Dave Pommier
I am a homeschooling dad with a wife and two boys. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing, so I feel compelled to write it all down. In my spare time, I work as a manager for the local health district, drink too much coffee, and am an overenthusiastic martial artist.
Top Posts & Pages
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Category Archives: Teaching and learning
Note taking
He just finds putting things down on paper a great challenge. Continue reading
Posted in English, Teaching and learning
Tagged bloke, confidence, homeschool, learning in context, writing
4 Comments
The Alithian fields
One of our key components for homeschooling these days is the Alithia Learning Space. Due to our work commitments, it would be impossible for us to homeschool the kids without it. For several days a week, the boys spend their … Continue reading
Posted in Teaching and learning
Tagged curriculum, learning in context, life experience
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Gaining approval
Different parts of the world have different regulations around homeschooling. In some parts of the world, you seem to have a complete free reign to do whatever you choose, while others are more tightly regulated. I get the impression that … Continue reading
Codes and ciphers
I had a book when I was a kid which was all about how to be a spy. Characters in trenchcoats, hats and dark glasses lurked furtively on every page. They would give tips like ‘you can bend down to … Continue reading
Posted in English, Experimentation, Teaching and learning
Tagged bloke, homeschool, learning in context, morse code, self determination
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What do they teach kids in schools these days?
So after a four year hiatus where the boys went to school, we have gone back to homeschooling again. They are in the last half of year 5 and year 3. Getting them formally registered for homeschool has proven to … Continue reading
Posted in Teaching and learning
Tagged assessment, bloke, curriculum, homeschool, planning, registration
5 Comments
The end of Bloke School?
When my friends decided to return their kids to school, my eldest boy was angry and upset. His (probably legitimate) complaint was that we would never see them again. This is not the first friend he has lost. His great … Continue reading
When its time to stop homeschooling
I was a bit saddened and a bit disappointed to hear that after a year and a half of homeschooling, a friend of mine is sending her kids back to school. Like the decision to start homeschooling, there are lots of … Continue reading
Posted in Life experiences, Teaching and learning
Tagged bloke, cost, flexibility, homeschool, parenting, planning, why homeschool
8 Comments
Are monsters real?
We have been reading a lot of mythological stories from Ancient Greece lately. I have always found them to be great adventure stories, and have read countless translations and retellings over the years. In all the magic, nobility and high … Continue reading
Posted in History, Teaching and learning
Tagged ancient greece, bloke, history, homeschool, imagination, mythology, philosophy
6 Comments
Building your own curriculum under strict guidelines
A large part of the reasons behind why we chose to homeschool was that it allowed for individualised teaching. Even working within the guidelines, there is still a good deal more flexibility to work around the rules than it initially seems. … Continue reading
Return of the assessor
As part of the requirements for homeschooling where I live, we are visited by a government assessor every year or two. This is frequently the cause of a great deal of angst for people. I have heard frequent complaints from … Continue reading
Posted in Teaching and learning
Tagged assessment, bloke, confidence, homeschool, registration
6 Comments
