Homeschool Mum, Public School...

So far, I can see two advantages to a background in home education when entering the public education behemoth.

Firstly, I'm not over awed by the teachers. I'm prepared to assume the best of their teaching but if the best doesn't eventuate, I won't defer. This won't make me a popular mum, but it will do all sorts of good things for my daughter's education.

I'm giving them a term, just to lull them into a sense of security. 'That homeschool mum seems normal!' What they don't know is I'm making a list. And there's an April appointment coming up. The English Department. Me.

Secondly, I can see busywork coming a mile away. Ten years of efficient home education will do that for you.  So when my daughter comes home with an assignment like this: Prepare a PowerPoint presentation about Mongolia, Nepal and surrounding countries, I have no hesitation in writing a note in her diary: Dear Mrs-Didn't-Provide-Adequate-Information-On-This-Project, Arwen was not able to complete this assignment. Regards, A-Mum-Who-Won't-Allow-Her-Child-To-Waste-Her-Life-On-Pointless-Exercises-Without-A-Fight.

Although I did help her type up her Potato story. Sigh. See above meeting with English Dept.

Of course, all my personal friends are this kind of mother, whether they homeschooled or not. But the questioning kind isn't in the majority. And that's how schools get away with their junky curriculum and their unreasonable demands on family life.

Oh, and to clarify what I mean by junky ? Everything Arwen has done at school so far is something she has already done, and in many cases, years ago. Except for Power Points. The subsitute English teacher had them reading and discussing from a book I'd give to my third-grader. Rigourous it is not. I guess that might change but I'm not holding my breath.

School Girl

First days with 12 year olds are better than first days with 5 year olds. Less teary on both sides. That's all I can say so far.

This is obviously not my daughter. It is, however, my daughter's role model. And it gives a whole lot less away about the school she's at than a real picture would...

Book Tale, Or Why I Am Too Tired to Format This Properly

Once upon a time, there was a mother. And there was a pile of school books waiting to be covered in shiny pink and purple and blue contact. And from the kitchen the children could hear the mother throwing a rather large tantrum and the sound of books being ripped away from contact paper which was crooked, bubbly or otherwise awry. Also unsuitable language.

The mother did not like this job at all. Even when she threw all the rolls of contact on the floor and covered the books the old-fashioned way, with brown paper and sticky tape, she did not like it. She did not like finding pictures on the internet of Alex Pettyfer and Lea Michele to make into labels.

All this things she did, with bad grace, it must be admitted, but did nevertheless, out of love for a daughter who needed those books covered by Monday. Next time she is hiring someone to do the job for her, for even the love of a daughter cannot replace her sanity. School is already an education!