Educational Philosophies/
Statements of Educational Provision

Example 7

I hold a BA Hons degree in Religious Studies and English with History as a third subject, as well as ‘A’ levels in English and History, and various ‘O’ levels. In the past I have worked as a home tutor for children who needed
extra help with their school work. I have also acted as a parent helper in school.

With English and Maths, A and B often work from worksheets I have put together myself, as well as english and maths based activities which mean they are learning these subjects in more diverse ways than simply answering
questions or sums.

As an example, in their english work I find it useful for them to answer questions on a book they have read, as well as writing about things they have done. I use various devices such as crosswords, word search, cut-up
sentences and questions on grammar, punctuation, and so on. I have found that since we began home schooling, their reading has not only improved but they are eager to read different types of material. They are not limited to magazines and children’s storybooks, they are willing to sit down and read anything that looks interesting to them. This sort of advancement has been particularly in evidence in their use of the internet as they can now go online, search productively for what interests them, and research independently.

In maths I like to keep them up to date with basic mathematics, such as addition, subtraction, etc, with ordinary sums. We also have number boxes, a box with small pieces of paper, each with a number; another box with maths signs. The two are then put together and they do the sum that results from this. The BBC Schools programmes have been extremely useful in introducing A and B to different maths topics, as well as reinforcing what we learn at home. I have found that everyday activities such as shopping have been beneficial in bringing maths to life. There are also many good internet sites where they can learn maths interactively and this is especially useful when those sites are aimed at different levels so that they can change the activity according to how much they have progressed.

At this stage in our home schooling, science is very much hands-on. From various sources, such as books of experiments, crystal growing and again, internet sites, we are able to do activities at home which explain
scientific processes. Both boys have a natural fascination with how the human body works which has served as a good starting point for work on this subject. I have found that A in particular has a growing interest in science
now that he is able to concentrate on what he finds interesting. He has designed his own experiments. For instance, he has just finished a design for an air-powered jet using balloons which is a symmetrical design, with
purpose-built balloon holders attached to a cardboard and paper aeroplane. When A builds things like this he puts a lot of thought into the design before he has begun, then changes his creation to make it work better the
next time, learning from his mistakes and gaining a good standard of confidence in his own abilities when his design works.

History is a subject both boys enjoy. We read books together, research on the internet and visit various places locally to find out more about the past. They have shown a particular interest in old photographs, especially
some we have seen of Our home town in times gone by. They were interested to find out what the streets looked like now and were able to make a direct link between the town they live in and the town as it used to be. From what they have read and learned that way, we are able to have many interesting discussions on how people lived in past times. It has also meant we can watch historical programmes on television and actually talk about whether we think they are accurate or not. I think it is important for them to question what they learn rather than accepting everything at face value. I think if they learn discernment, they are more likely to benefit from the good sources of education around them, and be able to ‘weed out’ unsound research or hypothesis.

One subject they have both revelled in since beginning home education is Art. A and B are both good at art in very different ways and have enjoyed the extra time they can spend on this now that they are home schooled. A is very detailed and precise in his artwork and prefers to draw things that he can see, or that are factual. He will do good, pencil drawings of his model cars or houses, and as a counterbalance to this, he also likes to do garden
designs. He will design a garden plan, then populate it with trees, plants, etc, either ones that he has seen, or ones he finds in gardening books.

B enjoys more active types of artwork. He likes to draw characters from his comics, or television, often in a cartoon-type format with lots of things going on. He is very good at expressing movement and drama in his work, and his pictures are often funny too. He also enjoys doing pictures of our family pets and making up stories to go with them.

Also included in their art interests are practical activities, such as model making and using craft kits. They have enjoyed making their own glue and use a variety of paint, papers, pens, and so on. They are also developing an
appreciation for the artwork of others in our visits to exhibitions at such places as a local museum.

A and B are both competent users of our home computer. They have always been able to use it, once they learned the basics, but have become more confident since starting home school. They are able to install and run games, open and use their own documents, access and use the internet, draw pictures on the art programme. Lately they have expressed an interest in having their own web page, so that is something we will be looking into in the future. Their use of the computer has also developed their typing skills and, as a natural progression from this, their spelling.

Geography is something that is also more of a hands-on subject with us. A and B have a natural interest in placing where they live in the greater scope of England, the British Isles, Europe, etc. There are very useful
internet sites which we have used, such as the Discovery Channel site and BBC Learning. As an example, the Discovery Channel turns geography into a game where the child learns about different places in the world, whereas the BBC Learning site is much more specific and enables the child to look in detail at different places. This is especially useful because it places emphasis on comparing one locality with another and looking at how their differences impact on the people who live there.

Learning about the environment corresponds with a lot of this and like many children today, A and B have an active interest in how the environment is affected by the way people treat it. B especially is fascinated by the
weather and how things like global warming affect weather systems. I find this has given them both an interest in the sort of subject which is usually aimed at adults, such as the programme on a possible ice age which was shown on BBC Two a little while ago. From grand subjects such as this, they are also interested in the smaller scale impact on the environment, such as car exhaust fumes and how we recycle our household rubbish.

Both boys have additional interests which have educational value. In B’s case he enjoys complex mazes and mind puzzles, both ones that he finds online and in books, and also ones that he designs himself. He also likes
meccano type toys which he will play with and build constructively now but did not have the patience for while at school. I feel this is a forward step for him as he has always been interested more in the academic side of
learning and would get bored easily with more practical things.

A has a special interest in gardening. As already mentioned, he makes his own plans. He also keep his own garden and looks after it completely by himself. He knows many plants and likes to look up new ones and find out
what sort of conditions they thrive under. Gardening is beneficial for him in more ways than one, as his enjoyment of it is complemented by the exercise he gains doing it and the research and reading skills he develops when finding out about new plants.

At least twice a week we spend a couple of hours in the kitchen. I show the boys how to make biscuits and cake, and they learn how to put together simple meals for themselves. While doing this they learn the importance of
hygiene, correct measures, temperatures and timing and also we have the opportunity to discuss the effect different ingredients have on a food. It also encourages them to try foods they would not have considered before, merely because they have had a hand in making them.

We have been able to make progress in religious education. From the starting point of what they learned while at school, and our own family experience of religion, it has been a natural progression to branch out into looking at the more complex areas of the Christian religion, while also spending time looking at how other faiths interpret their own religious experience. I find that looking at different religions is a good way of introducing A and B to
the ways different societies view their own personal identities, and especially how they interact with each other. This sort of understanding of how people around the world can live on the same planet and think in completely opposite ways is vital in teaching the boys tolerance and open-mindedness in preparation for living in a modern world.

Activities are very important in A and B’s weekly routine. We often go to local swimming pools, and although the boys are in a swimming club, this extra practice has improved their skills enormously. B is also on a waiting list for the local trampolining club. We go on a walk most days, either locally, to the beach or into the Lake District. They also enjoy playing football at the local park or in our garden. We also live near a cycle track which gives them a good opportunity to ride on their bicycles away from the main roads.

Socially A and B mix with a much more varied group of people than they did before. As far as their own age group is concerned, they have the swimming club, friends they mix with after school hours and in the park and their
cousins who they meet with regularly at home, or in places like the local play centre, bowling alley or karting. Outside their age group they now meet and talk with a lot more people than they did while at school. They have the opportunity to regularly see people of all age groups when we are out and about locally, as well as friends and family who range in age from two years up to seventy five. I think it is extremely important for A and B to learn to communicate with these differing age groups so that as they get older they are able to see what older and younger people can offer each other. In my own experience, the opportunity to become friends with people generations older than myself has been immeasurably valuable in my life and this has always been something I have wanted to make available to my own children.

There are many other areas that we come across in our daily life as home schoolers. Various interests such as astronomy, politics, family budgeting and the jobs people do are all interspersed through our week, making our
home schooling a diverse, stimulating mix of many elements which come together to form the sort of environment that helps A and B to learn fundamental skills which will help them through life.

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