Homeschooling Primary DD

[HomeschoolingDD]

I am considering homeschooling my DD who is 7, she’s summer born and has struggled at school for some time, both emotionally and academically, I think there may be some SEN too. She’s had school related anxiety for over a year and she’s about two years behind, working at the level of a child in year 1.

Any advice please?

[Flo84]

Hi, make learning fun for her so she doesn't realise she is learning, baking, visiting museums, reading. Find out what she struggles with and then work on that.

[Saracen]

While it isn't essential to be in touch with the local home ed community, it is often very useful. Meeting up with people who have already gone down this path, you can ask lots of questions about how it has worked for them, what options there are for educating and how to keep your daughter happy. I think you'd find it very encouraging!

What's more, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover all that is available to you in your area. There may be groups getting together so the children can play, craft sessions, and outings to museums. In most areas, parents cooperate to organise activities which are fairly cheap.

Home ed groups usually communicate via Facebook. To find them, go on Facebook and type into the Facebook search bar "home education" followed by the name of your town, nearest big city, or county. If you have any trouble finding one, feel free to ask on here and someone should be able to help.

[Saracen]

One handy idea for a child who has been struggling at school is to start by taking all the pressure off and focus on letting her recover, enjoy herself, and develop her interests. So for a child whose heart sinks at the sight of a maths workbook, don't even mention maths, not at first anyway.

What does your daughter love to do? What makes her come alive? Whatever it is, do that. Take her swimming, read her stories, buy her some new art materials. Until she is relaxed and feels good about herself, she won't be able to learn well.

Once you see that she is happier, you could start to introduce some formal learning if you want, beginning with her favourite subjects so she gets off to a good start and her confidence builds. During that process, if anything is making her unhappy, see whether there are alternative approaches which work better. Try not to spend too much at first - if she hates the first reading scheme you try, you want to be in a position to leave it behind and use a different one rather than feeling stuck with the one you paid a lot of money for.

You don't have to do formal learning at all. Some home ed families don't, especially with younger children, and find that their kids learn well through their daily life and discussions. This informal approach can be used for a few years or right the way through. My kids are now 23 and 16 and were never made to do any "lessons", but that doesn't mean they didn't learn!

[grey12]

Hi

We moved country but either way I was considering taking my 7yo out of school. Same reasons as you, sort of: August baby, struggling with school, had some minor difficulties before but ok now. All of these makes her quite behind her year group and schools refuse to let her repeat the year 🤦🏻‍♀️

Anyways. She's doing well with formal-ish home ed. The biggest difference is that I am able to go back and forth as needed. She was writing terribly!!! What was she doing at school?! Maths is the same. Simple addition, what is half and double,..... I could go on.

That said, her teachers had always mentioned that she was determined and focused and worked well. Which she does at home ed as well. My other daughter has been more challenging in this matter....

Good luck!!! ☺️ whatever method you choose, more formal or not

I just want to add that I try my best to keep up with the curriculum. That is because you never know what could happen! What if something happens to me?! They would have to return to school. It doesn't matter that I could possibly do a better curriculum.......

[Nicki0707]

We homeschooled our children through a company called Estia tuition and it was uk curriculum based. Worked so well that ended up working for them if that helps