[HPforGrownups] Pre-Hogwarts Education

[Penny & Bryce]

No: HPFGUIDX 36705

Hi --

A. Harr wrote:

> Im hoping this topic hasn't come up, but if it has,
> please email me personally with your thoughts... its
> driven me nuts the past couple of days...
> 
> I was talking with a home-schooled friend the other
> day, when a question popped into my head... how are
> wizarding children educated pre-Hogwarts? There is no
> mention of Wizarding elementary/primary schools, to my
> knowledge, so how do all the children know how to read
> and do arithmetic then? Are they educated by their
> parents and family? If so, how do they meet wizarding
> children of thier own age?

A great place to get started on this particular topic is:

http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/faq/hogwarts.html

There have also been some discussions since that FAQ was written -- 
searching the Message archives for keywords like primary school, 
home-school, etc. will probably yield those messages.

None of the above is meant to discourage discussions on this topic, but 
rather to introduce new members to concepts & theories that have already 
been discussed.  It might provide a good jumping-off point to what we've 
already talked about.  :--)

Personally, I'm more concerned with why they don't seem to need to 
*further* their education in basic subjects like literature, music, 
math, languages, etc. once they reach Hogwarts.  I'd like to hear that 
Hogwarts does have some traditional subjects as electives if nothing 
else.  I know we've talked about how they use math in arithmancy, 
astronomy & divination, science in potions, etc. .... but I wish JKR 
might clarify that more in the next book.

Penny