I'm dreading sending my DD1 to school - I'm desperately trying to convince myself that her learning and education won't slow down drastically, but I can't see how even a dedicated teacher can give 30 kids the same attention, and how on earth being shut up in a classroom for hours can be any good, when there are so many museums, woods, shops, libraries, seasides and so on that could be visited. I think all we can do is try to encourage her not to lose her love of learning and curiousity.
From what I can gather, DD1 has learned more today than she will in a day when she is at school, by a long way, and she has just been pottering about at home and at her grandparents, doing a couple of pages of a workbook, singing beatles songs, watching funny videos on youtube, making model planes with DH, playing in the garden and helping look after her baby sister.
Both kids currently do 3 afternoons and a full day at nursery. I'm thinking of dropping an afternoon as nursery is taking up a bit too much time, although it is definitely a good thing in our lives. The girls get to spend time with other adults and children, we get time apart, and they get time apart from each other, DH and I get time to work (and I get the break that I need in order to stay well), and I think it benefits the girls to have other adults reinforce their learning. However, we don't expect nursery to "steer" thier education in the way that we, as parents, do.
The amount of people in my university class who hadn't even read what I would consider to be what an interested GCSE student would have read (I studied English) who all seemed to shrug and say they would probably train as teachers if nothing better came along scares me. If they couldn't get excited about literature, with all its history, sociology, wordplay, philosophy and so on, how on earth will they get a load of kids excited about basic sums and learning to read? I also know a lot of very dedicated and educated teachers, but it is that gamble that worries me.
I want to HE, but my health won't allow it. I want to flexi school, but the school probably won't allow it. We'd love to set up a free school, but again my health wouldn't stand up to being responsible. So DD1 will (if she ever gets to the top of a waiting list for any school in the area) be going to school. If we get the chance to take her places that are more exciting than school, and she can't go in the holidays, then, yes, she might miss some school.
Although this thing of all the school beings full does worry me - there were only ever 26 or so kids in each class I was in - I think there weren't as many babies born in 1985 as there were in other years. We could leave school and come back if we wanted (not that my parents would have ever challenged the status quo).
I know it is disruptive, but, if the school system won't give engaged parents any other option, and there is a big re-enactment, performance or lecture going on, well, the kids will go there.
Then again, we have only ever taken the kids to see family in the uk as any type of holiday (apart from one long weekend in Haven in Southport last year). I don't have a passport. Maybe if I was the kind of person that could afford passports I might have a different opinion, but, as it stands, I think the education of my children is my responsibilty. If the school are sympathetic (which I hope they will be) then we will be glad to follow their rules in return for free childcare and some education, of course, and be very grateful. However, I hear endless stories of bored kids, poor education and there just not being enough attention or resources to go round. So, yeah, I do think a day off every now and again to do some concentrated one on one exploring and learning, out in the real world, is better than another day of lining up and being quiet.
...not sure where my rant is going now, sorry :)