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August. Hot days, but cool evenings, time for another camping holiday, and suddenly, all the shops including the Range are full of back to school displays, and parents are wondering where the summer went and how long the queue for shoe fittings is going to be.
But not all children go back to school. Or even to school in the first place. We’ve been home educating, this time around, for 7 years. While Big did choose to go into school age 15 last September, she’s so far the only one to take the plunge, and this year I’ll have Small, Smallest and Tigerboy all at home with me for their education.
The law in the UK requires parents to ensure that their children, once compulsory school age, receive an education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude and any special needs they may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. We’re definitely in the otherwise category 😉
We don’t do lesson plans and school around the kitchen table, although I know families who do. We tend more to the child led and interest driven approach, although I do like to ensure that the basic of maths/ english are covered in a fairly formal way. This means that there’s no such thing as a typical day here. I often start with a craft or art activity after breakfast for the younger two – this could be drawing based around a favourite picture book or art manual, or we might go out in the garden with a science experiment, or do some gardening or baking.
There are also plenty of trips out – Colchester Zoo once a month for their free workshops (you do have to pay the normal entry fee , roller skating and softplay down the road, science classes with fellow home educators, or guitar group. Trips to the beach feature quite highly, and of course there are our regular reenactment activities, with camping thrown in for free.
None of this stops me browsing stationery – in fact, we probably go through more notebooks and sketchpads than most, given everything is done at home. Smallest is coming up 7 this time, and she does like a plan, so I’m thinking some slightly more organised project style work this year will go down well, starting with a body project as I can bring Tigerboy in on that on his level as well. (He would start in reception if he were going to school, but he’s not compulsory school age, so not actually technically home educated yet. I don’t mark a formal start to education though, so he’s just been included in everything we do to whatever extent he wants to be.) So I was rather pleased with this Grafix set I picked up from the Range, and yes, I topped up our sketchbook and notebook heap too. (We have the Stabilo early writing set for each of them. I like the way the pens have guide holds on them for right or left handers – Smallest is left handed and has found pencil grips hard.)
And now that I’ve done my bit of orgoplanning, I think I’m really looking forward to September. There’s something about an inviting new pile of stationery that just makes you want to dive in, isn’t there?
Are you looking forward to September/back to school, in whatever form that takes?
Mrs TeePot says
Sounds like a really great way to teach/learn, and look at all that glorious stationery! I love a good stationery haul!
Hope the kids, and you, have a great time learning.
Jax Blunt says
thanks Mrs T 🙂
Zoe @ Top Floor Treasures says
I’m looking forward to September, just for some cooler days (I don’t cope well with heat!) I adore stationery but I’ve cut back on buying it over the last year as I made myself use up what I have, before I buy any more!
Jax Blunt says
It felt quite a bit cooler this morning to me, I think the change is coming. I’m trying to be good with stationery, but sketchbooks, you know?
Sarah | Boo Roo and Tigger Too says
What a wonderful way for children to learn, not every child thrives from a classroom and it sounds like you give them a range of activities.
Jax Blunt says
Absolutely do, thanks Sarah.
Helen says
ooh, I might have got a little excited looking at that pile of fresh sketchbooks!
Jax Blunt says
I know Helen, I know!
Ross Mountney says
Am always a sucker for stationary! x