have been telling him about the world, showing him the world, influencing his behaviour, and watching him learn. Did you worry - REALLY worry - that you were getting it all wrong when he was two? If you didn't worry then, why start now?

Educating your child is tremendously important. But there's no urgency about any aspect of it. Only at school does it matter exactly how old a child is when he starts writing or doing algebra, because the class moves on and the child remains baffled if he hasn't learned what he was "supposed" to have learned. Home ed is different: you aren't going to force your child to leave behind a topic he hasn't yet grasped in order to move on to a more advanced one!! You have years and years and years in which to do this job.

I live in a tourist town. Some foreign visitors come with organised groups. They have to keep a constant eye on their leader's hoisted sign and keep up so as not to be left behind. There's no hanging about. Certain sights will be seen in a certain order. When their coach leaves town for London at 1pm, they had better be on it.

Other visitors travel independently with their own maps and guidebooks. They see what they want to see and spend as long as they like on each attraction. Perhaps they'll get lost for a while. It's slightly scary, but it's all part of the adventure, and may lead them to learn different things about the town. Maybe they'll have a pub lunch and chat with the locals. If they love the place, they might decide to stay here longer and catch a later train to London than originally planned. Or maybe they will miss out London altogether on this occasion.

When I first moved to this town, with the intention of staying for a year, I saw many of the sights, but obviously I explored them in a more leisurely way than the daytrippers. I returned to some favourite places over and over. Some of the most famous places I've still not seen, though I've lived here for 25 years! But that's okay. The landmarks aren't going away. My education isn't ended. There's plenty to look forward to!

[bebanjo]

Hi, I home ed my 11 year old.
From birth we went out every day, baby clubs, swimming, toddler groups etc.
As DD got to 5 we had to stop some so joined home ed groups instead.
We both made friends, got lots of advice and support.
We were given many resorses and borrowed others.

I decided to not touch on formal learning of any kind tell DD was 7.
So what did she learn?
How to swim, ride a bike, climb a tree, play in the mud, talk to anyone about anything.
When DD was 7 we subscribe to reading eggs and by her 8th birthday was reading Roald Dahl.

Home ed is growing rapidly in the U.K. Plenty of face book groups to join. Lots of family's with lots of experience, use them, we all love sharing what we can.
Good luck.