What do you teach/cover/facilitate the learning of?

[ZilphasHatpin]

DS 7. I'm taking him out of school to HE. I think I will use the NC for a basic guide but what else should/can I offer him?

One of the joys of home edding is that you don't HAVE to follow the NC. Instead, you can follow the interests and needs of your child.

So...

Some people do a bit of maths and/or english as a "3 Rs" kind of thing.

Some people learn a foreign language (I know people who start with duolingo, who form co-ops with people who are native speakers of other languages etc etc)

Some people do science of various kinds - we tend to do that at home ed groups, and there are also co-ops that form for doing it together, or workshops at local science museum type places.

Some people make sure there's lots of opportunity for sports (swimming, football clubs, riding, climbing, cycling, etc etc)

Some people do music lessons, or join choirs. Or dance, or gym, or trampoline.

Some people do art classes.

Some people do lots of nature walks, scavenger hunts

Some people do beavers, cubs, woodland folk, sunday school, all that sort of thing

with a 7 year old, I'd be doing lots of reading, to them and (when they want to) by them. Lots of imaginative play. Making sure they have opportunities to be active and outdoors. Various life skills, like fire lighting, basic cookery, map reading. Some maths. Building their confidence in managing transactions out and about (being in charge of the shopping list and paying, interacting independently with the bus driver, all that kind of thing).

Take your time - they do SO LITTLE useful learning in a day at school - it's very likely your child will learn the same amount in less than half an hour if they are in the right mood :)

Thank you omm these are all really helpful.

The reason I have decided to loosely follow the NC is that DS has a social worker and I'm facing some resistance to the idea of HEing. She has dropped some reminders that "if he were a looked after child" it would be their (SS) decision. I'm expecting to have to prove that I'm not failing DS by taking him out of school and I think showing that I'm following the NC will be one way of doing that. Hope that makes sense.

He already goes to beavers and does gymnastics. I'm trying to coax him back to his jujitsu class but right now he isn't having any of it.

I use Duolingo myself so that's a good suggestion for him too.

Look on facebook. Are there other home edders in your area (search for home education plus your county, nearest big city, maybe even nearest town and you should find the groups. Ask to join, then check your "other" messages folder on facebook because the admins usually ask you to introduce yourself before allowing you in).

If so, then find out what's going on - we do all sorts of activities for bargain basement prices in home ed groups where it's pretty much just paying for venue hire and everyone brings their enthusiasm and skills to contribute.

I have been on both the local HE groups for a year now and there is loads going on. We won't be short of company or activities to occupy and educate. I wish I had made the move a year ago when I first thought about it. I let myself be talked into keeping him in school.

I home ed a 9 and 7 year old. I also have 2 older dc at secondary school and a pre schooler.

We have been doing it for about 14 months.

We have fallen into a routine that looks like this, (time in minutes)

Handwriting practice (15)
Reading comprehension (20)
Spellings and dictation (10)
Mrs Wordsmith (10)

Break and snack

Singapore maths (30)
Science workbook (15)
Mind mapping/drawing (15)

Lunch and reading

Komodo maths (30)
IXL grammar (30)
Educational tv (30)

We sometimes do topic work about things like spring, religion, history etc.

That is the ideal. Some days we come nowhere near completing it all, others we do more. Some days we bin it all off and spend the day gardening or visiting friends or family. We bake and clean the house. We paint and craft. They play make believe games and spend hours in the garden.

We follow the national curriculum loosely and I use a checklist but the dc are not really aware of what 'level' they are at and we don't do things in order. We plan to apply to secondary school so we feel it is important to cover enough that they can fit back in when needed.

They both do clubs (Brownies and karate.)

We love it and they are so much happier.

Thank you happy this is very much similar to what I had in mind. I also hope that DS will be able to go to secondary school if he decides to when The time comes.

One of his social workers concerns with me HEing is that he has social issue, issues sharing and playing with the other children. He is awaiting assessment for autism but with or without a diagnosis I am taking him out. SW thinks he needs to be in school to learn how to cope with other children and learn to get on and have people in his space. Personally I disagree, I think he is massively overwhelmed and needs a sodding break from it all but she will need convincing. I will show her the groups I am part of and the group activities he already attends but I suspect it won't be enough for her. Do you have any ideas how I can convince her that I will be meeting his needs for socialisation that will address his issues wrt sharing and coping with people in his space?

I should clarify that I don't think he should have to cope with people in his space, I think he should be able to move himself away to be at a comfortable level for him but she has different ideas.

I have no idea how you can convince her, sorry.

My dc don't have any special needs as such. But I do know that they are blossoming. They are more confident and have a real sense of self iyswim?

I have always had this battle. I breastfed for longer than usual, I co- slept, I didn't send them to nursery or leave them with babysitters. The whole world seems to want to tell me that I need to push them away from me as soon as possible. To encourage independence.

In my experience, if children feel secure and wanted and loved they don't need encouragement to explore and engage with the world. They will just do it in their own way. It's in their nature and they will do it when they are ready. Not everyone wants to engage all the time. I remember being 'encouraged' to join in with playground games by well-meaning dinner ladies who assumed I was lonely. I wasn't! I was happy walking around by myself. I needed some time out. I found it so stressful to be forced to engage.

I'm aware that I am talking from the position of having children without special needs and maybe I'm talking out of my behind!

The word that all home ed families dread is 'socialisation'.

I breastfed for longer than usual, I co- slept, I didn't send them to nursery or leave them with babysitters.

Same!! DS is still in my bed 9 nights out of 10. I figure he will stop when he is ready.

children feel secure and wanted and loved they don't need encouragement to explore and engage with the world. They will just do it in their own way. It's in their nature and they will do it when they are ready.

I agree! I just need to persuade the SW! I have an older DS (11) who is perfectly well adjusted and sailing through school, he thrives in school and I have no intention of home educating him. I am hoping this will help persuade her that I am making this decision based on DS's individual needs rather than it being some mad plan to fight the sytem.

Zilphas, I'd recommend to you the Facebook group called "Home Education and your Local Authority: Help with dealing with officialdom"

There are some tremendously knowledgeable people there who have experience with just this sort of issue and can advise on how to proceed with the social worker. From what I can see on that group, your situation is not all that unusual.

Thank you saracen I will do that!