Why have you taken her out of school?
Hmm, for us it wasn't quite like that. It wasn't an anti-authoritarian reaction to draconian teaching methods, or a fear that my daughter was being bullied. I loved my school days, and still enjoy learning. My daughter's previous school has great reports, great results at both GCSE and A level. But she had stopped enjoying learning. She had withdrawn, because her zest for learning isn't 'cool' at 14, and she was in danger of being swallowed up by the needs of the majority. She had gone from a primary school of 42 children, to a secondary of 1500.
How did you make the decision?
My daughter had asked a few times whether she could learn form home. It wasn't about wanting to slack off, she has always been a rather studious bookworm. Eventually, after too many evenings of seeing her upset about the prospect of another week, I asked her to write me a report.
She took to this task with a vengeance. A fully researched and cited report, unemotive other than in it's passion to find a better way.
I forwarded the report to her year manager and the school's inclusion officer, asking for meeting.
During the time we spent together, the four of us agreed that it would be a viable option, and one that wasn't going to be an easy ride. My daughter loves a challenge, and so do I.
How does it impact on the rest of the family?
I am a single mum of three, my younger daughter is 13 and my son is 7. My son is dyspraxic, and my younger daughter had a spell being flexischooled when we first moved to Wales, as she was struggling in a Welsh speaking school. So, I have some empathy with child centred learning. I am fortunate that I am self employed, so can (to some degree) be flexible with my week. However, largely, it has had a positive impact. We go to lots of interesting places, and draw educational value from them.
Isn't she socially isolated?
Far from it. Initially, this was my biggest concern, but most unfounded. My daughter had always had the ability to be able to communicate to people of all ages, and all walks of life. She has spent most of her life living on farms or communities, where there are any number of people to-ing and fro-ing. We meet with other home educated children of a similar age once a week at the local leisure centre for gym and swim. She has just started her Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. She helps teach riding for the disabled once a week. It's only at school that you are expected to only socialise with people exclusively your own age, and is an artifice in the real world.
Will she be able to take exams?
Yes, she is studying for IGCSEs at the moment. The first one will be in Geography, but she would like to study for Maths, English Literature, Classical History (not on offer at her school), and Spanish. Home educated children tend to study in blocks, doing one or two exams at a time, but taking less time to get to exam level. This seems to suit my daughter's 'immersive' method of learning.
She won't get as many GCSEs as her peers, but has already enrolled for a certififcate in HE - the equivalent to the first year of a degree. She intends to study A levels at a local college.
Hmm, for us it wasn't quite like that. It wasn't an anti-authoritarian reaction to draconian teaching methods, or a fear that my daughter was being bullied. I loved my school days, and still enjoy learning. My daughter's previous school has great reports, great results at both GCSE and A level. But she had stopped enjoying learning. She had withdrawn, because her zest for learning isn't 'cool' at 14, and she was in danger of being swallowed up by the needs of the majority. She had gone from a primary school of 42 children, to a secondary of 1500.
How did you make the decision?
My daughter had asked a few times whether she could learn form home. It wasn't about wanting to slack off, she has always been a rather studious bookworm. Eventually, after too many evenings of seeing her upset about the prospect of another week, I asked her to write me a report.
She took to this task with a vengeance. A fully researched and cited report, unemotive other than in it's passion to find a better way.
I forwarded the report to her year manager and the school's inclusion officer, asking for meeting.
During the time we spent together, the four of us agreed that it would be a viable option, and one that wasn't going to be an easy ride. My daughter loves a challenge, and so do I.
How does it impact on the rest of the family?
I am a single mum of three, my younger daughter is 13 and my son is 7. My son is dyspraxic, and my younger daughter had a spell being flexischooled when we first moved to Wales, as she was struggling in a Welsh speaking school. So, I have some empathy with child centred learning. I am fortunate that I am self employed, so can (to some degree) be flexible with my week. However, largely, it has had a positive impact. We go to lots of interesting places, and draw educational value from them.
Isn't she socially isolated?
Far from it. Initially, this was my biggest concern, but most unfounded. My daughter had always had the ability to be able to communicate to people of all ages, and all walks of life. She has spent most of her life living on farms or communities, where there are any number of people to-ing and fro-ing. We meet with other home educated children of a similar age once a week at the local leisure centre for gym and swim. She has just started her Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. She helps teach riding for the disabled once a week. It's only at school that you are expected to only socialise with people exclusively your own age, and is an artifice in the real world.
Will she be able to take exams?
Yes, she is studying for IGCSEs at the moment. The first one will be in Geography, but she would like to study for Maths, English Literature, Classical History (not on offer at her school), and Spanish. Home educated children tend to study in blocks, doing one or two exams at a time, but taking less time to get to exam level. This seems to suit my daughter's 'immersive' method of learning.
She won't get as many GCSEs as her peers, but has already enrolled for a certififcate in HE - the equivalent to the first year of a degree. She intends to study A levels at a local college.
RSS Feed