I recommend this link to anyone who is contemplating home schooling their children. John Holt answers many of the questions people ask when considering this issue...
"Common Objections to Homeschooling"
By John Holt
http://www.naturalchild.org/common_objections/
Home Educating?
Hi,
Yes, we do indeed home educate. If you are feeling moved that way, then it is well worth looking into. I'd highly recommend it. There are many support networks in the UK (depending on where you are located that is...) that help families get in touch with others or offer group/educational activities, advice etc.
Trinity
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Yes, we do indeed home educate. If you are feeling moved that way, then it is well worth looking into. I'd highly recommend it. There are many support networks in the UK (depending on where you are located that is...) that help families get in touch with others or offer group/educational activities, advice etc.
Trinity
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red
- A selfsufficientish Regular
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yeh I second that - when I was looking into secondary schools for my son, I decided to treat the home ed option in the same way - so where I went along to an open day at a school, I went along to a home ed social group to chat to the other parents. Be aware that there are so many different ways of approaching home ed too - some let the children lead - others have more structure - there isn't a right way - or perhaps I should say whatever works for you is the right way.
Its not possible for everyone, I know I am lucky that I only work part time and am able to fit my hours around home ed, but I woudl recommend trying home ed to anyone - its been fantastic having this time with my son, and he has come on really well.
Its not possible for everyone, I know I am lucky that I only work part time and am able to fit my hours around home ed, but I woudl recommend trying home ed to anyone - its been fantastic having this time with my son, and he has come on really well.
Red
I like like minded people... a bit like minded anyway.. well people with bits of their minds that are like the bits of my mind that I like...
my website: colour it green
etsy shop
blog
I like like minded people... a bit like minded anyway.. well people with bits of their minds that are like the bits of my mind that I like...
my website: colour it green
etsy shop
blog
I had thought of home-ed long before I was actually planning a family.
Now that I have my little one I have been looking into it alot and the more I read the more I struggle to understand why people (with the choice) would send their kids to school. The numbers for home educating in britain are really low. Is it because alot of people don't know that there is another way or do you think that they genuinly think that instututions are the way of raising children.
My sister (who is in teacher training) reckons that alot of the population think that school is childcare and don't realise that they are actually supposed to be there to educate and not to babysit. - needless to say she is not 100% in agreement of my descision to home-ed.
Others I have spoken too think its like school hols all the time, with kids playing playstations and going to the shops whenever you like????
Sometimes it seems that if you don't spend 4 hours a day watching tv and never watch Eastenders you are 'Alternative' and I'm not sure that I like the conotations that brings with it.
Annpan
Now that I have my little one I have been looking into it alot and the more I read the more I struggle to understand why people (with the choice) would send their kids to school. The numbers for home educating in britain are really low. Is it because alot of people don't know that there is another way or do you think that they genuinly think that instututions are the way of raising children.
My sister (who is in teacher training) reckons that alot of the population think that school is childcare and don't realise that they are actually supposed to be there to educate and not to babysit. - needless to say she is not 100% in agreement of my descision to home-ed.
Others I have spoken too think its like school hols all the time, with kids playing playstations and going to the shops whenever you like????
Sometimes it seems that if you don't spend 4 hours a day watching tv and never watch Eastenders you are 'Alternative' and I'm not sure that I like the conotations that brings with it.
Annpan
home educating
Hi there
I have home educated my kids for 3 years now, and i would no way send them back into the school envroment.
My daughter was bullied so badly she actually admitted to me that she had contemplated suicide. i de registered her from school and she is no on the verge of going to catering college.
i joined a group called Education Otherwise at http://www.educationotherwise.org/
look them up they hae lots of useful information on the website.
i hope this helps with your decision
Maggie
I have home educated my kids for 3 years now, and i would no way send them back into the school envroment.
My daughter was bullied so badly she actually admitted to me that she had contemplated suicide. i de registered her from school and she is no on the verge of going to catering college.
i joined a group called Education Otherwise at http://www.educationotherwise.org/
look them up they hae lots of useful information on the website.
i hope this helps with your decision
Maggie
by the way
by the way annpan the number of people home educating their children in this country alone is well over 20,000 which i don't think is that low at all.
and there are other home educaters all over the world.
If it helps neither my ex husband or my family approved of me home educating, but i have since proved them wrong,my children learn much more about the life around them, and have a very rounded education.
they are not tied to a school timetable and can study at their own pace.
Education Otherwise has a helpline that you can ring for advice, it is manned by myself and various other home educating parents all with different experiences.
My advice would be Don't let anyone tell you that it is wrong to home educate, or that it is best for your child. if home educating is what you want to do then do it. it is not compulsory to send your child to school, it is compulsory to educate them you are in control of their education not the system
sorry if i have rattled on but i am very passionate about this subject.
you can pm me if you want me to send you some leaflets and information in the post as i have all the paperwork and leaflets here
good luck in your decision
maggie
and there are other home educaters all over the world.
If it helps neither my ex husband or my family approved of me home educating, but i have since proved them wrong,my children learn much more about the life around them, and have a very rounded education.
they are not tied to a school timetable and can study at their own pace.
Education Otherwise has a helpline that you can ring for advice, it is manned by myself and various other home educating parents all with different experiences.
My advice would be Don't let anyone tell you that it is wrong to home educate, or that it is best for your child. if home educating is what you want to do then do it. it is not compulsory to send your child to school, it is compulsory to educate them you are in control of their education not the system
sorry if i have rattled on but i am very passionate about this subject.
you can pm me if you want me to send you some leaflets and information in the post as i have all the paperwork and leaflets here
good luck in your decision
maggie
Cheers Maggie
I have already considered joining education otherwise. I have heard that it is a good idea to join and make contacts then re-join when Emily is 'school age' (it's on my 'to do' list
)
And don't worry, I really don't care what others think about it, I intend to be led by what Emily wants to do and I am really keen on family based learning, she will help me in the garden (growing food), cooking meals, woodwork in and around the house, etc. I will of course do the paper work bits as and when she likes, but I do not plan to force her to learn how to conjugate french verbs.
I suppose I just find it annoying that people are so single minded that even when I speak to them about home-ed, they think that it is either laying about the house doing nothing or sitting at the table for 6 hours a day on their own working through text books.
Your right, 20,000 is quite alot. I just look at the amount of people who are at home all week (ie not working because they have kids - or class themselves as housewifes) - I don't really understand why they all think that school is better that home educating, or do they not know that there is an option?
Well done for saving your daughter from school bullys, it sounds like she has really flourished. I had a really bad school experience (bullying by both pupils and by teachers) I still can't stand people trying to teach me - I mostly argue with them, cause I think they are wrong.
Anyway, now I have gone on too much
Ann Pan
I have already considered joining education otherwise. I have heard that it is a good idea to join and make contacts then re-join when Emily is 'school age' (it's on my 'to do' list
)And don't worry, I really don't care what others think about it, I intend to be led by what Emily wants to do and I am really keen on family based learning, she will help me in the garden (growing food), cooking meals, woodwork in and around the house, etc. I will of course do the paper work bits as and when she likes, but I do not plan to force her to learn how to conjugate french verbs.
I suppose I just find it annoying that people are so single minded that even when I speak to them about home-ed, they think that it is either laying about the house doing nothing or sitting at the table for 6 hours a day on their own working through text books.
Your right, 20,000 is quite alot. I just look at the amount of people who are at home all week (ie not working because they have kids - or class themselves as housewifes) - I don't really understand why they all think that school is better that home educating, or do they not know that there is an option?
Well done for saving your daughter from school bullys, it sounds like she has really flourished. I had a really bad school experience (bullying by both pupils and by teachers) I still can't stand people trying to teach me - I mostly argue with them, cause I think they are wrong.
Anyway, now I have gone on too much
Ann Pan
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celticmyth
- Tom Good
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:28 am
- Location: In the Shire
Hi Annpann ,
from another home edder on the forum
I home edded my daughter for about 5/6 years in total,she was also bullied.Now she's gone off to college(her choice)and is one of the most motivated pupils there(so i'm told) I think because she wants to be there,to get her GCSE's etc
from another home edder on the forum
I home edded my daughter for about 5/6 years in total,she was also bullied.Now she's gone off to college(her choice)and is one of the most motivated pupils there(so i'm told) I think because she wants to be there,to get her GCSE's etc
Tree Hugging Dirt Worshipper
That's wonderful to hearcelticmyth wrote:Hi Annpann ,
from another home edder on the forum
I home edded my daughter for about 5/6 years in total,she was also bullied.Now she's gone off to college(her choice)and is one of the most motivated pupils there(so i'm told) I think because she wants to be there,to get her GCSE's etc
It's such a joy to watch a child unfold into areas that they feel naturally pulled to.
Trin
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celticmyth
- Tom Good
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:28 am
- Location: In the Shire
Hi Trinity,
It makes all the sometimes hard days(esp dealing with a previously bullied child)feel worth it.
my daughter looks set to get her GCSE's(if all goes well) and is moving on to A level textile design and performing arts next year.
We followed a timetable at first when i took my daughter out of school(her wishes,not mine)but then were totally autonomous for about 4 years,so either way works.
It makes all the sometimes hard days(esp dealing with a previously bullied child)feel worth it.
my daughter looks set to get her GCSE's(if all goes well)
and is moving on to A level textile design and performing arts next year.We followed a timetable at first when i took my daughter out of school(her wishes,not mine)but then were totally autonomous for about 4 years,so either way works.
Tree Hugging Dirt Worshipper
I home educated my eldest daughter for a couple of years and we both really loved it.
However, she has Down's syndrome and was becoming locally isolated so I enrolled her back into school in order that she meet the local kids.
She did and it was the right decision for her at that time.
Now my youngest has reached school age.
She is desperate to go to school so I allowed to go into the nursery class.
Tomorrow she is supposed to start full time (but I have insisted that I will be picking her straight after lunch) and I have serious misgivings.
We have not long moved here and I want her to have friends nearby.
Last time I looked (which was a while ago I abmit) the nearest ed otherwise group was 25 miles away, but still the thought of my delightfully odd littleperson being normalised appalls me.
I wish there were no 'schools' and she could learn at home and with the kids in our street.
However, she has Down's syndrome and was becoming locally isolated so I enrolled her back into school in order that she meet the local kids.
She did and it was the right decision for her at that time.
Now my youngest has reached school age.
She is desperate to go to school so I allowed to go into the nursery class.
Tomorrow she is supposed to start full time (but I have insisted that I will be picking her straight after lunch) and I have serious misgivings.
We have not long moved here and I want her to have friends nearby.
Last time I looked (which was a while ago I abmit) the nearest ed otherwise group was 25 miles away, but still the thought of my delightfully odd littleperson being normalised appalls me.
I wish there were no 'schools' and she could learn at home and with the kids in our street.
Yep, agree with you there Flower. And they do seem so little and young when they start, can't believe my youngest wouldv'e been at school for over a year, if we had sent him.
We are lucky to have a good HE group here, also some close friends who HE, whom we see regularly.
Hopefully your little one will be happy at school, but just remember nothing is forever, and nothing can't be undone - you can always change your mind.
We are lucky to have a good HE group here, also some close friends who HE, whom we see regularly.
Hopefully your little one will be happy at school, but just remember nothing is forever, and nothing can't be undone - you can always change your mind.
Awesome to hear that people are making the home education choice the world over. I know that some in some countries the government do not permit it. Is it a big thing in New Zealand? I find New Zealand very alluring and often wondered what the home schooling scene was like out there.Magpie wrote: We are lucky to have a good HE group here, also some close friends who HE, whom we see regularly.
Trin
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HE isn't huge here, especially in the south where we are. Lots of people we meet have never heard of it, and are quite shocked that we can do it. Especially with me not being a qualified teacher, and all... 
Our group has about 30 members, with about 10 really active members. The North Island has much, much, much bigger groups than us.
Conditions here are good though, you just have to apply for an exemption before the child turns 6 (the legal school age) or before taking them out of school. You have to prove they will be taught "As regularly and as well as in a registered school" which gives you good scope - our family unschools, and have got our exemptions without major hassle. We are also subject to the same review process as the schools are, but due to staff shortages, the reviewers tend to only come every 5 years or so, unless someone complains about you. We also get an allowance of about $600 per year, per child, which is nice.
A good lifestyle, all in all, which fits in nicely with the SSish theme, too!
Our group has about 30 members, with about 10 really active members. The North Island has much, much, much bigger groups than us.Conditions here are good though, you just have to apply for an exemption before the child turns 6 (the legal school age) or before taking them out of school. You have to prove they will be taught "As regularly and as well as in a registered school" which gives you good scope - our family unschools, and have got our exemptions without major hassle. We are also subject to the same review process as the schools are, but due to staff shortages, the reviewers tend to only come every 5 years or so, unless someone complains about you. We also get an allowance of about $600 per year, per child, which is nice.
A good lifestyle, all in all, which fits in nicely with the SSish theme, too!