Little Red House- Meet COAL HOUSE!

HUGE excitement today as we met up with some home ed friends and visited 'Stack Square' in Blaenavon, which featured in the BBC's Coal house programme.http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/coalhouse/ which the children followed avidly.

They were all thrilled to be able to visit the 'set' which is housed in the Blaenavon Ironworks museumhttp://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=145

Its very muddy! No wonder the families in the programme struggled to keep anyone/thing clean! Especially two toddlers with 8 people in one 2up,2down!

We met the chickens, saw the tin bath everyone bathed in and looked round the houses .We were struck by how tiny the house was... much like our own!( only we have a loft extension)Suddenly the penny dropped, our house was probably built on the footprint of the old miners cottage demolished to make way for it!Thankfully mine has more mod cons!

I cant imagine having to sit in front of this hearth, as charming as it is all day every day undertaking endless drudgery! Connor just had to try the outside loo where we discovered evidence of 'cheating' in the programme. It appears they had a proper 2007 potty for the babies!( and who can blame them?)

Later we moved on to 'Big Pit' http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/bigpit/

Where we saw the pithead baths which the women in the 'coal house' programme were seen campaigning for.

Then we moved onto a fantastic tour of the mine underground with an ex miner as a guide who was really knowledgeable and explained everything he also gave the kids some information about the universal colliery disaster of 1913 which killed someone from every house in this village( many of whom were never recovered) and the children left really enthusastic and wanting to find out more about what happened almost 100 years ago but only 100m from their front door! They also visited a really interesting exhibition at the baths/medical centre/canteen about life down the mines. They were especially interested in the idea of children having to work underground from just 5 years old and relieved that wasnt their reality!

We had an interesting reaction to the question "No school today?" from one of the miners/guiodes... The kids told him they were home educated and he added "How you gonna learn them,if you aint in school then?"

Clearly the irony of him, working in a museum asking that question had completely passed him by.. I wonder what he thinks hes there for? I should have asked him but then I'm a great one for thinking of what I "Should" have said when its too late!

I was really touched by the incriptions on these plates on the dresser...

The top left hand one reads "It was hard work, you were always doing something, it was never done"So us 2007 welsh mums have lots in common with our ancestors after all! Especially when Home educating!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOPHIE !!

Sophie turned 11 today! I dont understand where the time went since she looked like this!(3 months old )

We had quite a quiet day after the children had stayed with friends overnight sunday and all day on Monday so we could attend a meeting at Chloes school so they were tired out!

We did spend an hour shopping this morning where she decided she would get herself a dress from the Disney Store so she can dress up and have her photo taken when we go to Disneyland Pariss in 2 weeks. Hopefully the pics will follow.. unfortunately our little point and shoot is wobbling at the mo( Im praying it will work for the trip!)!She decided she is almost too old for dressing up and has always coveted a disney dressing up outfit, she's adored the idea of being a princess even since she twigged her shoulder bones werent actually her wings growing when she was about 7 and so being a princess was a much more realistic ambition! So this is her chance to be a princess complete with castle etc in her words "before Im too big for all that soon" and she spent much of the afternoon on the Disneyland Paris website planning her photo opportunities!

We were also treated to many renditions of 'High School musical' as one of her presents was 'sing it' a Kareoke game for the playstation 2, Fortunately she isnt a bad singer!

We've had another very busy few days! After spending two days on first aid training at work it was nice to be back with the kids although I can't deny the break wasn't good!
Thurday saw us join with other home educators at The Millenium centre for a production of Tin-tin in Tibet http://www.tintintheshow.co.uk/
It was fantastically well acted and the children really enjoyed it. I hope they will be inspired to read the books as a result. Unfortunately we don't own any at the moment so a trip to the library might be iminent!
On friday we went to the Home Learners day at the museum. The workshop alledgely was "Make a stained glass tile" however when we got there it was essentially arranging pieces of acetate in a laminating pouch and after we left Connor ( who is getting increasingly literal) said "So when are we doing the stained glass then?" I think maybe I will check what exactly is planned at each of these workshops in future before booking. !Connor was dissappointed as he really wanted to learn about stained glass and its a long way to travel if its something which wont really interest them much. Im now on the hunt for a genuine stained glass workshop for him. I cant believe he didnt twig all the colour blending activities were "stained glass themed" but" if theres no glass, it cant be stained glass can it Mum?" (errr no son??)

However he was cheered by a trip to Macdonalds where we discussed healthy eating, all the different methods of advertising , the target audience and effectiveness and why they'd chosen Macdonalds over other meals and interestingly the conversation moved onto the question "whats a Bisexual?"!!!!! ( how we got from Ronald Macdonald to sexual preferences was anyones guess!)
I spent last night and today working and Gran took them to the cinema to see "Enhanted" which we were seeing in a week with film education ( drat, I wanted to see that too!) and they came home tired but happy.
Tonight Flower, one of our rabbits went missing, we went out and the run door was somehow open! cue many tears from Sophie especially who was panic stricken as there are about 10 cats living 2 doors away who keep having to be shooed out of our garden as they like nothing better than stalking the rabbits. It wouldnt be beyond the realms of possibility for one of the cats to have pawed at the catch until theyd 'got it' so Ill be fitting extra locks. Fortunately she was found quite quickly and cuddled to within an inch of her life ! Chloe was upset as she found she was missing and as she only comes home at weekends felt really guilty and would be reassured that she couldnt possibly be to blame if she hadnt opened the door. Its strange how both she and Connor get upset in quite a different way to Sophie. Its funny how their thinking runs...

Ive downloaded some resources for free from http://www.homeschoolestore.com/catalog/index.php
as they had a free offer for u to $200 of free stuff. Ill look forward to trying some of it, particularly the 'Grinch' Lapbook kit which will make a nice seasonal project and a WW2 project unit which I'm sure will come in useful at some point as Sophies plodding through Ann Franks Diary. I wonder whether Chloe might have a go at the Harry potter one when shes home at Christmas, shes very easily bored so Im glad I have a standby to offer her in case! She usually yells and hollers about boredom in typical teenager fashion and demands to go back to school within a week of the holidays starting!

Maths??... well if it floats your boat kids!

Maths has to be the subject Chloe Soph and I find most difficult. Connor never seems to have had any difficulty until we started with tables and it was greeted with an EH?? response?
But Sophie struggled, Chloe just suffered more and more misery as she just didnt 'get it' despite having a very logical way of thinking and shining initially and I recall many hours of 'doing ok' but finding it incredibly hard work to 'do ok' while people said"You could do this if you tried!" ( so I eventually gave up as it was pointless trying to convince even myself I could do it!)
I was very aware it was possible to pass on a dislike of maths but at the same time I didnt want to 'blag it' or make them think it was an awful thing if you find it hard so was always quite careful about what I said, passing anything I really knew I couldnt do to Darren when they were in school but praising them and saying how clever they were when they achieved. Nonetheless the girls especially seemed to have inherited my inability to be able to manage maths easily and as Connor gets older the more difficult he's finding things!

Recently though, Sophie and Connor really seem to be enjoying the mathematical activities Ive been finding for them.Connor continued with his mulitplication grids enthusiastically and asked for another 'multiplication colouring in' after doing his grid today, then another... then another! ( so its clearly fun for him)

Sophie spent much of the time I was on my course in work carefully cutting out and making paper polyhedra and trying to remember all their names.
I'm so pleased we have the chance to look at shape and they can explore faces, vertices etc in a hands on way. Its definitely sucessful so Ill definitely be using more 'hand on' activitieswith them both. It really helps them 'join up' their thinking and lets them open their thinking and questioning to wider questions that I just can't answer like "What is a 60 sided shape called then?" ( errrrr.....)

Chloe's sucess at school( where she recently got ALL A grades) has provided much of the inspiration for how we are 'working' at the moment. Its all very hands on, making, shaping, doing, solving puzzles etc and I can see it works so thats how things will continue wherever its possible.

I found the resources weve been using on http://www.senteacher.org/ but although suitable for kids with Special educational needs I think the site would be invaulable for many parents and children so Im recommending it here!

Im also finding the books available from Tarquin books invaluable, They have so many inventive titles and ideas. Ive asked my brother to buy the kids the paper automaton books for their christmas presents. I think they will be a real hit. Ive asked Darrens brother to get them science kits of various sorts too... They are in the right mood to recieve them enthusiastically. A sign they are finally starting to become properly free from the influence school was in their psyche?? We really are doing things 'their way' .

"Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people."

so said Oscar Wilde apparently...
Since we started to look into the possibility of Home Education I've become far more aware of the truthfulness and accuracy of that statement.
I never considered myself 'political' my views were political with a very small p.

However recently I can't believe the things which show up on the BBC website( so pretty mainstream!), mostly negative, many leave me gasping.... all connected with the current government or the alternative- the tories and children or "education."

Several stories a week about the system we removed the children from and its failings, inadequacy abounds, failing schools, bullying, smaller schools which care and nurture more successfully but 'fail' academically( I wonder whether then they do really fail?)
The toxicity of childhood denied by Ed Balls while the same site carries a story where he says 'tweenagers' need more care at a difficult time to stop them turning to drink and drugs!( where are the parents Mrs Balls?;-)).... cars blighting children's play....testing and its own toxicity. The tories have the solution, they will make it easier for parents to set up schools like in Sweden, free to decide how children are taught, except it wont happen will it Mr Cameron? You want ALL children, aged 6 without a serious disability to read! Never mind that dyslexia cant be diagnosed until 7 reliably! Id say dyslexia IS a serious disability given how much of the curriculum in schools relies on reading and writing( so wheres the inclusion now Mr Balls?). I'm certain my children's experience was that they HAD to read by the end of year 1. Not doing so was where the problems started.By year 3 both my youngest and oldest were seriously despondent.
Its madness.
Today its announced all parents in England will have access to parenting classes, so not only are the govt happy to force us to choose only one type of school unless we are rich they will tell parents how they must parent. I can see the benefit for some families but how long before "go to a parenting class, go again..." becomes the stock answer for any family who has a child suffering in school through the present regime which forces them all to read and labels them as failures if they don't make the grade... never mind any other misunderstood condition where the teachers recieve no training but employ cod diagnosis under pressure to 'do something' with this failing child where they can't possibly say "Houston, we have a problem... HELP!"Because that would admit a school couldnt cope( and inclusion says they must)

Its enough to make your head spin and wonder, how different are they REALLY? and all the while the relentless agenda of 'bludgeoning' of our rights goes on and on and extends into society in the public questioning by strangers which children experience when not in school( for whatever reason) That's just the tip of the iceberg... god forbid any child or their parent admit be not 'making the grade, not being where they should be academically etc"


When did our children stop being our children? When did they become the possessions of the state to impose upon , control and do as they please with? IF they can keep some children in schools its an achievement... thats not achievement, its not educating those school has failed since they were small. Its keeping bums on seats. Is anyone going to encourage, inspire or spend time educating children who cant read when they get to senior school? In this LEA our experience proves they wont!

We CHOOSE to send children to state schools?? I did..... I was happy to begin with (its what you do isnt it??)
BUT there is no alternative to the current situation if you want school unless you are rich and can pay for a choice of educational styles or philosophies such as steiner, montessori etc.

Or you can free your child or choose for them not to go there to start with...... so wheres the ability to be financially ok there Mr Brown? In this society you have created where people have little real choice without huge sacrifice for most?Were keeping our children safe, educating them and saving you money!
How sad that comes at a cost.. whoever you are.

and yet theres no problem says Ed Balls... childhood isnt toxic, its a fallacy

Were supposed to trust you? Your government has managed to expose almost every family in the country to identity theft today.... You lot 'Lost' our details!

Where are our rights I wonder?

To end with another quote..

"Politics is the art of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable." John Galbraith.

Sleepless night

And for once I'm not worried about my kids, home ed, the rabbits, the future etc

Why am I blogging at 1.10am?? because my new next door neighbour has decided its an appropriate time to play dance music! Therefore I'm awake,Id be amazed if his children aren't too.I wonder how the cope in school the day after he does this? His sister who was the previous tenant was lovely but did bid us a woeful "err well good luck with him" when she told us he would be moving in. Followed by a "umm well hes not that bad...err" Well I think I can say he's really not my preferred choice of neighbour right this second!

Oh well... since I'm up I need to find things to do so Ive printed off a load of things for the kids to do with grandma tomorrow. mainly multiplication sheets. Connor is learning his tables using a multiplication grid so Ive sorted out some exercises so he can work out the sums using the grid. Ive done Sophie some 'simple' harder problems, multiplying a Tens and units number with a single number.
Ill be interested to see if she can do these or not and see whether its time to rewind and cover the same or very similar work with them both for a little while.
Ive also done them some 'nets' to create 3D shapes which hopefully they will enjoy.

They both really enjoy doing the puzzles from their multiplication colouring book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Multiplication-Tables-Colouring-Book-Fundamentals/dp/0906212855
Which I scan and print from so they can use the book over and over if they need to.
I'm picking up lots of ideas from the way Chloe's teachers have helped her learn her tables in school. The colouring book and multiplication square appear to be key tools and shes now lightening fast with recalling them from making these grids and doing the colouring puzzles over and over

Connor really surprised me today, he asked to read two books and read much of the text by himself, he completed gaps in a Multiplication grid by following a completed one and then decided that he would do lots of literacy games on the BBC bitesize website. He managed to complete lots of exercises on alphabetical order, even the harder ones . Its good to see his Dyslexia tuition sessions are proving their worth for him.

Sophie did three pages of maths , scales and conversions but she was a bit flummoxed by pints into litres, litres into gallons so Ill get the measuring jugs and scales out on Thursday and do some hands on stuff with her.
Shes started writing a story using a story planner in one of her English books and it's really unusual for her to actually want to sit down and write a story. I hope she will carry on with his with gran and look forward to reading the results on Thursday!

Now off to bed to TRY and get some sleep before I yawn my way through this two day training course in work! (I wonder whether I can be the dummy and sleep while others bandage me??;-))

Learning... tollerance???

This coming week will probably see an absence of much structure. Due in no small part to me being sent on a paediatric first aid course by work. Im actually really looking forward to it and wonder whether perhaps I can learn enough to teach it to the children when Im done? Still its learning and Im sure it's beneficial to see me learning too. Their grandma will see they have enough things to concentrate on while Im not around. I shall be banning the TV though, she subscribes to all the channels on sky and its the most banal stuff much of the time on much of it! Theres a reason I wont pay for the 'kids' channels ( the beeb ones are free!)
I know I learned plenty about Diwali last week researching activities for the home education group. It came in useful this weekend when the local sihk community held their celebrations in work and I was able to recall some information for my colleagues who said I should maybe write it down for staff since its an annual event and many dont know what is being celebrated. Sadly they recounted the negative treatment the guests experienced from local children when lighting sparklers outside. Fortunately the polive arrives swiftly and dispatched the abusive teens and the celebrations continued peacefully!
Its awful that other faiths and races still experience hate crime from even youngish children ( which demonstrates what they learn at home and from their peers!) when just a week or two ago they were lighting sparklers, I expect with no idea why they were being lit and waved!

I hope I can expose my children to beliefs and ideas and foster in them the idea that everyone is different and that negative actions are never acceptable. I hope next year I could approach the sihk community via work to ask if we could come and see their celebrations in action. I was told they were lovely warm people who entertained the staff on duty despite the disruption and ensured everyone was well fed and enjoying themselves despite them being there working!

I also learned that its pointless arguing home ed with someone on a messageboard when they know nothing other than state santictioned education, the national curriculum and 'attainment' as a benchmark of sucess. Utterly pointless, but didnt undermine my confidence in what Im doing just because someone hasnt bothered ( and wont even so she can debate sucessfully) to research home education. She even tried to present parts of the Paula Rothermel research as challengable on the basis of "added value" (home ed children who start ahead in these tables dont achieve much apparently!!- what a surprise!) when I pointed this out she rubbished it completely and calling me a 'muppet'( the most publishable of all the insults) and suggesting I was arrogant for daring to decide we could provide what my child needed... so there you have it, we're all arrogant mupets. Im sure you are all richer for hearing that from someone who knows nothing about home education!!!! ;-) Clearlyshe doesnt know much about tollerance either!

I wonder who's a muppet, someone who wont learn( and who trusts schools implicitly as 'quality controlled. specialised and tested environments) or someone who will question, research and wonder whether 'education' is limited by school? Then act when she realises her children are miserable, labelled and not being educated because they are not simulated!
This is a person incidentally who does little between 9-3 ( even at weekends) other than spend her time arguing everything with a virtual world! How sad that for all that time and effort she achieves and learns so little! It made me assess why I bothered, still I hope someone reading learned something about Home education other than the tired old rubbish which she was trying to churn out! I could probably use my time much more effectively! A lesson for me too perhaps!

My Son speaks better now than he did with a year or so of speech therapy, my daughter now not only believes she can do maths, she CAN do maths. That, already is a massive achievement that cannot be tested by SATS whether you are structured or autonomous, schooled of home educating. these are the hidden benefits of HE! It struck me how little was assessed and tested for in schools as 'sucess or failure' really. I couldnt add these to a government table of benefits! Maybe we home edders should start one???

Learning wise for Sophie and Connor, we are spending more time on maths as the children have demanded. I've been doing lots of multiplication tables work with Connor, multiplication squares and 'times tables colouring' and a multiplication lotto game.Sophies started covering area but her weakness in mulitplication and related skills is showing so Im trying to get them both involved in a fun way.

I am hoping if I can build their confidence in Maths then I can move more into the realms of english where they are always reluctant and I guess will for the time being be way behind their schooled counterparts. Thats fine though. I hope they will realise they can have a go and achieve. THATS whats important to me, a love of learning and the idea that they CAN if they just have a go and if they cant, well thats ok too and they can try some more rather than deciding they are failiures ( because they certainly wont be allowed to get that message at home!)

A day full of fun

Today.... at Caerphilly home ed group. I was well enough to make this one HURRAH!
The kids all really enjoyed themselves. The Hall itself was a big hit with everyone. It has the luxury of three different areas so nobody is on top of each other, Loads of space to run around, even when weather is bad, A stage ( which hosted an impromptu surealist concert with Old Macdonald in sudden death shocker!) and a seperate space which housed the playstation ( at one end) and kitchen with drinks and snacks at the other.
There was something for everyone, The Diwali 'Diya' making and colouring was a hit and more craft stuff is now planned ,with Glass painting and Christmas cards in a fortnight.
The stage sparked an idea for some script writing from Sophie and her new friend C who said he would be really 'into' writing some scripts for a play, producing and 'directing' a loose term if todays improvisations were anything to go by!! Neil and I decided that there was everything in there from Python to Izzard to the Brothers Grimm and everything in between!
The playstation was unobtrusive in the corner , shared at some times with lots of people, mainly boys but most of the time Connor,J and G sharing their love of playstation and their games, strategies etc

After Connors swimming lesson we headed off to the Wales Millenium Centre for STOMP! It was fantastic and a great follow on from slavas snowshow and the clowning workshop as the show featured clowning very heavily. It was loads of fun with lots of audience participation, stamping, claping, clicking, cheering and laughter.The cast also used masses of household objects as props..., everything from dustbins to road signs... I will be hiding my broom and cordoning off the kitchen sink tomorrow morning!

Connor and Sophie left the theatre banging everything they could find and realised the staircase cladding was quite effective, especially given the acoustics of the foyer and were soon joined by a large group of teens assembled below, much to the annoyance of the theatre staff!

I think I might be in need of a trip to the chemist for some headache tablets!

Justifying Ourselves ( or not)

This provided me with much food for thought this morning!Posted by a local home educator to our local list its provoked a strong reaction in me ( apologies if you have already read it)

The Bitter Homeschooler' s Wish List

1 Please stop asking us if it's legal. If it is - and it is -it's insulting to imply that we're criminals.And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

2 Learn what the words "socialize" and "socialization" mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you're talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you can safely assume that we've got a decent grasp of both concepts.

3 Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice,baseball game, art class,field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to socialize.

4 Don't assume that every homeschooler you meet ishomeschooling for the same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

5 If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either on the news or on a "reality" show, the above goes double.

6 Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know, know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling. You're probably the same little bluebird of happiness whose hobby is running up to pregnant women and inducing premature labor by telling them every ghastly birth story you've ever heard. We all hate you, so please go away.

7 We don't look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear they're in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential oil fields to see if we're doing what you consider an adequate job of homeschooling.

8 Stop assuming all homeschoolers are religious.

9 Stop assuming that if we're religious, we must be homeschooling for religious reasons.

10 We didn't go through all the reading, learning,thinking, weighing of options, experimenting, and worrying that goes into homeschooling just to annoy you. Really. This was a deeply personal decision,tailored to the specifics of our family. Stop taking the bare fact of our being homeschoolers as either an affront or a judgment about your own educational decisions.

11 Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my credentials. I didn't have to complete a course in catering to successfully cook dinner for my family; I don't need a degree in teaching to educate my children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of chew-it-up-and- spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left me with so little information in my memory banks that I can't teach the basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there's a reason I'm so reluctant to send my child to school.

12 If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he'd learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

13 Stop assuming that because the word "home" is right there in "homeschool, " we never leave the house. We're the ones who go to the amusement parks, museums,and zoos in the middle of the week and in the off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays when it's crowded and icky.

14 Stop assuming that because the word "school" is right there in homeschool, we must sit around at a desk for six or eight hours every day, just like your kid does. Even if we're into the "school" side of education - and many of us prefer a more organic approach - we can burn through a lot of material a lot more efficiently, because we don't have to gear our lessons to the lowest common denominator.

15 Stop asking, "But what about the Prom?" Even if the idea that my kid might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who do go to school don't get to go to the Prom. For all you know, I'm one of them. I might still be bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.

16 Don't ask my kid if she wouldn't rather go to school unless you don't mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn't rather stay home and get some sleep now and then.

17 Stop saying, "Oh, I could never homeschool!" Even if you think it's some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you're horrified. One of these days, I won't bother disagreeing with you any more.

18 If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you're allowed to ask how we'll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can't, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn't possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

19 Stop asking about how hard it must be to be my child's teacher as well as her parent. I don't see much difference between bossing my kid around academically and bossing him around the way I do about everything else.

20 Stop saying that my kid is shy, outgoing,aggressive, anxious, quiet, boisterous, argumentative,pouty, fidgety, chatty, whiny, or loud because he's homeschooled. It's not fair that all the kids who go to school can be as annoying as they want to without being branded as representative of anything but childhood.

21 Quit assuming that my kid must be some kind of prodigy because she's homeschooled.

22 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of prodigy because I home school my kids.

23 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of saint because I homeschool my kids.

24 Stop talking about all the great childhood memoriesmy kids won't get because they don't go to school,unless you want me to start asking about all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because youwent to school.

25 Here's a thought: If you can't say something nice about homeschooling, SHUT UP!



Now apart from making me chuckle, lots! It really made me reflect on those reactions above that I have experienced. I really wish Id read it before we had to face them, it would have probably made brushing them off so much easier!
The most recent one was from my mother in laws neighbour who asked very accusingly "No school today then kids" before admitting when I stepped in and said "No they are home educated now and have been for several months" that she actually knew this already because my son had told her!
She reacted with horror and said "well who's checking their work?I assume you have to submit their work for checking by someone qualified to ensure that they are meeting the required standard..."( face agog)
and when I said "well no actually, we teach what we want to, no I'm not qualified as a school teacher but that's not a bar to me teaching and home educating them( I didnt say I dont actually 'teach' them much of the time, they need assisting usually!)
and no we dont supply work for' checking' by anyone"

She wandered off muttering about how such ridiculousness shouldn't be allowed I was really upset. Mother in law said "Ignore the silly %£"%*&$$!!!" and she was anti home ed until she realised that her grandchildren were HAPPY and not put upon, degraded, belittled any longer by a school which didn't value them and had removed their self belief and eroded their self esteem to the point that Connor still constantly wants me to sit next to him and do everything with him... he no longer believes he can do it.

We've also heard that children who are home educated are strange beings who cant socialise,that we will be damaging them in some way and have also been told we will be damaging them and leaving them unable to sit GCSE's etc usually based on 'A friend who' who is probably their little friend who lives in their imagination!

Wouldn't it be nice if these people stopped for a second and thought about what they are saying. I don't say to the neighbour "Your child, get bullied at school today did they? Get told they couldn't play because they don't have the right trainers? Did your daughter get told she had the 'wrong things' in her lunchbox because the school have a policy on lunches? Did they pass their exam?" I wonder how much shock and fury she would unleash on me if I dared be so nosey?

Its something which also came up recently on an email list I use, a relative was ringing the LEA and reporting/enquiring and dictating what a parent should do in relation to her wish to home educate, not because they were acting in the best interests of the child, but because the relative didn't agree with their decision and so had decided to meddle!

At the end of the day, frankly, its the criticisers choice to send their children to school, ( if they have any) good for them, its none of my business what they choose for their children.
We chose to remove our children when it all became too much for one of them.
It would be so nice if people in general could realise that about home educators.We have made a choice for our children, for a multitude of reasons, our children are precious, would we do this if we didn't care deeply? Hell I could be off earning a decent wage and leaving my kids from 8-6 every day, holidaying twice a year somewhere hot...of course I haven't thought about any of this at all have I? You don't have to agree with me and my decisions but frankly, if you don't, is it REALLY any of your business? I don't ask you to justify your decision to send your kid to school, please respect my decisions to do as I see fit for all three of my children. I'm not anti school, indeed one of mine is in school!( and no I dont feel the need to justify that either!)

Learning All the time

This fantastic short film moved me to tears, its made by a group of home educators in South Wales.

Everythings changing

This last few weeks seems to have been a period of change and growth in the little red house. Physically little has changed, were the same people, the same family, the same parents, same children.
Its difficult to explain really. I think being ill has caused a change in our daily routine but before that there seemed to be changes happening.

In the past few weeks we've visited a senior school for Sophie and not filled in the form( despite it being really lovely!) because, well, school doesn't matter to us hugely, even less to her.
Shes started identifying things she wants to do with her time, particularly just spend a few weeks doing alot of science workbooks and get to her Y6 maths book, maybe some experiments.. if we can find a decent chemistry kit!

Connor has started reading, of his own accord!!(amazing,) anything resembling 'reading' gets a huge thumbs down so to be asked "what does this say?" "How do I say this word"? ( usually the longest word) is such a pleasure.

The downside to this massive upside? the fact the chosen book is 1001 'great' jokes... the inverted commas, because the favoured jokes include "whats yellow and doesn't need ironing?" - "A drip dry banana" and "Whats yellow and you can write with it?" - "A Ballpoint Banana"
we have these, all day, every day! its hard not to GROAN... but the odd one is allowed for comedic value apparently! Ive used illness as the other reason I groan... well artistic licence and all that !
All this appears to be connected to the 'clowning' workshop so it just shows how these things connect in children's minds which didn't even occur to us. They've also been practicing some of the clowning they saw in Slavas snow show.This week is STOMP I will stock up on the headache pills and be ready to raid the ironmongers for dustbin lids and broomsticks maybe?

They are both completely enthused about mining thanks to 'Coal house' and want to visit big pit and 'stack square' I hope I can get them to do a project to 'share' with their grandparents. Darren's mum in particular has lots of memories, I suspect she will be a mine of information ( not to mention being interested in being involved in some 'work')

We do seem to be moving without any planning or intention into more structure, the children want to do more 'work' and workbooks,software etc at the moment.I don't think we will be 'curriculum' people in terms of sitting down and timetabled work daily but Sophie especially is craving structure and set amounts of things she needs to get done so that's what we are doing.
She is talking about working towards GCSE's an wants to have the relevant materials to lead up to that standard.
We tried autonomy on the recommendation of just about every other local home educator we know and Sophie's resoundingly rejecting it and saying she doesn't enjoy doing what she wants when she wants because she hates the lack of structure and rhythm of the day so were doing what she needs for now and Connor is happily fitting in with doing 'something' whenever Sophie is.

We've had friends down to stay for the weekend.Chloe was really pleased to see J who's like an auntie to her and spent much of her time watching DVDs with her while I was at work, I took J's daughter E( aged 6) with me and she seemed to have a fantastic time. J was talking about school and how pleased the teachers were with E and how shes ahead in everything but at her age group in reading ( so wheres the problem?) Sadly E's great aunt ( ex teacher) seems to think E should be 'pushed' to reach further etc with reading so it was really nice to be able to say "well actually we haven't forced Connor to read at all and yet suddenly..." and J seemed so pleased to hear that and said I will go back and say "well actually, pushing... I wont do that"

If 'pushing' worked then Connor would have read fluently at school ( and yes they did try schemes, 1:1 daily sessions, individual tuition etc) and yet a little bit of practice every day( but when he is OK to do that, he chooses when hes in the best mood/frame of mind) and a regular supply of things to read that interests him (footy comics and his joke book) and he seems to realise the need to read and attempt to meet that need.I hope that will lead to reading for pleasure.
I have been left wondering whether the need and the pleasure have been pretty much removed from state schools and national testing has killed children's enthusiasm for reading generally in schools just because its no longer necessarily interesting or fun( rather than are required to by school to make things easier for the teacher!)

Lastly two things have happened which have further lifted my spirits...
Ive been offered that job Id hoped for the boss will sponsor my training!(I would have been squeezed otherwise!) and I'm thrilled as I really do like where I work and the people there, hopefully our financial situation will improve . I know it wont be a goldmine but may pay for our holiday or give us some money for saving.

Also and more specially, two people have contacted me from reading this blog, both people who were considering home education and have wanted to ask further questions, meet other home educators here and in their local area.( hello if you are reading)
I never thought anyone would want to read anything I had to say much less say they've been inspired by it! The counter is on 500+. When I started it I would have been amazed to get it to 100 in a year!

Its Oh so quiet!!!!

I wonder how that happened??

We had a quiet weekend,mooched around,watched rugby on TV and Darren caught up on some of those little jobs which never seem to get done here like putting up shelves in Connors room.
It was really nice to spend a whole weekend here instead of work. We watched the fireworks over Caerphilly castle from the top of the mountain. The rabbits were inside because of the fireworks but poor thumper wasnt keen at all rolling into a ball on my lap and shaking!

Yesterday morning it was silent! The kids were absorbed in their new Multiplication Tables colouring book which I found on http://www.he-resources.co.uk/ If you havent checked this site out its really worth a look. Chloe uses these books in school and they seem to be a hit with mine.
Then my neighbours kids arrived for a couple of hours while mum went shopping. Theyve joined us for a home ed event before and came home raving about being home educated( their plan of course was I would educate them all, it would be no problem!). Anyway you'd think double the kids, double the noise but quite the opposite. Silence.... they all became completely absorbed in the things they chose to do, played board games,watched a DVD,cleaned out and played with the bunnies and it was just perfectly peaceful! No fights, no whinging. They will have to come round more often!
Unfortunately Connors got up this morning with a temp and a bad throat so hes caught my lurgy and the Coal house stuffwill have to wait, we did find out you can actually visit the houses where the series is based as they are part of a museum so that will be fun when were up to it.
At least when they are home educated you know they arent faking to get a day off!

UGH..and ARGH and sad stuff and happy stuff

UGH....I'm ill, proper ill, not just a little under the weather. I gave in and visited the doc. Ivce not been to the GP for a year. We've moved house and Ive had to register with the GP in the village. Its probably a good thing or none of us would have ended up registered here!
The GP said it wasnt pneumonia(Ive had that once this year!) and gave me some antibiotics and a sick note and said I needed a week off to just rest.Reluctantly I rang work and booked myself off for the week,I realise I cant work but need the extra work thats on offer so wanted to drag myself in if at all possible.
More importantly it was the first meeting of the Home ed group...there was a fantastic workshop organised, building siege machines and I was stuck on the sofa feeling tearful and useless. Thankfully Darren realised it was a big deal for the kids that they went and so he took a day off work and they went, came back absolutely raving about the fun they had, had got to know some of the kids better and Im really looking to the next one, to be able to make Kate and Neil a cuppa and for me to do the work!!

The ARRGHH was the LEA, weve applied to have Connor statemented,we'd withdrawn him initially because we were unhappy with provision and on the advice of his dyslexia tutor and the educational psychologist at the Dyslexia institute. Being happy with Home ed Im apathetic at the moment, would be thrilled to be able to get a place for him at Chloes school( its worth a try,)if not at least he will have a statement which would help if he wanted to go to school. I had to fill out a form B ( intended for schools!) without the 'guidance descriptors' ( so placing us at a disadvantage- Id love to know what these are, weve never recieved them!) and against a beligerent and obstructive LEA!
Anyway, after a phone call where I was accused by the statementing officer ( and interestingly our 'home ed contact'- the same dept and staff oversee home ed and special needs provision!) who's opening line when I rang to ask for help was "so you are REFUSING to fill in the form..."( funny, I thought Id just rung and said er Im struggling with this form, could you please tell me what you would like me to do??!)
I decided rather than let them pedal mis-information and try and accuse us of hiding anything or not educating Connor at home I would write a report detailing exactly what weve been doing... 6 A4 pages later I was there...(rolleyes) Its quite surprising to detail what weve covered in just 6 months, ok not in absolute diary style but this blog proved invaluable, its amazing the detail you forget!It took me all afternoon but its done. I will do another on Soph to send to the LEA. AFAIK there is enough to satisfy them that S7 is being met.. and more. Id be amazed if state schools could offer the kind of opportunities weve given Connor.( with regards age ability and aptitude.. something his last school wouldnt get close to meeting yet we have to!)

The sad stuff.... Sadly Ray Gravell died on wednesday night on holiday in Majorca.. sad because he was a fine man, someone we had met on several occasions and Chloe and Darren in particular were really upset by his passing. Working in media Darren chatted with him often in the press room at Cardiff. Chloe often in tow after school as a treat. He was a giant of a man and a true gentleman, a real character with a true love for Rugby, people and he never forgot you once he'd chatted with you. I feel for him, having children the same age as his who must be absolutely bereft. Hes also younger than my Dad and my breath is just snatched from me at the thought of my Dad not being with us any more( something I cannot start to contemplate, its too painful) God only knows the pain for his children its incomprehensible

He will be missed. Darrens colleague left a space in a picture at the scarlets tonight, a picture Ray should have been back from holiday and been featured in... just one photographers small way of saying "we miss you"

and he's right, we will...

And the happy stuff( got to end on a happy note) My enforced sickness has left time for happier activities, a lunch with gran,carving the pumpkin a day late ( pic to follow..) and just generally mooching, the rabbits heve had lots of cuddles, no work has been done as such, the kids have rampaged round the street with the local kids, built dens, shown off the bunnies, played CD's and danced and generally had a wonderful time( thank goodness for half term even if the kids keep waking me up!) The kids got the face paints out and Sophie painted Connor, she did a 'hairy six pack'- like dad and rugby players( only dad doesnt any longer have the 6 pack!) and Conor painted spiders and a web on Sophies face- with lots of protests at bathtime!
Tonight I cant go to work, I have no voice beyond a croak, the antibiotics are working... Chloes home from school and her mum is here for the first time in weeks of an evening(friday/sat=-work usually) and were watching the rugby on TV, Im catching up on all Chloes news and chat from the week, Darrens cooking tea and we're all having a real laugh just being together...

Clowning Around

Today the kids attended a workshop run by the Wales Millennium Centre on 'Clowning around'
Run by an excellent tutor, himself a clown and loose rope walker( I'm told this is the opposite of a tightrope...) Francis, the kids enjoyed learning the finer points of slapstick comedy, working in pairs and trios with complete strangers( who says home ed kids have difficulty socialising?) as well as solo performances.I was asked to join in despite my terrible cold( which has migrated to my chest so I should have been in bed!) but the tutor was kind to me and gave me permission to sit out when he realised I was pretty ill!I still had loads of fun when I could and enjoyed being the 'audience' and 'adviser' when I couldn't!

They also tried all sorts of circus skills and I learned to juggle scarves which has inspired me to get hold of juggling kit and I think I will really have a good go at learning to juggle. They also tried stilt walking, plate spinning,diablo, devil sticks,clubs and poi( Sophie's favourite)
I know what I will be buying them for Christmas!! I also picked up some invaluable info and hints for trying some circus skills with older kids and teens at the home ed group

After a very pleasant fish and chip lunch in the sunshine we returned to the Millennium Centre for Slavas snow show...
An incredible piece of theatre.. for over 8's ( smalls just wouldn't enjoy it I don't think, its not obvious/loud enough for smaller kids)
Don't ask what it was 'about'. I couldn't really tell you! It was just incredible clowning and mime, no speaking, just lots of hilarity and what an experience. Really one of those performances where I think I must sound like such a 'lovey' but really, you HAVE to see this show if you get the chance.
Its next in Birmingham at the Hippodrome,if you can get there GET THERE!

It was enthralling, emotional breathtaking soft, fluffy, bouncy,webby, snowy, clowny, ballony, Bubbly, windy, whoosy, giggly, watery fun fun fun.. Connor didn't top laughing and Sophie just sat there open mouthed. You will be literally....blown away ( and it takes ALOT to impress me!)

Ive booked two tickets to let Darren and Chloe go together and experience it on Friday and frankly the plastic will have to deal with it later. I think its a life affecting thing to see so its worth it!If you get the chance ( and you wont be taking an under 8) GO! you wont regret it!

A colleague who had seen it said the same this evening... err it was just .. WOW... cant explain it it was ERRR.. um AMAZING!

The evening was ended with trick or treating for Connor and Trampolining for Soph and I, her training, me teaching( so 'work' for us both in a way!) only with the good news that more hours are on the cards( thank goodness)and that I may be able to have more evening and weekend work in a different role in the centre which is what we've been hoping and praying for as it will allow me to be home fir the children and work.

Home ed is wonderful but the bills need paying ! I also need more time outside of my role in the house, I love my job, I like the people I work with alot and I'm happy in work. I hope this will lead to a better situation financially for us all and also a freedom for me to expand myself a little
I do miss having a 'career'- although I wouldn't swap for the world- if I can have a little more in work that would be fantastic for my personal development and learning! I also think its important for my children to see their parents learning and developing as people outside of the home. Darren and I have talked about swapping roles, hopefully if things work well in my job that wont be necessary and we can both be there for the children.

Tomorrow is the first hall meeting of our new Home education group, exploring 'siege machines' .. I cant wait! I just hope it will be fantastic and everyone will come and enjoy laughing and learning together!