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I think
psychojoe said..
At three years old I had a confident articulate literate numerate child, regarded as being of superior intellect by our child psychologist (friend) and suspected of being "gifted" when first meeting the school principal.
After two years in the school system I have a six year who has forgotten her times tables, has lost spelling ability, developed something of a speech impediment and accordingly has lost confidence.
I guess when it comes to home schooling it's probably more about the particular parent much like schooling is greatly affected by the individual teacher.
That's a lot of pressure for a three year old to face and then at only 6.
I can't even remember doing times tables at those ages. Do they do them that early? I would have struggled at finger painting at that age.
But for me the only thing I could suggest is that the parents need to involve themselves more with the child in learning. School is not a set and forget environment where you send your kid off to become the best they can be and its the teachers responsibility. There are so many things happening at school that anything can have an affect. For an adult to sit down and help a kid learn, it is easy. I wonder if many make the time or not.
Memory is the sort of thing that is locked in with repetition. Times tables have to be repeated enough and at regular intervals that people can memorise them without having to think at all. In fact that's the whole point. These patterns become rote and become the building blocks for the rest of their learning in maths.
Same thing with spelling. English is not as consistent as other languages, but its largely a memory thing, and memories work through repetition not being a 'super-kid'.
I can't imagine being home-schooled though. There are many things to learn at school and I am not sure being taught only at home is a good idea.