Consequences

I'm always trying to maximise every opportunity for Barnaby to write. He doesn't love writing much so usually it's either a means to an end or because I have been sly and found a way to get him to do it without realising! 

Today, though,  what started out as a surreptitious event to get him writing actually turned into the funniest afternoon we've probably had all year, and that's saying something.

I decided to try Consequences.  Do you remember it? You may have called it something else entirely, but I have vivid memories of spending many many hours as a child laughing hysterically with friends playing Consequences. 

For those of you that have never played it it's simply this: each person starts with paper and pen and writes the following list in order, folding after each one and passing to the next person (this works well in a large group as much as one to one)

Boys name
Girls name
Where they met
What he said to her
What she said to him
And the consequences were (or what happened next)

We used people we know or book/TV characters. 

Because you have no idea what the last person wrote it means that, when unfolded and read at the end of the game, the results can be truly hilarious. 

Today I've given myself stitch and lost my eye make up laughing so hard. And Barnaby nearly wee'd himself in hysterics. 

Apart from the laughter it's enabled me to to see what writing and spelling we need to work on for another day, and was infinitely more amusing than hangman we'd been playing beforehand :)

Give it a go with your kids and have some fun (although don't be surprised if you own an 8 year old boy and most responses relate to bodily functions.....  Who *actually* meets at a secret farters club?!  On second thoughts don't answer that!! 

Here are a few of my favourites (which you won't find at all funny because you won't know the people involved but I'm documenting for Barnaby.)

Mummy
met Daddy
At the fish shop
She said "my pants are purple "
He said "I will shoot you"
And they had a dance off in the bathroom

Dr Who
met Beverley
Playing golf.
He said "I am naked"
She said "Did you know your eyes are wonky "
They went bonkers

Alexa
Met Barnaby
In a bedroom
She said " would you like a bite of my banana?"
He said "I like chairs "
She was sick on his shoe

Gemma
Met Mr Bean
At the bus stop
She said "I will eat you"
He said "you are a bit crazy"
They both died laughing.

The importance of GCSEs

Every year I find myself saying to kids 'don't worry if they don't go your way. It's not the end of the world' - and now I know, it's really really not!

I watched this video and it really touched me, have a look:

I Will Not Let An Exam Result Decide My Fate: https://youtu.be/soRE2XoLlIM

I feel for teenagers these days. Are GCSEs getting easier? Really? It's been reported as such every year since 1992 when I took mine (no need to do the maths, I'm ancient). I think that children are being trained to pass tests better, that's all.

I clearly remember the terror, age 13, taking my GCSE options, it being impressed upon me that THIS was the biggest decision of my life. That I needed to get them right. My whole life depended on them. If I ever wanted to make something of my life I needed to choose the ones most applicable to college and uni and a career. And I was expected to know, age 13,  sidetracked by whichever boy I fancied that week, what I was going to be doing successfully at age 24.

How? How can anyone that age know for sure what they want to do when they are 'grown up'? 

How can the little amount of independent life experience bestowed upon a teenager be enough to have an appreciation of the impact this choice is supposed to have?

My hormones were raging. I didn't know whether I was going to laugh hysterically or cry my eyes out on any given moment. I was hugely concerned at being in public with a face full of spots. I had the most acrimonious parental divorce to negotiate. I was suffering intense and despairing depression which nobody ever noticed.... But forget all that Tracey Ann, decide what exams you want to sit in two years and know that if you get THIS wrong, if you choose the wrong subjects, your life is effectively over. 

Forever. 

You will be nothing. 

You will have nothing. 

Decide. Now.

Quite ludicrous really.

Life didn't actually get any better. I did much worse than anticipated in my exams and certainly much much worse than my capabilities. But I just don't 'do' tests. Blimey, it took me 6 attempts to pass my driving test for crying out loud. I could drive perfectly well, as my final examiner (who'd since started calling me 'Trace' such was the familiarity) said I should have passed first time round. Nerves just made me a wreck.

And I have to say, my GCSE results have not made an ounce of difference to my life. Except that I was told on application to my  A levels at college that the one and only grade 'A' I got in my favourite subject didn't actually count. In fact it meant nothing, apart from that I needed an extra science GCSE to be able to do A levels.

Nobody thought to tell me that when I was 13. And nobody thought (despite my loud protestations) that sitting Spanish and Chemistry GCSE would not actually help me in a Sociology A level.
Pointless. Totally pointless. 

But that was the system. That's what happened. That's what was insisted upon. That's what I did.
I wasted a year of my life in order than I could waste another 2 years of my life doing further studying at A level.

And in the end, none of it has mattered. I got my first job based on a brief test in an employment agency and the rest is history. Learning on the job, using common sense, making the most of secondments and extra training, applying for promotions, working my way up.

Absolutely and precisely NOTHING has been based on my GCSE results, or my A level results, which I also failed badly.

How do I know? Because for 20+ years it has been my experience and willingness to learn that got me the job. Every time. 

I worked my way up and became a Marketing Manager working alongside with people who were apparently qualified up to the eyeballs.
And yes, I was the one mopping up their tears in the boardroom because they didn't have the first clue how to actually deal with people in a real life work situation because *that* wasn't taught on their uni course.

And yes, I hated it. Because that wasn't what I wanted to do. Not really. I was just good at it and was on the treadmill of life.

Nowadays.... well, I work in a summerhouse at the bottom of the garden sewing soft furnishings. For myself. And I LOVE IT. 

Do you know the irony? I sat a GCSE in textiles when I was 15.
I failed. 

My textiles teacher never let me complete a single item. She told me I was infuriating and I needn't bother with a sewing machine ever again. 

Age 36 I was so scarred by my time in her company I was shaking as I threaded a machine for the first time in 20 years. Within an hour I was head over heels in love with sewing and I went into business 6 months later.

So here I am.

I found my way.

And I'd have found it much sooner if  I hadn't wasted so much time at school being taught stuff which didn't excite me. I managed to pass my English exam and have still never read more than 41 pages of Romeo and Juliet on which my GCSE was based. And the only reason I will ever need to know that Jethro Tull invented the seed drill is to win a quiz night at the pub....

Hey ho, I'm here now. I got there in the end. 

We all get there, in the end.

I'd be really interested to see how you feel about your GCSE or O level results. Do you think they have any bearing on what is happening in your life today? Why not leave me a comment, I'd love to read them! 

Thanks as ever for reading my blog :)

Tracey xx

Learning update 7.7.15

Barnaby attended a sculpture session where he spent a couple of hours bashing,  carving, sawing and sanding some thermalite block into a garden sculpture.  He chose to look at a chess set for inspiration and we are now the proud owner of a horse statue for the front garden. It's on guard by the front door (although there was some panic about this in case someone tried to steal it!) 

Unfortunately our car broke down so he missed forest school this week, along with French and Badgers which was a real shame, but we made the most of a free day by going with Mum to visit my sister and family in Frome instead. My niece had an inset day after half term so it was nice to make the most of the opportunity. 
They had great time outside skateboarding (until my niece sustained a forehead injury and put a stop to it!)

Luckily, a lovely friend offered to take Barnaby for the Tuesday park play date then onto sports club while I tried to sort the car so he didn't miss out entirely. 

We have taken the opportunity to use Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot as learning opportunities.
We particularly enjoyed a programme presented by Richard Hammond looking at the damage that would have been caused if Guy Fawkes had managed to light the gunpowder!  Here's the link : The Gunpowder Plot Exploded. We have also used this topic for spellings and been making use of the whiteboard for practising.

A quick trip to the Doctors for me to have some blood tests provided a quick review of everything we had learnt about blood so far. The nurse was great, explaining what was happening and I got to use the word coagulation which always makes me happy!

Thursday afternoon we had the great pleasure of spending 2 hours with Steve Backshall on his Wild World tour. *Obviously* we went to help Barnaby in his education,  but there is no denying the front row seats were for Mummy :) :)
We had a great time learning the difference between venom and poison, looking at all the wonderful creatures on earth and looking at what we can do to conserve those that are under threat.
Brilliant session all round really.

Friday morning was volunteering at the Library and then he went off to his Dads for the weekend.

The expense of home education

This blog post is something that I need to address as it's probably the second most popular question I get asked after the 'socialisation' one. 

(You can read my response to that one here: But what about socialisation?)

So, how much does is cost to educate a child at home? 

The answer is as much or as little as you want. People live to their means so what's expensive to some might be a drop in the ocean to another. 

To educate a child at school it costs the government £4-5000 per child per year. It's difficult to get out of the government their exact budget for this but this is the general accepted amount.

Over an average school life that's approximately £60,000. (People forget that education is NOT free, we pay tax in order to provide it!)

To home educate a child the government pay precisely £0.
There are no perks, funds, bursaries, books or grants. There is no pupil premium.  It's just zero.

I guess as a parent, when you school a child,  on top of paying your taxes you then personally have to provide all the uniform, school bags, PE kit,  costumes, trips, after school clubs, donations and dinner money. This varies depending on the age of a child and (in my case!) how many weeks a pair of school shoes would last! 

For home ed the expenses can be minimal but to give you an idea here's what I've spent out on in the first 6 months: *please note this is for my budget bracket which may not relate to yours at all!

• Workbooks - mostly unnecessary as we've not looked at the majority.  Plus we wised up to photocopying sheets early on to use as practice. 
• Ink for the printer
• Wet weather gear: invested in decent wellies, waterproof trousers and jacket. Good walking shoes.  The world is our classroom, being prepared is the key! 
• Picnic items/tupperware/blanket - we spend so much time outside it was worth investing in decent stuff. It took 2 days with leaky drinks bottles and soggy sandwiches to realise this!
• Subscription to online maths course Conquer Maths (we paid £31 for the year Home Ed discount) 
• Home Ed groups £3-£5 per week
• badgers (St Johns Ambulance) £6 per month
• French lessons £28 per half Term
• Sport club £25 per half term
• Farm club £4 per session
• Forest school £5 per fortnight
• Adhoc visits: for example at Warwick Castle we joined forces with other families to secure a home ed discount so cheaper than usual but still an expense.  One day courses such as woodwork or technology club.
• Diesel: I'm lucky to have an economical car which means we can get out and about every day.
• Extra food - my child does not stop eating. I swear he has hollow legs.  Hence picnics are cheaper on days out! 

This list is not complete. Other people would have very different lists - as an example I've not had to pay out extra for things like craft supplies or books as we have so far had everything we need here. Others may want/need to.  Neither have my gas and electricity bills increased as I work from home usually anyway so was always here. 

I know as Barnaby gets older, if he chooses to study gcses that it will mean investment in text books.
I don't subscribe to a telly package - we have freeview and there is enough educational stuff on there for us at the moment. 
Some people make use of Edward Jenner school which is something I'd love to look into but is out of my price range at about £45 per day.

We are researching the Home Ed discount for the National Trust at the moment as the grandparents are buying that for our Christmas present. Every little helps, and despite his Christmas list Barnaby really doesn't need more toys!! :)

There are loads of free resources online, free educational day trips... The library is free. Parks and woodland are free. Our local home ed group have a 'bring and swap' session for clothes, books and toys. Reuse and recycle ♻ I say!

Overall, and I've not done the maths, (what?! And she's *teaching* her Son?! Tut!)  I'd say I've spent about what I'd send on a yearly basis if he was at school. Maybe more as an investment in things that will last.

If I had more money I'd definitely spend more on it, but probably on experiences such as trips to London without worrying about the expense.... Or I'd fulfil our dream, get a motorhome and head out on the road to see more of the world. 

In summary: how much does home education cost?  Well.... How long is a piece of string?! :)

Nb: my budget bracket is 'single-mum-running-her-own-growing-business'. Sometimes more commonly know as 'skint'
If you're in a different budget bracket your list might have a few differences.  :)