Anyone here homeschool their kids?

Supercow said:
Keep in mind, socialising is more than being the chatty guy in the pub and having mates - it's about being able to read people/situations/intent/reading between the lines etc etc etc.

All of which helps the vast majority of professions out there, if that's the main concern to be able to have a "well educated and good job" one day.
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Yep, knowledge can be attained at any time, learning the nuances of social interaction only really set in during childhood.
 
jsmoke said:
A young 34 year old.
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Well, you are old enough to form an opinion. I was worried it was coming from a 17 year old who just left school.

Personally I think the interactions you have at school are very helpful, even if they aren't positive interactions, even if they leave you mentally scarred.
 
Yes, that's right, home education means keeping your children locked in a cupboard until they're 18. They are usually physically prevented from interacting with other human beings for the duration.
 
jsmoke said:
Sounds like a really appealing option to me if you had the free time, the aruguements are that your kids will lack the social development but quite frankly school did more harm for my social development than not. I think it could only be better in every sense.
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My aunt (qualified teacher) home-schools her 4 kids but also runs a school up North open to local residents.

Her kids are aged ranging from 5 to 11 and are by far the most intellectual and most sociable kids I have ever had the pleasure of talking to and generally being around. I try to trip them up a few times with trick questions but they saw through them easily.

I used to think the same, that home-schooling resulted in socially awkward kids but the right kind of teaching makes all the difference.

The only problem I have is that they don't fall for the usual things you can get away with telling kids because if you tell them fibs then they will bring you down hard and fast!

My aunt teaches them the main subjects, Science, Maths and English and they are regularly visited by the education board people to check on progress and various things. Last time I visited they were learning stuff that was about a year or two above what other school kids would be at for the same age.

So yeah, it does work. It's very hard work but the right parents can make it work.
 
My kids go to a private school and they'll be going to boarding school when they are older. I don't think either my wife or I could better those education prospects - and my wife is a public sector primary teacher!
 
mrk said:
My aunt (qualified teacher) home-schools her 4 kids but also runs a school up North open to local residents.

Her kids are aged ranging from 5 to 11 and are by far the most intellectual and most sociable kids I have ever had the pleasure of talking to and generally being around. I try to trip them up a few times with trick questions but they saw through them easily.

I used to think the same, that home-schooling resulted in socially awkward kids but the right kind of teaching makes all the difference.

The only problem I have is that they don't fall for the usual things you can get away with telling kids because if you tell them fibs then they will bring you down hard and fast!

My aunt teaches them the main subjects, Science, Maths and English and they are regularly visited by the education board people to check on progress and various things. Last time I visited they were learning stuff that was about a year or two above what other school kids would be at for the same age.

So yeah, it does work. It's very hard work but the right parents can make it work.
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Exactly it's ridicules to say they will be socially impaired rather they will be socially superior. They will be fresh and full of spirit. It's got to be a good option for some.
 
mrk said:
My aunt (qualified teacher) home-schools her 4 kids but also runs a school up North open to local residents.

Her kids are aged ranging from 5 to 11 and are by far the most intellectual and most sociable kids I have ever had the pleasure of talking to and generally being around. I try to trip them up a few times with trick questions but they saw through them easily.

I used to think the same, that home-schooling resulted in socially awkward kids but the right kind of teaching makes all the difference.

The only problem I have is that they don't fall for the usual things you can get away with telling kids because if you tell them fibs then they will bring you down hard and fast!

My aunt teaches them the main subjects, Science, Maths and English and they are regularly visited by the education board people to check on progress and various things. Last time I visited they were learning stuff that was about a year or two above what other school kids would be at for the same age.

So yeah, it does work. It's very hard work but the right parents can make it work.
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That sounds like the best of both worlds. It'd be ideal, however it's completely unattainable for most people. I don't think it's an accurate representation of home schooling either.

If we could somehow re-write the way we do education and childcare so that children were in groups of 4 right up to them leaving school then we'd be on to a real winner.
 
mrk said:
My aunt (qualified teacher) home-schools her 4 kids but also runs a school up North open to local residents.

Her kids are aged ranging from 5 to 11 and are by far the most intellectual and most sociable kids I have ever had the pleasure of talking to and generally being around. I try to trip them up a few times with trick questions but they saw through them easily.

I used to think the same, that home-schooling resulted in socially awkward kids but the right kind of teaching makes all the difference.

The only problem I have is that they don't fall for the usual things you can get away with telling kids because if you tell them fibs then they will bring you down hard and fast!

My aunt teaches them the main subjects, Science, Maths and English and they are regularly visited by the education board people to check on progress and various things. Last time I visited they were learning stuff that was about a year or two above what other school kids would be at for the same age.

So yeah, it does work. It's very hard work but the right parents can make it work.
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I think getting a result like that hinges on:

1. The parent being a good parent (in this case, being an actual teacher helps bucketloads).
2. There being a decent number of siblings, which allows for greater social interaction.

My gf's much younger half-sister was very mature for her age, but that was mainly due to there being no other kids her age around when she was growing up. This has resulted in her having a few social bugbears that my gf and her 4 year older sister don't have.
 
I think it'd be acceptable up until year 8 and from them on it'd be best off to let your child attend an upper school. The reason being that he'd/she'd probably be better off with the knowledge that the teachers will be able to provide, as opposed to you learning the content and then teaching your son/daughter, because you'll then be at the same level as your child. Not to mention that teachers will be able to give tips on exam techniques from their experience.
 
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Tingle said:
I think it'd be acceptable up until year 8 and from them on it'd be best off to let your child attend an upper school. The reason being that he'd/she'd probably be better off with the knowledge that the teachers will be able to provide, as opposed to you learning the content and then teaching your son/daughter, because you'll then be at the same level as your child. Not to mention that teachers will be able to give tips on exam techniques from their experience.
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I'd say the reverse. The more interactions a young child has with other young children the better.
 
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