Subscription options
Other places.
I'm an
Available on your Kindle
time travel to the past
Categories
Pages
- 100 Book Challenge
- Affiliate links and disclosure policy.
- Baby, it’s cold outside.
- Big’s first history project – resources.
- Big’s pages
- Camping list
- Climate week.
- Cluster Map
- Contact form
- Downsizing in the extreme way
- Fashion victim.
- Favourite reads for a two year old boy
- Growing up.
- Just say no
- Keeping your computer safe on t’internet.
- Lands end widget
- More clothing dilemmas
- Our Weather
- Second celebrations
- Secret obsessions.
- Squeezing pennies, but still having fun.
- Thoughts on hoarding
- Typical day posts
- Vitamins, minerals, pregnancy, deficiencies.
- WordPress Smilies
blog badges
Category Archives: how we do it
The economics of home education – a personal point of view.
One of the odd things about home education is how many myths surround it. For example, there is often this theory that only the rich can do it, that it’s out of reach of ordinary families as they can’t afford … Continue reading
Posted in how we do it
7 Comments
The whole early years/ school age thing and home education, with a book review.
Increasingly via twitter I’m getting contacted about home education. This is good. I’m glad that ppl have somewhere to reach out to. When I was considering it for Big, all those years ago, my online answers came courtesy of the … Continue reading
Hannibal returns.
Years ago, when I was a much younger and less experienced parent (and actually thought there might be a Right Way to do things, that only I didn’t know) Big went to nursery. It was a very good nursery. The … Continue reading
Posted in Big, Soa, how we do it
Tagged attention seeking, biting, discipline, nursery, Parenting
4 Comments
Learning to read – a carnival!
So sorry this has taken me so long to post. without any further ado… Here’s Katie from Outside the Box with her Change makes you wanna hustle post about different approaches for different children. Drool over the absolute gorgeousness that … Continue reading
Posted in carnival, how we do it
Tagged carnival, dyslexia, home education, learning to read
2 Comments
Learning to read, take three.
What with the whole home education thing, I’ve been very involved in the learning to read process for both of my older children. I think I’ve learnt something from that experience. Point 1 – there is no one way that … Continue reading
Posted in It's where it is, Soa, carnival, how we do it, reeling, writhing
Tagged bob books, learning to read, Montessori, Stile trays
2 Comments
A quick rant.
I’ve been inspired by an article in a newspaper to have a quick end of year rant. Toby Young is displaying his educational ignorance in the Independent. As the father of three boys under five, I share the Government’s concerns. … Continue reading
Posted in how we do it, political stuff, ranting or raving
Tagged EYFS, nappy curriculum, toby young
5 Comments
How do you get from no structure to sats
in one quick year? Today I had the children do a Level 3 Sats Maths paper. Earlier this year they were doing nothing structured at all while I waited for them to deschool, so how and why have we got … Continue reading
Posted in Ages past, Big, Jonny had two apples, Small steps, how we do it
29 Comments
A tale of two children.
My children are very similar, and very different. I’m often accused of cloning, which I find amusing now that they are growing up – Big’s hair has darkened and her blue eyes are now brown. Small is still blond and … Continue reading
Pondering that statement of intent from the home education review.
We all have plans for the future and hopes for our children. It’s kind of what parents do. And it is our responsibility to equip our children for a life in the community that they are part of – sounds … Continue reading
Posted in home education review, how we do it, political stuff
Tagged Graham Badman, hereview, home education review, Paula Rothermel
3 Comments
autonomy vs peace and quiet…
I have been waiting since January for my children to deschool, stop watching endless CBBC or playing on mind numbing websites, for them to show and develop some interests and learn to get along instead of screeching and bickering all … Continue reading
Curriculum courtesy of the red cross.
Picked up several good books in the Red Cross yesterday and am planning to require a certain amount of purposeful or focussed activity each week as I still think that boredom is our largest problem here. I don’t want it … Continue reading
Posted in how we do it
Leave a comment
home education, why and how – a blog roundup.
At this time of the year, when so many children are starting or returning to school a small percentage are not. They are staying at home with their families and being home educated. I asked readers to write a little … Continue reading
Posted in how we do it
Tagged home education review, how to home educate, why home educate
20 Comments
Home education – why and how? Call for posts
In the past I’ve read some really inspiring posts on various ppl’s blogs on the why and how of how they came to home education and how it works for them as a family now. I’d love to read some … Continue reading
Summer bad for your child’s brain?
What about the rest of the year? References John Holt, who was one of the resources that introduced home education to me. It’s great stuff, if you haven’t read it I suggest you do, try How Children Learn and How … Continue reading
Posted in how we do it
Leave a comment
Washing and sewing and stropping and stuff
Despite recent suggestions otherwise, the children are still addicted to screen time. I’m not quite sure what to do about it – I’d like to let them autonomously work through it, but behaviour deteriorates rapidly around here if they do … Continue reading
Posted in Big, It's where it is, Making things, Puters!, Small steps, how we do it
6 Comments
What’s it all for?
The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable- (a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and (b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at … Continue reading
Posted in home education review, how we do it
Tagged educational theory, hereview, home education review
3 Comments
cause and effect or bribery and punishment?
First day of the new system, it appears that the children had a rather different idea to how it was going to work than I did. Our system doesn’t involve boxes per child prestacked with work – I’m nowhere near … Continue reading
Something’s got to change.
Another day of petty squabbling and far too much screen time, with reluctance to go outside (it did rain somewhat, which didn’t help) which culminated in tears at bedtime when Small wanted to play as they barely had all day, … Continue reading
Posted in Big, Doodling, drawing and decoration., Making things, OU, Puters!, Small steps, how we do it
6 Comments
The whys and hows.
Recently I blogged an article about teaching children to think and it gave rise to the following comment. never done this before but while drifting through the home ed. sites, found yours & felt compelled to write. how do you … Continue reading
Posted in how we do it
2 Comments
Boredom is good for them.
Over the last day or two, the children have started to get bored of the television and computer. This shows quite simply – they fight, which is not so good, and then they start to do other things, which is … Continue reading
