Friday 1 February 2013

The perennial problem.

We've hit February already. How did that happen? January has passed in a pile of snow and much wrangling about maths.

The perennial problem in this house. How best to get to a point where you have enough knowledge to get you through life understanding the basics. So your tax code makes sense or you can work out how much paint to buy. Or feel confident enough to go for a GCSE or A Level. Life learning certainly plays its part for us, especially with the younger two. Using money, saving up and spending. Cooking, measuring and playing with different equipment offers practical skills so regularly that leaving home being able to manage a budget, feed and clothe themselves shouldn't be a problem. But that little bit extra, hmmm, here we struggle.

So we try a system and see how it goes. No pressure from us if they're working up or down a year group or two. This new year they're all on the same site. I sit and help when needed. We are able to spot some gaps, feel good when we confidently understand something and get through a lesson or two without a battle.

We'll see how we go. But hey, here's the bonus, if it doesn't keep working we'll change it. For us that's the beauty. Also we get tea and biscuits after.