Mummy Home School

During any time off from school, Big Boy and Top Ender are treated to Mummy Home School. I say treated, because the Children love it. I'm sure that if I were a proper Home Educator that they would think differently, but this way we have the best of both worlds. Until this Easter half term, Mummy Home School was more about play, learning things by rote and answering questions out loud. This half term things changed. Before this half term, Top Ender was given writing Mummy Homework but Big Boy wasn't. This half term Big Boy got writing homework too.

It started after I had spoken with, Big Boys teacher. I had mentioned how Big Boy was doing more and more writing at home. Simple things, he'd ask us how to spell something and would write it or would sound out the words that he knew (fairly accurately too) and he was starting to write in sentences. He'd written a very simple book and he loves writing Menus to play Restaurants with too. Big Boys teacher let me know that after the half term the plan was to encourage the children to write in sentences and if I wanted to encourage that myself with Mummy Home School (it's been mentioned once or twice) then it wouldn't harm Big Boy.

So we were doing small bits of writing every day.

I'd give Top Ender a sheet of A4 paper with a title, and a few questions to help her think what her mini essay should be about. Top Ender works on her essay alone remembering the golden rules of finger spaces, capital letters, punctuation and keeping her handwriting neat.

I'd give Big Boy a sheet of A4 paper that is split in two. The top half is blank for a drawing and the lower half lined for Big Boy to write a few words of a sentence. Big Boy has a title at the top of the page and he is asked to draw something based around the same theme of Top Enders essay. After he has finished his drawing, he writes his sentence sounding out the words with me and only pausing for me to remind him that he has to keep his writing sitting on the line, to keep his letters next to each other and a similar size and the all important finger spaces.

The work has been some of the best work I've seen Big Boy and Top Ender produce. I can see Top Ender working out how to form an argument, how to create writing that is interesting and I can see how they are both improving their handwriting each day and their confidence in what they are producing.

I could never be a full time home teacher, but I think I can manage to help the children practice whilst they are on holiday!

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