all quiet at the moment.... · Wednesday August 1, 2007 by Ann
I’m sitting at the computer before anyone else is awake.
There was a flurry of activity in the PC yesterday to make sure all the responses for the consultation went in on time. We have been notified of a responder number 858 so we know that we got many responses in to counter all the LA ones, who will be asking for more powers to monitor our children and assess standards etc.
Any type of externally imposed assessment of standards or progress is IMHO detrimental to our whole learner managed/autonomous style of education. In the case of our children, who left their schools so badly damaged by the experience, any suggestion of being tested by a home ed inspector would have left them terrified.
Even the paperwork sent out by our local LA stating that the HE child should fill out an A4 sheet explaining about their HE was much more than my children could have done-especially Lucy.
We never did do anything like that of course, we have always declined the invitation to have a home visits, never filled in their questionnaire and never supplied any examples of the children’s work.
Instead we send in our ‘educational philosophy’ and a brief report of all of the activities, workshops, and projects the children have been involved in. Nowadays of course I only have to supply one for Lucy, as the other two are passed compulsary school age.
Anyway I am sitting here in peace waiting for the girls to wake up.
They are off together to the Big Green Gathering later this morning. They will return on Monday.
They have a lift with one of their friends that they are going with. Fiona’s mom is giving them all a lift to Weston, where they will catch a bus to the site of the gathering.
The girls were up late shopping for dried food and then packing, so it is hardly surprising they are sleeping still. I’ll have to wake them soon though.
When we deregistered them from school, our aim was to help them regain their self belief and self confidence, by the end of their compulsary education age. We never dreamt that our home education journey would give them that in bucket loads, nor that Lucy would have enough confidence to be going to an event such as this, without me! Because of the severe dyslexia, she has been so dependant for such a long time, but I heard her tell a close HE friend yesterday, that she really had ‘got’ reading now and so can manage life by herself
;o)
I am thrilled for them both that they are going, a little jealous that I am not and not too anxious about there safety as there are a couple of other home ed parents going as well, Jennie who is going to be their responsible adult and another couple, K &T. T will be working at the gathering, with his knife sharpening machine, which is powered by an old bicycle. K&T are happy to be there for the girls should they need it too.
Jennie’s girls will be there too and they are close friends of our girls and another couple of the girls HE friends.
Jennie’s birthday occurs whilst they are at the gathering, so the girls and I have painted a big sheet, with the words “Happy Birthday Jennie” on it, with lots of stars, so that they can tie it to the side of Jennie’s tent during the night, so Jennie wakes up to our birthday greeting. Hope she likes it. The girls thought of the idea as they want to give her a lovely day. We have not added her age!
My brother in law Richard (now recovered from his hospital trip) has gone out early but left the girls £20 each spending money, so that plus some of the money left by Madge, my granny, will mean they should have plenty of spending money too. Lucy didn’t think she would need too much, but I know what she is like, if there are any stalls selling goods at these types of festivals.
We just need to find the camera, pack the sleeping bags and that is it.
Alice has just come down and I can here Lucy moving.
peace gone.
