I'm a radical unschooler AMA

[OutOfControlSpirals]

I'm a radical unschooling mum, which basically means I've taken the principals of unschooling, where a child is free to learn what they want, when they want, and applied it to every aspect of our lives. So my children have the same freedoms that I do when it comes to eating/sleeping/learning etc.

I'm curious as to how Claire knows that the 'majority' of HE young people who aren't accepted by her sixth form end up unemployed and on benefits instead.

I think Maths is an exception in that even universities like to see continuity of study - they discourage mathematicians from taking a gap year, for instance. But the idea that someone who achieved a good grade in GCSE English at an early age - 13-ish? - would be incapable of A Level English at 16 because of the gap between formal qualifications is bizarre.

FE colleges are usually more flexible in their entry requirements, and not anti-HE. Alternatively, I got into a brick university as an adult without any formal Level 3 qualifications. I completed a Level 4 course with the Open University while working as proof of my ability to study at that level. There are lots of routes into higher or further education, and lots of vocational alternatives for those who aren't suited to or don't choose that route. The choice isn't just between A Levels at school or long-term unemployment!

To everyone declaring my children will grow up illiterate and unable to function in society - I think you'll find the prisons to be filled with people like that, and every single one of them would have spent time in the school system. I sincerely doubt you'd find home educated people in there

I’d like to know how the OP could claim the above.

Femina Claire very clearly said taking 1 gcse at a time, no matter how early, is too easy to be considered even a basic level of
Accomplishment to meet her establishments entrance criteria.

Hmmm I don't think I would put cleaning and complete education of my child in the same category.

It's like anything, there's a bell curve and just not enough is known as its not properly regulated. It should be regulated and it should be checked in the same way as schools are checked.

I admit my point about poverty was more directed to those who make the conscious choice to HE, especially the unschoolers. To HE because you have no choice due (usually) to SEN can be a very difficult place and I admire all the work you have put in without the financial back up. I have a couple of friends who are in same position and I am not ruling it out as DS grows if he cannot cope with school. My friend's children really want to go to school and I think that's the sad part.

Pro HE showcase the success stories, anti put forward the horror shows - it would be interesting to know how many fall between and what side of the bell curve they are. The problem would be the number of different factors like is there a skewed amount with SEN. The ones that are through choice - is it a higher percentage that the parents are in a higher pay bracket/higher education. I admit almost all the success stories I have seen the parents have been affluent and have degree level or higher themselves. And they went through standard education themselves.
These latter children would have likely been a success in standard education - the parents would have encouraged them in and out of school.

I've only found one study in unschoolers (not just HE) as adults, that was only 75 respondents who were mainly positive. It's not known how many unschoolers there are but in the US its probably 10s of 1000s at least - there are at best guess at least 2 million HE in the US. So that's not a brilliant representative sample.

A Canadian study found that HE children achieved a higher standard in standardised tests than school educated but unschoolers were way behind. This was for 10 year old mind so unschoolers would probably say they hadn't chosen to get those bits.

For me one of the biggest advantages to school is the diversity of children he will meet and the social skills he can learn in dealing with that diversity - sadly including the not so nice. There are not so nice people in the real world, we usually don't get to choose who we work with and we have to learn to rub along with them.

Even if the child had done zero maths for 4 years it really wouldn't take that long to catch up

About 4 years probably.

I can't remember whether I said this upthread, but I'll say it now.

We put our minds to formal maths a few years ago. Spent a little while on it most days (maybe 15-30 minutes ish?). They got themselves (with parental support, and using workbooks so it was all very structured) from scratch to the KS2 extension levels in less than 3 years. That's, what, something like 6 or 7 years of school time?

Focused and motivated, not-very-many to one-adult ratios; it's really not hard to get through the academics pretty fast, with the children grasping everything (because why would you move on until they do?) and not getting bored (because why would you stay with a task when both you and they can see they've totally grokked it? Harder to spot that in a class of 30)

It might even have been in less than 2 years. I honestly can't remember; it was just a daily habit until they'd got to the point of understanding all that maths.

Once again: we are "little bit of structure" home edders, not radical unschoolers, so this doesn't help anyone understand how the Op lives...

But decent parents support the school too don't they. My dd1 has just left primary and starts at a selective grammar in Sept. She is very bright and academic and has learned what she has through a combination of school and home, not one or the other.

Not all children can go to grammar schools though. I went to a rubbish secondary school and learnt virtually nothing. Lessons were disrupted and I was tired when I got home. I did however achieve excellent grades through being self motivated, help from my parents and doing home work. I could have done my exams in half the time if I hadn’t had to do all the faffing around with school. No idea why you think it would take 4 years . My own kids go to primary currently but I’m hoping they’ll get into the local grammar...

@Tabathatwitchett No need for a "but". Yes, decent parents support the school their children go to, no question.

Personally, I don't think it needs to be a huge argument.

I home educate my children because I believe, for various reasons, that that's the best fit for them; I know many others who do it because, really, they have no choice (lack of SEN provision, overwhelming bullying, whatever); I know that some people think that some home educators do it because they feel strongly that It Is Better Than Any Other Option And Demonstrates Their Innate Superiority And The Specialness Of Their Children. That may be true for some; not for any of the people I know personally.

Some send their children to school because, for various reasons, they believe it is the best fit for them; because they have no choice (SEN that the parent can't cope with without professional educational support, family finances, whatever); I know others who do it because they feel strongly that It Is Better Than Any Other Option And Demonstrates Their Innate Superiority.

Meh. Horses for course, YMMV, and all those things. Like someone said upthread, we all do what we do because we think it's the best option for our families. I wouldn't judge anyone else's educational choices any more than I'd judge their career choices, their choice of transport mode, or their favourite kind of music. There are plenty of equally valid ways of doing things, all the way from boarding school to unschooling.

I think you'll find the prisons to be filled with people like that, and every single one of them would have spent time in the school system. I sincerely doubt you'd find home educated people in there

what a bizarre thing to say, spent much time in prison education have you? I have, and there are lot of people there who didn't go to school

I wonder what efforts the school has made to support all children who are struggling or not from conventional backgrounds?

as I think I've made clear, we are a sink school, a last resort school, most of our students are strugglers, and few are from a "conventional background"

There is a difference between absenteeism and being home schooled.

But is there a difference between absentiseem and being “unschooled” watching?

But we’re talking about unschooling not HE. And unschooling sounds a lot like absentiseem to me

I’m unsure how ‘unschooling’ is really defined when a parent devotes 100% of their time to their children with a focus through learning. The OP sounds totally committed. Children who are absent from school generally have parents who can’t or don’t make an effort to ensure their children are their focus.

Unschooling is about letting your children do what they like though, and that might include nothing educational.
Maybe OPs D.C. will decide they prefer hanging round the local bus shelter all day smoking rather than taking up their mothers offer to focus on learning.

And the principle of unschooling is that that’s what they get to do.

not going to school is NOT the same as HE

ok, I need to be more specific, there are a LOT of young people in prison who were never registered at any school, who were officially "home educated" particularly by the "unschooling" model.....

I will say again, what I said upthread, children who's parents care about them and try to do their best for them are always better off than children who's parents are not interested and don't make an effort.

"home schooling" and " unschooling" could mean either, couldn't it.

It is not possible to say which of the "homeschooled" prisoners I have taught had parents who actually thought they were trying hard for their children, and how many had parents who used the "homeschooling" label to effectively wash their hands of taking any responsibility for educating their children, even to the point of not being bothered to register them in a school and get them there in the mornings.

But saying their are no home schoolers in prison is a downright ludicrous thing to say, there are many many.

“I’m confused. Do you think the parents of unschooled children don’t interact with them at all?”

Is that question to me zzzzz?

If you are a 'sink school' @Clairetree1 why would people want to join in the 6th form? Instead of local colleges? Why would you be so selective? And why would mothers sob if their DC didn't get a place

because we are the last resort for people who have already been turned down elsewhere, who don't expect to be turned down by us