I resent school.

[spidermama]

I have a sneaking feeling I'll be the only one thinking this .... again ... but I'm really wishing I didn't have to send my kids to school five days a week.
It seems school presents something new to irritate me every day. Today brought news that parents who take their children out of school during SATs (don't even get me started on SATs [agnry]) will be fined.
I think this is outrageous interference.

spidermama-

have you considered flexischooling? this is where you send kids part time. we will prob do this + Steiner education.

Or Steiner/montisorri etc education?

Or homeschooling? Have you come across John Holt/unschooling? Basically, learning through living?

FWIW, my mum is a teacher (and gets fantastic OFSTED write ups/SATs results etc) and the BIGGEST proponent of homeschooling I know.

Also have friends who were h'edded. No, you don't become a recluse. There are h'ed groups everywhere, plus scouts/woodcraft folk/etc.

take it you've heard of education otherwise etc?

apart from having an allotment and planning to have more than 2 kids, we're pretty mainsteam. we even have friends! so I don't think you have to end up isolated. to my mind, school isolates kids from society, but thats a personal opinion.

sorry if not coherant, bf while typing, good luck.

oh cr@p hmb, not aimed at you, had just scanned thread.

Thanks so much for your post merglemergle.
Yes, I have heard of education otherwise. Flexischooling sounds fab. I love the Steiner school in Brighton but don't think I could afford it as I have four kids.
I have heard of John Holt but haven't yet read his books. I need to convince my dh that the kids won't be islotated or grow up 'weird' and unable to work as team players. This is my sticking point with him. I'll keep working at it though.
Again, thanks for your post. I really appreciate it as these thoughts I'm having are making me feel pretty lonely.

Have met home edded kids, think that it is a valid option....not one I'd pick myself but there you go, it suits other people well[ smile]

I'm sure brighton would be just the sort of place where home schooling would be popular and no shortage of facilities available to use..

i can't home ed - i need to work - but i am also very bothered by the whole school system. it is so inflexible and getting more so (which is not the fault of teachers btw)
really not looking forward to sending ds (and before anyone rants at me, he has no idea of how i feel). homework for 5 year olds? it's just not right.

homework for 5 year olds is not homework fgs. it is a way to involve parents in teaching the chidl how to read and write and basic artihmentc there are not strict rules and somethign to hand in IME. i have no issue being involved in my child's education in this way, it is sad that people are saared even before their child starts school

I would love to do a combination mix of homeschool & normal school & am gutted that this is not an option!

agree with mud

Majorca .... I'm very interested in part time schooling and will certainly get in touch with EO to find out more.

Thanks Zippitoes ... I resolved to home ed during the summer hols but couldn't get my dh to agree and don't want to do it without his support. However I'm getting more and more down as the term progresses and the holidays seem like a distant memory. I felt I got to know my kids again and we were doing specific things which interested us all. DH has at least agreed to read up about HE, so that's a start.

Happymerryberries, I know the majority of teachers do a great job and, by necessity, put so much into it. I'm really not judging teachers. Sorry if you felt judged and unappreciated. Like you I'm a bit emotional at the moment as I'm finding it very hard to settle back into school with the kids.

Mine and dh's families are full of teachers in fact, and I see I'm going to get an extremely rough ride from them too if and when I decide to home educate.

How I wish I could just get on with it. Ahhh well.

I agree with Mud too - she's always sensible imo!

oh for heavens sake, my ds can read and do maths already! just because i strongly disapprove of homework for primay pupils doesn't mean i neglect my son.

Thanks for all the positive, understanding and thought-provocing responses. I was bracing myself for a right old slatiing. Phew!

aloha you ned to re-read my post.i said nothing about your hcild or its abilities. i said that is what homework is. the hardest part abotu any child going to shcol is the letting go and losing control over what is expecnted of them. that's part of raising children the letting go bit

and unfortunately not alls childrne can read write and do arithenmetic at 5. so paret of it is lowest comon denominator

The thing is tho Aloha there are lots and lots of kids in reception who can't already read and count.....most of them because it isn't the 'right' time yet for them. But there are also lots who have never been read to by their parents. there are parents who just don't share reading with their kids. Setting reading 'homework' might help these parennts to see that reading is something positive to share with their kids?

My SIL is a primary teacher and she has lost count of the parents who refuse to read with their kids because 'It is the teachers job' And that isn't a healthy attitue is it? I would have thought that building a 'working relationship' between staff and parents would be a good thing.

Ds's homework takes us about five minutes and he is 5

i don't think it's unfortunate that most 5 year olds can't read/write/do maths. they have been doing more important things (playing)

depends if you think that what you are 'letting them go' into will benefit them or not, surely? why is it ok to critise the gvmt, the church, the nhs or any other system but the current education system is untouchable?

we've always read to our girls, right from them being babies and the "homework" just gets added onto that time, about 10 minutes' worth.

Bundle, but my 5 year old spent most of his time playing in reception, isn't that the norm? Or did we just hit lucky?

of course i would prefer it if parents read to their kids, but i've seen my stepdaughter in tears many times because of the stress of homework, and it used to really cut into our family time.

hmb, of course they play in reception, and dd1 has a home corner in yr 1 but the homework has definitely stepped up a notch

I think sometimes home schooling is seen as hot housing geeks or trying to put children into an unreal bubble, but for most parents those are not the motivations..

I think more people would do it if they could overcome the practical difficulties, had the confidence and were prepared to put that much time in.

plenty of teachers criticise the system! not all teachers even put their own kids in the system. wondering if the current school system is right for all children is not an attack on individual teachers.