60
HOMESCHOOL ING
Rethinking School F O R S OM E P A R E N T S , L O C K D OWN M A D E T H E M C O N S I D E R H OM E S C H O O L I N G F O R T H E F I R S T T I M E . W H A T D O T H E Y N E E D T O K N OW ?
F
or the vast majority of parents, the reopening of schools marks a welcome return to some form of normality. While hosting a celebration party is out of the question, thanks to social distancing, the
thrill of being able to walk your child to a real school in the sure knowledge that they’ll be in a physical classroom with 3D teachers (even if their peer group has shrunk to a small social bubble) will take a while to wear off. Other parents have very different feelings. Far from being a chore, enforced homeschooling brought unexpected benefits, helping them forge closer relationships with their offspring. And while the vast majority of children have been thrilled to get back to school and mix with their friends again, others have dreaded it. According to one team of university researchers, a surprising number of young teenagers actually felt happier during lockdown than at school. For anyone experiencing difficulties with peer groups, lockdown provided a welcome respite. Other children who want to concentrate exclusively on interests and passions like music or sport can feel out of kilter with the conventions and expectations of the school routine. For families feeling this way about home education, there’s always the option to
AUTUMN/WINTER 2020
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