Educating our children - Unit 10

C1 Advanced · Multiple Matching · Complete Advanced Workbook, Cambridge University Press

You are going to read an extract from a blog in which four parents explain how they chose to educate their children. For questions 1–10, choose from the sections (A-D). The sections may be chosen more than once.

Simon Donaldson

Even before my children were born, my wife and I had decided not to send them to school. As older parents, we just wanted to spend more time with them and educate them ourselves. Yet our ideas about what homeschooling meant have changed beyond all recognition. We'd always known we wouldn't begin formal schooling until they were around 7 or 8, since research has shown there is no benefit to starting any younger. Although we'd started on a published curriculum, our elder son, Owen, had developed an interest in all things mechanical and we could see him learning through his own intrinsic curiosity. I ended up buying old cars and motorbikes for us to fix up together. By the age of 11, he had effectively completed an apprenticeship in car mechanics and had moved on to helping me fix things for the house. Our second son, Byron, is more academic and loves anything to do with the natural world. Our children demonstrate that where education is concerned, one size doesn't fit all.

Tabitha Njoku

When my twin daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, landed roles in a major soap opera, we were concerned about how we would manage their education alongside rehearsals and filming. While we were thrilled by their sudden rise to fame, we were determined they would get a more or less traditional education and be ready for university in case the acting roles ever dried up. We heard about the online High School from the father of another actor. Most of the other students are involved in performing arts or are seriously into a sport. Why it works for us is because they understand that these students have a limited amount of time to spend on schoolwork but still want to get the best results they can. The girls spend about 4 hours a day on essential subjects like maths, English and science so no time is wasted on 'fun' subjects as it would be in a normal school, but as the girls are doing something they love, and get plenty of interaction on set, that's not such a problem.

Michael Parsons

My children were six and eight when I was made redundant and decided to set up my own IT consulting company. My son, Damon, had never really settled at school and I was now in a position to take him out and teach him at home. My wife hadn't been enjoying her job for a while and everything just came together. She handed in her notice and started helping me in the business, taking over the homeschooling of Damon and our daughter, Rose. Suddenly, there was nothing tying us to one place. After much deliberation, we decided to rent out our house and buy a camper van. We became part of a growing 'world-schooling' community. Education really came alive for the children as we travelled around Europe. They learnt bits of different languages, and about the history, architecture, culture, and geography of all the places we visited. All sort of really. We occasionally meet up with other families who are doing the same thing and the children always find someone to play with.

Serena De Souza

Few are willing to accept that children, left to their own devices, will educate themselves. However, studies by experts have shown that this is the case. Of course, they have to be taught to read, write and do basic sums, but beyond that, it's a matter of making learning of various types accessible to them. Just as a child won't starve if you don't force-feed them, she won't grow up ignorant if you don't force a prearranged curriculum on to her. I'd decided to homeschool before having my son and daughter, because I genuinely believe it is in their best interests and I had my own approach to children's education. What I do in order is source study packs for subjects they've shown an interest in. In my experience, children won't learn anything that bores them, anyway, so why force them? We do plenty of hands-on learning and there are no set hours for the school day. If we travel a long way for a field trip, we sleep in the next day.

Educating our children

took some time to make a decision about changes to their lifestyle?

has a different approach to teaching their children now from when they set out?

likes the fact that the method they have chosen covers only the core subjects?

references academic research to support their decisions?

chose a form of education based on their children's own needs?

implies that their children have a broad education?

had decided on their children's education in advance of becoming a parent?

considers formal education a kind of insurance policy for their children?

justifies delaying the start of their children's education?

suggests they are part of a movement of parents who share a point of view?

Available as a free printable PDF worksheet with an optional answer key.

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