Wednesday 20 April 2011

How long? Crumbs doesn't time fly....

Well where to start... I have a ton of photo's to share however I have yet to suss out how to upload them using this ipad... Apple products don't use flash player and I haven't yet purchased my £26 dongle to enable me to upload images...

However I can get you up to speed with the goings on over the last few weeks and the images can then follow in due course...

The biggest piece of news being that we have withdrawn Jamie from School and have decided that homeschooling will be the best way forward at the moment, to be honest her education (in my opinion!) is very lacking ... the attitude of her fellow school mates is diabolical and her attitude towards us was fast deteriorating as her friends filled her head with the fact that we were far too restricting and they were able to do pretty much as they pleased...

Other students from all different years were bitchy or snide and these occurrences were not dealt with in a satisfactory manner and Jamie took it upon herself to move class, the teachers kept trying to talk her out of it and eventually they allowed her a taster day in the class she wanted to move to... however an incident occurred that changed her mind about moving into that class when a gang of girls did a very vocal and embarrassing vote at lunchtime asking for a show of hands as to whether Jamie should "piss off"... However a couple weeks later after she had told the teachers that she didn't want to move the head of year told her that she needed her to move anyway as they needed the space in her class for another child.

That was the straw that broke the camels back really and on the last day of school I rang jamie in sick (as I had picked her up early the previous day due to monthly stomach cramps!) and told them that she would not be back after the Easter holidays and that I would be home schooling... their reply was "oh... ok.... could you send us an email please..." which I did.

I have trawled Amazon and have purchased text books and ring binders and paper arrived today from Staples.. I think after I have saved up I will get Rosette Stone so that she can learn french... however I am not sure if it just teaches spoken language or whether it will teach her written french too... I'll get her a passport and in the summer holidays she can visit her Uncle and Aunt in France to test out her language skills...

I think its going to be a learning experience for us both but I am really quite excited about it all...as is Jamie, its as if a weight has been lifted from around her shoulders and she is fast becoming a pleasurable teenager to know...

I have a long list of reading books that we might read and history, geography and a few other subjects will be much more field trip based... visiting places and learning out in the real world..

Daniel is currently enjoying school and I have no plans of home schooling him though! ;D

I have been busy gardening, chatting to the hens, crocheting and I even sold a crocheted rabbit for £20... I was stunned! I sat at the village cafe sewing on his whiskers and lines for his fingers and toes and a lady asked how much he was! I looked stunned and mum chirped up with "£20!" and she said "oohh yes..." I have a photo of him pre whiskers but alas I am at a loss as to how to load it up at the moment! lol

Well I had better pootle off and finish washing up and preparing tea...
hope you are all enjoying this glorious weather in the UK and i hope my far flung worldwide friends are all good and dandy! xx

I'll be back next week as I hope to get my conector for photo uploading at the weekend... I would go and get it tomorrow but I am helping out at a church run easter crafts day at Queen Camel village hall... I think I am in charge of the pottery table, air dry clay and little fingers... mmmm recipe for mess me thinks! ;D

take care
Alex
x

5 comments:

carole johnston said...

So glad to see a post from you i clicked on your name the other day in case somehow i had missed one...Welcome back! and I think you have made a good decision with Jamie I have friends homeschooling and I believe there is a lot of info out there,although ones daughter is small they are doing great so happy learning..so good to have you back,happy easter and stay well.

Rachel said...

Hiya! Obviously I knew about you homeschooling already from FB, but I am stunned that the school just let her go so easily, without even trying to discuss the issue! You've done the right thing though and I can't wait to hear more about how you get on. Congrats on the sale too!
R xxx

Pomona said...

Good luck with your homeschooling - I taught my daughter at home for a while, and it was a great success. She is now at school again (a new one), through her own choice, but neither of us regret the time we had at home together, and she made huge progress, having been sitting stagnating and getting bored in class. I found Education Otherwise very helpful - it is worth looking into the homeschooling groups locally, as they do trips, etc. There are lots of free educational materials online, and Galore Park publishers in Tenterden do very good textbooks mail order.

Pomona x

Unknown said...

OMG, girls are horrible! I am allowed to say that I think, because as a Mum of two girls (and an adorable boy) I KNOW this is true! lol

Yesterday I popped to Bells with Bronte, and as I was getting her out of the car, I was walking behind four girls, who must have been (at a rough estimate) 10 or 11 years old. As they walked past another small group of girls, one of the girls in front of me stuck two fingers up in another girls face and they all laughed hysterically. I thought perhaps they all knew each other, but then when she said 'oh I just LOVE doing that to people I don't know!' I was TOTALLY shocked! What kind of kids are people bringing up as the next generation?!

I hope to God my children do not turn out like that!

I have been keeping up to date via Facebook so you know that I wish you well in your adventure of home schooling. Sending you all lots of love and hugs xxxx

menopausalmusing said...

Oh Alex, what a decision to have to make....... I was wondering about you the other day. I am sure it is the right decision and hope it all works out alright for you and your daughter.