Anna Dusseau | 16th September 2020 I want you to consider the possibility that school is damaging your child. I want you to consider, too, the possibility that you have been damaged by your own schooling, and that you carry this with you when you talk about education. We all know that schools shape livesContinue reading “‘Driven’ is the Word: On School Despotism and Intrinsic Motivation”
Tag Archives: home education
Picasso, Percentages, and the False Security of Schoolwork
Anna Dusseau | 9th September 2020 It’s a Saturday morning which, technically, means I shouldn’t be stuck in the office printing resources. Still, we are embracing autonomous learning and, if my middle son wants a blank treasure map, then a blank treasure map he shall have. “What’s it for?” I ask him, absentmindedly. “Treasure,” heContinue reading “Picasso, Percentages, and the False Security of Schoolwork”
Ten Letters
Anna Dusseau | 2nd September 2020 Every evening during his presidency, Barack Obama would sit down with ten letters from the public, and he would read them. “What this form of story sharing and empathy and listening does,” he later acknowledged, “is it creates the conditions around which we can then have a meaningful conversationContinue reading “Ten Letters”
“Miss, What’s the Point?”
Anna Dusseau | 8th July 2020 “You might say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” John Lennon, Imagine It is autumn. The late afternoon light lies low across the room, where windows are jacked open and the blinds do nothing to cut the glare. I’m not convinced Year Ten can even seeContinue reading ““Miss, What’s the Point?””
Do Homeschool Children Have a Social Life?
Anna Dusseau | 8th June 2020 This is the bugbear of all homeschooling parents; the question we get asked all the them. The answer is a resounding ‘YES!’ but let me clarify what I mean here. Our understanding of what friendship is and the nature of human connections have changed immeasurably within the past twentyContinue reading “Do Homeschool Children Have a Social Life?”
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..)”
Travel From Home? Yes, You Can!
Anna Dusseau | 23rd April 2020 This. Is. Fun. Do I even need to add a 90s inflected ‘not‘ at this point? Because really, if you are beginning to feel like a hostage on Big Brother series that you definitely don’t recall signing up for, then join the fricking club. Selfish though it sounds, IContinue reading “Travel From Home? Yes, You Can!”
My Worldschool Bucket List
Anna Dusseau | 9th April 2020 Let’s dream for a minute. The coronavirus crisis is over, everyone loves how the Prime Minister’s new baby is rocking the same Eton-flick as his famous dad, and the runways are busy again polluting the planet thanks to the jet-set squad which, let’s face it, we all were untilContinue reading “My Worldschool Bucket List”
Fake It To Make It (Or Why Radio 4 Women’s Hour Missed the Point)
Anna Dusseau | 24th March 2020 Oh, what? Did I forget to mention that I was recently interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour? Apologies. I’ve been so busy going round telling anyone who’ll listen (my mum, the kids, the bathroom mirror, and teenwolf) that it must have slipped my mind to mention it inContinue reading “Fake It To Make It (Or Why Radio 4 Women’s Hour Missed the Point)”
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”
15 Awkward Questions You’ll Get Asked About Homeschooling (and How to Answer Them)
Anna Dusseau | 4th March 2020 Let me guess. You’re loving homeschooling, right? I mean, I know we all have our ups and downs, but if you can recall, that was what the school routine was like, too. In fact, if I’m really honest with myself, almost every single day when my daughter was inContinue reading “15 Awkward Questions You’ll Get Asked About Homeschooling (and How to Answer Them)”
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”
Raising Bilingual Children
Anna Dusseau | 2nd March 2020 It didn’t happen straight away for us. The bilingual thing. My daughter prefers English but speaks French well, albeit with a plummy, British accent. My middle son speaks French and English equally well and, astonishingly, without accent. The little one has adopted the Marseillais growl of his father andContinue reading “Raising Bilingual Children”