Education Everywhere

It has been a while since I blogged and the last couple of months have been really tough; grieving for my mum has been harder than I anticipated.

Home eduction, had, I thought, fallen to the way-side; however, this period of adjustment has helped me to understand even more that learning happens all the time.  As one astute home-ed mum pointed out to me when I was worrying about the lack of 'doing', "your children have just learnt how grief affects someone and that it is OK to grieve - this lesson they would never have got at school."  So for this blog, I have decided to simply list some of the things we have been up to.  No 'lessons', no agenda, simply being......

Learnt to care for a dog (this is Stella, we dog sat for my brother)

Learnt to share, care and roller-skate!

.....or how to be pulled along by a dog!

How the Tudors dressed and danced

Climbed trees

Care for another dog (this is CoCo who we dog sat)

The joys of a pint by the river....

How to carry out a postnatal visit.

Visiting the skate park

Plant and label the vegetable patch

All of this learning without really planning, and not a workbook in sight!  At the end of each day, I have started to ask the children what they have 'learnt' today... and I am loving how this is so revealing.  Noah told me yesterday that he learnt to share, make new friends, plan his day, load the dishwasher....  Lily learnt to negotiate pricing and what she can get for her money, how to work the new sat nav and that she enjoys being at home.

I am really enjoying them being at home now and would feel really sad if they chose to go back to school.  I want to continue doing this for as long as they want to.... as hard as it is, as fed-up as I feel sometimes, I love that I know my children; that I have learnt how to be more patient than I thought possible; that there is so much to see and do; that I don't have to go out in the rain for the school run, that reading aloud is as interesting to me as to them; that cuddles are priceless; that I can do this!

angela xx

May the sun shine again!

It has been a very difficult couple of weeks since my mother died; her death affected me far more than I anticipated and I have had to accept that I am grieving for her, and for all the lost years in-between.  I have a client due any day, but have had to hand over her care to another wonderful midwife for this week at least, as I give myself some space to breathe and care for me and the family.

I am however, starting to feel better, and am confident that there will be better times and sunny days ahead!  Since I last posted, I have paid very little attention to the children; Noah, I have noticed has become quite disruptive and aggressive and there is lot's of bickering between them all.  Thinking about it fully, I am aware that he is quite probably BORED.  My grief is not his grief, and whilst the children have been as understanding as they can be (for children!) they have / had no emotional attachment to my mum, so it's totally alien to them to feel upset.

Today I decided it was time to nip the boredom in the bud, and to try and focus my energy on them.  Wednesday is history club: Noah really did not want to go as he is missing his friend Jasper (he's not doing it this term), but I rallied him up and we headed off to Woking for the Tudor's session.  In the end, Lily and Noah really enjoyed the session, and today they did some weaving and learnt about the Tudor 'diet', and Noah made a new friend.  I did have to stop myself from giggling at the presenter today; he-spoke-in-such-a-monotone-voice-that-the-children-were-very-bored-and-I-thought-he-would-be-great-for-my-insomnia!  Poor boy (yes he was young enough to say that!) was totally scared by all the people looking up to him.

Tudor Weaving....

On the way back from History club, we stopped at Mercedes-Benz World and had a little wonder around (we had to collect something from there), and even stopped for tea & cake.  The plan had been to come home and follow up on the tudor lesson, but with the sun shining beautifully we headed off to the park on our bikes instead.  Lily spent almost two hours roller-skating (need to take camera next time) and Noah made another new friend and went 'exploring' for most of the time!

We plan to follow our time-table again and to bring some kind of routine into our daily lives.... we are also planning some huge changes (watch this space) but in the meantime, let's hope the sun continues to shine.  Everything feels better when the sun is shining.

Angela xx

When it doesn't rain.....

Life has a funny way of ensuring that just when you have it all under control, it decides to show you that actually Mother Nature is in charge - not us!

At the start of last week I thought I was getting things 'sussed' so to speak.  The girls in school; Noah enjoying home-schooling; a loose time-table in place.....  things were looking good.  It's amazing how in just 7 short days your life can change significantly - learning to go with the flow is something I am starting to have to become good at.

In December 1993, I was a 17 year old girl, studying at college and on the cusp of adult-hood.  My mum, took a huge overdose that Christmas and my life changed.  Overnight.  Mum slipped into a coma and when she finally came-round it was clear that things were not good.  My bright, intelligent, funny, mother was severely and irreversibly brain damaged.  My world crumbled and for 18 years I had to slowly let her go, greive for her, and come to terms with the fact the my mother did not really know me; was bed-ridden; tube-fed and had very limited awareness of the world around her.  To help me bare with the heart-break, and to make it easier for others, I simply told most people she had died; and in a way she had.  The woman she had been was not a refelction of the shell that exisited, and every time I saw her another part of my heart would break.

So, back to March 2012 and me being super-pleased that I was in control; clearly not!  On Saturday, after 18 long years my mother finally passed away.  In the same week, my best friend told me some heartbreaking news; my lovely Lily realised that she really did not want to be at school (we always thought this might be inevitable)  and suddenly I am trying to keep it all together.

So what next?  The funeral is next week and for me this means I can finally have closure and say goodbye to the person I loved most in the world; Lily and Noah will remain home-schooled and we will just enjoy it, take one day at a time and not make any decisions about 'education'; I shall have reduce my midwifery work from after the summer so that I can support my children as best I can; and I guess, in truth, will really have to learn to 'go with the flow'.

Angela x

School, Cookies and Learning

To describe this week as interesting could be an understatement; but we have survived! And it's Friday!

Tuesday

With Lily at home and the atmosphere quite stressed, we attempted to carry on as 'normal'; of course normal in the Horler house-hold can be elusive.  Just heading out the door to meet a previous client in Ham, and I notice the cat has been sick.  Except it's not sick.  It's half of a Cookie; Cookie being the family HAMSTER!! OMG, how horrid.  Lily of course is the owner of little cookie so that did not help the whole 'stressed out at home' situation.  I decided to cancel the coffee, clean up the Cookie mess and instead we headed to the local library and spent time reading, choosing books and just taking stock.  

The library turned out to be a great learning opportunity as being Shrove Tuesday, Noah had lots of questions about lent and pancakes and easter, so we sat and looked at lots of books and learnt all about that. Once home, I read with the children.  Noah and I are reading Journey to the River Sea which we are really enjoying, and Lily and I are reading War Horse as we would like to see it at the Theatre.

After lunch, we started to look at the Solar System and Noah and Lily started to assemble a model, whist we looked up facts and information from the books we had loaned from the library.  

Wednesday

We had a really difficult start to the day; lily was sent back to school and she cried, screamed, and sent abusive BBM's to me.  Lovely.  However, tough love seemed to work because she came home from school with a smile on her face!  There are a few things still to iron out, and it may still be that another school may suit her better, or she comes home.  For now we are trying to be supportive and listening.

Noah had a play date on Wednesday as I had to do some midwifery work.  In the evening he helped me to make dinner and made his first 'Cottage Pie' and was very proud of him-self!

Thursday

Initially I was supposed to teaching a Y7 class, however as Noah was unable to come with me and I did not want to 'off-load' him again, that was cancelled.  Instead, we sat and played chess, then we talked about his home learning and decided to come up with a more structured time-table together, accommodating what he most likes to learn and balancing that with my work and what I would like him to learn.  We are both please and excited about the time-table that will start next week.

We then did some Art and Crafts and Noah created a giant beef-burger poster (his favourite food).  This made us hungry so we shared a picnic on the living room floor and chatted about all sorts of things! 

Painting

Time to whizz off then for an antenatal (Noah brought workbooks along) and then before Piano we visited the park to enjoy the early spring sunshine.  Life feels sooo much better when the sun is shining!

Practising piano

Today

Our new time-table has Fridays as a chill /geography/ field trip day.  Noah made us breakfast (dippy eggs!) and we are currently sat in bed reading, watching TV, and blogging!  Later on we are out for lunch.

Making breakfast

I am looking forward to starting next week again; I still have a lot of wobbly days home-edding and Noah is on the waiting list for two local schools.  On the days when I feel calm and focused, I feel I can cope with anything - however some days I think arrrgghhhh.  Can't do this!  What is reassuring is seeing how much Noah has progressed over the last few months; his speech, interest in learning, ability to play creatively, his love of reading are all really noticeable developments.  He really enjoys being at home, but is not adverse to school either, so we are just taking it week by week at the moment!

Angela x

I HATE SCHOOL!

So currently I have Lily back home; she was probably just getting into the swing of things at school and has now has the half-term break to think about all the things that make her anxious.  Hence, Sunday morning it started with her displaying anxious behaviours (we know her very well now) and culminated in a very tearful Sunday night and Monday morning with the clear message that she HATE's school.

I don't know whether I am coming or going; I don't know if I can do this; I don't know if I can keep calm and carry on.  I want to be able to do this, and to support my children and provide learning opportunities for them.  HELP!  I love the idea of autonomous education, but feel we need more structure.  Structure means more effort (I think!)... plus Lily just needs lots of love at the moment.

Answers on a postcard please!

This Week....

....we have been busy!  Lily has been at school full-days and has found that much better than she thought.  We have had a few upsets and sibling rivalry but otherwise all is good for the girls at school.  I think they were mightily disappointed that the snow had melted by the time they got out of school today!

On Monday, Noah and I spent the morning at home just pottering and preparing for the week ahead.  Noah is slowly developing a real love of reading so it was great to see him sit and read for a really long time and then come and tell me all about what he was reading.

Tuesday was spent visiting Hogarth House in Chiswick which was really interesting and Noah enjoyed the trip.  I think what he enjoyed most though was that we were in a group of about 5 other boys all around his age; he had a great time chatting and playing with them all.

Wednesday is History club at Surrey History Centre (a great place to take the children) and it was the last session on Romans.  Noah has really enjoyed this group (not least because his new best friend Jasper goes along too) and is looking forward to studying the Tudors next half-term.  In the afternoon I taught another Y7 group, so Noah went off to Jaspers to play; I really enjoyed teaching (I did a session on labour and birth) however this particular group were quite fixated on death and dying.  Too many soap opera's influencing their knowledge me thinks.

Thursday Noah spent the whole morning on his roller-blades perfecting the art!  We are decorating (that's a very royal 'we' as I am basically choosing colours and Ben is doing all the grafting) so there is no furniture in the sitting room which makes it a great roller disco venue.  Lily also got new skates this week so they are having a great time!  In-between bouts of roller-blading, Noah and I painted a huge coliseum; Noah learnt how to make a drawing look curved as well as how to blend colours to get the right shade (apparently coliseums where 'skin' coloured so it took a while).  Noah is very proud of his piece of work.

We have been doing postnatal visits in the afternoon to the lovely baby who arrived safe and sound last week: on Thursday afternoon the proud dad took Noah and their dog for a walk whilst I saw to mummy and baby.  I think dad was quite worn out by the end and amusedly asked me where Noah gets his energy from and observed that 'he talks quite a lot'.  Yes.  I know.  I think he just talks as much as he can when his sisters aren't there because usually he cant get a word in edgeways!

Today I needed to work most of the day so Noah spent the day with his Abuelo (that's my dad, and is spanish for grandpa).

Angela xx

(Sorry - no photos this week as I was totally useless and forgot my camera.  duh)

Half-term next week so we are just doing fun things as a family.  And hopefully have a few lie-ins!

Home-school-home-school....

So its been three weeks since the girls headed off back to Secondary School; I haven't posted since then as it's been a bit strange without them and Noah and I have been working things out too.

Sophie has really settled back in and is loving everything about being back.  Lily has found things a bit harder, and although made a great start found it all too much and went on strike in week 2!  The school have been very supportive however, and Lily has been doing half days, phasing her entry into school.  This Monday sees her return to full days and then after half-term she will also have home-work again: she is taking it one day at a time and knows that we are here for her should she decided school is not for her.

Noah and I have been continuing our home-ed journey.  Noah has settled the most into being at home and is keen to try different things, loves the freedom of home and has made some really good friends.  Although I have been unsure about everything, he is so settled and happy that we have decided to keep going indefinitely.  That is, there is no rush to get him to school, and as long as he wishes to stay at home and we can do this, then we will!

This week we have done some interesting learning:

Monday: On mondays we meet with other home-ed children at Walton for Rock-climbing.  Noah loves this and gets to burn of lots of energy.  In the afternoon I taught a Y7 class about Labour and Birth, so Noah went to play with a friend.

Tuesday: We are visiting Hogarth House in Chiswick next week, so we spent the morning looking at the Georgian Period; we looked at a history time-line so Noah could put that period into context, and then listened to a children's radio programme about Georgian architecture.  A quick trip to the library to get some relevant books, and then Noah spent the afternoon designing a Georgian home.  Jasper, Noah's home-ed friend came for a sleepover.

Wednesday: Noah attends History club at Surrey History Centre and is currently learning all about the Romans.  Later on we went on a shopping trip for the gun Noah has had his eye on for several weeks.

Thursday: I was at a birth all Weds night and most of Thursday, so Noah got to spend the day helping at Daddy's work (which he LOVES to do!)

We try to have a chill day on Friday, so whilst I did housework Noah watched his favourite TV programmes and then made some rafts to float in the sink.  We had a quick trip to the shops for some essentials and then we finally carried out our Volcano experiment...(when I have worked out HOW to link to a video clip you shall all get to see it! LOL)

angela xx