The Brick in the Wall Song · Thursday October 4, 2007 by Lily
There was an interesting programme about the making of the song on Tuesday. It focused on several of the children and how their lives had been affected by their music teacher. I hope Home Education for 7 years has proved as inspirational for our son. Time will tell. It’s certainly been wonderful for me! It’s given me lots of ideas for the retirement years…..I’ll be 60 next April.
Rupert’s English department had Kevin Crossley-Holland in to speak to the GCSE students today. Tomorrow they are going to see Lilly Thal speak. We’ve also been asked whether they can go to a play and to a GCSE English workshop.
I’m very pleased with the college. The courses are well presented and taught in a relatively informal and adult environment. If we had a money tree it would be ideal for R to go into their 6th form. As it is I’m researching state 6th forms….the local school, and a college a bus ride away. The college is huge and unfortunately will be in the process of a multi-million pound rebuild. It will be lovely when it’s finished but dreadful, I imagine, whilst the work is being done. The school is the one our older children studied at.
R has no idea what he’d like to do for a career. He’s mentioned taking a year off next year; I mentioned buying a caravan or camper van and travelling. Wouldn’t that be fun.
It’s been an atypical month. I’m about 10 days post-op so am only pottering. R is settling into college. He’s made one or two friends but there’s no-one he really identifies with, though that isn’t bothering him as he has friends at home he meets up with and Explorer Scouts. Soon he’ll audition for the Gang Show and if he gets in he’ll very, very busy with that until April/May. There will be very few of his age-group in it as they are all so busy with their 9-12 GCSEs.
I’m trying to strike a balance between stepping back and leaving him to organise himself and his studies and being available to help when necessary whilst putting the onus on Rupert. I’m not sure whether we’ve achieved the right balance.
I’m also trying very hard to pass on my hopes and expectations in a postive way, whilst the gentle and subtle (and at times not so subtle, like stop texting/talking on MSN/doing bus spreadsheets and start working) encouragement is in progress. This is what I’m finding most difficult. I have an olderish teen who has been used to some independance and at the same time quite a great deal of academic dependancy who is out in the wider world now. I must leave him to cope and must help him to cope.
I’m signing off for now but may be able to update at some time in the future.
