Does this seem mad

[bohomoon]

I've just started homeschooling my 11 year old DD. I'm finding the primary curriculum in Science/History/Geography to be wishy washy. I'm noticing a trend in schools where random topics like 'Chocolate' is being used in Year 6 or Julia Donaldson's life is being studied for History is Year 5?!
I was thinking to start to teach my DD from the GCSE syllabus... she has shown an interest in understanding who the Nazis were (!) to wanting to know more about photosynthesis! Don't get me wrong she's no Einstein and shes just meeting her required levels... am I jumping the gun???

MiniMonty My son felt different, isolated and alone when he was at school... I credit three years of Home Education with making him the happy confident teenager he is now.

And though there are some very dedicated and talented teachers out there, far more are often only one step ahead of the kids in the subject they are teaching.

OP, absolutely follow the topics your child is interested in, it's the best way to proceed.

Thanks a lot guys... Minymonty your right I don't a lot but I know whats right for DD and that's to HS... enough said. Thank you so much for the posts

Homeschooling

The biggest benefit of home schooling is that you get to follow what your child is interested in, so if she's interested in Nazis then obviously that's what you should be teaching her.

It's a pretty standard topic for y6 anyway.

Every year the GCSE passes rise and we are assured they are not being dumbed down.
I did 8 O levels, could hold a conversation in French, had thoroughly learned 5 Shakespeare plays, had 5 lessons weekly in every subject etc Now it's 13 subjects at GCSE and they know so little about their exam subjects and nothing at all about anything else.
A retiring hear teacher told me that any bright child could take and pass all their GCSEs at 14 years old.

OP, there is lots of excellent advice and support about home ed available at www.mumsnet.com/Talk/home_ed (it doesn't attract the fight club types either)! There are lots of people there who are really informed about home education and can offer brilliant advice although your plan seems fine to me and not mad at all.

minimonty ...I Home Educate (no, not homeschool, there is no schooling involved) my children. No, I don't know all those things, but I look forward to learning alongside my children - they're only 6, 4 and 1 but I have learnt things already just by following their interests where they lead us.

I'm also looking forward to...my children feeling no pressure to "feel that they are cool"...or indeed to feel that being different is a bad thing. They see other children pretty much daily so no worries about isolation. And there will be many children in school feeling alone, I'm sure.

Thanks for your concern about our "different, isolated and alone" children, but I'd suggest you go and look up some research on the outcomes of Home Education (academic, psychological and social) before voicing such a poorly informed opinion. A good place to start is the research by Dr Paula Rothermel - google it.

OP - follow your child's lead. My 6 year old has learnt the basics of photosynthesis because he's interested. You don't have to be limited by the National Curriculum, you can tailor this to your child - sand have fun!