How much schooling should a 10 and 12 year old get each week?

[mountainboo]

The two children in question were both in full time education but were frequently moved from school to school due to bullying and other issues. They were then taken out of school and are now home schooled with private tutors.

I recently discovered that they only have 3 hours of schooling per week, surely this isn't acceptable?

The girl was already falling behind the rest of children in her year and has a reading age of well below her age.

[redcrx]

surely the idea of home schooling is to try and improve on what a state education would give.
I cant see how 3 hours would do that. But is the 3 hours all they get or are they learning by experiences and getting out of the house, reading at other times etc. The parents may well be doing lots in addition to the hours the tutors offer

[mountainboo]

I know for a fact that neither child is encouraged to read. Their guardian does not expand on that learning as she has neither the intelligence or willing to do so.
I find it appaling that she uses the exuse 'they only have a concerntration span of 30 minutes per lesson' surely most children that age have a short concerntration span, but that is partly why they are at school?

[chrisrob]

Home schooling is expensive. It is also intensive so an hour's tutor time is worth much more than an hour's class time. It is only intended for as long as is necessary until the children can be brought back into the school situation.

[redcrx]

but even a 30 m inute concentration span doesnt mean they can only learn for 30 minutes a day.

Im not sure what you can do as I dont know who sets the guidelines for home schooling.

[mountainboo]

Me neither. Her intention is to put the girl back into school in September, however she is now even more behind than before as the only subjects she does are English, Maths and History

[mountainboo]

I thought Science would be far more important than History?

[mountainboo]

With regards to expense, they were both in private education before so I know that the current tutors cost far less than the private educatoin

[obNOXious]

We home schooled all of our children and there is no set criteria whatsoever for what is required. Some gypsy families home school in an oral tradition with no written work whatsoever, and that is perfectly acceptable to the LEA. That being said, home schooled children do need far less structured lessons, we only ever spent a maximum of two hours per day in a 'formal' learning evironment, all of the rest was down to the kids own personal hard work, and in them learning from conversaiton,eading, television, internet, going out etc.
All of my grown kids have done very well for themselves, and my younger daughter has recently gone to Germany to live where home schooling is not legal. She now attends a Steiner School there and all subjects are taught understandably in German, yet she is holding her own.... mainly I think due to her being happy and self confident through home education.
Home education is not like school, that is not it's purpose, and it is not really for anyone other than the children's carer to decide how or what it should be like. You sound as though you thoroughly disapporve of what she's doing, when she clearly removed a child from a bullying environment, why is this so?

[mountainboo]

Thanks for your response, obnoxious.

In no way do I dissapprove. Infact I think children can reap the benefits of learning 1 to 1. They are however a part of my family and it's due to this fact that I was concerned about the amount of time they were learning each week, when as a part time mature student myself I am doing more than they are each week. But if it is normal then that is fine.

I was also told that GCSE's are not a requirement, is this the case? Surely they must have to do these as most colleges, universities and employers regard GCSE grades as extremely important.

[bednobs]

there is no law saying that children who go to schol HAVE to take GCSE's though, so i cant see it would be any different for those who don't

[obNOXious]

hi, bednobs is quite right, there is no obligation whatsoever for children to take GCSE's and in fact you'll find that home educated kids can get into college with no diffciulty whatsoever ( at least all mine have that chose not to take GCSE's so far.)
Of all my children who have now reached adulthood only 2 of them wanted to take GCSE's, the rest did not (4 ) and all but one of them have gone on to higher eduaction, so really it doesn't hold people back not having GCSE's nearly as much as is hyped.
Also in the instance of the little girls you've mentioned, I think sometimes if kids who have been bullied somewhat persistantly just have a bit of time off so to speak, to relax, recouperate and to find a bit of self confidence then that will stand them in far better stead when they return to school ( assuming they do) than if they had perhaps been hot housed in a home ed environment and still felt swamped and overwhelmed.
A happy confident kid who is a little behind her peers academically will be so much better off than some poor, bullied, got at child. If kids feel like that however much time they spend at school they cannot learn as their mind is elsewhere on their misery.... so create a happy child and you create a child willing and able to learn, in my humble opinion:)

[mountainboo]

Well that seems very logical to me obnoxious. Thank you. She is a much happier child since leaving school I have to say.

I have to say though, I'm surprised about the GCSE thing because after recently becoming a mature student myself and not possessing more than 1 GCSE I have been told that I have to re-take Maths and English and get a C or above in order to get onto the course I want, but I guess it very much depends on what path the individual takes.

Thanks again, I have definately seen their situation in a new light now.