[Xmca-l] Re: study chart of "daddy school"

[Peg Griffin, Ph.D.]

I would like to go to your school, Huw!

 

From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of Huw Lloyd
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2020 6:00 AM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity <xmca-l@mailman.ucsd.edu>
Subject: [Xmca-l] study chart of "daddy school"

 

This may be relevant for those on the list interested in school / home education. 

 

Today is the last day of "school term". The schools here in the UK closed in March and partially opened again recently (June). Since their closure I have been providing a 4 hour "morning school" for our two boys (years 1 and 4 of primary school, both recently aged 6 and 9 respectively). I have been doing this for 16 weeks. This has been followed up in the afternoon by some exercises set by school teachers, which my wife has covered for.

 

The "daddy school" started out fairly impromptu and took on more structure over time. I would describe it as a half-way house between a developmental approach and conventional schooling. Principally, this is so that it fits in with the manner of schooling presented in conventional classes. The lack of planning for a curriculum was also offset by a good amount of content ready to hand.

 

For the older child, some key differences from a conventional approach may include:

 

1. High concentration of  teacher-student time.

2. Concentrated focus upon subjects. E.g. 4 hours or sometimes 4 days on one activity.

3. Connection between subjects. E.g. mathematics and biology (graphs of plant growth, growth rate); history, invention and design (how things work, history of ideas, engaging with problems); history, geography, and technology (conventional human cultural history); structures of mathematical and linguistic expression (processes, forms); written articulation of thoughts across subjects, reading comprehension across subjects; language, biology and graph structures (latin taxonomies).

4. Philosophical and systems focus. Every activity relates to a consideration of what it means to know. E.g. the relations between "how", "what", and "why"; what constitutes an object; differences between the living world and virtual, simulated worlds like minecraft. 

5. Articulation and covering of "difficult" subjects, or presenting rich subjects in ways accessible to the student's apprehension. Typically these are subjects several years ahead of their school curriculum.

6. Problem solving activities.

7. Taking care, having a feeling for quality.

 

And for the younger child:

 

1. High concentration of  teacher-student time.

2. Concentrated focus upon subjects. E.g. 4 hours or sometimes 4 days on one activity.

3. Protracted reading time. One chapter (or since June, two chapters) of his adventure story books a day.

4. Articulation and covering of "difficult" subjects, or presenting rich subjects in ways accessible to the student's apprehension. E.g. fractions, percentages, graphs. Telling the time from an analog clock, comprehension.

5. Writing stories or accounts.

6. Problem solving and building tasks (e.g. following lego instructions).

7. Taking care, having a feeling for quality, eg. in neat writing and drawing or colouring.

 

Attached below are copies of the "study chart" produced by the older child. The chart is not fully complete as it was produced retrospectively mid-way through the work (from two A4 ring binders of work). The numbers on the chart represent up to 15 minute units.

 

Best,

Huw

 

 

 

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