Íæż½ã½ã

You mean having school-age children taught at home? I know that as home-schooling. Anyway I don't have children yet, but I am definitely contemplating home-schooling. However, I want my child(ren) to be multi-lingual and the formal school environment will probably be better for that. But I will see where they're at before they reach schooling age and then make the determination. However, if I were still in the US, I would most definitely be home-schooling. The education system in the US is horrible. =/

Hello there, I am a teacher, perhaps I can help you.

Thank you ronster for your kind offer, but we are primarily looking for friends for our children.  We've come from a large home educating community,(over 200 children), and are seeking something similiar over here.  Ideally, others to go on field trips with, but also happy to meet and play with friends after school.  We have a boy of 13 and a girl of 10.  We live in the Brussels area.

Hi Melby, thanks for taking the time to reply. Yes, I do mean home school. Not being an American, nor been to school in the US, nor had any of our children educated there, I'm not in a position to judge. At least they still have the freedom to home school, (unlike many countries in Europee).  I just wonder how they managed to have so many nobel prize winners and send people to the moon?  I know Eddison was home educated, but the others?

Eh if someone is that intelligent public schooling won't kill that, and if they're not, no schooling will give them more brains. People are what they are, the schools are just meant to teach facts, and those can be picked up elsewhere as well. Half the issue is that the US is very egocentric and teaches very very little about the rest of the world, which is why so many Americans are so ignorant about it, and the other half is that schools feel it is their job to make children into "good Americans," to be patriotic and love their country, etc, and so they lie and hide all of the nasty bits so as not to "turn kids against the US," except that to do this they also make it very dull, very matter-of-fact (even though many things need discussion and are not so straight-forward), washed down, etc, and so students hate history classes, and learn incredibly little about our own country, as well. It's horrible.

But things like math and science and stuff, that are "safe" topics, they teach just fine, as long as it's a decent school. But I wouldn't want my children having that brain-washing that the US is the only decent good country and not learning about everywhere else and stuff, I am really glad that when we have kids it will be over here.

How long have you & your family been living here?

hi! happy New Year!  Sending this message on the off-chance you might still be in Brussels and homeschooling. I am going to be homeschooling my daughter and would like to make links with other home schoolers - I'm a qualified teacher so have the curriculum covered just want some buddies for my daughter =-)

For what age would you home school? If you are planning on it with a compulsory age child, you will be subject to an inspection process and they'd expect you to be following the Flemish, French or Germanophone curriculum too. At age 12, a home schooler would have to take the exams children at French/Flemish schools take.

There is a home-type school set up in Waterloo.


As home schooling is so rare here, you will not find the support network or school time activities to do, like you might in the UK or North America.

Thanks for your swift reply.  Yes, I have done a bit of research re requirements and know I would be inspected but am quite used to that after nearly thirty years of teaching.  Happy with following Dutch/French...etc curriculum.  I've taught around the world for years and curriculums pretty much water-down to the same stuff, give or take a bit of national history for specific countries.  I know I will face the scrutiny and disbelief of a few people... my Belgian friends think I'm mad...etc.  We are only going to be in Belgium for  a year so I don't want to disrupt the relatively early education of my daughter in her home language - a year in total immersion at this stage would probably not help where's she's at in English.  She's only 8 and needs a boost in her home language anyway.  The only aspect that concerns me is the social aspect which I will have to work hard on to make happen for her.  I know there are lots of after school clubs in Belgium so am hoping they will be a start for her socially - hopefully the Waterloo group can help on that fron too.  I would like to hear peoples' experiences re homeschooling OR putting their children into a total immersion situation in Brussels - thoughts welcomed!

There are masses of after-school activities BUT they are in French and a minority in Dutch in Brussels. There are English after-school activities too, but if English is the home language, why would you do English after-school too and not French or Dutch here, it would seem pretty pointless to come here and just remain in an expat English bubble. Then if you go for after-school clubs in French or Dutch, unless your daughter already speaks these languages or you are fluent in them and plan to school her in these languages, she might find it frustrating socially and also she might find it difficult being unable to follow what is going on.

I can understand you wanting to home school, as you're only here for a year, but I can also see your daughter might be exceptionally isolated as you simply won't find anything day time with other children, other than seeing school groups visiting museums, swimming etc.

If you chose your school wisely and your daughter is confident in herself, a year in a French or Dutch or a private French-English school could be quite a positive experience. Our daughter is friends with a Japanese family who brought their children aged 6 and 8 years old at the time they came, they stayed only a year as their dad was a visiting lecturer, they did so well in coming out pretty fluent in just that time. Japanese parents do seem to have a very "throw them in at the deep end and they WILL swim" attitude, all the Japanese parents at our children's French school are great at leaving their children, turning around and walking away, no fussing, no reacting to any crying, their children seem to settle far faster than the children of other nationalities. None of the Japanese children, except for the half Belgian ones, stay more than 2 years, but their children all seem to adjust fast to a far more alien culture and way of learning than they would have in Japan.

If you are a teacher yourself and English is your home language, why not consider doing after-school English, offering it to others at the same time? There is literally one person only in Brussels who advertises after-school English as a group to native level English speakers, you could set up an ASBL and teach English to native speakers after school and fill classes quickly, especially 6 to 12 year olds, as there are so many English speakers in French and Dutch schools who only get to do English from aged 14 years old, then it's only 2nd language and not aimed at native level. Your daughter could then go into a French, Dutch or French-English private school (would cost you 6k) for a year.

You might want to take a look at this school to the east of Brussels, in Kortenberg. I'm sure you'd be familiar with Summerhill school in England. The "teaching" language is Dutch, at a guess there are perhaps only 10 children there, the children would have to vote on whether they'd even accept your daughter as a student! It's not Brussels, but a good location if work is on the east side of Brussels like Vilvoorde or Zaventem. I'd live out near the school, if I had a child there, as Brussels is 90% French and Dutch speakers have a hard time here.

Thanks for your time Schoolmum - it's much appreciated.  In a perfect world I would love my daughter to go to school -just not sure If I'd be doing the right thing by her as she is not a confident little girl. THe same could be said for the homeschool option. I have looked at the school in Kortenburg (virtually) - we lived in Nossegem last summer, nice area.  I have also wondered about teaching after school to native English speakers - that could stop me from becoming bored! =-) I am still willing to be swayed re my decisions. Thanks again.

Try Brussels Íæż½ã½ãs on Facebook or even trying to get into the Brussels Community Group which is made up mainly of American Diplomatic/Military wives - Americans are big into home schooling and as most of this group is on special status, they can home school without interference from the Belgian authorities.

Thanks again - you have given me lots to think about.  I am apartment hunting today - wish
me luck!

Plilly, schoolmum and melpep are you still in the Brussels area? We have children 8 to 16.

Hello Chapesse,

welcome on board 

Member Plilly is longer on Íæż½ã½ã. It will be better to start a new thread on the Brussels forum so as to link up with other members having the same interests.

Cheers,
Bhavna