Ready, Steady…Oh! Reflections on the Big Back to School Race.

Anna Dusseau | 12th August 2020 It’s been a long 6 months. Like you, we have spent this strange summer cautiously meeting with other families in open spaces, and visiting attractions where social distancing is in operation. We all wear masks, of course, crossing the road for groceries like Neverland bandits, the littlest fiercely brandishingContinue reading “Ready, Steady…Oh! Reflections on the Big Back to School Race.”

School But Not As You Know It: The Sudbury Model

Anna Dusseau | 10th June 2020 I first read about the Sudbury School model in Peter Gray’s Free to Learn, which devotes an entire chapter to ‘lessons to be learned’ from this quite radical vision of education. Gray sent his own son to the Sudbury Valley School for the latter part of his education havingContinue reading “School But Not As You Know It: The Sudbury Model”

The Powerful Philosophy of Unschooling

Anna Dusseau | 3rd May 2020 We are not unschoolers, but we are rapidly moving in that direction. In fact it seems like, the stronger you feel about homeschooling, the more an unschooling approach makes sense and rings true. The very notion that adults always ‘know best’ and that children can’t learn independently runs contraryContinue reading “The Powerful Philosophy of Unschooling”

Every Penny Counts: How to Budget Like a Boss

Anna Dusseau  | 27th May 2020  “Look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.” Some Old Lady Oh, mama! There’s a reason homeschool is classified as private education in the UK, right? This shit is expensive! Like, Eton expensive, when you really think about it. Not only are you likely sacrificingContinue reading “Every Penny Counts: How to Budget Like a Boss”

Why Finnish Schools Are Better (Sort Of..)

Anna Dusseau  | 25th May 2020 “One of the luckiest things to happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood.” Agatha Christie Not all school systems are the same. In Finland, there are no Ofsted-style inspections, no streaming by ability, no fee-paying private schools, no school uniforms and no schoolContinue reading “Why Finnish Schools Are Better (Sort Of..)”

Reflections of a Reluctant Teacher: My Education Journey

Anna Dusseau | 14th April 2020 Becoming a homeschooling family has been a cathartic process for me, as I realise now that I come from a long line of homeschoolers. We just didn’t know it back then. Both sides of my family are packed with incredibly bright, bookish people who simmer in that slightly hyper-intelligentContinue reading “Reflections of a Reluctant Teacher: My Education Journey”

Homeschool Rules #3: The Global Classroom

Anna Dusseau | 1st April 2020 Whatever your experience prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, times have changed and we are now all part of a global think tank. I realised this the other day. In a single morning, we video called our old friends in Capetown, a worldschooling family in Barcelona who we are collaboratingContinue reading “Homeschool Rules #3: The Global Classroom”

Going Nowhere: Why a Global Mindset is More Important Than Ever Right Now

Anna Dusseau | 25th March 2020 I am, like you, stuck at home. We are doing our best to keep spirits up and minds focused, but it’s not easy. Not when you allow yourself a glimpse of what’s going on across the world. I absolutely understand the struggle for parents to homeschool their children rightContinue reading “Going Nowhere: Why a Global Mindset is More Important Than Ever Right Now”

No School? No Problem! The Calm Mama’s Guide to Surviving the COVID-19 Quarantine

Anna Dusseau | 13th March 2020 Parents, brace yourselves. Because it’s looking increasingly likely that UK schools will soon be following Europe by closing their doors in an international effort to contain – or at least delay – the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Perhaps as you are reading this, you have just received theContinue reading “No School? No Problem! The Calm Mama’s Guide to Surviving the COVID-19 Quarantine”

The Definitive Reading List if You’re Just Starting Out

Anna Dusseau | 10th March 2020 First off, I want to say that this is not actually a list. Apologies for the title. My blogging guru Elna Cain told me readers love lists, so I thought this would make a catchy title; however, like everything in homeschooling, I found myself writing this post a bit..differently?Continue reading “The Definitive Reading List if You’re Just Starting Out”

Top 10 Podcasts for Switched On Kids

Anna Dusseau | 3rd March 2020 We hear it all the time. Kids have too much screen time and are too dependent on Google and YouTube videos for their sources of information. It’s so true and such an easy pattern to fall into, especially when homeschooling, as curious kids naturally want to explore their interestsContinue reading “Top 10 Podcasts for Switched On Kids”