home schooling

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PGD1

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Does anybody have any direct or near direct experience of home schooling.
The general idea is that becuase it is 1-on-1 you can cover the same material in much less time. This leaves time for "social" activities and "character building" activities, which must include interaction with other children.
 
It's true that you can cover material more quickly BUT. You need to be really committed; you need to be imaginative in covering topics; and you need to be able to settle the kids so that they enjoy it. You're right, you have to incorporate activities with other kids so they don't miss out on their peer group. It's definately a lot easier to drop kids off at school.. There is a home schooling organisation in Ireland, which you might be able to track down on Google.
 
There is an organisation for homeschooling in Ireland their addy is [broken link removed]
 
FYI my wife is a qualified primary school teacher and the plan is for the kids to be in home-schooling only for the primary school years.

My concerns are around how they would integrate into a classroom style teaching environment when they hit secondry school.
 
Hi PGD1
I admire your and your wifes' committement to home education. I hope all goes well for you.

I think as parents we have a hard enough job educating our children in the non-academic ways of life as it stands. I believe the teacher pupil relationship is an important one ... it gives another perspective on things. I wonder would the child become too insular being home schooled? I know for my eldest child the most difficult part of primary school is the logistics ... changing her shoes, rememebering to bring her books home etc. That coupled with the fitting in and getting on with other children on a day to day basis are important lessons to learn for later life.
 
Becuase my wife is a teacher is is perfectly happy covering the course material.
The advantages she sees are:

- she/we get to spend more time with our children
- the children get a more rounded education. For example, the "extra curricular" activities would involve volunteering with charity groups etc etc and getting out and about and seeing more of the world (well, Dublin anyway).

Does anybody know of anybody else who is doing this or planning to?
 
There was a snippet on the Tubridy Show on RTÉ radio this morning about home schooling which you can probably find archived on the RTÉ website. One of the children in question sounded like a right precocious brat though so be warned.
 
ClubMan said:
There was a snippet on the Tubridy Show on RTÉ radio this morning about home schooling which you can probably find archived on the RTÉ website. One of the children in question sounded like a right precocious brat though so be warned.
Click to expand...

I heard the show- the jury is still out. One of the callers said that the said "precocious brat" sounded like he should be a lecturer in Trinity! I know a family who opted to school their children at home. The children would appear to be quite bright and well balanced by all accounts BUT they are without question more comfortable in adult company than with their peers. The children are eager to please adults and seem quite aloof- they are not interested in "childish" activities like playing outdoor games etc. Knowing the parents, as I do, I'm not surprised! I think children who are home schooled will miss out on social interaction and other formative experiences if they are not mixing with their peers, but each to their own I suppose.
 
I think many home-schooling parents are well aware that their kids may be missing out socially and so get them involved in local sports, scouts/cubs, arts and other activities to be with their peer group. Never mind playing with the neighbours' kids. It's probably easier to do that in Dublin than if you're in a remote place down the country.
 
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