First dip in the water.

[discoverlife]

De-registering form went into school on Friday but head not there, so she will get it tomorrow.
So I thought I would try a bit of educating today. I had the Atlas (book) on the table at lunch time and as I hoped DS2 asked what I was looking at. So I said I was looking at the route we would be travelling (ferry and driving)to Portugal on our way there later in the year. So he wanted a look and it went from Geography to Geology when he saw the page on Plate Tectonics, then to Climate then a side track into Dinosaurs because of the shifting plates, which brought up Evolution (talk of how giraffes got their long necks). Then a totally different shift, because I mentioned it, about religion, because I mentioned the Fiesta we are going to.
Now is it really as easy as that? he covered so much, I don't think much has solidly stuck because of his memory problems but apart from the two nudges he paced it himself, into subjects that interested him, and when he said he had enough I stopped.
Now I thought I would keep a journal (just a quick jot down in the Outlook one) to justify to myself that he is actually doing something, but also to show my mother (as she will want proof and it will stop any bother from the rest of the family if she see's something concrete) also would it do as proof to the annual inspection we have been told we will get?

anybody?

Sounds like you're doing absolutely fine so far!
Yes it really is as easy as that.
You don't have to have an inspection, unless you want to. I know a lot of HE'rs refuse any LA visits.
I did see a lady and was quite chuffed with the 'pat on the back' we got; but a journal, photos, examples of work and an 'educational philosophy', will be fine too. As long as you can provide evidence of an 'education, suitable to age, aptitude and any special needs'.
Have you joined any local groups yet?
They are my life line especially in the early days when it seemed to be a bumpy ride!
Did you send your de-reg letter by recorded delivery?

No I handed the letter in by hand and got a receipt for it. The bugger secretary wouldn't give me the cardboard tank DS had been working on all term, he wanted to give it to his Dad.

There doesn't seem to be any groups that could be called 'local' ATM. They all seem to be 30+ miles away. But I am registering with Education Otherwise as soon as I get into the black, should be Tuesday.
What do they consider to be an 'educational philosophy' going by what is main stream for my Ds, I better not have one, it will cripple him for life.

Sounds like your Mum's not keen on HE.
Give her 6 months she'll be trying to convert everyone!

The education otherwise website has examples of ed-phils. Saying that I've been doing this for 18 months and I'm not sure what mine is yet!
Most days we just freestyle!
Where abouts in the country are you?
How old is your ds?

DL, as Runnerbean says, it sounds like you're all doing great!
Am just off to bed, but have emailed you.
Take care
x

In Herefordshire, DS is 10 but is SEN, with a probable diagnosis of mild Cerebral Palsy.
Probable is the wrong word but I've gone blank.
Mum was just shocked at the suddenness of it. Mind you she did call her partner straight away and he was all for it and seemed to have put it in words she understood (he is a brilliant bloke BTW, DS loves him).
I think freestyle is going to be best for DS, I just have to de-learn school practices. I can understand the concept of burnout, as I am thinking in one part of my brain that I better get A/B/C or D organised and do half hour after breakfast and then telling myself to cool it, chill, he will learn as animals have always learnt through experience.

BTW where can I get a download of the triple lined paper for writing practice, he still puts the 'p' on top of the line, and can't get his 'h' to have an extended stick. etc.

Yes it is as easy as that!
When you are with a child on a one to one basis you know instantly whether the child is understanding something and so you can move at an extraordinary pace sometimes. When a child is interested in something you can't hold them back.

Most of our education has been this sort of purposive conversations -they happen all of the time-especially in the car it seems to me!

Can't remember if I have mentioned this article www.infed.org/biblio/home-education.htm which talks about this type of informal or autonomous home education.
It was written by Dr. Alan Thomas, who is fascinated with how much a child can learn in this way (we recently met him when he came to our house to interview the children for his latest research) Dr Thomas believes that this is a very efficient way of learning. I of course agree with him!

You definitely do not have to have a LA visit-but I think I am right in believing you are in Herefordshire??
I have heard good reports about the LA bod there-and had a conversation with her myself recently about this type of autonomous education (as we practice it)and she had no problems with it and seemed very understanding.

We have never had a visit and the LA has never met the children, nor seen any of their work (the children have never wanted to show them any) Instead I have used my diary with very brief notes in to list the projects/discussions etc that we have been involved/interested in along with any organised activities they have done, for the written report that I send to the LA, along with our educational philosophy.

I did read that piece Julienoshoes and thought it described what DS2 seems to do really well. He is always asking questions, (it was a real problem when younger as he couldn't remember having asked the question previously) but we are a lot more patient now, and understand him better.

Oh, it sounds like what you did today is just wonderful!

Remember to give yourselves both time to deschool - mind you, sounds like you're doing pretty well at moving away from that mentality pretty fast

Hooray!

Julienoshoes,
The article makes fascinating reading, I thought this was interesting:

"There may be very good institutional, organizational and practical reasons that make formally structured learning necessary in school. But it does not mean that this is the only way to acquire an education. There is no scientific basis whatsoever for the almost universal assumption that this traditional means of educating children is essential if they are to progress after reaching school age. It?s just that we are so inured to school type learning that it is very difficult to imagine any alternative."

I think having two weeks of enjoyable lazing around is actually making it hard for us to get a school mentality.
He read for us tonight and the book he chose was of a much higher ability than we thought (going by the books he has been bringing home) he was capable of. He enjoyed reading it and I was delighted by it.

We are never in the school mentality-whatever the time of year!

You don't have to be, in order to get an education. Just by living life and enjoying yourselves, looking and talking about things that are of interest, going for walks, doing a bit cooking/shopping/playing games/watching TV-all of these things (sometimes more sometimes less) are part of our every day education.

There is a body of thought that says you should be actively 'deschooling'-in order to recover from the damage done by the system. Many Home edders believe you deschool for one month for every year your child has been in school. In our sons case, it took a great deal longer-and it took his parents a long time to get the idea of schooling out of their system!!

home-education.org.uk/article-deschooling.htm

joyfullyrejoycing.com/deschooling/deschoolingmom.html

That was a fascinating read. Thanks JNS.

I was most interested to read about the 'bits and pieces' as this is the one thing that I worry about...

Will my child get the education at home to allow him to to deal with a GCSE and A level course? IF he wants to do them , of course.

"Will my child get the education at home to allow him to to deal with a GCSE and A level course? IF he wants to do them , of course. "

Yes

From Unschoolers get into college

School is like a grocery store. It's everything you might need to cook with. And what schools do is spend 12 years cramming the entire grocery store into kids so they can be prepared to cook anything they want.

But how much of the grocery store do you ever use?

Unschooling is about browsing the grocery store, learning about what's available, having access to recipes and cookbooks and cooking shows, but taking home just the stuff that you'll actually use and eat.

An unschooling life is about browsing the world, seeking out things that look intriguing. Looking closer at what interests them. And delving into what they find themselves passionate about.

No one needs the whole grocery store. They just need to be able to find what they need when they need it.

The next time someone says that you have to do maths in school, ask them how much algebra they remember. You may be unlucky and get an engineer or a scientist but you are more likely to get a comment of 'thats not it, or thats unfair'. I believed so much in the school system that I believed them when they started talking about NVQ's etc when he is only 10. Now he has the freedom to take GCSE's if he wants and to only need to do 2 or 3 a year, of subjects that he wants to do, instaed of trying to do 9 all at once. He could even do OU if he wants.