Sunday · Sunday September 23, 2007 by Lily
R had an early start and spent the day with his friend. He came home at tea-time and did some Physics with his dad.
Dh and I spent the day trying to declutter and clean ready for them being on their own whilst I go into hospital. I am not going to organise shopping etc as I would have in the past. I’ll need to have considerable rest for a long while after the op, so I’m stepping down from housekeeping and taking up reading! All those unread novels and HE books beckon.
The family bathers still arrive quite regularly. Our eldest granddaughter wanted to stay. She didn’t as we were busy, but she’s a delight and would be lovely to home educate, she has such an imagination. I passed on some basic bilingual books as they are being raised in a bilingual house and she sat in the hall and was engrossed in making up a story for each page of the books even though there were only 2 words on each page, one in French and one in English. I think even though I won’t have a home educated grandchild, I’ll still have some fun using the many resources I’ve collected.
Last thing before bed, Rupert looked up his train times.He’s going in early to read his English novel in a free. He has to do his first piece of English coursework under exam conditions this week. It’s unfortunate I’ll be away. I can’t imagine how he’ll do, he’s never written an essay before! He’s written short pieces of various types. Oops!
He’s going to enquire whether he can use his laptop. If he can it will make it considerably easier as he touch types quickly and makes fewer mistakes. He says everyone remarks what neat writing he has. That is a real surprise to me. This is the boy who was never allowed to move up a spelling group at school because the teacher didn’t like the way he formed his “e” so she marked all words with an “e” in as wrong. Hmm how easy it is to put a dyslexic child down. I think his handwriting has changed very little despite doing writing practice occassionally in an attempt to improve his letter forms. Perhaps because he has never had to write quickly it has never deteriorated.
Homework · Saturday September 22, 2007 by Lily
R is tackling his homework with some gusto. It did take a few days for him to get to grips with organising himself to work in the evenings/weekends. He hasn’t done any work in the evening since he came out of school at just 9 years.
I was called in to help with French and Geography, proof-reading mostly, and dh helped with the Physics today.
I’ve actually found the past fortnight a steep learning curve. At first I was trying to be too involved, thinking he wouldn’t manage on his own. I rapidly reaslised that I needed to take several steps back in order for him to take control and whilst I ask if he wants assistance, I’m handing over the reins.
He even wrote in his French homework that he was responsible.
I guess we’ve therefore arrived where we’ve been going for the past 7 years.
End of second week at college · Friday September 21, 2007 by Lily
This was another early start day.
The tutorial this afternoon was a sort of general knowledge test to predict GCSE grades, I understand. R said last year’s test results predicted 2 grades lower than the students achieved so I’ve really no idea about it. I never set much store by general knowledge tests for R as I’ve found they are very national curriculum based and we’ve never been interested in following the NC.
It was the first day of his strings group for the new school year. Unfortunately they have lost all their older members to Uni and R thinks he’s probably the oldest member now although they can stay on until they are 19 and he’s only 16.
I was a “lady who lunched” today, meeting one of my oldest friends from schooldays in a town in between where we both live. I bought some hospital essentials.
We have a constant stream of bathers arriving at our house as ds1’s family do not have a working bath yet!
My day · Thursday September 20, 2007 by Lily
Well today was a day of change for me. I had a hospital consultation and as a result, it looks as though I won’t be blogging much after the 25th. I need fairly major surgery and will be going into hospital next Tuesday for up to 5 days with a long period of recovery.
A week ago I was saying I couldn’t possibly have my op yet, I’d need to wait until R had finished at this college as he needed so much support to keep afloat.
Well, this is how far we have come in 10 days.
He is mostly conducting himself very responsibly, organising his homework timing, his trains and free time. He’s becoming visibly more independent and self confident.
This was a boy who never really took to autonomous education, he needed and wanted a great deal of guidance, but that in it’s own way is autonomy I suppose, choosing your individual path.
Tonight was his first Explorer Scouts meeting after the summer holiday. We seem to be fitting things in quite well. We have received the audition date for the 2008 Gang Show. It will be a special show marking 70 years of the local show. He is desperate to get in but the criteria for gaining a place looks daunting. One of the reasons he is doing a limited timetable is so that he can fit in the twice weekly rehearsals for 6 months as well as his music.
Middle of the week · Wednesday September 19, 2007 by Lily
Wednesdays are later starts. R is required to get in for the first period in the afternoon as he only has double English today. He took his laptop in to work on and actually updated his bus spreadsheets as well! He was well pleased to find a slot in the day to do this.
Things are rolling along happily.
Erm that is until the evening when R’s train was cancelled so he didn’t get home until 8pm!
Tuesday · Tuesday September 18, 2007 by Lily
We really have turned a corner.
R sorted out his rather complicated timetable and what time he has to be in college, every day, as each day is different. I’m now feeling much more confident about the whole college experience than I was 7 days ago.
Sorting out his timing involved speaking to the year head who is really friendly and approachable.
I had found this college on the internet last year when R was really not ready to go, and hadn’t given it much thought until a few weeks later a friend’s daughter quite by chance started the year 11 after half term. She did then and has since spoken really highly of it.
It is a long way to travel every day, but with R’s love of public transport every day he travels is a joy for him. The subject contents are incredibly well presented, there is no time wasted, every lesson is planned and delivered expertly. It is a shame that all state schools can’t be so professional.
R is going to take his laptop into college tomorrow to work on in his frees. He must be in for some free periods that are spent in a supervised study room. He’s able to get quite a bit of homework or reading done then.
Second week of college · Monday September 17, 2007 by Lily
R is growing visibly in confidence.
He got up early, well I woke him up, I’m not sure we’ll get to the stage where I don’t have to get up at dawn, and he caught the early train before at 6.56am.
He is hopefully getting to grips with the whole college thing. He was also very pleased to have had such a lovely weekned.
Weekend · Sunday September 16, 2007 by Lily
We had such a busy weekend all in our own ways. It is nice that R and his dad can go out together sharing a hobby as they did when they went to Showbus. They have an excellent knowledge of the bus companies of the UK, that has all manner of spinoffs. R knows a great deal about the geography of the UK, he reads bus and train magazines and follows the advancement of technology in transport, he searches the internet for bus websites, discussing it all with dad and making spreadsheets.
Our elder son was busy replacing his bathroom suite whilst his wife took their youngest dd abroad for a family birthday party. I had our oldest granddaughter to stay for 2 nights. Our dd came on Sunday with her partner and their son.
I think R finished all outstanding homework before he went away. I am hoping to find the time to read his English novels. I thought I’d have loads of free time when he went to college, but I seem to have spent my week going to appointments here and there although I have briefly explored new shops that have opened since I last had the time to amble around town.
End of the week · Friday September 14, 2007 by Lily
Thursday and Friday were early starts for Rupert, 6.30 for the walk to the station but he managed really well.
On Friday afternoon the students have a double tutorial. This Friday they wrote down each other’s names to remember them (there are only 20 in the year) and wrote 5 things they liked and 5 they disliked about college and also had to say how it differed from their last school.
Friday evening we had some worries about homework as the weekend is spoken for.
It’s Showbus, the annual event where all the bus companies “show” their brand new and also vintage buses at the Imperial War Museum Duxford Showbus
Wednesday · Wednesday September 12, 2007 by Lily
On Wednesdays R only has double English at 2.50 to 4.30pm. He therefore caught the train just before midday as he was asked to be in for some free study periods that are taken in a supervised study room.
It was not a good day on the whole. We had complete melt-down last night, with the backlash today.
I’m writing this in retrospect as I’ve just been too busy one way and another to blog on a daily basis, as you will see as the month unfolds.
Warts and all…well yesterday I’d have happily thrown in the towel, given up our first term’s fees after 2 days; all the reasons we decided to home ed came flooding back.
Dh said “Give it time,” wise as ever, and right at least in the short term.
