Comments on Sometimes It's Peaceful: Changing times

Hiya Trog!Oh, will he? :-( Why am I not surprised?...

2008-09-05T06:26:00.000+01:00

Hiya Trog!

Oh, will he? :-( Why am I not surprised? Sigh.

Wow, thanks for the offer though. I will definitely take you up on that - we're about due for a coffee, aren't we? ;-) I'll get in touch when we've got some specific questions. Thanks so much xx

Gill, just thought I'd note that Tom will have to ...

2008-09-05T01:25:00.000+01:00

Gill, just thought I'd note that Tom will have to register with Revenue and Customs regardless of how much he's earning, but obviously that doesn't mean he has to earn enough to actually pay tax.

Anyhoo, you know where we are if you/he want to chat tax issues...

I can't speak for any others Riaz, but I don't giv...

2008-09-01T19:50:00.000+01:00

I can't speak for any others Riaz, but I don't give much thought myself to the practical business of schools, since it doesn't affect us here one way or the other. If I did bother to think about it, I'd be sorry (in a detached sort of way) for the people who were inconvenienced or upset by the closure whilst vainly hoping it might be another nail in the school system's coffin, maybe.

September has arrived and it's back to school for ...

2008-09-01T11:48:00.000+01:00

September has arrived and it's back to school for most kids. Up and down the country a small number of schools are not re-opening their doors since they closed in July - because they have closed down. This is usually due to an insufficient number of children to keep them viable due to changing demographics, but an increase in home education often hastens their demise. In one Local Authority two

Oh thanks, Future Mum! What a lovely confidence-bo...

2008-08-29T06:35:00.000+01:00

Oh thanks, Future Mum! What a lovely confidence-booster. Just what I needed :-)

My children have gone through phases of wanting to do workbooks Ruth, and I'm usually pleased when they do but I think I'm more interested in the other ways they find to learn. That reminds me: I've got some pics to blog about that.

But you remind me that autonomous home ed is actua...

2008-08-28T15:46:00.000+01:00

But you remind me that autonomous home ed is actually one of the most difficult ways of doing it, isn't it? Because of the level of trust involved, and the need to force ourselves to stop trying to take charge of their learning process.

It is hard. Harder then structure cos then I more or less get to decide;0 However I feel bad in the process and D just won't have it anymore. Take

I just wanted to say how much I love your blog and...

2008-08-28T12:08:00.000+01:00

I just wanted to say how much I love your blog and column in the Green Parent - always inspiring, funny and exciting. Thank you

LOL Ruth, I'm not going to slap you ;-) But you re...

2008-08-27T07:30:00.001+01:00

LOL Ruth, I'm not going to slap you ;-) But you remind me that autonomous home ed is actually one of the most difficult ways of doing it, isn't it? Because of the level of trust involved, and the need to force ourselves to stop trying to take charge of their learning process. Because they get those times when they don't seem to be doing much, and the temptation is to start panicking and to

I have long been a believer in separating educatio...

2008-08-26T18:14:00.000+01:00

I have long been a believer in separating education from examination. If I knew how to take GCSEs outside of the school system back in my childhood then I would have dropped out of school. Only a tiny elite number of people knew back then unlike today where children even as young as 7 or 8 are taking GCSEs as private candidates.

I'm also in favour of more apprenticeships and vocational

As you know I am stressing over G starting college...

2008-08-26T10:32:00.000+01:00

As you know I am stressing over G starting college. At least she is doing something she is passionate about but I could see easier and more hands on ways to gain the same experience.It is hard for her to go back into the system, after being out of it for so long, even as a near adult who knows what she wants. August has ended up being our "best" learning month this year mainly cos I butted

Ah, your comment reminds me of this article.

2008-08-26T07:49:00.000+01:00

Ah, your comment reminds me of this article.

A few months ago I set up a discussion forum for h...

2008-08-24T18:11:00.000+01:00

A few months ago I set up a discussion forum for home educating children with Asperger syndrome. It can be found at here.

I agree with you about qualifications being overrated and leading to stressful jobs in corporations with cultures you don't believe in. University was 4 years of disappointment for me. Apart from degrees

Hi Lisa, I'm glad you enjoyed the post :-) Yes, qu...

2008-08-24T08:08:00.000+01:00

Hi Lisa, I'm glad you enjoyed the post :-) Yes, qualifications aren't the be all and end all, are they? And as the saying goes, mine have never done me any good! Though if any of the teenagers had said: I want to work for an exam now, I'd have supported them all the way of course.

The rain is my friend - it's saving me from needing to water my new grass seed! But I realise I'm unusual

Hi Gill,This bit made me smile,"We ended up starti...

2008-08-23T22:18:00.000+01:00

Hi Gill,

This bit made me smile,
"We ended up starting our own meetings, to be sure of being able to attend the kind that we wanted." As I, too, have had fruitless conversations with home edders sometimes, who are quite unhappy with what is 'on offer' in the community. I think, in the end, people have to work out that part of the decision to home ed is realising that there is no

Thanks for that Gill, it's always interesting read...

2008-08-23T20:12:00.000+01:00

Thanks for that Gill, it's always interesting reading about your older kids. Socety's expectation that every kid needs a string of qualifications really irks me, doesn't make them employable by any means and not everyone wants to get on the career merry-go-round. It's nice to hear of young people like Tom who have the confidence to do their own thing.
We've battened down the hatchs as well