Why on earth home educate??

[plainjayne123]

I am an extremely bright (top first from Oxford, PhD, post-doc, research career etc) person and I push my children to acheive their most at school etc, but I cannot see any reason why anyone would choose to home educate. I would go so far as to say it's selfish to keep your child at home and inflict upon them your idea of what they should learn and become. Hope to get some good reasons!

[Suze77]

"and inflict upon them your idea of what they should learn and become"

I home educate precisely so that no one can inflict on my children ideas of what they should learn and become. I home educate in order to give my children the time and space and opportunity to work out what THEY want to learn, who THEY want to be, and to support them in that. I don't believe school offers this.

[Frontpaw]

This won't end well

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

Maybe read some threads on here. I've only glanced at a few but already seen some very good reasons that made me think.

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

I'm surprised someone as intelligent and well educated didn't think of that tbh.

[RooneyMara]

Oh crikey. OP I'm not sure you've really set an amicable tone here. People might be reluctant or defensive if you storm into the topic accusing everyone of being selfish.

I don't HE, but I'd like to. More because I have trouble with some aspects of school, than because I think I'm right about everything. School does a lot of things better than I could myself, but also does a lot of things worse.

Ps I'm extremely bright too but have none of your credentials, so that might not count in your book.

[RooneyMara]

I can spell achieve though.

[noisytoys]

DH was home educated and he resents that he didn't get the opportunity to go to school so I agree with you OP. MIL said he was too bright for school, but he has nothing to show for it. DD is very bright (top 1% assessed by ed psych) and she is thriving in school

[Frontpaw]

I only know one person who home eds (on religious grounds) but I'm interested to know how people come to the decision to do this, and how they go about it.

[seeker]

Wow.

OP- If you really want to know, then name change and try again- perhaps just a liiiiiiiiiiiiiitle less offensively?

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

Seeker it's the big brains. No room for manners.

[Frontpaw]

My dad had an awful lot of brains but was always very polite (he also taught Brainy Things at university).

We would, however, probably kill each other if he had decided to Home Ed.

[akaemmafrost]

I can't be bothered to reply in detail to you. I HE by the way and like to discuss it because I feel our reasons are totally valid, but your OP is very hostile so I won't bother.

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

:o frontpaw

[akaemmafrost]

Very bright, first from Oxford but can't spell achieve? Really?

[Frontpaw]

Nobody really describes themselves as 'very bright' do they? Unless they are wearing a fluorescent suit or something?

I don't think s/he's real...

Also, I have worked with Oxbridge sorts and some Very Brainy folk are increadibly dumb.

[RooneyMara]

Well she might be dyslexic and still be very clever, despite clear lack of tact .

Of course that's another reason some people HE, because some schools won't recognise or help with their child's special needs.

OP if you're seriously interested rather than just venting/having a go, why don't you come back and enter into the discussion?

[ClutchingPearls]

Possibly because they don't want their children to be 'plain jaynes' as you NN suggests.

They would rather have unique individuals that learn naturally and in tune with their personalities. They would rather nurture and encourage their child to reach their true potential.

Its about knowing your child and what they would benefit from. DD1 is in the local primary, DD2 potentially will be home schooled because that's what their personalities dictate and what they need to flourish.

[seeker]

"Possibly because they don't want their children to be 'plain jaynes' as you NN suggests.

They would rather have unique individuals that learn naturally and in tune with their personalities. They would rather nurture and encourage their child to reach their true potential."

Oh, please don't be rude back!

[plainjayne123]

I can understand if a child has particular needs (yes, yes, I know they all have) or if they aren't happy at school but a reasonably capable, happy child I can't. I observed some lessons last week and saw a boy who obviously didn't want to sit and listen or write or learn and he was more or less forced to, it was very stressful for him and it is painful to think he is made to do this every school day. Most schools do a reasonable job and the children spend a lot of time at home after school, weekends, holidays where parents are able to exert a greater influence on the child's outcome than school does.

[RooneyMara]

'I observed some lessons last week and saw a boy who obviously didn't want to sit and listen or write or learn and he was more or less forced to, it was very stressful for him and it is painful to think he is made to do this every school day.'

I'm really confused - do you mean at school, or at home?

Do you think this doesn't happen to kids at school?

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

So you're involved professionally in he? And admit you know nothing about it and have no idea how to find out more?

Very concerning.

[LIttleMcF]

OP, if you genuinely want to know reasons for home ed, read the threads, then come back with your observations and we can all have a polite and interesting debate.

If you simply want to cause upset with a fairly rude post, then your great brain isn't really being put to very good use these days, is it?

[EauRouge]

One of the many reasons we want to HE is so that our DDs learn to do some proper research into something before forming such a strong opinion on it.

If you want people to take the time out to share their experiences, best not to start out by calling them selfish.

[akaemmafrost]

I've one child in MS education who is thriving and one who I HE. One cannot function at school, SN, self harming, aggression, totally unsympathetic environment. I read once that a primary school teacher said "some children could be ready for school at three, some will never be ready". I think that sums it up completely.