Home schooling

[Dragonfly Fi]

I know how to spell 'failed' 'idea' and 'teachers'

so I reckon I am doing alright

Bad grammar is better than NO grammar after all

Anyway, as I said, I find this subject fascinating, I have no issues with those who feel differently to me BUT I have no wish to get involved in a personal 'tit for tat' debate... So I will leave it there

If anyone is interested in home schooling or why it might be a good option for them I am happy to discuss anything over PM

Cheers

Fi x

 

[FebMum2Be]

I just expressed my opinion and my experience, you put your opinions out there which everyone listened to, you're certainly not in any firing line, we are just giving our bit.. As for spelling/grammar, I got a B in English, it seems to be the 1 year old pulling my arm/leg/hair that's making it a bit difficult to type let alone proof read. The reason I posted was because some of your 'facts' about school were from your own experience and not necessarily true in all cases.. It's great you're all for home-schooling as that's what's right for you and Jasper, but the low blow about spelling, I once heard a saying "if you can't win an argument, correct their spelling" you know we all get on well here BigBump, we all have different opinions on absolutely everything and can agree to disagree when needed, the world would be very boring if we were all the same

 

[Alexandra84]

Just interested to know how home schooling works in terms of qualifications if there is no syllabus? Do home schooled children get recognised qualifications? If not, how do they get jobs that require specific qualifications? I'm a bit confused.

Personally I'm all for my boy going to school, but do not have a problem with home schooling x

I think the general idea is that although you teach your child at home, they still get to sit all of the same exams as children who go to school. You just have to arrange for your child to sit the appropriate exam with the local school (you don't actually have to attend a particular school to sit an exam there ). So the qualifications that a home schooled child would get would be exactly the same as the other children, it's just how/where they studied for those qualifications (home or school) that would be different.

It's the same if you want to get a qualification in a subject that your school doesn't offer. I studied for my Russian GCSE at home and did the exam in another school in town because our school didn't offer Russian as a foreign language.

PS - I think this thread is getting a bit heated. There are lots of strong opinions here and everyone should chill out a bit and remember that we're here to share information and support each other. There's nothing wrong with sending your child to school and there's nothing bad or weird about teaching them at home, they're just different ways to the same goal, which is giving your child the knowledge and qualifications to make their own way in life .

 

[Zazu]

Just interested to know how home schooling works in terms of qualifications if there is no syllabus? Do home schooled children get recognised qualifications? If not, how do they get jobs that require specific qualifications? I'm a bit confused.

Personally I'm all for my boy going to school, but do not have a problem with home schooling x

I think the general idea is that although you teach your child at home, they still get to sit all of the same exams as children who go to school. You just have to arrange for your child to sit the appropriate exam with the local school (you don't actually have to attend a particular school to sit an exam there ). So the qualifications that a home schooled child would get would be exactly the same as the other children, it's just how where they studied for those qualifications (home or school) that would be different.

It's the same if you want to get a qualification in a subject that your school doesn't offer. I studied for my Russian GCSE at home and did the exam in another school in town because our school didn't offer Russian as a foreign language.

Thanks, I get it now x

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

FebMum2b I had no issues at all with your post. It was the first post on this page that made me decide not to bother continuing the debate! I managed to have a perfectly pleasant conversation with Laura C about the topic, I think I have made it quite clear when discussing 'facts' such as mentioning UNICEF or the studies done in Lancashire. A school IS an institution, that IS a fact wether you agree its good or bad there is no discussion around what it is.

If people wish to have discussions about a subject with strong views on either side, it is best to offer compassion and your opinion without belittling others. I would never have mentioned spelling if we were not discussing education and if I had not have been personally attacked about my opinions, by someone who clearly struggles with spelling and grammar.

As for 'winning an argument' thats just not what i am about! I am discussing my point of view and how I have come about getting it (which has some basis in fact) I am not into belittling other peoples opinions, saying 'you only think that because you had a sh*t time at school' and generally pulling low blows

its just not necessary, healthy or decent.

 

[FebMum2Be]

Bigbump that quote was there for a joke, to lighten the mood. As you are discussing you're point of view, that's all I was doing.. I didn't say you just said that because you had a shit time at school, you mentioned various times things were negative about school like being under-nourished etc, that doesn't sound like a good experience? Anyway, all that matters is we do what's right for us and our babies, and as long as we are confident in our own decisions, other peoples opinions won't matter.

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

as i said, it was a different poster who made that comment Febmum2b.

 

[FebMum2Be]

I too said it didn't sound like you had a good experience, leave it at that

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

my experience isn't the half of it!

We have the most depressed children in the first world! We send BABIES to school so that we can get on with our careers because we are forced to by society! This all has a factor, please STOP belittling my opinion by making it personal when i think i have pointed out TIME AND TIME AGAIN both reasons, experience AND facts to back myself up!

its bloody irratating!

 

[cosmicgirl]

I think that is grossly offensive a) to working mums and b) to anyone with children in the school system.
You are free to your opinions but that statement is not only sweeping and inaccurate (USA has the highest rate of childhood depression - see NIMH website for stats) but offensive to many.
My children are happy, healthy and well rounded individuals actually - far from depressed.

 

[cosmicgirl]

That reference is the national institute for mental health should anyone like to read the stats xx

 

[FebMum2Be]

Bigbump SOME of what you said SHOWS that you didn't have a good experience, I'm not saying this is why you choose to home school, or whatever else, you are going overboard about being belittled, we have took in your opinion and offered our own, I for one won't be replying to this thread anymore because anytime something is said that you don't like, even thought you yourself have said it and backed it up with your OWN experience you say you are in front of a firing squad etc, I think I remember a previous thread about home schooling being locked because people couldn't see both sides of the coin, hopefully this thread doesn't go down that same route. Good luck.

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6359363.stm

 

[cosmicgirl]

That article is from 2007, things have changed hugely since then. Stats need to be current to have impact (I work in research as part of my job).

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Unicef do their studies every five years, this is the most current one, the next will be out within the next year i believe.

 

[Minchin]

I think that is grossly offensive a) to working mums and b) to anyone with children in the school system.
You are free to your opinions but that statement is not only sweeping and inaccurate (USA has the highest rate of childhood depression - see NIMH website for stats) but offensive to many.
My children are happy, healthy and well rounded individuals actually - far from depressed.

I agree. I find that offensive.

Just logged on after working today (at a primary school) and in fact LO spends today with daddy then 2 days with childminder.

Anyway, I was interested to see how the 'debate' was going. I posted last night because I felt I wanted to stick up for schools bigbump-just like you want to stick up for homeschooling, but this thread seems to have gone pear shaped! A shame. I didn't feel my post was at all personal but there's tonnes more points I would like to make in response to your post last night bigbump-but as a debate, not an argument. As it seems this has got a bit heated I will probably refrain for fear of being taken the wrong way (or of spelling something incorrectly!)

 

[inky]

I don't know, I go away for the weekend and the one and only thread i make that gets more than a handful of replies goes sour

I didn't want anyone to fall out over this, it's all about personal experience and opinion, and there isn't a right or a wrong, so there's no need for anyone to get personal.

For what it's worth, I'm seriously considering home schooling now - not because of this thread sadly, but because I've spoken to people who have home schooled, who wish they'd home schooled, and who wouldn't home school their kids in a million years. Like everyone else I only have my own personal experience of school to draw from, which for the record was pretty good although i always found myself bored shitless waiting for the less able to catch up - sounds arrogant but it's true. I don't want any of my kids to be bored in school because it stifles learning, and this is the only thing that's currently swaying me.

Obviously it's not a decision to take lightly, and I don't think it will be made for a little while yet. Thank you to everyone who contributed, but i think we should leave it here. Lets all just agree to disagree and start talking about Willies again shall we?

 

[Minchin]

yeah tis a shame it went sour I just wanted to stick up for schools really cos I felt they had been really put down.

But glad you have made a decision inky! I think home schooling must be really exciting if that's what you want! Good luck to you hon! What a journey it'll be!

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

I think there have been some very vallid points made for both traditional schooling and home schooling and like some of us have said what is suitable for one child may not be suitable for another....

For me as a child, I loved school and apart from the odd bit of childish name calling, overall it was an amazing experience and one I really wish Kate could have experienced.
For Kate it wasnt all bad tho....I remember her getting excited about school trips to france and America, educational visits she most definately wouldnt have done if she was home schooled from a young age. Christmas plays she took part in again something she wouldnt have been able to do from home (apart from putting on her own shows lol) I could go on and on and on about the good things we rememeber and she experienced before she got to about 8-9 then it all started! For us it was the particular school and its staff that failed us not schools as a whole!
Also because she went to a school a few miles away from where we lived she rarely socialised with the majority of the children from school but had lots of friends from out of school activities she did, so didnt rely on school for friendship or social activities!

I dont hate the thought of school for Matilda as there is definately a lot of positive things to be experienced, but it does worry me that history may repeat itself again as we never know what lies ahead for our children and having been through it once with Kate, I know I will do anything and everything to stop her going through what her big sister went through! But I may be totally overeacting and Matilda could go to school, be absolutely fine, blossom and love it! Who knows!
But for me its not that I think school as a whole is bad, just maybe not for my girls and this is the reason I am leaning towards home schooling Matilda.

When the time comes I may have changed my mind depending on where we decide to send her be it local or private but it is something I will look at in more detail to ensure that if I do home school her she will have as good an education as Kate did both in and out of the traditional school surroundings. xx

 

[Sarah01]

This thread is quite long so I'll admit now I didn't read it all LOL I just wanted to give my opinion on home schooling.

I was home schooled for my entire secondary education after being bullied very badly in primary school and have no end of trouble with that. I must say that even though my experiences of school were negative and not nice at all I still preferred it to home schooling. I hated being home educated and feel it's held me back in life in many ways. I don't have GCSE's because I was never able to sit them, the standard of my education was below average and I lack knowledge in subjects I should know more about. I know this is largely down to the parents doing the educating, but I just wanted to share how I felt.

I am sure there are many positives, too. But for me it was something I wish had never happened and not an choice I'll be making for my child

Good luck in your decision, I'm sure whatever you choose it'll work out great xx