Author Archives: HHaricot

Tues I think both girls were far too exhausted to do a lot however SB has a grade 5 ballet exam and a grade 5 music theory exam this term, so she did a ballet prac to DVD and some music theory. BB, having been amazingly social all weekend, curled up in her own world for the day, mostly exhausted. It was good to rest, as Weds was planned to be very sociable!

SO Weds, I had organised a car share with Merry and we were off to the Sky TV studios not far from Heathrow. Luckilly with so many kids in the car, they only occassionally asked were we nearly there as it was quite a trek! The parking issue was a bit eek, but we all parked, got in and had a fab time due to some last minute spaces I suggested to Mum and Dad that since it was half term they might fancy bringing M and E [and it is far closer to where they live!] and so they did.
It started with a discussion and tour of sky [and a cup of tea for the grownups] and only 1 of the kids had sky – lol! but looking round was great, and our tour lady v friendly and chatty. we went past michael parkinson waiting for a lift too.

the actual skills bit the kids were divided into 4 groups and each produced a section of a news report, writing, filming, editing etc all themselves. Since orig info said no recording/phones etc, it took me a bit to pluck up courage to ask if could use iphone [on airplane mode] to take pics, and they said no probs. apparently the pics/recrding was for when wandering around the studios. SO i took loads of pics. The kids all seemed to really enjoy it, the sky facilitators were great at their job, both encouraging, helping and also quite able to control kids when one seemed to be having more say than others! section 3 – the live outside – made me giggle alot!

SO fab day, here it is…

Friday the girls had a great glass art session with a local home educator who crafts professionally. SB painted on glass with a dark brown and painted in the whole thing and then scratched a design. SB designed a pelican carrying a baby hippo! BB did lots of things, including a turtle. DH took some photos – I hope! and we will get them after they have been processed and framed. I am looking forward to seeing them [and will take pics!]

When I got home from work we then drove up to the peak district to join our friends of many years for fun and celebration in the garden! This involved staying up far too late and chatting most nights and then retiring to our little tents in the field. The weather was glorious, the company excellent and the food was delicious. The girls both had a great time playing with their friends. lots of water fights, some horse riding, warbling to taylor swift and general careening around [guess which child!] as well as some swimming/splashing about. hospitality excellent and had a lovely time, thankyou.

perfect way to spend a weekend

monday was a home ed at home bookish kind of day. SB doing lots of music theory currently as has up and coming grade 5 theory exam. She then had ballet class [working for grade 5] and gym. BB pottered around, did a lot of reading – she has done a reading explosion really, which is great
Tues was v much an out and about day. in the morning was pottery group, one of BB’s favourite things, and in the afternoon SB had english lit group at a museum. so v sociable day then both had swimming.
weds was last wodensmeet, and em, merry couldn’t make it and i could only go in the afternoon, the DH took the girls before, and Babs could come with her family. BB and R being with each other, which is fab Anyway, to make it a fun celebration we did tie dye such a home ed cliche but such fun

dh brought science – comparing mentos in differnet fizzy drinks – they had such a fun time

it has been a fab group and we have had such a lovely time altogether that it is so sad when things end, but streams and pebbles, and things change! will miss regularly seeing zoe, merry and families but hope their kids have a fab time at school.

we did also find out that we had been matched through en famille and were really excited as the family looked a really excellent match.

unfortunately the family is worried about home ed, so we found out on the thursday it wasn’t going to go ahead tho en famille are looking for another match. What a rollercoaster! It must be hard to think that home ed might work if you haven’t ever experienced it, or come into it so late. I am hoping that another family will see it as another opportunity to experience something different and widen horizons, and we’re not averse to using brought over maths books, or a list of science or history topics, for example. we’ll see. This has some of the wide range of books we use with SB, but obviously we have all the resources down to when she was preK, and now some more added [will be due an update in Jan] and the photoblogs above show what a home ed day might look like, as i don’t tend to blog all the she did maths, she did english etc! fingers crossed!

thurs was again mostly bookish, tho BB had a hospital appointment. then in the eve it was cubs and guides for the girls

tomorrow they are both going to a glass workshop which sounds fab.

getting a bit late to blog the weekend! however, we did have a lovely chilled weekend.

SB did a bit of book work so that she would achieve her weekly ticksheet target and get a book

We played games

we did some gardening – potting up in the greenhouse and weeding some veg beds

and we made putt putt engines, and will hopefully turn into a boat . we stopped at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFkyr_yhIOE

Both girls did their music practices as well, tho BB hurt her hand so couldn;t do her cello. We messed about outside

I do wish DH would blog. He does do most of the home educating, he does lots of interesting going out and about with the girls doing the week. He does all the meeting with local home educators. If he blogged, this would be nice for me – i would find out what happened. Home educated kids can be pretty much like schooled kids. what did you do today – err nothing [head in book/playing minecraft dependant on whether SB/BB . The blog would perhaps be a bit more interesting – after all, i blog book work, weekends and weds. SInce currently work is being stressful, filling the whole of my life and more, i find myself to need to just go blah at the weekend , so nothing interesting here either! nag nag nag…

ANyway, monday the local home ed group had a synagogue trip. The lady there talked about the jewish religion, the clothes, the kosher food, the sabbath. It was interesting – apparently the lady seemed worried at first but was then OK [this is a direct quote from SB] They saw the everlasting light and learnt about the scrolls all written by hand [i have jut asked and surprisingly the kids are telling me!!] They had lunch in a cafe in town, which they enjoyed and then came home. Monday was ballet night and SB missed gym as wrist still sore.

tuesday neither of them remember doing anything I think this was a bookish day – edited to add – apprently they did do something they went to my inlaws as DH had some jobs to do for them, they only watched a little bit of telly apparently . Also both had swimming in the eve Weds is already blogged for most of the day. When the deependers had gone home, BB and I did some draw a dinosaur from her usborne book

SB did some home ed book stuff and then some lute prac – linked to before playing her only tune . both of them went to Judo, tho i think it hurt SB’s wrist a bit.

Thurs was the home ed sports day. Both girls really enjoy this, SB certainly came home v grassy! They did rugby races and met and laughed with their friends. I managed to come home from work earlier than expected, and found DH had taken my key of my car keys, so had to wait for them to return. Played a few boad games, did some music theory with SB to make sure she understood the grade 5 intervals. In the eve I took BB to cubs, and really loved watching her happily skip in Cubs really suits her and it is wonderful . I think it suits her better than brownies ever did SB. She is going on the cubs camp in the summer, and we have a form to sign to allow her to shoot an air rifle – eek!!! SB went to have a ‘cook out’ at guides. Guides now suits her OK, as she has a group of friends there she is happy with, although they do try and persuade her to go to school, she isn’t saying yes.

Friday was conservation, starting half an hour earlier than normal. Again with the local home ed group. This time they SB dug holes and planted trees and made a ‘dead hedge’ out of sticks, BB collected stick stones and mud for the next group coming in. they had bangers and mash cooked over the camp fire and v much enjoyed their time there. [tho getting this info from them is blood out of a stone!] fri eve SB has ballet again. During the week we watched some of the wildlife in the hebrides programmes, and hoped to catch a glimpse of our friends on Rum, but we didn’t.

another great day with friends, this time the deependers with their en famille daughter. A history day, but some friends had broken cars, and others appointments to keep and others still extra working days. The theme was trade with china – lord macartney and opium, and also coal and steam. We took an artist from the period as well = turner. We met the deependers en famille daughter as well, who is lovely and SB is more than ever keen to go.

DH thought we should use our skills to potentially create opium but instead we baked bread and put poppy seeds on the rolls and discussed opium, what it does and how it is used and abused [PSHE?] . Our bread roll baking does seem to be going well. We clearly had to let it prove, knock back and shape and then cook, but here are the finished loaves, v well received

Following that, K took everyone in the conservatory to make bonsai trees from pipe cleaners, wire, felt and sequins. This was to discuss Macartneys mission to China, develop the need for trade to be 2 way idea, and discuss kowtowing. ANyway, it is thought his emabssy may have brought back bonsai . SB spent ages making her bonsai. We also looked at a book of bonsai and discussed the techniques. I think we will dig up some seedlings and have a go – meant to do that in history as well but ran out of time!

After the obligatory pasta lunch, we then discussed the life and art of Turner, and used watercolours to try and get some of his blurry shots. There is a gap here as k-the-younger only finished after i took the pick. K and I did one each too, as nice and relaxing. I agree with waldorf that using good materials enhances the learning. Poster paint wouldn’t have had the same impact here as watercolour. I have to say, we def aren’t Steiner educators tho, just like many learning philosophies there are interesting and relevant bits to pick up.

Our final history was to discuss steam, making workable steam engines, the beginning of the end for the cottage industry and the rise of mechanisation, and from their industrialisation. I would have discussed luddites, but TBH, the pop pop boats were far too much fun K had bought some some while ago at Greenbelt, so we didn’t self assemble, but that is on our list of things to do

A great day, thankyou

Tues was pottery group for BB, and she brought back a fair bit of work already done. SHe really enjoys pottery

my parents came up to visit, having holidayed in turkey. Dad did some garden tidying up for us, mum some music practice with the girls. We had some good chatting in the evening, and they found out about en famille – slightly less shocking that home ed it seems . Lovely seeing my parents, we just don’t do it quite enough really. And I got a present – some pomegranite and pistacio turkish delight – yum [i only like proper turkish delight]

Saturday we went out to kentwell open day. I had a storming migraine of massive proportions [which ended up lasting 5 days - grr!] and so mostly sat in my chair trying out the appearance of human However, looking forward to Kentwell in the summer – do come and visit! As we left it suddenly tipped it down in mega flood proportions and then hailed – fabulous. It immediately reminded me of duke of edinburgh award

The day after was our en famille home visit. Ever since SB has had friends going off doing en famille exchanges, i have always been pleased she has shown no interest whatsoever. However, last year she declared she was ready to go, to the point that she got the forms and filled them out. SO we did too. I have to saythat i will miss her massively if we get matched, am not sure the whole 6 months away is bearable, and worth it for me, even if she would speak fluent french on return. However, for her, she is absolutely sure this is something that she would love to try. S here goes, we have applied, been to meetings, and now had our home visit. Hopefully that went ok too. not sure what they are looking for! SB made fab choc pudding again tho, that may be a swaying factor in her benefit

i did some gardening, sweetcorn second lot sown now as well. Next thing to do will be potting out and on the toms etc.