So what do we do all day?!

We've been officially home schooling for almost two months now. I have been overwhelmed by the support that friends and family have given us; from offers to show the girls different learning experiences to sharing knowledge and welcoming us into the HE fold.

Adults are often keen to know what we get up to and how the children will ever learn anything if they are not at school, although often they won't ask out of embarrassment. School children are just as curious to know what we get up to and it's refreshing to be asked out-right what it is we have been doing. A few days ago I found it wonderful to be asked by a neighbour's  10 year old daughter a barrage of intelligent questions about home schooling whilst we were in the park, and I thought I'd share some of the answers with you all:

1) Do they have to do tests?

No. Only if they want to or if I want to see if they have learnt anything.

2) Do they have to follow the National Curriculum?

No. The National Curriculum only applies to children in school. It is up to to us to decide what a "suitable education" is, as long as it is relevant to the children's age and to modern day life, the world is our oyster!

3) Do you have to be a qualified teacher?

No. You simply need the desire to help your child to learn. What is required is time, commitment and resourcefulness.

4) How do you know what level they are at?

We find a wealth of information on the internet and can easily level the children with resources such as online tutoring programmes, numeracy and literacy tests, work books etc.

5) Will the children ever go back to school?

Maybe. We have committed for this year and we will take each year as it comes. Time will tell!


So, with these questions out of the way, what have we been up to?!

Oh my goodness we have been busy!

We have learnt how to make notebook gifts with Willowlane Designs, watching the lunar eclipse (at 3am!), visiting Cornwall, learning about jelly fish, visiting the opera, finding out about the Stuarts, learning about business, climbing walls, cycling, walking, pond dipping, sailing, visiting castles, building, questioning, singing in our community choir (Nidus Choir)....

Did I mention we've been busy?!

We've been reading, writing, baking, visiting our allotment, digging, harvesting, cooking, laughing, praying, playing, watching, learning, quizzing, investigating, shouting, whispering, making new friends, keeping old friends, celebrating birthdays, Harvest Festival, trying yoga, observing marine wildlife, learning about skeletons, Greek mythology, playing piano, coding, hiking, dancing, sewing, picnicing ... not to mention learning some Maths, English, Geography, History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Music and I.T along the way!

So we seem to be finding our feet! The DIY is coming to an end for the time being (until the next moment of madness ha ha) and Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas are looming. The weather is changing, the jumpers are out and (occasionally) the heating is on. Am I really mean that I have a hot water bottle and the children don't? Surely they have a better circulatory system than little old me... and they do have blankets on their beds? I do feel a little guilty though.

:-) Georgie :-)

Madness at home.... and how to cope (sort of!)

Where to start? At the beginning I suppose. This month has been pretty hectic as our homeschooling begins in earnest and, not being shy of a challenge or two, I start some DIY. I think I might be a little mad after all - I mean what was I thinking starting a new DIY project at a time like this?! Oh. I know, I wasn't thinking... I was a little cross at the time and thought it was an ideal time to release some tension and strip the wallpaper up the stairs and landing. Well it did help release the tension but now I have to live with the consequences. Yes. I confess our house has turned into a bomb site as bookshelves and filing cabinets had to be moved and dumped temporarily in our bedrooms. I am falling over myself every bed time and pray I do not need the loo in the night in case I risk my life stumbling through the dark to reach the bathroom. Not to mention the lego, dolls, puzzles that seem to multiply and disperse throughout the house each day. Ha. So far I am alive and I thank God for that!

As we start our adventure learning from home it has come to my notice that as usual the stereotypical British are actually quite polite. I was not sure how people were going to react to our decision to homeschool. It feels a bit like 'coming out' to our schooling friends but, as a testament to them they have all been rather smashing. Lot's of "Oh that's amazing, good for you!" and "So how's it going, you're so brave!" comments. In truth I don't know how to reply to these well meaning questions. Do I tell them the house is in chaos and the children take it in turns to have melt-downs every few hours on some days or, in true British style do I put on my best smile and tell them it's going GREAT, we're having SO much fun and the girls are loving every MINUTE of it. In truth the real answer is somewhere in the middle. We are still finding our feet. Some days are fan-dabulous and some are a test to my patience to say the least.

September Fun!

We have so far had a 'few' mishaps that might amuse you. I am keen for the girls to find some other local HE children to play with and have found some groups to meet up with weekly. All seemed well, I checked the address and time they were meeting on Facebook, set the sat nav on the phone and away we went with high expectations of fun and laughter. What we found was an empty building with a lone care-taker painting inside. Apparently they meet on Fridays now. Ha.

I am also meeting new people and have so far embarrassed myself by mentioning that we were looking for some 'normal non-hippy' people (cringe....dig...dig...) to be friends with to a lovely lady that I then noticed was dressed rather hippy-like now you come to mention it. Oh God what a nightmare - I'm good at putting my foot it it like that! Bless her, she paused and replied that you had to be a little 'out there' to even consider HE. Well I can't fault her on that. Crazy is as crazy does and all that. Sorry Emily you are lovely!

On a P.E / nature bike ride darling daughter number two had her very own mishap - by cycling herself and the bike into the canal. Not a happy girl! I was soooo good and did not laugh - even though pretty in pink and dripping in pond weed is quite an amusing look! The walk home wailing was not so fun though. Hey ho at least there were no accident forms to fill out!

So, how to cope with madness at home? Keep a sense of humour and remember what's important in life. That's it!

     :-)

xxx Georgie xxx

Home Schooling - The Journey Begins

Okey dokey, so over the last few days I have been finding it difficult to decide what to write about. The trouble is I have lots of ideas which I think to myself  "I'll blog about that" and then promptly forget later on. There is however, one topic that is on my mind which I have not been brave enough to blog about. Until now....

Darling hubby and I have been researching Home Education.

It's been a huge learning curve for us and as it turns out, there is a growing trend of people in the UK preferring to home-school rather than rely on our wonderful country's education system. I am not going into the details of why we are looking into it other than to say that we feel it may suit us as a family. The plan is, try it for a year; if it doesn't work out, send them back to school. Not the end of the world - right?! It's still a MASSIVE decision though.

We are on the brink of something new and exciting. Terrifying and challenging. It will allow us so much freedom yet the prospect of having the children 24/7 is going to require some adjusting on my part. For the last year it has just been Xavier and I at home during the week days:
we have been having lots of fun building dens and getting messy in playgoup together. From the end of this week school finishes until September, and we begin our journey as a whole family.

Ha. It all sounds a little deep but I'm sure it will be be great....... I'm just a little nervous - I mean - by October I may be that mad woman you see out shopping with the totally uncontrollable kids on the verge of tears (oh, wait, that's me now - well almost lol). No, honestly, I intend for us to be that well-behaved family that can have fun AND learn things  (and behave whilst doing it).

The truth won't hit us properly until September, when all the girls friends will go back to school and the reality of what we are doing sinks in. Wish me luck! In the mean time enjoy the holidays - I know we will - more than ever :-)

Georgie xx