Educating at home

[Jbr]

www.guardian.co.uk/parents/story/0,3605,789867,00.html

You've got to read this article, if only to see the names of these children. I wouldn't be sending them to school either with names like that.

That's great Ionesmum, I will hopefully be in touch shortly, hope I can help

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Thank you so much, Anais.

Our village shool has a 'good' reputation but it's all about how it's achieving academic standards above the average. There's nothing about how children are developed as people, and a friend recently withdrew her son from the school because of bullying that wasn't being dealt with. Robin, I don't know how they'd react to us keeping dd at home until she was five.

robinw, I am interested in keeping my ds at home until he's 5. He's 3 now, but his birthday is in August and he'll only just be 4 if he starts school next year. Has anyone out there done this? Did you come across much opposition?
I'd be interested to hear pros & cons if anyone has any opinions.

Droile my ds started school 3 weeks ago and is 5 this week. I didn't want him to start earlier as I didn't think he was ready and I didn't have any opposition from anyone. IMO many schools want kids to start earlier because more kids = more funding. So leave it later if it feels right for your child. Let me know if you want to know more.

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Had my son been born 2 days earlier than he was, he would have been due to start school within a fortnight of his 4th birthday I can't imagine him in a school environment. He's so full of life and active, he spends his life racing round, and I think that should be what childhood is about. To have his energy and spirit stifled so early on would be tragic.

I've just received a flier about an educaton fair some of you might be interested in. It's called Alternatives in Education and is organised by Human Scale Education .

It's at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1 (nearest Tube, Holborn) on Sat 28th Sept 10.30-5.00pm. There's a 3gbp voluntary entrance fee and it's a fiver for any of the seminars, which are best reserved in advance. 01275 332516

Sounds really good, wish I could attend.

Seminars are: The Genius of Play; Steiner Waldorf Education; Regio Emilia: an Italian Model of Early years Education; Small Alternative Schools; Educating the Whole Child at Park School Devon; Ten Reasons Why Home Based Education is so Successful; Montessori Education.

robinw,

Ds just goes to an ordinary state primary. Last weekend he got a maths worksheet, which was basically just to colour a given number of shapes in every row. He also got a worksheet to practise writing his name (christian and surname), forming the letters correctly.

OK, so it's not a terrible amount, but you'd be amazed at how much that, plus reading his book and learning his key words eat into your weekend. Luckily, he's bright and fairly well-motivated (at the moment.)

I don't suppose they'd mind too much if I said we didn't have time to do it, and I will if I feel it's too much for him or he doesn't want to do it.

the fair sounds great suedonim, shame we've missed it...

LOL and drat, Anais!!! I'm really sorry about that - I've just checked in case it said October but sadly not. I've recently moved to the tropics and the lack of seasons has really disorientated me, as I keep thinking it is still summertime. Plus the flier only arrived today, 2nd October! Oh well, 10/10 for effort, maybe??

Lol, I know the feeling, can't believe we're in October already. And that horrible round of winter coughs and colds, and general unwellness seems to have started already

Anais (off to stock up on vit C tablets...)

Thanks www, robinw and anais. I'll let you know how we get on.