I home educate - my DS has never been to school - AMA

[OvertheUnicornRainbow]

My DS is almost 13, always been home-educated and is thriving. Ask me anything

I have a Phd in English and I would not even attempt to teach science at GCSE level!

A child of a friend is homeschooled and the mum’s idea of an education is sniffing roses in the back garden, painting rainbows and dressing up as Elsa.

@atankofskunks - just for you!
Monday - a couple of hours in the morning reading/studying in bed! While I take his DS to school and do housework. He'll do his laundrey at one point. We'll spend a couple of hours before lunch doing some English and Maths. We'll make lunch together. He'll go to the library at some point to get new books. We'll do something in the afternoon - philosophy and ethics, some history. We'll pick his sister up and go to the park - might meet friends there. He'll do karate, have dinner. Play with his sister or hang out with a friend. Then do some study in his room for a few hours in the evening.

Tues - with dad. Will study Science and go to Science class and whatever else they get up to. He'll do some online stuff and maybe an art gallery with his dad. Study Latin. Once a month outward bounds group.

Wed English class, Art class. Lunch break with friends. After school time - hanging out with friends, doing homework. Doing their project - they have their own little business. Reading/studying in bed.

Thurs - Maths class, friends house in afternoon, board games, reading, swimming whatever. Learning Japanese together. Karate, online study and reading.

Fri - STEM workshop at tech college. Community garden group. Scouts. Sleep over with friend.

Sat - Karate, library volunteering, family time and lots of reading.

Sun - chill hopefully! Bit of housework, family time.

I'm sure you'll pick it apart! But hopefully this gives some idea.

I won't pick it apart OP and it is interesting to see it set out to get a sense of what it works like for you. Is the Art class the Arts award?
I think my main overriding view is that it looks fun- a nice week with fun activities but the actual learning time is pretty limited and as a "curriculum" it's far far narrower than a schooled 12 year old would be doing.

@Nekoness - well it was recomended, yes. But I was aware of his issues. We did try pre-school. Home-ed has allowed him to learn coping skills by being in those situations for smaller chunks. Lecture halls are quiet - and museums too - unless a school group arrives and then it's bedlam!!

It's interesting that you do philosophy and ethics too and I wonder what that looks like when you teach it. In schools this is a subject that would involve a lot of group discussion, sharing opinions and learning alternative viewpoint. How does that work one to one op?

@atankofskunks - he actually does 2 art classes but yes, one is Arts award. I think what you don't quite appreciate is how much learning happens in a small space of time. So compared to school it doesn't look much but he is able to keep up/exceed his peers in just that time. I agree it is not quite as broad - no music, no geography for example. He has done those when younger. But yes it is fun! No wonder he doesn't want to go to school!

@Marmunia1975 - why not? GCSE is pretty basic. How old is the DC you refer to? I'm sure they don't do that every day!

We've been home edding since May. Wow, what an absolute eye opener this thread is! I can't believe quite how narrow minded people are when it comes to education. Like one way is the ONLY way for all these individual children who have so many different talents and interests. And how so many parents know so little about where 'education' is heading and the future of all the jobs so many people currently have. Open your eyes! And your minds.

As for suggesting the OP doesn't know enough to 'teach' her dc all these topics - HE really does not work like that. You need to do some research before you start commenting. Fine to ask but not just immediately judge.

So compared to school it doesn't look much but he is able to keep up/exceed his peers in just that time. I agree it is not quite as broad - no music, no geography for example

How do you know he's able to keep up with his peers? On what basis do you make that assumption?

The limits on his curriculum are quite significant really- as you say, no geography, no DT (I note the STEM workshop which may include some DT rather than science?) limited food tech (does he design and plan the lunches you make together?), no drama, limited PE beyond karate and swimming that he "might" do, limited IT beyond accessing online resources.

What has made you design his "curriculum" like this? Why history and not geography for example?

@atankofskunks - well if alone doing philosophy and ethics - we'll just discuss things together. But then he obviously talks to his friends about things and their parents etc. It seems to work pretty well - but I take your point that big group discussions are useful.

@Cakecrumbsinmybra - it is so hard to explain home-ed to people who have never done it! They are so stuck in 'school mode'. It's like you have to see it to believe it! I see all my DS and his friends thriving and doing so well. It allays any fears I may have had when he was younger.

I actually don't think one way is the only way at all. I've spoken lots on here about the need for breadth and diversity in the curriculum and in delivery too (it's a good thing that in secondary schools subjects are taught by multiple teachers who will each have their own style). I've spoken about GCSE routes and about BTECs- in fact there are lots of other types of courses available to students now. It seems to me that HE is far narrower than a school based education in both its delivery and its content. One size doesn't fit all and no school would tell you it did. That's why teachers differentiate learning and styles and curriculum paths are varied.

Cake

I find most of society very narrow minded, it's so sad. Gaining a broad education isn't necessary and we are all different.
As for it being so important my dd school allowed her and others to drop any subjects they wanted to, a very forward thinking school. No Geography, History, RE, past y8 and languages went Y9. She'd have opted out of Science if possible and just missed out on being able to take single before it moved to compulsory combined.
The curriculum and GCSE's that most schools offer are very narrow. It's surprising how many GCSE's are available that schools are just not able to offer.

Totally agree. People have no idea. My DC definitely do not want to go back to school. They have both jumped 2 grades on their instruments, read a gazillion more books and done things just not covered in the curriculum, all in a short time. Not to mention the extra travel opportunities (I appreciate you have another in school though). The gift of time is an amazing thing!

To the poster picking apart the timetable - 55 min lesson of history a week with some dull homework making a poster, for example, of a Tudor king - it's not great, is it? OP's child could spend 6 months of next year totally involved in a history project because they were interested in it and have the time.

Gaining a broad education isn't necessary

Well Ofsted wouldn't agree

skunks, honestly you're only showing how little you know. HE is whatever the family wants it to be. A teacher can only really offer what suits 30-35 other humans in the class. My DC were in school from reception to Y7 and Y4 so I do know what is on offer.

@atankofskunks - I think I make that judgement on his test results and the level he is working at.

STEM - he does work in all those areas.
Food tech - he аctually loves cooking. He makes breakfast and lunch most days and dinner once a week. He shops for ingredients.
No drama - not his thing
PE - he gets loads of exercise - cycling, running, swimming, walking, alongside karate. We do tennis, badminton, cricket etc as a family. But his DS has definitely more experience of team games. Although he did do a team games class one year.
IT - he can use a word proccessor and make presentations. He can code too. He can learn spreadsheets etc in time.
He does History as he is really interested in it. He's done a bit of everything over the years. But has naturally focused on a smaller number of subjects but in more depth as he has got older. Once doing GCSEs all DC drop subjects, anyway.

55 min lesson of history a week with some dull homework making a poster, for example, of a Tudor king - it's not great, is it?

My dd loves history. She's learned lots in school and waxed lyrical about various historical subjects. To her, it's never dull, always challenging and interesting. She regularly reads around what she's learned (currently ploughing her way through a David Starkey book on Henry VIII actually).

Once doing GCSEs all DC drop subjects, anyway.

They do but 12 is very early to have dropped some of the ones your son no longer goes. Ofsted are judging schools who allow students to narrow their curriculum very harshly in school inspections. Breadth and diversity really do matter at such a young age.

@Cakecrumbsinmybra - we used to take full advantage of the travel before little one went to school! It's one of the things I really miss!

Ok, I must be projecting because we’ve never found a museum that’s quiet. But I’m thinking London museums, so I’m guessing you are elsewhere. Last time we tried to go to the British Museum right at opening time on an inset day and it was swarming with Asian tourists who were living up to their stereotype of having a different perception of personal space than the locals

So it does sound like he has structure and a routine in his schoolwork, just flexible within it. Totally get that. Thanks for answering and sharing OP.

How do you tackle STEM then OP? You mentioned a workshop which I'm guessing to be a one off? I'm assuming you don't have a range of workshop equipment in your garage?

Is your child odd?

Had a number of home educated kids join scouts to mix with piers and to a child everyone of them was odd very odd.

Sadly none of them lasted long in scouts as couldn’t cope with other children.

That's great skunks, that she can follow her passions at home.