Home Schooling

I don’t know yet how my two (ages 7 and 11, Year 3 and Year 6) are doing — they are 200 miles away. I know they have set work, and can’t escape doing it, luckily. Since my son and DIL are both working from home, I don’t see that there’s anyone free to supervise the children. I really can’t imagine how it works. At their age I don’t think missing a bit of school matters, though if it goes on a long time it will start to.

I’m wondering how lessons will be managed when the children return to school as there will be those who have done their home schooling work and those who haven’t.

My grandchildren are living with us at the moment and so we are heavily involved in the home schooling. They are 12 and go to different schools. The girls' school takes a very sensible approach and sets about 30-45 minutes for each 60 minute lesson.There are 5 in the day. The boy is autistic and so has more difficulties. His co-ed school feels it should fill the whole five hours or more and so he has more work to do. We are enjoying getting involved but it is very hard work as we are not au fait with all the technology invoved and have run out of ink cartridges for the printer! Brushing up on French has been quite a challenge and Art and Drama pose some problems but we are learning a lot.

Two DGC - one with son (13 yrs old) and other with daughter (15 yrs old)

Oldest has all lessons done through ZOOM with daily contact all day with the teachers. She is loving it,

(As an ex Primary Teacher), when children return there will be differentiated lessons planned. This the normal way of planning so all abilities are covered. It is very probable that schools will do assessment during the first 1/2 term to establish gaps in the core subjects and see what progress has or hasn't been made.

My DD has found that they get through the set work far more quickly than she'd thought. Of course at school a lot of time is taken up by break, assembly, changing for gym/games, music etc as well as other children taking up the teacher's time. With her undivided attention they get through it in a morning so can play in the garden pm. They send in their work to the teacher via email and have a Zoom class meeting every week.
On the other hand, yesterday a lady I was talking to said her children did no school work as she was working and her husband at home 'wasn't interested in that sort of thing'!! She just laughed when I said the children might have a rude awakening when back to school. Poor teachers though!

My grandson has been at school through all this, and doesn't seem to have done a thing.

Sorry MissAdventure but I have several friends (teachers and teaching assistants) going into schools to work with groups of children, mixed abilities and ages, whose parents are essential workers. They would be so upset to read that your grandson considers he hasn't done a thing.

These teachers and teaching assistants are putting their lives and their families lives at risk, teaching these children. Many of who have parents that are NHS workers.

MissAdventure Do you really believe your grandson has gone to school for 6 hours and sat doing nothing?

Jane10 - I think if you spoke to almost any home-educating family they would say the same as your daughter.
Most of the school day is not about “education” as such.

Oh, he has done some interesting, fun, educational things, wood mouse, but they seem a lot more relaxed sessions, it seems?

That's not in any way a complaint. I would be happy to see schooling in that way all the time.

Our grand-kids (6 & 3) are enjoying the time home with mum and dad who are both (allegedly) working from home. Older one is just in P1 and does an hour of school work a day, phonics and number work.
They also both do lots of art work, science and nature with mum. They plant/water seeds, feed the birds and decorate their window with the theme of the week. Lots of outdoor play too in this great weather right now.
A fairly constant source of learning!

My eldest daughter has three children aged 11, 8 and 4. The older two have work set by the school and are doing it in the mornings, the afternoons are usually spent crafting or in the garden. The 4 year old is due to start school in September and my daughter is teaching her the basics, how to write her name, recognise letters and recognise and write the numbers 1-10. I think my daughter is doing a sterling job.
My other granddaughter, aged 11 goes to a private school and has her school day on line from 9-3.
They are all learning , but when it all gets too much, as it does sometimes they are allowed to watch some tv.
My elder daughter's husband is a computer geek and has taught them all to program a robot !!

My SiL set up an obstacle course in their garden for the boys to complete against the clock. It feeds into their competitive nature but is great exercise for a couple of couch potatoes and also has taught them how to read the clock and lots of work on addition and subtraction while comparing scores. Plus it's fun time with a generally working Dad. Win win win!

I thought it was interesting that OP mentioned her grandchildren were glad to have a break from their after school activities. Perhaps these days we completely fill children's days.

As far as home schooling is concerned, I imagine it varies from school to school and family to family.

I agree Tangerine. I do really think that children need time to be bored, to dream and imagine or just to read if they want to. Life sometimes seems like a relentless procession from school to one or other organised activity.

There are those that use after school activities as a form of babysitting. The school I worked at quiet often had to wait for pick ups after clubs as parent was late leaving work.

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I think that the good women of Gransnet could teach you a thing or too about writing ?

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Not you Fanny, WiltonBonners post!

Where did my apostrophe go?!!!

Home schooling this lockdown is more structured than last March. My 2 youngest GD's (6 & 7) are quite happy to get on with the work set. My daughter who is working full-time from home and myself share the work between us. We try to get most of it done during the morning and leave the afternoon for art/craft projects they have been set. Workwise, we are keeping up but it is the social side they miss so much.

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I have six grandchildren, three currently living with us.
The ten year old has got on with her work every day, no complaints, but has become very moody and withdrawn, we are worried about her. The seven year old is a nightmare, everything is a battle, and I think since half term we have pretty much given up, I’m disappointed that we’ve failed to engage him, but we all work, and are trying to juggle it all. The little one has finally gone back to nursery, so that’s taken some pressure off.
My other family, the oldest is in a GCSE year, should be a high achiever, but is finding things difficult, and the younger one doesn’t want to go back
I know school closures have been necessary, but I think I lot of damage may have been done.