Home Education, for musical reasons, would you? Options

[sunil]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Actually I did that in last month, but in a slightly polite way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

And I was close to sendng a note back to teacher saying "had better things to do" but didnt want to set child up to be hated for rest of year.

[FullofWind]

Whichever method parents choose to educate their children can only work and not be detrimental if a balanced education is given and importance given to all the subjects. In a subject such as music, the view may be taken that if more time is given to it at a young age the child will be successful if they chose to be a professional musician as a career: unfortunately, as we all know, competition is fierce, even for excellent musicians. It is therefore the reason why even specialist music schools deem an all-round education as important so other options for a career can be considered if need be.

As for homework, it may be too easy at times for some children but it is the start of learning to develop time management skills as well as developing the ability to work independently outside the teaching situation.

I totally agree with you. My husband started music at 16, he had dabbled before but no formal training or lessons at all. He was a natural and within 6 months or so was in local student bands and passed grade 5, 6, obviously theory and then at 18 he was taking solos in a national youth orchestra then music college taking grade 8 a few months before audition. Now he is a professional musician of some repute in his field and from the moment he started playing says he never wanted to do anything else. However, had he not made the grade he had A-Levels and O' levels to fall back on.

Onemoretime, if your husband made such phenomenal progress in such a short space of time, is there any need to home ed your daughter so she can pursue music at a young age?

[Ayshah]

Has anybody taken the decision or deriously considered leaving school to allow children greater freedom to practice/ partake in musical activities?

Just recently, it seems as though there are not enough hours in the day for viledin to practice/ do all she wants to musically. She has no homework so this isn't a problem.
I then found an interesting thread on another parents site where all the home ed parents seemed happy and their children thriving especially in music, the arts and sport.

I then started to consider this as an option myself, although I think I must be mad or something.

I know there are many other reasons parents choose home ed, but I am obviously looking at the extra time at home for music.

Home Ed.. Make a list. Who is going to home ed your child? You? Can you afford to stay home and do so? Can you afford to get the extra professional tutor to do so? How old is your child? Err do you have other children? If yes what about those? If no..do you plan to have more later? what happens then? What grade/level is this musical one?

Have a consulation at a JD. The child may be keen but just at the normal level for age & experience or a prodigy... A consultation will put you on the right path. How about attending a JD? Children do change their minds as they get older, particularly in the teen years, its a huge chance you are considering to indulge more time to music now. Many talented children at JDs leave to go into other fields because they are heartily sick of the competitive nature of music and just want to play for personal enjoyment. Not such a bad thing methinks. One thing that becomes clear at JDs, is that there are many many very talented musical children who are way ahead of your own child. So what are you going to do? Hot House your reaonably talented child up to be better than others? Or just accept that your child is good very good but actually not brilliant?

However, if your child is a progidy perhaps you could try for a specialist music school such as Purcell or Chets at secondary level. Most of the music activities you may want her/him to partake in are usually outside of school hours (Wknds and after school) so I presume you are talking about practising. Will your child just be practising or are you thinking about having additonal music tuition during the "school hours"? Wil you be able to have a tutor at these times?

With 2 of our children now professional musicans I think the JD route provided tuition and opportunities of a high standard, great environment without the loss of normal home and regular school life. I dont think they practised as much as they should have (from reading number of hours on this Forum (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ) but they both assured us that being in every orchestra, band, chamber group, tours etc, they were certainly "practising". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[onemoretime]

Whichever method parents choose to educate their children can only work and not be detrimental if a balanced education is given and importance given to all the subjects. In a subject such as music, the view may be taken that if more time is given to it at a young age the child will be successful if they chose to be a professional musician as a career: unfortunately, as we all know, competition is fierce, even for excellent musicians. It is therefore the reason why even specialist music schools deem an all-round education as important so other options for a career can be considered if need be.

As for homework, it may be too easy at times for some children but it is the start of learning to develop time management skills as well as developing the ability to work independently outside the teaching situation.

I totally agree with you. My husband started music at 16, he had dabbled before but no formal training or lessons at all. He was a natural and within 6 months or so was in local student bands and passed grade 5, 6, obviously theory and then at 18 he was taking solos in a national youth orchestra then music college taking grade 8 a few months before audition. Now he is a professional musician of some repute in his field and from the moment he started playing says he never wanted to do anything else. However, had he not made the grade he had A-Levels and O' levels to fall back on.

Onemoretime, if your husband made such phenomenal progress in such a short space of time, is there any need to home ed your daughter so she can pursue music at a young age?

I think it is possible to progress quickly as my husband did, but he is not able to do many things that an all round music teacher would be able to. For example couldn't accompany students in exams and works in a very specialised field. Which is great if you need what he does but alas not so good if you want to go down the classical path. I think a more rounded musical education would give our daughter more opportunities.

[onemoretime]

Has anybody taken the decision or deriously considered leaving school to allow children greater freedom to practice/ partake in musical activities?

Just recently, it seems as though there are not enough hours in the day for viledin to practice/ do all she wants to musically. She has no homework so this isn't a problem.
I then found an interesting thread on another parents site where all the home ed parents seemed happy and their children thriving especially in music, the arts and sport.

I then started to consider this as an option myself, although I think I must be mad or something.

I know there are many other reasons parents choose home ed, but I am obviously looking at the extra time at home for music.

Home Ed.. Make a list. Who is going to home ed your child? You? Can you afford to stay home and do so? Can you afford to get the extra professional tutor to do so? How old is your child? Err do you have other children? If yes what about those? If no..do you plan to have more later? what happens then? What grade/level is this musical one?

Have a consulation at a JD. The child may be keen but just at the normal level for age & experience or a prodigy... A consultation will put you on the right path. How about attending a JD? Children do change their minds as they get older, particularly in the teen years, its a huge chance you are considering to indulge more time to music now. Many talented children at JDs leave to go into other fields because they are heartily sick of the competitive nature of music and just want to play for personal enjoyment. Not such a bad thing methinks. One thing that becomes clear at JDs, is that there are many many very talented musical children who are way ahead of your own child. So what are you going to do? Hot House your reaonably talented child up to be better than others? Or just accept that your child is good very good but actually not brilliant?

However, if your child is a progidy perhaps you could try for a specialist music school such as Purcell or Chets at secondary level. Most of the music activities you may want her/him to partake in are usually outside of school hours (Wknds and after school) so I presume you are talking about practising. Will your child just be practising or are you thinking about having additonal music tuition during the "school hours"? Wil you be able to have a tutor at these times?

With 2 of our children now professional musicans I think the JD route provided tuition and opportunities of a high standard, great environment without the loss of normal home and regular school life. I dont think they practised as much as they should have (from reading number of hours on this Forum (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ) but they both assured us that being in every orchestra, band, chamber group, tours etc, they were certainly "practising". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Thank you for the insight and it is definitely jd's she is looking at, unless she does turn out to be exceptional and gain a scholarship. She loves music and has done since a baby really and takes any opportunity to join in with her dad or I (although I don't play much at moment). The home ed solution to not enough hours in the day is only a consideration and wouldn't affect the household at all, apart from there would be no school. I am a qualified teacher and would be confident with all except maths. I don't work and other children are at college or uni. Most schools would be too far away for travel and would never dream of sending her away, so we would be looking at the local ones really. London and the south are out of the question for daily attendance.

[FullofWind]

Have you thought about joining one of the younger JD programmes to see how she would find it and to see if the practice required was extensive? I know RCM do a mini double bass course and I'm sure Guildhall cater for younger ones. I'm not sure about the other conservatoires.

One of the reasons we have not gone down the JD route s because of other weekends commitments and if he'd remained in school we wouldn't have accessed resources as good as a JD but with home ed we can be much more flexible. I also feel less guilty sending him on multiple music holiday courses because we home ed! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)