I just want to give a quick update of what we have been up to since February.
We hit a very difficult time in homeschooling at the beginning of the year, to the extent that we considered the option of putting Tiger into school and me going back to work. We went through the motion to find Tiger a place at a private school (after the sitting the usual entrance tests).
The process of admission to a good private school with excellent academic results is another post altogether, but because we made our decision at the last minute, we missed the usual application deadlines so it was all a bit of a rush to secure him a place as the school told us it was fully subscribed, and that there was no place for him. Nonetheless, they had him take the entrance exam, giving us a day's notice, so there was no time to prepare. It was just as well since Tiger would not be persuaded to prepare for tests anyway. So, without any expectation or preparation, he took the tests the next day and the school secretary called me that same afternoon to offer him a place. As a result, since September, the boy has been attending a small private school near where we live.
Why a private school? The main reason is physical safety. I am not joking. The state schools around here are quite rough, and I have very little comfort that the environment is one that is condusive to studying.
Do I think that private schools provide a better education? I would say that depends on what the yardstick of comparison is. If compared to state schools, maybe so; but I personally think home education trumps private school education on all fronts, if it were done properly, of course.
For those who are interested or curious, there is an attempt to demystify the difference between a private education (where only 7% of the UK population attends) and a state education:
So what am I doing now that Tiger is at school? Most days I spend 12 hours in the shark pool, which resembles this:
Life takes on unexpected turns.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all!
We hit a very difficult time in homeschooling at the beginning of the year, to the extent that we considered the option of putting Tiger into school and me going back to work. We went through the motion to find Tiger a place at a private school (after the sitting the usual entrance tests).
The process of admission to a good private school with excellent academic results is another post altogether, but because we made our decision at the last minute, we missed the usual application deadlines so it was all a bit of a rush to secure him a place as the school told us it was fully subscribed, and that there was no place for him. Nonetheless, they had him take the entrance exam, giving us a day's notice, so there was no time to prepare. It was just as well since Tiger would not be persuaded to prepare for tests anyway. So, without any expectation or preparation, he took the tests the next day and the school secretary called me that same afternoon to offer him a place. As a result, since September, the boy has been attending a small private school near where we live.
Why a private school? The main reason is physical safety. I am not joking. The state schools around here are quite rough, and I have very little comfort that the environment is one that is condusive to studying.
Do I think that private schools provide a better education? I would say that depends on what the yardstick of comparison is. If compared to state schools, maybe so; but I personally think home education trumps private school education on all fronts, if it were done properly, of course.
For those who are interested or curious, there is an attempt to demystify the difference between a private education (where only 7% of the UK population attends) and a state education:
So what am I doing now that Tiger is at school? Most days I spend 12 hours in the shark pool, which resembles this:
Life takes on unexpected turns.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all!
Hwee,
ReplyDeleteIt's so good to hear from you! I've missed reading your posts and chatting with you in the comments.
I imagine it was a huge decision placing Tiger in school. Did he settle into school quickly? Is he doing well? With his homeschooling background, I wasn't surprised to hear he'd passed the entrance exam without any preparation! Was it hard for you to watch Tiger go off to school? I'm sorry about all the questions!
I hope you'll continue blogging so we can stay in touch with you.
Hi Sue,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words. I really appreciate them. :-)
Yes, it was a difficult decision to send Tiger to school, especially when I know in my heart that homeschooling is a much better way, but circumstances and the family dynamics don't support that for now, so we just have to find a better solution that works for us. Maybe Tiger will decide that he wants to homeschool again in the future. That's always an option. :-)
School is ok. Tiger is not being challenged, which is not surprising, but he is enjoying the social side of it, and maybe that's what he needs for now.
I'm sorry I haven't been able to read anyone's blogs since I started work. My work is almost all consuming so I'll have to make find a way to get a better work-life balance.
Please stay in touch! And continue with your wonderful work of unschooling. :-)
Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHi Ticia,
DeleteMerry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you! Hope all has been well with your family. :-)