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Home ed

Find advice from other parents on our Homeschool forum. You may also find our round up of the best online learning resources useful.

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Original poster

Bit of advice...

6 replies

TaperJeanGirl · 19/03/2012 20:05

Hi, I have been toying with the idea of taking my dd1 (7) out of school for over a year now, I am at the point where I actually have the letter written and have almost handed it in a few times, but yet again I chickened out and took her to school this morning, anyway, I have decided to give ourselves a trial run this coming easter holiday, to see how I manage, and how much she enjoys it and if she actually learns anything, so I was wondering if there are any free websites with exercises/games that I can start her off on, (I am more than happy to pay for stuff once I actually take her out of school)
Would really appreciate any pointers

OP posts:

ToffeeWhirl · 19/03/2012 21:40

IXL for Maths, BBC Bitesize for Literacy, Maths and Science, ICT Games for Maths and Literacy.

Readymade lapbooks to download and decorate here.

HTH.

ToffeeWhirl · 19/03/2012 21:42

I use Mathswhizz too, but you have to subscribe.

SDeuchars · 19/03/2012 21:45

Two weeks of the Easter holiday is not really enough of a trial. Many people find that children need time to "deschool" and start learning at home. This is especially true if she has had a bad time at school.

Also, learning at home does not need to look anything like school. At 7, you probably want to be reading to and with her and doing maths as it comes up (e.g. we've made 20 cakes so how many for each member of the family?). The rest of the time can be spent pursuing any activity you and she want - Spanish, music, craft, sport, LEGO, growing veg, anything. One of the good things about home ed is that you do not need to be constrained by "school subjects".

Original poster

TaperJeanGirl · 19/03/2012 22:04

Thanks so much for the links toffeewhirl, will check them out, and thank you sdeuchars, I hadnt thought of deschooling, but it makes complete sense, she hasnt really had what I would call a bad time at school, but she is very behind, and is fairly miserable some of the time, she has a short attention span so by the time the teacher has explained what she wants the class to do, dd is well away with the fairies and then sits and looks blankly at her book.....

School have not addressed the problem, and I just dont like to think of her struggling there, there are lots of other aspects of the school I am unhappy with but suspect this would be the same at any school, which is why I havent moved her, she has now started playing up in the mornings, and sometimes says she is ill in school in the hope of getting picked up or at the very least getting sent to the office and escaping her work!

The easter holiday trial is really as long as I will have to give it a go, as if I deregister her, her place will be given to a child on the waiting list, its a very over-subscribed school....this is the problem I have....I just need to bite the bullet I think

OP posts:

FionaJNicholson · 20/03/2012 06:54

Hi TaperJeanGirl

I noticed you said something about a trial run here:

"I have decided to give ourselves a trial run this coming easter holiday, to see how I manage, and how much she enjoys it and if she actually learns anything."

What kind of things could happen would be enough to get you over the line where you said "right, I now know we're both ready to do this and that it's going to work."?

You might never have the feeling you need before you take her out of school. But equally you don't know in 5 years time or 10 years time how you'll feel if you left her in school now.

I come across a biased self-selecting sample of people but...I haven't come across anyone who says "my only regret is I wish I'd kept them in school longer."

Saracen · 20/03/2012 08:05

Sometimes a trial run of home education during the school holidays doesn't go down well with kids, if it looks at all like school (with parents requiring them to do "work"). If the child doesn't enjoy school she may have been looking forward to having a break from school and everything which resembles it, and may resent being deprived of that break.

I agree that a few weeks may or may not give you time to see how it goes. For kids who dislike school, sometimes a turning point comes only when they realise they really don't have to go back. Being out of school temporarily may not produce the same kind of relief and opportunity to relax and start enjoying learning, because the return to school in a few weeks' time is looming.

However, if you do decide that a trial of home ed over the holidays is the way to go, I'd encourage you to choose some activities which are as enjoyable and unlike school as possible. Find some places to go which you are sure your daughter would enjoy (maybe some museums?). Go to the library and let her choose any books she likes to take home and have you read to her. Choose some enjoyable films or TV programmes to watch. See if some local home ed families will meet up with you for a play date so you can chat with them about what they do and maybe make some new friends to play with in the daytime if your dd comes out of school. Buy some new art supplies if your daughter likes art, take her to a music performance if she likes that.

Above all else, have fun!

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