Homeschool Convention 2018 Special Programme
WELCOME TO THE 2018 HOMESC HOOL CONVENTION! This special e-programme contains some notes from 2017’s keynote speakers, upcoming events from our community and a who’s who of the convention teams.
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HOMESCHOOL CONVENTION 2018 10-11 April. Qiren Organisation, 9 Tampines Grande (L2)
QR Code for E-pack!
DAY 2. APRIL 11, WED
DAY 1. APRIL 10, TUES
1015am Doors Open for Registration to Convention & KDOZ 11am-1pm Breakout Sessions
11am-1pm Keynote Speakers 1pm-2pm Lunch Time 2pm-4pm Curriculum Fair
2pm End of Convention | Debrief
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SOME DOS AND DON’TS Do... 1. Enjoy yourself. This convention targets homeschooling parents. It’s time to get refreshed. 2. Connect with other homeschooling parents, especially during the breakout sessions. 3. Get your convention bag, lovingly stuffed by the registration team. 4. Pick up your kids from KDOZ on time so that our teams can break for lunch. Don’t... 1. Dirty the space with kids’ spaghetti sauce! (You know what we mean.) Our venue sponsor, Qiren Organisation, hopes that we can be kind to their space. 2. Insist on bringing sick children into spaces or insert an extra person. Our KDOZ and registration teams have been working overtime. Respect their rules.
Dear Co nventio n & Cur riculum attende Fair es, pare nts and kids : this Co ffee Bar is OUT OF BOUND S. It is ope n only fo r Qiren Staff. Thank y ou for y our und Homes erstand chool C ing, onventi on Team s 2018
3. Go into the Coffee Bar which is for Qiren Organisation’s staff.
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CATCH ME IF YOU CAN...
...AT THE HOMESCHOOL SPORTS DAY JULY 2018 VISIT OUR WEBSITE IN MAY FOR MORE INFO
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6 INTRO
CONTENTS
9 TEAMS 16 CURRICULUM FAIR 18 2017’S TEXT
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WELCOME. I am so glad you are one of those with the “golden ticket”! Last year and this year’s convention tickets sold out quickly. This tells me that there is a need for a big, publicised, event like this, one that brings together homeschoolers in Singapore for a single purpose : to connect.
INTRO BY DAWN FUNG, ORGANISER
This need for connection happens at many levels. One level is the desire to receive input from fellow homeschoolers along the journey. Both years, I’ve planned keynote speakers to represent voices from the young to the seasoned homeschooling parents. How important it is, that you find resonance for your journey right now, with someone who empathises in a similar situation.
Another level is the desire to be heard. We know that you need space to share the questions on your heart. The breakout sessions on Day 2 will enable some of those questions to surface, and hopefully, help you find resolve or encouragement. It was Shan (Curriculum Fair team leader) who came up with the specified areas of interest Special Needs, Chinese, and Young Homeschoolers - so please thank her!
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Connect to collaborate. This year, I hope you get to meet like-minded people who could be potential collaborators in your journey. I speak also to seasoned homeschoolers: Are there unfinished projects or that big vision that still lingers in your heart? Perhaps this is the year to get going. Look out for that message that speaks directly to you. Own it. May a flame spark brightly again.
In a way, I have been loved well. In return, I love well. It is a joy to love connecting the local homeschooling community. And this is one big reason why you should thank all the teams featured in the following pages. Everyone has come round to chip in amidst their caregiving duties. You’re worth it. Have a blessed time!
Last, connect out of joy. One of the questions that a fellow homeschooler asked me in a recent interview was “What keeps you going to build the community of/for homeschoolers?” I wish to add in my answer : Love compels me. All homeschoolers that I have met in Singapore since I started my journey have this in common: genuine care. All one has to do, is to ask for help, and someone will answer. I love this kind of community where people give freely to one another. I suppose it is because the community is small, and the focus on family, not grades, makes competition uninteresting. When you focus on the right things - your family, core communities, heart priorities - you will be a genuine sort of person, one who values people in a healthy way.
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Convention 2018 Special Programme Q. WHAT DO YOUHomeschool HOPE TO AC HIEVE THROUGH THE CONVENTION?
DAWN : I WANT TO SEE HOMESC HOOLERS INSPIRING OTHER HOMESC HOOLERS ON A BIG PL ATFORM LIKE THE CONVENTION. IT’S BECAUSE THE REAC H IS BIG – TO ALL RELIGIONS, BAC KGROUNDS, CURRICUL A – AND THE OPPORTUNIT Y TO GROW IN THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IS PRECIOUS. I AM ALWAYS SURPRISED WHEN HOMESC HOOL PARENTS TELL ME THEIR STORIES AREN’T WORTH SHARING – THIS IS THE WORST NONSENSE. WHO ELSE WOULD INSPIRE US IF NOT ONE ANOTHER? MY VIEW OF EAC H HOMESC HOOL PARENT IS A SUPER STAR! I WANT TO SEE UNIT Y IN DIVERSIT Y. I LOVE THE DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF FELLOW HOMESC HOOLERS. WE DON’T HAVE TO AGREE BUT OUR PERSPECTIVES SHOULD BE HEARD; SOMEONE IS ABLE TO REAC H A GROUP OUT THERE THAT THE OTHER CAN’T. L AST YEAR, IT WAS MOSTLY ME RUNNING THE WHOLE THING. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ABOUT 60 PEOPLE RUNNING THE CONVENTION , INCLUDING TEENS, PRIMARY SC HOOL KIDS, AND SEN KIDS. I LOVE AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNIT Y, BECAUSE IT’S A REFLECTION OF A FAMILY. - INTERVIEW
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HOMESC HOOL CONVENTION 2018 TEAMS
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REGISTRATION TEAM
KDOZ TEAM
Ivy was a headhunter in banking and finance industry before deciding to homeschool her children. She loves baking, and raising 3 kids!
Wan Ling finds homeschooling a great excuse to spend time with her two beautiful girls and to take a breather from her teaching career. She also runs an online boutique selling vintage clothes.
Felicia is a mother of three human kids, a budgerigar, a dachshund, a porcupine fish named Puffy and hundreds of Ultraman figurines. She is constantly organising her home. Zhen Xin has been unschooling her 2 boys (8 & 5) for the past 4 years with her homely husband. She believes that learning is for life and should be done through authentic experiences. Ferny is a mother of 3 who never planned to become a homeschool mum. After doing it for a little over 3 years, she loves the advantages homeschooling gives her family. Young helpers : Dominic, Breanne, Elizabeth, Yan 
Eric is a designer who resigned from his agency job to become a full time stay-at-home dad to his two children. He uses his design skills to teach. He hopes his kids grow up with godly values and contribute back to society. Ruimin is the best friend and supporter of her husband Eric Chew. They make the best team in raising their 2 lovely little children. Ruimin enjoys spending time with her family, learning and growing together. Valerie homeschools her 6-year-old daughter. Half a year ago, Valerie was given a second chance at life. Today, she relishes every waking moment. She looks forward to the day she can travel the world with her family. 10 of 42
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KDOZ TEEN HELPERS
MEDIA & PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM
Celestine is First Aid trained and a cub scout leader.
Mark Lim handles all media enquiries.
Li-Ann enjoys taking care of little kids.
Sze Siang took up photography 8 years ago with the arrival of his firstborn. Currently, he partners his wife to homeschool their children. Follow him at www.snapshotimaging.sg
Rebecca loves music, painting, singing, and spending time with children.
John Hoy started photography two years ago. Find him on Instagram @photograph.yer
Jordan serves as an usher leader in her church’s children’s ministry.
John has helped out at children's programmes at several conferences. Magdalene enjoyed being a second mother to her 4 siblings when they were younger.
John Teoh started to take photography seriously 4 years ago. He is currently a freelance photographer and videographer. www.johnteohphotography.strikingly.com
Hannah is the 3rd child of 6 children. She enjoys baking and playing tchoukball. Abigail enjoys babysitting and brush lettering. Faith enjoys painting and lending her work to raise funds for charity. Elsbeth helps run a children's program for 6-7 children for her parents’ bible study group.
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SPECIAL NEEDS FORUM
YOUNG HOMESCHOOLERS SESSION
Madeline Ang is a mother of two teenage girls. Madeline’s Firstborn is studying in a local university. Her Lastborn is being unschooled. (Madeline was a keynote speaker last year.)
Grace Tan is mum to 3. She loves Charlotte Mason philosophies of education but uses whatever styles, books and curriculum that inspires her and works for her family.
Mark Lim homeschools his 2 sons with wife, Sue. He and Sue are consultants for the Ministry of Education as part of the Healthy and Safe Relationships in Action programme, which is being implemented for Special Education Schools in Singapore.
Megan Low has 3 children. She uses an eclectic mix of curricula to suit the needs of the family.
Carol Marianne Tan-Soh homeschools her 15 year old son, Darren, who has dyspraxia plus other difficulties like visual-motor coordination, auditory processing, attentional issues, grasping Math concepts. Lynda Kiong is a stay at home mum of 2 girls (aged 14 and 12) and a boy (aged 9). Her ongoing journey with her last kid with special educational needs has been humbling and rewarding.
Chern Chieh Bay is mum to 4 kids, and is now in her 10th year of homeschooling. She loves all things Montessori but is pretty eclectic to meet her children’s needs. (Chern was a keynote speaker last year.) Lynette Low is mum to 2 boys. She appreciates the rigor of Classical Education and uses an electic mix of resources based on the interests and aptitude of her boys. Catherine Soon is mum to 5 children She uses a mix of graded level packaged curriculum supplemented with the local MOE syllabus. 12 of 42
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CHINESE CONFERENCE Elaine Eo has been introducing the Chinese language to her children through the reading of good Chinese books. Today, she hopes to inspire children and parents alike to enjoy the Chinese language. Moderator : Kay Zhao homeschools three girls. Originally from China, she has lived in Singapore for more than 10 years, and is happily married to Eugene, a civil servant. Sharon Tay, founded “Loving Mandarin – 热爱 华⽂文”FB page for parents of primary-level children. She will be sharing how she helped her child accelerate when he could not read Chinese independently at 9. Jenny Xu is a native Chinese-speaking mum. She loves to read storybooks and poems to her children. She will share some of the Chinese resources that she uses.
Failing Chinese language in school did not deter Eric Chew from teaching his own, through a unique and interesting approach using his design background. Sophia Ong works hard to overcome her oldest kid’s aversion to it. She would like to share strategies that will encourage others struggling with helping their children enjoy Chinese. Eve Sam is Malaysian Chinese. She studied Chinese language until GCSE level. Eve’s passion for Chinese continues today in her love for calligraphy, and as a seller of beautiful Chinese illustrated books. Sau Wan is mum to 3 teens. She enjoys engaging the Chinese Language through different platforms. Wan Ying uses a mixture of resources, readers and poetry for her kids, including 好朋友 and assessment books. 13 of 42
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Janice Tee (A Path Less Travelled) Janice was homeschooled for 13 years. Her first school happens to be the National University of Singapore, and she graduates in a few months’ time! Till this day, she does not hold a PSLE, O or A level certificate, or diploma. She hopes her story will encourage all parents on their path less travelled.
Anju Tupili (Tingkat, Buffet, and Aubergines on my Mom’s Table) Anju Tupili is an Indian expat who moved to Singapore about 20 years ago. She homeschools 2 boys and is a director of Classical Conversations in Singapore. Come listen to her story of what brought her to homeschooling, and how each step has made her more determined to find freedom in learning.
Angela Lim- Er (Courage) Angela is a mum to 4 kids under 12. She used to work in the finance industry but chose to homeschool in 2011. Although she has no teaching background, she loves children and loves to learn. She is an active, outdoorsy mum who will be organising 2018’s Homeschool Sports Day. She will share some great tips for the journey ahead.
Vivian Kwek (Decoding My Children) Vivian is a mother of 3 and has been homeschooling for 9 years. She will share how she tailored her children’s education to follow their interests – her oldest child has joined the NUS computer science courses since 13. Vivian is dedicated to helping parents unlock the secrets to their children’s behaviour. She has a book, “Decoding Your Child”.
Sue Tan (In Every Season) Sue is mum to 2 lively boys, aged 6 & 8. She is a teacher and counsellor by training. She and her hubby Mark run a training and consultancy firm, The Social Factor, which specialises in the areas of counselling and special needs. Sue will be sharing how to embrace the different seasons in our journey
Lai Yam Yee (A Map Of Our Lives) Yam Yee is a mum to 3 teens. She is known in the homeschool community for her energy and dedication to growing those around her, including running the PSLE prelim prep for homeschoolers, a tuition centre to teach Math, and countless co-ops! She will share her documented journey, and remind us how important it is to look back and celebrate.
Tsui Ling Hoy (Family Support) Tsui Ling is mum to 6 children aged 17, 15, 13, 11, 8 and 4. She has fourteen years’ experience homeschooling. Her other joys are in making healthy, good food for the family like kimchi, kombucha, and kefir. Come listen to her speak on the importance of supporting one another as a family.
Wendy Koh (Unschooling Ethan and I) Wendy Koh considers herself very fortunate to have the luxury of being a stay-at-home mom to 1 biological son, 2 step-children, and a transition of various animals. Her son was homeschooled until he completed the IGCSEs. She will share what has made her journey in homeschooling so meaningful.
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Cassandra Shepherd (You Can Do It!) Cassandra is a New Zealander who was homeschooled briefly growing up. Her mum was the first parent to apply for an exemption in the Hawke’s Bay region in 1977 for homeschooling. Cassandra home-educated her 3 children (twins 17 and son 20). She has used Charlotte Mason, Sonlight, Khan Academy, co-ops, delight directed learning and real life as resources, including a farm, in her homeschool journey. She has overseen ICC in East Asia since 2015. You will be inspired by this visionary. Connie Chua (My Husband – the leader) Connie was an ex-MOE teacher and mother of 4 teens, 13 to 19. She first attempted to homeschool her first 3 children back in 2003. It was an awful start. She shelved homeschooling until June 2006. Then she took the plunge and withdrew both older children out of school with support from her husband. Connie will share how her husband’s involvement has played a crucial role in shaping the family’s homeschooling journey. Tammy Hitchens (Encouragement for the Weary Heart) Tammy is an Australian mother of 13 living in Singapore since 2014. Tammy has 20 years of home educating experience across a variety of curricula and learning styles and has graduated four young adults who have done tertiary level education and work full time in Australia. Tammy has faced many challenges during her journey including special needs and many major moves with a large family. Tammy has a real interest in seeing parents enabled to understand their importance and capability as the primary educators of their children.
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CURRICULUM FAIR TEAM Shan Chua is the mum of 4 kids between 4 and 15. She enjoys words more than numbers, humanities more than sciences, and tea more than coffee. Her favourite part of the day is reading aloud to the kids just before bedtime, where she almost always gets their undivided attention. Shan ran last year’s fair. “The Homeschool Curriculum Fair is an annual event of the local homeschool community that goes back more than ten years. Then, homeschool mums brought their books, stood by their humble displays and shared their knowledge.” Shan Chua, 2017 Sheryl Ang has 2 young boys. Juggling being teacher, business owner, maintaining a peaceful household and setting the right expectations in times of insanity is her priority. She believes in child-led learning, especially the Reggio Approach and mindful parenting. “The Homeschool Curriculum Fair is a fair focusing on curriculum and resources used by the homeschooling community. Mums will bring in their favourite curriculum books on a volunteer basis and will share with anyone who’s keen to learn more. Flip through actual books used by mums and get to see before you buy. This year, we will also be including resources for preschoolers to cater for mums with younger children.” Sheryl Ang, 2018
Homeschooling Parents sharing their resources: Cassandra Shepherd Paulin Heng Emma Ericson Kwan Sau Wan Joan Lee Heidi khew Eve sam Toh Yeng Yen Bay Chern Chieh Littly Shaheeraa Khan Jasmine Ng Jacqueline Lim Tai Siu Yen Amy Yen Patricia Tan Sarah Siew Heather & Joanna Yvonne Neo
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CURRICULA BOOTHS
WA NT TO HE LP IN T HE FAIR NEXT YE AR?
1. A CHILD’S HISTORY OF THE WORLD
EMA IL : C U RRIC ULU MFAI R
2. A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
@HO MES CHO O LSING AP O RE .S G
3. ACCELERATED CHRISTIAN EDUCATION (A.C.E) 4. APOLOGIA SCIENCE 5. BEFORE FIVE IN A ROW / FIVE IN A ROW 6. BJU RESOURCES (MATH, ENGLISH, READERS) 7. CHINESE RESOURCES (ODANATA / MONTESSORI SAGE CHINESE 500 ETC.) 8. CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS 9. GEOGRAPHY FOR PRESCHOOLERS
VENDORS
10. HISTORY ODYSSEY 11. INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WRITING (IEW) 12. LIFE OF FRED (MATHS) 13. LOCAL HISTORY RESOURCES / DOING UNIT STUDIES AND USING TIMELINES / USING “LIVING BOOKS” FOR HISTORY 14. MATH-U-SEE 15. MICHAEL CLAY THOMPSON 16. MONTESSORI 17. READING MADE EASY 18. REGGIO EMILIA INSPIRED 19. SCIENCE FOR PRESCHOOLERS 20. SINGAPORE MOE SYLLABUS 21. SONLIGHT 22. SPELLING-U-SEE 23. THE STORY OF SCIENCE 24. THE POTTER’S SCHOOL (TPS) 25. WRITING WITH EASE 26. WALDORF PEDAGOGY AND CURRICULUM
1.
ART PLAYDATE
2.
ASHER ONG PHOTOGRAPHY
3.
CANTUS NOVUS MUSIC
4.
COGNITUS ACADEMY
5.
DECODING YOUR CHILD
6.
FOREST SCHOOL
7.
INSTITUTE FOR CULTURAL COMMUNICATORS
8.
LET’S LEARN OUTSIDE
9.
LIFE BETWEEN THE COVERS
10.
MUSIC TOGETHER WITH EVI
11.
MUSICAL VOYAGE
12.
OUR CHILDHOOD STORIES
13.
PLAY N LEARN
14.
PRESCHOOL MARKET
15.
SENSATIONAL PLAY
16.
THE TINKER YARD
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T E X T F R O M 2 017 C O N V E N T I O N KEYNOTE SPEAKERS TAN MEI LING 20 HOPE ELAINE KELLY 22 CHERN CHIEH BAY 24 SHANNON PALMER 27 APPLE WONG 30 AUDREY CHUA-TEO 33 SERENE LIM 37 TAMMY HITCHENS 40 Transcripts of last year’s speeches have been adapted for a reading audience, and edited for length. Some titles have evolved to capture the essence of the edited message. The article on Tammy Hitchen is a followed up short interview.
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SNAPSHOTS OF 2017’S HOMESC HOOL CONVENTION IMAGES BY HOON SZE SIANG | WWW.SNAPSHOTIMAGING.SG
SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS HERE HTTP://WWW.SNAPSHOTIMAGING.SG/HSC2017/ 19 of 42
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TAN MEI LING - Helping Children Learn Mandarin
Mei Ling is the co-founder of the Homeschool Mandarin Co-ops in Singapore, a network of Mandarin co-ops in Singapore. She is a mother of two preschool boys and a blessed wife of a supportive husband. Mei Ling will share strategies on how to learn Mandarin with preschoolers. Her tips and experience in running Mandarin coops will be useful for any homeschooler who wants to adapt them into their environment of any age. “Mandarin” and ”Chinese” are used interchangeably in this article.
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GET GOING. I founded the Homeschool Mandarin Co-ops network with a couple of other mums. We were curious what others were doing for theirs, so we asked our homeschool community to share how they did their co-ops. At our peak we had 7 Chinese co-ops represented, preschool to teens. I don't lead or participate in all of them; I simply help bring the co-ops together and we share ideas. Festivals like Chinese New Year is an opportunity for us to come together. REGULAR EXPOSURE. We have a pressing need to bridge the English-Chinese proficiency gap. My husband Darren and I are predominantly English-speaking, so my kids – at least the older one – naturally gravitate towards English. I was selected to be the Mandarin teacher of our homeschool just because my Mandarin was LESS BAD. Everyone knows the best way to learn a language is through exposure and use, so I try to speak to him in Mandarin as much as I can. My current strategy involves focusing on reading Chinese books over English ones. For every English book that we pick up at the library, I find two Chinese ones. And a large part of his Chinese exposure was our Chinese co-op! TRUST THE PROCESS. Did meeting every week to speak in Chinese magically change our kids into Chinese gurus? When it's play time, the kids naturally switch back to speak in English. But I see gains. For me, what used to be a dreary subject and additional homeschool burden – Chinese – was transformed into something exciting and interesting. And it made me more confident in speaking the language (see my little Mandarin biceps) and learning with my children. So no excuses now, even if you think your Chinese sucks.
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HOPE ELAINE KELLY - Creativity in Learning
Hope is an American who has lived in Singapore for 14 years. She is a former English teacher who is now the teacher of two, Elise (11) and Nadia (8). Breathe. I need to empty my lungs as much as possible before I can take a really deep breath. If I think about how this applies to life then I would say, “I I want to be filled up, I need to create some space.� Breathing deeply and creating space sounds really simple, but in this fast-paced life, it is uncommon. We live in a society where we want quick fixes and instant success. We want to find the perfect programme or resources to meet our needs. I confess there are days when I create a checklist, line up the worksheets, set out the books and expect my girls to work independently. If every day were like that, we would wither. As an educator, you need to engage in the creative process. If I want to inspire my children, then I need to be inspired. If I want my children to be enthusiastic about learning, then I need to be
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enthusiastic. I need to make it a priority to carve out time and space to be engaged in the l creative process. Creativity in education is not about creating something new. We are just finding ways to creatively share knowledge that is already there. We can borrow ideas and then tweak them for our purposes. We can mix and match materials and weave them into something that suits our children. Planning new projects and activities is what keeps me the educator alert and alive. It sparks joy! The most important lesson I have personally learned is that creative ideas and plans often do not come suddenly. Most great art, movements or inventions developed over time. My latest project with our co-op involved weaving a public speaking unit with WW2 history. I started planning in November and then we began in mid January. I liked the idea of sharing the story of Anne Frank but I needed to think about how to build background knowledge and how to include the public speaking element. So I found radio transcripts from WW2 on a a BBC website and in groups the kids presented these. One group sat in a room with a speaker while the rest huddled in a tent with the speaker pretending to be in a bomb shelter listening to the radio. I read through lots of poems about the Holocaust before I found a few that I thought were appropriate for young people and the kids presented these with amazing sensitivity. Our final activity was the pictorial presentation on the life of Anne Frank. I assigned excerpts from her diary for the kids to prepare to present and as we walked through her story, they shared her words. I learned far more than what I actually taught. A meaningful project like this stirs my own love for learning. It builds up my confidence as an educator. So I share this with you because I want to encourage you. When our children see us giving ourselves time and space to engage in the creative process of learning, they will want to follow in our footsteps. They will experience joy in this journey of learning together.
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CHERN CHIEH BAY - The Montessori Philosophy
Chern fell in love with Montessori when her firstborn was 3 and spent years thereafter studying everything she could get her hands on involving Montessori. Realising that there were Montessori preschools but no Montessori primary schools in Singapore, she took the plunge, got some Montessori training and decided to homeschool her 4 children using the Montessori philosophy during their primary school years. Chern will share about some aspects of the Montessori philosophy and how it has supported her children’s learning needs over the past 8 or so years. I just love the way Montessori develops the whole child in such an amazing, almost effortless, way. That truly resonates with me. Today, I’m going to share some of the most important facets of Montessori that influenced the way I homeschool.
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1. Independence: I offer works that: a.
are developmentally appropriate
For the preschool child, Montessori emphasised practical life as an essential starting point. Practical Life is the same as household chores or life skills. But to Montessori, she felt they were building blocks to intelligence. So whether it’s mopping or carpentry or scooping or pouring or changing diapers for their younger siblings, they were activities I encouraged and supported from a young age. And I would make sure they had the appropriate tools and the appropriate abilities or skills to get the job done. In academics, I always offer lessons that cater to the individual child’s learning abilities and skills. b.
will set child up for success
For example when they were preschoolers, my kids would start packing their bag to go on excursions or for swimming lessons - I would provide cute little checklists. For the older child, it’s about giving the works that I had to find that point where the child will find the work manageable with just the right amount of challenge and excitement - too difficult and they will whinge and whine like anything - too easy and they’ll be bored. It’s all by trial and error. c.
scaffolds their learning and stretches them
Montessori taught me to break down every task I wanted my child to do independently into manageable steps. I learnt that I have to give my children the space to repeat the steps at their own pace with mistakes until they eventually get it right. And not to correct their mistakes but instead show them ways to improve, to stretch and scaffold their learning. It’s a very different approach. 2. Love of Learning I think one of the big things about Montessori that really attracted me was how the children were learning without feeling like it was a chore. Learning is almost painless when they’re doing what they love. To achiev this, I followed my kids’ interests, gave them materials to help them learn and gave them freedom to choose their work.
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a.
Follow their interest
Interest is essential in learning. I make every effort to help my kids enjoy their learning process whatever the topic. And when they discover something, I share their joy, no matter how small that discovery! I try to direct them to make further discoveries themselves. For example, when my second kid was really interested in planes, I signed him up for a Science Centre Amazing Flying Machines competition. He spent hours researching on the theory of flight! I let him and his sister do research on WWII planes and make trump cards. b.
the Montessori materials
Montessori materials aren’t like ordinary teaching aids. They provide a concrete experience for almost any learning topic. It’s like baking or cycling - it’s incredibly difficult to teach this from a book or worksheet. Montessori knew that when she designed her materials. Over a period of time, my kids actually learn to make their own connections such that the materials aren’t necessary any more. Sometimes for Math for example, they come up with formulae or short cuts by themselves! And best of all, the materials encourage exploration into the subject of learning. c.
the freedom to choose
This is really important. There are parameters within which my kids can choose but generally if it is a purposeful choice, they can work on it for as long as they want. This gives them a sense of control. I make sure that I provide the support and a conducive environment for this to happen. In fact, if the subject of learning truly resonates with them, they emerge calm and joyful after hours of focused work. In parentspeak, they are happy and actually better behaved! 3. Whole Child Approach The approach makes me constantly aware of all aspects of my child’s needs. It is because no matter how much I adapt the method or even allow other methods to come into my homeschooling, I always remember I am not preparing my kids for examinations but for life.
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SHANNON PALMER - Maintaining an Evolving Homeschool
Shannon is an American homeschool mom who founded her own private school in 2008. She has homeschooled her girls since kindergarten. After nine years of homeschooling, Shannon has come to the realisation that it is a mindset and a lifestyle. She will share the evolutionary cycles of her journey, and help you develop a maintenance checklist of your own. Homeschooling is incredibly diverse. There is no one right way. There is only the right way right now. Your homeschool will evolve. It will change as you become more confident, as your children progress in their learning, and as our world changes and advances. When I began my homeschool journey 9 years ago, I was clueless to the vast array of homeschooling methods available. My only experience was of public school and some online options, thus, my first foray began with an obnoxious expenditure for K12’s online kindergarten program. It promised an outstanding education at your fingertips, curriculum in a box, everything you need to be a successful kindergartner included, plus online grade management, scheduling, tracking, and reminders. Wow, I thought, this will be
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magical. I was so wrong. We lasted 3 months. I couldn’t stand sitting at the computer with my 6yo making her listen to the stories and then helping her type in answers. It was terrible! At this age, my girls were barely watching TV, let alone use any type of electronic; yet here I was sitting at the computer with her. We kept falling behind the schedule and it was yelling at me to hurry up or she wouldn’t graduate kindergarten. I was disgusted with it and with myself. I quit the program and returned to doing things naturally: reading aloud, playing outside, providing creative time, and just being a mom. I started researching homeschooling for options. I educated myself on how to educate my children. I didn’t know there were so many approaches to homeschooling: CM, Waldorf, Classical, Unschooling, Montessori, and everyone’s favorite Eclectic. CM’s philosophy spoke to me and so I read everything I could find on her and her methodology: quality literature to read aloud, nature study, outdoor play, narration, artist and composer study, poetry, easy gentle approach. It was perfect for us. CM focuses on living books; books written by one author passionate about the subject in a storytelling manner. Authors like Thorton Burgess, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Kingsley, Howard Pyle, Arabella Buckley, and Clara Dillingham Pierson became our childhood friends. We would spend around an hour and half “doing school” and then rush outside to investigate, to search for fairies, follow ants, collect fallen leaves, and play. When these 5 precious years ended, I was sad. I wanted to school this way all the time, but my girls were older, smarter, and needed more. We could have stayed with CM, but my girls were developing beautiful minds that needed more stretching, and a delightful artistic bent. I went back to my second favorite approach to educate myself more. I looked at Rudolf Steiner’s Waldorf Schools. Waldorf integrates academics and art, where art becomes a serious tool used to catapult the learning from the hands to the head bringing it around to the heart. It blends poetry and songs with well written stories that are then expressed by the child in the form of drawing, painting, sculpture, and so on. CM’s narration became Waldorf’s illustration in our home. So for grades 5 through 7 we were guided by the principles upheld by the Waldorf approach: poetry, singing, living stories, illustration, block scheduling, movement. I didn’t completely abandon CM during these years; I kept several of her tenets in my back pocket because they still worked for us. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water! If it works for your kids and
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you, keep doing it. Modify or change what doesn’t :
" These can be difficult words to follow. When we spend a lot of time, effort, and money on a curriculum, it is hard to toss it aside and try something new, but sometimes that is exactly what we have to do. The same approach will not work every year or for every child. As parent and teacher, our job is hardest because we have to continuously research, read, and analyze curriculum options. We pretty much have to re-learn everything ahead of our children. When folks hear how much pre-reading I do for homeschooling they often exclaim, “Wow, you must be so smart.” My reply is always, “No, I’m actually just a really good 8th grader right now.” So for 3 years Waldorf was our playground through the watercolors we painted, the maps of the explorers we followed, and the beautiful geometric forms we created with compass and ruler. However, a space began to develop that needed more depth, more thought, more…something. You see, during these middle school years, my girls began to develop a greater sense of self and their place in the world around them. Their minds were expanding and their hearts were engaged. They were becoming independent thinkers: questioning, analyzing, making observations, expressing genuine opinions. I knew another evolution of our homeschooling was right around the corner!
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APPLE WONG - Making It Together
Apple Wong is married to a very supportive and involved husband, Chee Meng. Their three blessings are John (17), Rebecca (14) and Li-Ann (12) who has Down syndrome. Come and be encouraged by Apple who sees each child’s unique set of gifts, challenges and immense potential to succeed in life. John and Rebecca will also be sharing.
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Apple : Love impacted Li-Ann’s Growth Growing up, John and Rebecca loved her through hugs, kisses and squeezes. Li-Ann was constantly stimulated, and her senses were actively engaged. She wanted to be like her siblings, including running when they did or pretending to fall like them. Often, in the midst of our conversations, Li-Ann would ask, “What are you talking about?” I remember John and Rebecca would fight over stuff like ‘LiAnn likes me better than you!’. I saw their affection and I’m grateful for the love that binds them. Opportunites to Grow Together For John and Rebecca to include Li-Ann, the kids need to have many opportunities to do things together. I put them in the same classes for music, art and swimming. I brought John and Rebecca to Li-Ann’s therapy sessions. While Li-Ann roughs it out with John for outdoor activities and sports, Rebecca is the one who would practice piano, bake and cook with Li-Ann. Although Li-Ann is unable to take part in all the activities with her siblings, she is always a willing, observant audience. Vision for Li-Ann’s Future Li-Ann may be different but she is able, although slower, to be independent and cares for people. This vision reminds us that we need to help her TODAY so that she can be an independent learner TOMORROW. This vision also reminds us that we need to accept her as a UNIQUE individual with gifts to be nurtured. Other than her siblings, I will need to find other people are willing to journey together. We are very grateful for the communities who have welcomed her involvement. Encouragement to build Confidence Li-Ann faces similar challenges like other kids. Knowing that someone is with her gives her the assurance that help is available. In her teen years, we hope she will gain more confidence and articulate her thoughts clearly. This will happen in a safe environment where there is unconditional L-O-V-E.
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Rebecca : Being older than Li-Ann has taught me to be a good role model for her. Sometimes it takes awhile before Li-Ann responds, and it can get rather frustrating. So, whenever I am in this situation, I learn patience. For example, making cookies with Li-Ann is not easy because I prefer making them alone, and I had to make sure that Li-Ann’s hands were clean, and that she wasn’t putting something into the cookie dough at the wrong time. I knew that Li-Ann had wanted to make the cookies really badly, and that she like icing the cookies the best. So by the time the cookies were baked, I was exhausted. However, the look on Li-Ann’s face when the cookies were done made me glad that I had made her happy. Helping Li-Ann has made her more independent too. John : Li-Ann has a shorter attention span, so she has to take breaks from work frequently. If not, she would get distracted easily and it’ll be very hard to get her to focus back on her work. Also, as Li-Ann grows up, she has her own ideas, and she can be very determined once she has made up her mind. When she is determined not to do something, she goes into full lockdown mode. This usually happens when we’re trying to get her to do her work. Signs of her going into lockdown mode are not looking at you and then keeping quiet. After that we’d be trying really hard to persuade her for the next 30 minutes or more. Most of the time, we’d have to call in our mom to deal with the situation. You might think that I’m just going to go on an extended rant about how my siblings are little pests and I need some sibling spray. There are times I’ve felt like this. Actually, it happens almost everyday. But looking back at it now, taking care of Li-Ann has given me a taste of the difficulties of parenting and she has taught me how to be patient and firm at the same time. I’ll admit that if Li-Ann is just a typical kid, I probably would be a lot softer than I am today. Journeying with LiAnn has strengthened me as I overcome the obstacles and helped me to be more resilient.
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AUDREY CHUA-TEO - Self Care
Audrey left her teaching career at MOE to homeschool her three children (then 9, 7 and 2). From a dual-income household with multiple help to a full-time stay-at-home mom, Audrey will share her reflections gleaned from the past 4 years. Homeschoolers who struggle with kids across preschool to teens will appreciate Audrey’s wisdom for the soul. About 5 years back, I found myself running. I had just pushed my youngest child, then one and a half years old, into the hands of my helper and I ran off. I kept running in the rain, crying very hard. I didn’t know where I was going, but I just kept running. I was depleted, exhausted and very ready to give up on everything, on life especially. I had reached the bottom. Fast forward 5 years later. It is a miracle that I am here on stage, right here with all of you. Today, take a glimpse into my heart, and I hope that it will encourage you. Most of us are homeschoolers here, and regardless of whichever curriculum you use, or don’t use, we do A LOT. Before we leave this place, I hope you can carry this message of S.E.L.F. C.A.R.E. home in your heart.
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S stands for Stewardship. We are but mere stewards of these lives entrusted to us. We have been called to be parents. When we fail to steward ourselves or our marriages well, fatigue, resentment, or even bitterness can seep in and build up. We have limited time, energy and resources. Determining what is truly important to me helped me to restart my life. When I was at the end of my rope, I had this belief that if I was no longer around, no one would hug my son. Because of family issues, I felt displaced and useless. Slowly, as I hugged my son, my daughters and my husband more, healing began. As I re-evaluated what I needed to steward instead of what I thought I was expected to do, I began to experience a certain level of freedom. E is for Engagement. My children love bedtime and often ask if we can tuck them in. My son loves to chat about everything so bedtime can take a while. I realise that that is possibly the only time I am truly engaged with him; I am not nagging about homework, completing chores, and I’m not scrolling on my phone. As the lights dim on the two of us without distractions, I find myself enjoying such precious moments with him. Later, it dawned upon me that I am constantly distracted. Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook, Etc. W.I.F.E. Once, we played a game with the children in the car. First, they had to count the number of people on the street who were on their phones. Almost everyone was hooked on to their gadget. Next, they had to count the number of smiles they saw. It was not easy. They even resorted to winding down the windows and waving wildly at pedestrians just to get their smiles. It was a fun and valuable lesson on connectedness. What is our children’s image of us? Someone constantly distracted? Or someone who is fully in the present and engaged? L is for Legacy. May I ask a personal question? How do you remember your mother? For me, growing up, I saw my mother as someone hurried, impatient and easily angered. Although she has mellowed over the years and some even think she is a saint, my childhood memory of her still persists. Sometimes, when I open my mouth, my old mother comes out! What childhood memories would your children have when they grow up? Would they remember your meticulously planned lessons? Or do you think they would remember how you made them feel?
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During my dark days, I had an interesting experience. Out of the blue, I wondered – what if I was a time traveller, and my children are already all grown up, in their twenties and thirties, but I have been given an opportunity to return to the past, to their childhood? Right now, at this moment, imagine you are also stuck in the past and you get to relive it over again. What would you do if you were given this opportunity? I have learnt to be vulnerable with my family. I have also learnt to laugh. My children are the happiest people I know, and my husband, the most supportive. I am forever grateful for them. F is for Fun! One of the most difficult tasks I had on my road to recovery was to learn to play with my children. As a teacher by training, everything had to have a learning objective. Learning through play meant that play was a means to an end. I was a task master and I didn’t know how to play. My children taught me to slow down and have fun. They persisted. They persevered. They pressed on. I am still learning, but now I’m no longer grouchy mom. Now we have our own embarrassing family dance, and we often laugh with tears rolling down our cheeks. This indeed is a complete contrast from that day when I was crying while running in the rain. C is for Compassion. We tend to be incredibly hard on ourselves. My therapist discovered that about me during one of the early sessions. I had such strong perfectionistic tendencies so I felt constantly discouraged. I was never good enough. When I looked into the mirror, I saw an empty shell, devoid of emotions. With selfcompassion, the negative self-talk was slowly replaced by a more affirming voice. “You survived another day. You have done well. The children are still alive.” These were probably the first affirming words I told myself. Now I know it’s okay when things go wrong. Compassion also extends towards to our kids. One of the things I learnt is that everyone is trying their best. Even if they don’t seem like it, especially according to our standards, they are. However, they might be struggling against what we cannot see, such as fear and fatigue. No one can thrive in a highly stressful environment. There are some people who love stress, but that is eustress that motivates us to action. When we enter into the distress zone, our fight, flight, freeze or even fawn response kicks in. Perhaps this is why some of our children respond differently when we get upset. Some will try to fawn and please us while others have learnt to argue or switch off.
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Compassion reduces the tendency of taking it out on the children. My wise husband often gently reminds me that children cannot learn or thrive in a highly stressful environment. Mothers, you are the thermostat of your family. Children are often the thermometers that reflect the climate of the family. Fathers, we know you are trying your best. Many of you help to adjust the thermostat with your loving support, encouragement and involvement. A is for Authenticity. Being authentic takes courage. It involves reflecting on what is important, and daring to stand up for it. It means being able to accept ourselves and not living up to the expectation of others and for their approval. It means being able to say “No” to the good so that we can say “Yes” to the best. If everything is equally important, then nothing is truly important. For me to say “No” is also another one of my greatest challenges. I wanted to be superwoman, a do-it-all. When I was still in the teaching service, I often joked that I should be paid double because I would reach school at 6.30am and leave at 7pm. Even when I got home after that, I would resume work after a quick dinner. I took on numerous projects and kept giving endless additional worksheets. I was a people-pleaser and conformed to perceived expectations. It was no wonder that I was headed for a burnout. R is for Rest. Rest looks different to each of us. Some might do their nails, head to a spa, or watch Korean dramas. Whichever way you choose, ask, how rested are we after that? When I was revising Chinese with my children one day, we came across the Chinese phrase for rest - 休息. When we examined the radicals, we learnt that 休息 means⼈人 +⽊木 +⾃自 +⼼心. To rest, man needs to retreat to nature (or to the traditionally wooden bed) and reflect on his own heart. The opposite of rest is busy-ness, in Chinese 忙. ⼼心 Heart and 亡, to die / to lose / to be gone / to flee / deceased. Let’s take time to rest well. E is for Enough. You are enough. I know that my God’s grace is more than enough for us. When I find that I am lacking, there are people who will come alongside with me and support me and love me. Likewise, I believe that for you too. We are humans, fearfully and wonderfully made. Our to-do lists will never be completed, but our time is limited. Take care of yourself, make beautiful memories, for these become your legacy.
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SERENE LIM - Raising Independent Learners
Serene Lim, mother of 7 children (8 to 19 years) started homeschooling in 2004. She believes in raising independent learners – her children learn to take charge of their work from the day they could read and write on their own. She is currently homeschooling 3 teens using Abeka and 3 primary aged children using the MOE curriculum. Her oldest son was offered his first choice of Mechanical Engineering at NUS and NTU. It is possible to make homeschooling work whether you have one child or many children. Two things that make it work : a Choice of Curriculum and a Planner System. For my family, I chose textbookstyled curricula because work required is laid out clearly. That helps everyone be clear on what is expected. School has a start and end.
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Our Curriculum 1. Singapore syllabus for primary school years Homeschoolers have to sit for PSLE and clear a benchmark that is set higher than school children. We have no maid or grandparents’ help and my husband’s work hours were long and unpredictable. MOE syllabus was a practical choice, and Popular Bookstore became my best friend! 2. Abeka for post-PSLE After PSLE, we chose to go with Abeka Academy, a US-based curriculum. It confers an accredited American High School Diploma after Grade 12. Using that and SAT has led to quite a few homeschool graduates being accepted into our local universities and polytechnics. Our Planner System We school all year round on a 6 weeks on and 1 week off calendar, taking off on all Public Holidays, our 9 birthdays and our wedding anniversary! And in PSLE year, I give us an extra month off because I need to recover! 1. How it works At the end of each school year, I go to Popular Bookstore and pick out all books I want to use and fit them into my master planner. I cover ONLY the 4 required subjects in primary school. Anything extra is done on an ad-hoc basis. Once the master planner is completed, I transfer 6 weeks’ worth of work to each child’s planner. During the 1 week break, I transfer another 6 weeks’ worth of work into their planners. From K2, each child has his own planner. It is not a timetable. No times are listed, just the pages or chapters that they have to complete per subject, each day. It is a very simple and basic, excel-based worksheet. This system is used whether one is using MOE or Abeka. Daily Routine Each morning, they check their planners, do the assigned work, and then place it on my Homeschool Trolley (see image above). I usually go through all their work after lunch and they do their corrections there and then. Then, school is officially over. They are free to play/
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read/craft/space out…Done day in, day out, they are used to this routine. Interspersed with schoolwork would be their chores, which are also listed out in their planners. Most of the time, they work steadily on their own and come to me only when they are stuck. Everyone is on auto-pilot. 2. Why it works It works because everthing is listed out. More importantly, the Planner System works because it empowers them. The children take their planners and run with it. They are responsible for their own work. I don’t even have to be around for school to be done. They have freedom within boundaries. They control their day. They can choose to start early and finish early or start late and end late. In fact, they could even choose to do 2 – 3 days’ worth of work so that they are free the next few days! As long as all work is handed in at the end of the day, I allow them freedom of choice. 3. Will this system work for all curricula? The more parent-dependent a curriculum, the trickier it will be. If mum is sick, busy or not disciplined, school will be affected. Our choice of curriculum and planner system, plus a whole lot of God’s grace, saw 4 children clearing the PSLE benchmark. It has also seen them grow to be more and more independent as time passes. I was never more grateful that they were independent when my oldest had to take the SAT and SAT Subject Tests. I was still recovering from the PSLE and I had no energy to help him. I only bought him the recommended books from College Board and Popular so that he could self-study. David cleared the tests and was offered a place in both NUS and NTU for Mechanical Engineering, his first choice. Between him and God, they did it! I had nothing to do with it.
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TAMMY HITCHENS - Parents as Primary Educators
This is your second year speaking at the Homeschool Convention. What is the key difference between the two years’ messages? I think last year, being the first convention, covered a lot of basics, logistical and curriculum style suggestions. This year I’m noticing a theme of encouragement for weary hearts and some “real talk” from people who are in the trenches. Some of it might be a bit raw but I think it’s necessary. Home education is not an institutionalised learning program with neat fences, but rather a community of families, with very normal children, often with high rates of special needs kids, which is how many stumble into homeschooling. I’m very excited to be hearing the very sincere experiences of Janice, a young woman who had never set foot inside a school or taken an exam until she attended university at 18. Last year you shared about the importance of parents as primary educators. You stated, and I paraphrase, these three ingredients : love, curiosity, literacy. This means anyone can homeschool?
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Yes!! Anyone who has those three elements is capable of homeschooling. We lie in a connected world where resources are just a button push away. There has never been a better time to educate at home; with the internet and homeschooling becoming more mainstream, you have an instant community. The strongest quality that a home educating parent brings is complete devotion that is lifelong. It gives us the strongest motivation to stay on course, and the freedom to make changes as necessary to suit individual learning. Advice for homeschoolers starting out with young children... Don’t get caught up on trying to force too much curriculum-based learning. Allow passion, creativity and a love of learning. Remember that you can’t give out of an empty cup. Make time for your own need to recharge. homeschoolers with primary school kids... Do new things regularly. This is the most important age to start experimenting with some tastes of experiences. So many graduated homeschoolers found their life’s passion at an excursion in these ages. Start introducing some formal education experiences to encourage balance. Community and peers are very important. homeschoolers with teens... I love homeschooling teens. The discussions and time with them can be so rewarding but at times you can feel like you don’t even know the person in your house! It’s important to allow some freedom at this time of neurological development with regards to sleep and work times. Most teens work best in the afternoons and evenings and like to sleep in. When my adult children did this, people would worry they might never be able to settle in a work routine but I can assure you that they transitioned just fine. My late sleepers are now early risers working well. Most teens still have no idea at 15-18 with regards to their future. There is still time! Many countries encourage a gap year after completing school because the attrition rates can be around 70-75% for school leavers who go straight to first year university! As long as your child has a good work ethic and respect for other people, they are well on their way. Most successful people do not come into their life’s calling by a direct route. Home education is not so much about the gaining of a quantifiable level of knowledge but the inspiration for a life of learning.
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