Homeschooling in SA before move to Australia

[DanielleP]

Hi everyone,

We have two kids. My son, 9, was premature and we were advised (before he started grade 1) to hold him back a year to allow him to mature emotionally. Other than being a year older than the other children in his class, he doesn't seem to have any learning difficulties. My daughter is due to start Grade R in 2014. They are both currently in a government school as there is no private school option in the small town we live in. Since the English school wasn't an option due to over-crowding of classes (45 children ), we placed them in a much smaller dual-medium school to be taught in English (our home language).

Anyway, due to issues with the SA schooling system in general (lack of reading books, serious spelling errors in workbooks) as well as the school (the main being that they are unwilling to employ an English speaking English teacher even though the children are failing the subject), I am considering homeschooling both my kids from 2014 as opposed to re-enrolling them at a school which is willing to take our school fees but unable/unwilling to remedy a serious problem.

I guess my question would be whether anyone had removed their kids from the SA schooling system to homeschool prior to their move to Australia. If so, did you continue to homeschool or enrol them in the Australian schooling system?

I'm sorry for the long post but I'm hoping someone on the forum has had a similar experience and can perhaps provide me with some answers.

[Pampoenie]

Hi my sister moved from New Zealand ( she homeschooled both her children) to South Africa, continue with homeschooling and them moved on to Australia. When they arrived in Australia the kids wanted to go back into the schooling system, they went back no worries at all - the school tested them to see if they were at the appropriate level, and they went straight back into their year groups - to her surprise they were actually way ahead of the rest of the class. They are very happy in their school.

Hope that helps

[DanielleP]

Thanks for your reply Pampoenie

[McCabes]

in those circumstances, if this is an option for you - GO FOR IT!!!

Personally in your shoes I would investigate which homeschool curriculums are well regarded in Australia and maybe try start with one of those? If they end up going back into the school system there, I'd guess that would offer the least bumpy road - they will have the right kind of general knowledge/geography/cultural tales, the phrases used that side will be use throughout the material, so won't sound so "foreign" to them. (not that I'm sayind this is a huge problem for kids in schools here - my eldest is in grade 1 in a gov school so I'm hardly one to talk - but hey, whatever *might* help them adjust, right?)

I think it's great - good luck and please keep us posted on how it goes. I would LOVE to homeschool!

A friend of mine owns edukits - check her site out as well - she stocks an amazing range of educational (and just plain fun) products, has kits for science experiments and sensory play and all kinds of things. She also stocks lego like I rarely see in the shops and I think she just got or is about to get some of the montessori products in stock.
http://shop.edukits.co.za.shopdirectint.co.za/default.aspx

So that could also be worth looking into if you want more hands-on stuff for them to supplement another curriculum.

[bbop]

We homeschooled for 2 years and the girls went back to mainstream school for the last term here in Australia. Both my children were ranked above average in the Australia curriculum. Why don't you rather homeschool using the Australian Curriculum?