this will take a few redrafts I imagine! home educating your own children for us has been an evolution as the years go by. We are now going to home education someone elses daughter for 6 months. A child that currently we don’t really know, but are looking forward to her joining our family for 6 months. received wisdom has it that children need to ‘deschool’ when going from school to home ed, to be able to find their feet. This might be so, but FrB will be returning to school after the 6 months are over, and so she doesn’t need to find a pattern to suit the rest of her education, just make the most of the 6 months. Thinking around SB’s experiences at school [we needed some prolepsis there, as think we could have managed it better], and FrB sister C having to ‘catch up’ and do everything she missed on return from Canada, it is clear that we shouldn’t think of this 6 month as being continous learning from her french system. When I think of the education I hoped SB to receive in france, it was mostly that she would learn french, and settle in school and be sociable. I clearly passed that thought onto her, and do wish I had emphasised more striving to do one’s best 
. But it was hard, particularly at the beginning when she had no french and yet these long days of classroom teaching she didn’t understand. Being home educated, FrB will have the opportunity to be learning usefully from the start. There should be no long days of stultifying boredom. Clearly though, she won’t be learning ‘her level’ subjects because she will initially lack the english to understand, process and gain useful information from things presented in that fashion. I have started the process by looking for the outcome.
So, what do I hope FrB will have gained in 6 months
- fluent in speaking and understanding English
- written English progression
- reading/exposure to some ‘english classics’ of literature
- some concept of english chronological history
- feeling part of our family
what other educational experiences will we offer, for her to consider and make her own education from when at home
- science – experimentation
- history – other lapbook/project work
- geography – field study/history
- languages – latin/german/italian options
- maths – conquer maths probaby
- music theory – grade 3 or 4 exam a possibilty?
- arts and crafts
and then the out and abouting – as home education is really not about being hemmed in a building
- museums
- historical sites
- art galleries
- theatres/shows/films
- RI/big bang/cambridge science festival
- kentwell re-enactment
- home ed groups [diverse]
- skills courses [diverse]
‘after school clubs’
- judo
- ballet
- swimming/lifesavers
- guides/scouts both
She will get her own ‘ticksheet’ as I think it is important to have a similar structure to the other girls, but initially it will be quite open and she will get a monthly chance to repopulate it.
who will be doing what?
well, BB is quite happy to go through our 1000 words book with FrB many of which she will prob already know.
SB will perhaps work with her abit if she tries the galore park books
DH and I though will initially be doing with her, and a lot together with the other 2 girls – reading aloud fact and fiction, FrB and sometimes the others taking turns to read back. helping with written work, finding a balance between english language level and concept level. We will be making sure that FrB gains all that she can from the experience.
Drilling Down
1. The Big Chronological History Project.
details to add, but effectively plan to race through british history from palaeolithic to modern in 5 months, with appropriate field trips to sites and museums, reading texts, listening to stories set in the time and watching relevant DVD. some consideration to tying in with French History. All captured in a journal, encompassing art, writing and history. Likely divisions – pre-roman [palaeolithic-celtic], Roman, Saxon and viking, mediaeval incl angevins and WotR, tudor, civil war, georgian and victorian, 20th C. Anyone fancying joining us for any of the trips are more than welcome.
2. The Classical Exposure
details to add, but thinking of mirroring the above with some contemporaneous literature where possible as well as that written in the time, but also some exposure to Shakespeare plays etc. Also a progression through music of the ages. This is sounding a bit ‘great works’ ish.
3. The field trip adventure
arranging visits far and wide – please if you have some must sees/ was def worth the daytrip recommendations please add them to comments! Ideally in a geographical area contained by M25, M40, M42, A15 but of course we will be doing weekends and holidays elsewhere, so if it is JUST THAT FAB include it anyway 
[especially if a weekends worth of other things near]
4. nature journal
we have never really kept a home ed nature journal, tho it always sounds a good idea. It will tie in artiness, science, writing in english and will be something to take home.
