I home-educate my four kids,AMA

[wiziliz]

Used to be a primary school teacher, now I home-educate my kids . Ages 12,8,6&3 (no special needs)Ask Me Anything.

Sorry, state school

BoardingSchoolMater My 12 year old choose to do more subjects than that, we had to tell her to chill out . She wants to do medicine like her dad. My husband is also very engaged in this, there are plenty of stuff online. Before you start it all looks and sounds scary, once you are into it , everything falls in place.

Is there a reason your 12 yr old isn’t doing a Humanities subject to GCSE (history, geography etc)?
Do you feel able to give them a full education when you aren’t a science specialist etc?
What other activities do your children do? Sports etc

iGCSEs are the ultra cheap alternative for children without access to proper facilities

Right...

Thanks, OP. I would be a bit concerned about a total absence of anything Humanities-related. I think Medical Schools would expect a bit of breadth from applicants (and English Lit GCSE is surely a non-negotiable?)

yes, right.

What did you think they were for?

If she wants to do medicine she will need 8 subjects at GCSE level. I notice you have only put 7 subjects.

How do you plan to do science ;practicals lessons at home?

If she wants to do medicine she will need 8 subjects at GCSE level. I notice you have only put 7 subjects.

she will also need to take them all in one year, not in dribs and drabs

If your daughter is only 12, she has plenty of time to choose another few GCSEs to add to her repertoire if she wants to do so - I’m sure she will do well. Will she go to 6th form or study A Levels at home too?

I thought the one year thing was to do with school league tables rather than that it affected individual students? I may be wrong here...

How do you plan to do science ;practicals lessons at home?

you don't need to, that is the whole point of iGCSEs. They are for children who can't access normal facilities, or for private schools maximising their profits.

State schools are required to teach standard GCSEs, and provide the equipment and facilities needed for the compulsory practicals.

Children studying abroad are excused this, because the equipment and safety standards might not be available locally.

And of course, it is cheaper for private schools just not to bother.

Do you have a room in your house which is just for ‘school’? Do you make the kids wear a uniform/ smart clothes or is in their pjs ok?
Do you have days off at your discretion or do you follow school holidays?
Yes, we have 2 massive rooms. No pjs, everyone has a shower everyday gets dressed and then comes to classroom. Rule-no coming to classroom with pjs.( of course school time)
I dont follow the state school holidays, we study for 6weeks and then have a term break.

Clairetree1
Do you have any idea what you are talking about?
It certainly doesn't look like it.
You sound like you just want to be adversarial.

Urbanbeetler She will attend 6th form to study her A/Ls

Clairetree, I rather thought they were used as they are viewed as being more like old 'O' levels and, as such, better preparation for 'A' levels. I believe university admissions tutors (of which I am one) look favourably on them as being more intellectually challenging and more able to sort the sheep from the goats than GCSE.

I believe it is also the case that state schools tend to do GCSE because the league tables are based only on 'ordinary' GCSE scores, and they are scared of not looking good in the league tables. In fact, the better state schools where I live are offering IGCSE in some subjects now, for the reasons I have outlined above. All the independent schools here do IGCSE in some subjects (if not all), and the best state schools are keen to match the independent offering, but without the monstrous fees.

Finally, I can assure you that my DC1's school (the clue's in my username) is not offering IGCSE because it is lacking in facilities.

Your home schooling sounds like a replication of school at home rather than the freer unschooling some home ed families go for. And it sounds like you are very fortunate with resourcing. I’m sure your children will do well but it doesn’t work for everyone - ive seen some children who are very behind with basic literacy and numeracy from home schooling. I think this is what puts so many people off it in principle.

Tonnes of questions It sounds like you are a ‘schooling’ HEer rather than an ‘unschooling’ HEer - as your children are doing traditional academic workbooks/worksheets etc - most times I’ve heard people take about HEing their children it’s of the child-led unschooling variety, obviously very different from a parent-led teaching approach. So interesting to hear from a more traditional family.

Are you religious?
If so are you teaching your children solely according to your faith, or are they learning about all faiths and secular philosophy as well?
How do you decide what subjects and topics they are going to learn about?
How do you decide what workbooks/worksheets/curricula to follow?
Are any of your children formally studying subjects that they would not be easily able to in a school environment?
Do you attend any HE social or study groups?
Did your 12yo daughter have any input as to which IGCSE subjects she is studying for?
Do your children participate in any team sports, music groups etc that can be easier to access via the school system?
How do you specifically take advantage of being freed from the school system in terms of your daily timetable and not needing to observe term times etc?

I thought the one year thing was to do with school league tables rather than that it affected individual students? I may be wrong here...

it doesn't always affect the individual student, it depends how strict the school is, or how competitive the course is

If your daughter is only 12, she has plenty of time to choose another few GCSEs to add to her repertoire if she wants to do so - I’m sure she will do well. Will she go to 6th form or study A Levels at home too?

we don't accept students who have done this into A level.

It is very easy to get 10 top grade GCSEs if you sit them individually, and very much harder if you sit them together, so this is why often only GCSEs sat together are counted.

We only accept A level students who have sat a minimum of 5 altogether in one sitting, including English, maths and the subjects chosen for A level.

Some universities allow split sittings on some courses, some don't, but for competitive courses like medicine, sitting only 7 at once, then others later will be a distinct disadvantage

Clairetree1
Do you have any idea what you are talking about?
It certainly doesn't look like it.

ye, I know exactly what I'm talking about, I have decades of experience teaching both

Your spag is very... unusual for a qualified teacher.

And of course, it is cheaper for private schools just not to bother

Clairetree, I have just read your latest, and think I'm inclined to agree with ihopeyourcakeissshit. What a completely insane comment.

Finally, I can assure you that my DC1's school (the clue's in my username) is not offering IGCSE because it is lacking in facilities.

it might not be lacking in facilities, it is still in the business of maximising profits

clairetree I still want to know what kind of teacher you know I am, and why I would make people want to resign. I was simply saying that i have been teaching for 20 years and I don’t spend a significant amount of time on controlling classes. My classes know what I expect of them behaviour-wise and they generally behave very well.

I have experience of teaching both too (before state schools were effectively banned from using igcse because the outcomes aren’t considered reportable as a credit for the school) and can see where Clairetree is coming from.