Alternative Schooling: Six Unique Benefits of Homeschooling In A Digital Age

• Is homeschooling really worthwhile?

• Is it suitable for your child?

• Does homeschooling enable children to flourish or is it detrimental to their learning?

These are just some of the questions that might be racing through your mind when deciding whether or not to homeschool your child. With the constant changes that have occurred over the past 18 months (thanks to Covid-19 and its plethora of variants), many parents are considering alternatives to traditional schooling and these include hybrid schools, virtual schools and of course, traditional homeschooling. 

In terms of the benefits of homeschooling your child, convenience is one of the main factors that appeals to contemporary parents. The idea of not having to wake your children up at 7 every morning and bundle them off to school with umpteen numbers of instructions, and wait with an anxious heart till they return, makes it an appealing option. After all, who doesn’t like a simpler and more straightforward way of life? 

Another significant benefit of homeschooling is that it gives you more control over the influences that affect your child. In essence, the growth and development of your child is removed from the realm of the unknown. Thus, you, and you alone can decide what your child needs to do or learn which enables you to tailor their curriculum to suit the needs and interests of the child. For many parents, this is one of the most crucial benefits of homeschooling.

Another salient advantage of homeschooling is the increased level of individual attention and personalised learning. For instance, if Lisa needs more time to learn mathematics, then more time can be dedicated to this subject in comparison to others such as English. 

Evidently, there are no fixed hours of learning or fixed hours per subject so time allocation is more fluid. This means that a child has the advantage of assigning a greater number of hours to the subject that seems more challenging or complex without feeling any additional pressure. The amount of time needed to learn each subject will of course depend on the abilities and interests of the child. 

Homeschooling can also be advantageous because it enables the learning of the child to become an extended family activity.  Naturally, parents or caregivers are more involved in every step of the learning process. Activities such as trips, excursions and experiments, become family activities that everyone within the household can partake in. This can include aunts, uncles, grandparents and other extended family members and relatives. Subsequently, the child receives greater quality time with his or her parents as well as other caregivers. The entire family has the opportunity to partake in educational games, chores and projects.

One example of this that springs to mind is from a former tutee of mine who was completing a project on animals. Her whole family were able to get involved in the project which resulted in her busy parents taking time to research and learn new scientific concepts and information that they would otherwise not have thought about. One of the benefits of homeschooling is therefore family closeness and bonding. Seeing first-hand how her project brought the family together was particularly heartwarming for me as a tutor and inspired me to consider the benefits of homeschooling at a deeper level. 

Another benefit of virtual school or homeschooling is that competition is limited. In other words, your child does not need to prove his ability or consider it in comparison to other children. His or her confidence therefore remains intact. Since parents have a  deep understanding of their child, they can plan the learning programme to pique their child's interest. It is also possible to 

intersperse difficult tasks with fun activities. For example, a tough hour with algebra can be followed by a trip to the local history museum. Parents can therefore adapt learning in order to accommodate their child’s needs, learning style and temperament. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and still others need to see objects in action. 

For religious parents, homeschooling allows parents to take control over the moral and  religious education of the child. Such parents have the flexibility to incorporate their own beliefs and ideologies into the child's academic curriculum. In such instances, there is no confusion in the child's mind because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being followed at home. 

Finally, a greater number of parents are becoming disillusioned with the state school system. Some believe that their children are being pushed too hard whilst others feel their child is not being encouraged or challenged at all. Other worrying issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the state school system less appealing. A growing number of parents repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some themselves have unhappy memories of their own school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling as an alternative form of education.  

For parents that choose the homeschooling route, they often perceive it to be the best way to teach their child and give them the support that they need in order to meet or surpass their academic goals.

My child is struggling with comprehension. Do you have any ideas of how to help them improve?

Comprehension is one of the areas of English where students struggle the most.

There are several reasons for this such as:

• Not understanding the passage

• Having a limited vocabulary 

• Not using the right techniques

• A lack of interest in reading 

And more.

These days, schools place a huge emphasis on Maths which is great but the unfortunate effect of this is that an increasing number of children dislike Literacy. Quite often, when I’m teaching, I ask my students what their favourite subject is and Maths is always the preferred choice.

To combat this and help your child increase their enthusiasm for English and comprehension, in particular, there are a few things you can do.

These include:

Taking them to the library and making it a proper day or afternoon out where you choose books. You could even organise a trip to a famous or large library that’s outside of your local area. There are some beautiful libraries across the country and they’re great for helping children to ignite their passion for reading.

Help them to use comprehension techniques when doing ‘fun’ things. For instance, while watching a movie, you could ask them who the protagonist is. That’s a big word but if your child is a student of our Clever Comprehension Academy programme, they’ll know what it means. You could also ask them to write a summary of what happens in the film as this is a great way to check their retention skills. 

When it comes to reading passages and understanding them better, here are some great tips.

Visualise the text.

When reading, it’s important to create images of what’s happening. This enables you to paint a picture of the story and to answer questions more easily. Visualisation is really powerful!

When reading, ask your child to picture what they see.

Focus more on the questions than on the passage or text.

Students often make the mistake of focusing heavily on the passage and it causes them to worry about big words they don’t know the meaning of, events that don’t quite make sense and tiny little details that are confusing.

Often enough, the questions in the exam don’t always assess these things and students who focus on the passage too much can find themselves losing marks. 

Instead of being passage-obsessed, focus on the questions that are being asked. Read them carefully and find the answers in the passage. 

Think like a detective

Instead of worrying about understanding the meaning behind every detail within the passage or text, focus on thinking like a detective who searches for answers.

Highlight and underline the answers as you find them in the passage; some students choose to write the question number next to the answer or highlighted word/phrase which is another great thing to do.

The key is on shifting your thinking from worrying about understanding everything to focus on finding the answers.

Be mindful of inference.

Examiners are constantly checking to see if students understand how to infer. What does this mean? It’s testing their ability to read between the lines of any text and draw conclusions. 

Inference is about thinking strategically and using the clues within a text to understand what’s happening on a deeper level. For example, if in the text it says that the character beamed with joy, we can interpret that the character is happy. 

If on the other hand, it says that a character hung their head and dropped their shoulders, we can infer that they’re sad, withdrawn or possibly even ashamed.

Do you see how inference works now? It’s a wonderful skill to develop.

Learn to PEE.

For students sitting multiple choice exams such as the CEM, they don’t have to worry about this but for those sitting standard exams such as those popularly used by independent schools, learning to PEE is really important.

What’s PEE? It stands for point, evidence, explanation. Put simply, when answering questions, students need to be able to write detailed answers where they firstly make a point (which answers the question), back that point up using evidence from the text (such as a quote) and finally, explain the relevance of the quote to the point and the answer that’s been set. 

Here’s a quick example.

Question: How is George described in the passage? (3 marks)

Answer: George is described as being a tall, baby-faced man who is highly likeable. In the passage, he is described as “having the countenance of a King” which suggests that he is naturally likeable and commands respect in the same way a king or monarch would. 

In the example above, the first line focuses on making a point that answers the question. The second line provides a relevant quote and the third provides the explanation which is linked to the question to show relevance. 

I hope this article helps you and your child to see that comprehension doesn’t have to be difficult.

It can be broken down so that it’s easy to score higher marks. The key is in focusing on building inference skills, knowing what examiners are looking for and learning to search for the answers rather than worrying about understanding every little detail in the text.

Do you have any other comprehension tips you’d like to share? We’d love to hear them.

Leave them in the comments below. 

Ps. If your child still needs help with comprehensive, check out our online course which can be accessed 24/7. It’s called Clever Comprehension Academy.

Here’s to your child’s success!

The Tutoress Team.

How To Start Preparing For The 11+ Exam

“My child’s 11+ exam is next year, how do I start preparing for it?”

This is a great question and one I hear often.

In fact, I wrote a guidebook on this very topic almost a decade ago. It’s rather dated now, especially as the CEM was only introduced in 2013, but I’m hoping to produce an updated version of the book in the nearby future.

In the meantime, here are some tips to help guide you through starting your child’s 11+ prep. These tips are also somewhat applicable to the 7+, 8+, 9+ and 10+ exams.

Be Honest

I know we all think our children are perfect but the unfortunate truth is that not every child is suited to the 11+. Some children don’t have the drive or determination to study for what can feel like hours on end. Some would rather watch TV all day or take part in tons of activities after school than to spend their evenings or holiday periods studying for an exam. Before you even begin to consider the 11+, think about whether your child is naturally bright and be honest with yourself. Does your child have natural academic potential or are they lagging behind academically? Does your child want to sit the exam? Do they want to go to a grammar or independent school? Think about these things and be honest with yourself. Don’t hesitate to ask your child questions and discuss whether they’d like to go through the 11+ process.

Start early

I know that not all parents are fortunate enough to have discovered the 11+ early, but as a general rule of thumb, early preparation makes a tremendous difference. If you can, start laying the foundation for your child’s educational success as early as possible and avoid leaving exam prep to the last minute. Even before you begin working through 11+ books, strengthen your child’s academic foundation by teaching them new vocabulary words and help them to build their English and Maths skills. For instance, it’s a great idea to pick up books that cover topics such as SPAG, arithmetic, mental maths and comprehension.

Begin with research

Research which schools you’re applying for and if possible, consider visiting them as early as possible. Sometimes parents start 11+ preparation and then find out months later that the school they’re applying for doesn’t even test a certain subject so it’s best to know where you’re applying to first. Then you can plan accordingly. It’s also worth reaching out to your target schools and confirming which format their exams are in and which subjects your child will sit exams in. For example, some schools require students to only sit exams in Maths and English, whilst others assess Reasoning as well. Generally, the main exam types are the CEM, GL Assessment, ISEB, CSSE or the standard exam (for independent school entry).

Start small

The Bond books are a great starting point. Start with the lower age bracket (e.g. 7-8) and then work upwards. Go through questions that your child is struggling with most and check the ones they got wrong so they don’t repeat mistakes.

Get focused

Focus on improving your child’s overall vocabulary, English and Maths skills. These skills aren’t just important for the 11+ but for life. The stronger their English and Maths, the more likely they are to do well.

Find a routine

Get into a routine. This is important so that it becomes a habit for your child to study every day and it helps them to manage homework alongside 11+ work.

Don’t solely D.i.y

Although you don’t have to hire a tutor for long periods of time, it’s definitely a good idea to book a few sessions or at the very least, an assessment. Ideally, if you’re thinking about hiring a tutor on a long-term basis, it’s best to see which tutor your child clicks with and then to join their waiting list early so that your child can have a few lessons with them closer to the time of the exam. Some parents don’t use a tutor at all and that’s fine, but it’s good to have a second opinion from someone who has a strong track record of getting children into the particular school(s) you’re applying for. If you don’t want regular lessons, just book a few sessions or assessments with them and they should be able to give you a report of their observations.

Stay calm

Stay calm and don’t panic because children pick up on these things. Try to encourage your child to have a positive mindset about exams and education in general.

Recommended 11+ Revision Books & Resources

When it comes to preparing for the 11+ exams, it can be very daunting figuring out which materials and resources are best. Here are some of our favourites.

For Early Preparation (Ideal For Years 3 & 4)

The Bond 11+ Bundle (Ages 6-7) - The bundles include all four subjects (English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning)

The Bond 11+ Bundle (Ages 7-8)

The Bond Bundle (Ages 8-9)

The Bond Bundle (Ages 9-10)

For Generation Preparation and Revision (Years 5 and above)

The Bond Bundle (Ages 10-11)

Practice Papers For CEM

Practice Papers For GL Assessment

Quick Practice Tests For GL Assessment

Bond No Nonsense English

Rapid Tests NVR

For ISEB & Independent School Exam Preparation

Bond Verbal Reasoning (age 11-12)

Galore Park (English) (ISEB)

Galore Park (Maths) ISEB

Recommended Vocabulary Books

The Cadwaladr Quests by SL Ager (Tangled Time)

The Cadwaladr Quests by SL Ager (Race For Gold)

Vocabulary Flashcards

Here’s to your child’s success!

The Tutoress Team.

3 Fun Ways To Build Your Child’s Vocabulary In Preparation For The 11+

3 fun ways to improve your child’s vocabulary in preparation for the 11+

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Vocabulary is one of the most important areas of  11+ preparation as it’s a skills that’s assessed in Verbal Reasoning and English exams. Furthermore, research shows that children who possess higher levels of vocabulary tend to outperform those with limited vocab. 

Vocabulary is extremely important and creates the foundation for outstanding academic standards in the 11+ and beyond.

To help your child improve their vocab, check out these three tips. They’re based on my experience of teaching hundreds of students in preparation for school entrance exams.

Use higher level vocabulary when talking to your child. 

Children learn vocabulary best when hearing advanced words in context. It’s therefore more effective to speak to your child in a way that they’ll understand, but will also challenge their knowledge of more complex words. For instance, you could throw in a ‘big’ word when asking a question or when talking about your day. You can also encourage your child to respond back to you using the same word.

Have a word of the day or week. 

In the 11+, SATS, ISEB and GCSE Facebook group that I’m an admin of, we have a Word of The Day. I love the concept and have seen it used successfully for helping children improve their vocabulary skills. You can choose a WOTD or WOTW (word of the week) and really get involved by making a big deal of that particular word. For instance, you could create word posters or cartoons with that word - an activity that visual learners love. I actually started implementing this in my lessons and was amazed to see that one of my international students still remembered the words several months later. It made me realise how powerful it is to incorporate images and pictures into English and Literacy lessons.

Put down the “baby”books. 

No offence to certain authors, but I often observe my students reading books that limit their vocabulary. For instance, some of the most popular children’s books of the moment are filled with lovely cartoon pictures but very limited vocabulary-building words. I won’t name the books in question but they’re extremely popular and they’re great as light reading but when I see students ONLY reading those books, it makes me wince. Your child should be reading a wide range of books including reputable newspaper articles and magazines, novels and autobiographies.

Choosing to read just one type of book or books by one author and never branching out, is a recipe for limited vocabulary so I highly recommend encouraging your child to read slightly outside of their comfort zone.

But my child hates reading “smart” books, can I just let them read the “baby” ones?

The answer is NO!

Yes, it’s hard to get them reading some of the more difficult texts but you can branch out a little by encouraging them to read a small snippet of a newspaper article or a page or two of an autobiography and then build up from there. Diversifying the types of books they read will pay off later down the line, trust me.

Do you have any additional tips for boosting vocab? If so, share them by leaving a comment below.

If you enjoyed this blog, share it on social media or forward it to a friend or family member.

Here’s to your child’s success!

The Tutoress.

Do you have any additional tips for boosting vocab? If so, share them by leaving a comment below.

If you enjoyed this blog, share it on social media or forward it to a friend or family member.

Here’s to your child’s success!

The Tutoress.

Which Is Better: Group VS 1:1 Tuition?

This is a really common question and a topic that divides a lot of parents.

To be frank, there are pros and cons to either form of tuition and the option that’s best really depends on your individual child’s needs and how they learn.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the differences, advantages and disadvantages of each approach. 

1:1 Tuition  - The Pros

Your child gets individual attention and detailed feedback. 

This has to be the greatest benefit of 1:1 lessons. However, it’s important to consider that not all tutors give feedback on a child’s performance and quite a few won’t provide feedback at the end of each lesson.  

When considering 1:1 lessons, make sure you ask the prospective tutor about how much feedback is given and how frequent it will be. 

Your child studies at their own pace. 

A good tutor will always ensure that your child is learning at a pace that suits their academic needs. This is really important. 

Ultimately, you don’t want to spend hundreds or even thousands on lessons that are either too fast paced or too slow. 

   Building a Home

With 1:1 lessons you have the benefit of knowing that your child’s lessons are building up gradually with the purpose of giving them a strong foundation in their key subjects.

Each lesson is a brick that lays the foundation for a beautiful home.

No Interference  

Another benefit of 1:1 lessons is that your child won’t be distracted or interrupted by other students. This is particularly important for children who get distracted easily and don’t cope well around their peers. 

If your child studies best on their own then 1:1 might be the best choice for them. 

   Cons

Whilst 1:1 lessons can be great, they do have their disadvantages. 

    Cost

If you’re on a budget then 1:1 lessons might not be the best choice as they are by far the most expensive form of tuition. 

   Academic Performance

Another disadvantage is that 1:1 lessons aren’t always better in terms of improving your child’s academic ability or performance.

For instance, 1:1 lessons inhibit the opportunity for children to learn from each other or to get tips from their peers on how to study a particular topic in an easy way.

Children often learn from their peers and 1:1 lessons take away the opportunity for your child to learn from someone their own age. 

      The Fun Factor

The final disadvantage of 1:1 lessons is that they aren’t always as fun as group classes. 

During group lessons children bounce ideas off of each other, think creatively and have fun. The fact that 1:1 lessons don’t involve other children means that the adventure and exhilaration of learning with others is taken away.

As you can see, the choice of picking 1:1 or group lessons isn’t an easy or straightforward one. You have to weigh up the pros and cons and look at them in relation to how your child learns.  

 The Hybrid Solution 

Personally, I believe that a combination of both tuition types tends to work best for most children.  For instance, having some 1:1 lessons followed by an intensive group course provides children with the best of both worlds.