I home educate - my DS has never been to school - AMA

[OvertheUnicornRainbow]

My DS is almost 13, always been home-educated and is thriving. Ask me anything

Two things I've never understood about homeschooling:

1. Teachers undergo rigourous post-degree training and assessment. Secondary teachers I know stay abreast of developments in their subject area. I am an academic, and a secondary teacher but do not profess to have the expertise to teach subjects that do not relate to my area. No matter how intelligent I am, I don't care about the nth number in maths. A maths teacher does

How can a parent justify isolating their academic child from expertise?

1. Safeguarding. Who is monitoring the safeguarding of home-schooled children, exactly? Parents cannot always be trusted (just look at the 'We took you to stately homes' thread.

I know a home-schooled child, oldest of seven. Can't use apostrophes or create a metaphor or simile or personification. But she can put the washing machine on, and she's great at tidying up. It's appalling that she has been isolated.

I think isolation and exclusivity is abusive. Personally.

I would also expect 'an academic child' to be taking 10 GCSEs and not over three years. How else will they cope with university stresses and deadlines? And A Levels!!! (Worse than university in my opinion.)

An academic child would have opportunities at school to flourish, like a foreign exchange, debating club, public speaking opportunities and competitions, trips to Oxford and Cambridge, work experience. Even Sports Day teaches an academic child that they're not the best at everything and to cheer on that classmate they've ignored because they don't sit next to them.

Social interactions are, frankly, essential. Whilst I understand these happen in a home-schooling context, they simply cannot happen with the same regularity at school, and therefore social skills will be lacking in some way.

Not all schools are fabulous places I understand. We're very lucky where I live.

I disagree that museums at the weekend aren't the same as in the week. The content is still the same

Yes but a child on the spectrum would very likely be more able to go to the museum during the week when there are generally way less other people than at the weekend.

Thats the difference.

Sadly I fear that without real regulation, children will continue to be failed by society and face a very uncertain future with limited qualifications and no solid education.

How many thousands of children each year leave school with their mental health and self esteem in tatters because of what they have been through in their state school? In my school although i did well enough, but my confidence was wrecked from years of bullying that the school did nothing about. A lot of posters here have very rose tinted views of what state schools are like. In a lot of them your child won't necessarily be in a nurturing environment where they have the benefit of "stimulation of a subject specialist and the class environment". Quite often that subject specialist will be dealing with poor behaviour rather than teaching the class. Well done to the op for rejecting the school system and finding a way forward that works for her son. I think what we have here is some people who fear any challenge to the idea that school is the best way to educate a child. If your DC is in a "super selective grammar" and going on field trips to the Dordogne then i can see why you might think that. If they aren't that lucky, and they're being forced to make their way through an underfunded, over crowded school in old buildings with no supplies and stressed out teachers who spend all their time fire fighting bad behaviour and NOT teaching, then you might have a bit more empathy for the ops position.

My dc aren't school age yet but id rather HE than give them a school experience like i had. It's interesting how at pre school level is all about self directed activities and what the child wants to do. Why's it different when they get to school?

An academic child would have opportunities at school to flourish, like a foreign exchange, debating club, public speaking opportunities and competitions, trips to Oxford and Cambridge, work experience

Which state schools offer all that then? My secondary school did a trip to chessington and that was your lot. I think people like you are living in a different world. Open your eyes and look at what the vast majority of secondary schools are actually like in this country.

I think isolation and exclusivity is abusive. Personally.

You think op is abusing her son by home schooling?

It’s interesting how people have unconscious biases with respect to teaching and assume it can be done fairly easily. Anyone who has been involved in teacher training and has seen the car crash that is a novice’s first attempt at teaching will be quickly disabused by the notion that anyone can just walk into teaching.

I taught my first seminar in the first year of my PhD and it was an unmitigated disaster. I bored even myself and immediately decided I couldn’t repeat the experience mainly for my sake never mind the students’. So I got in touch with the two best teachers I had even had during my earlier degrees and asked for help. Luckily they are wonderful people and shared loads of ideas. This has continued through out my career. I’ve learnt enormously from teaching alongside colleagues and observing others teaching.

I know a home-schooled child, oldest of seven. Can't use apostrophes or create a metaphor or simile or personification.

You’ve truly been duped or institutionalized if you think being able to use creative language devices is useful in the slightest, or constitutes a good education.

Education is broad and lifelong. It doesn’t just sit within a national curriculum. No one needs 10 GCSEs; confidence and self-belief is worth so much more!

Booboostwo yet historically, great scientists will have been taught by unqualified teachers, or homeschooled by governesses.

It’s great to have skilled teachers, but not the be all and end all of education options. I’m a teacher, but I see how some of my students would learn better elsewhere with a different style of education.

Fenny, a lot of teachers have only minimal qualifications in what they are teaching because the requirements for degree level study have been relaxed. My friend is teaching a subject at gcse that she has only an a level in (state school). I’m also aware of another friend of friend teaching to GCSE a subject she has a level (grade c) in.

Quick link just to give the stats - 20% maths teachers don’t have a maths degree eg:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/physics-teachers-no-degree-uk-education-schools-science-a7829801.html%3famp

Booboostwo - but not all schooled children have access to qualified teachers. In year 4 my son was taught in a class of 38 in the morning, 41 in the afternoon. It was shared by an HLTA who didnt have a degree and a SCIIT trainee on placement (this is a one year on the job training course) the work was overseen by a year 2 teacher who had their own class and was deputy, so it was a very light touch overseeing.
My other son had asd and was taught in a corridor by a TA. I know people will say that the qualified teacher set the work - but its a known problem in the SEN community and they are trying to move away from that.

I really admire class teachers and couldnt teach a whole class properly - i wouldnt know where to begin. I might possibly do as well for one specific child as a TA in a corridor or a trainee on their first week.

I'm a Maths teacher without a Maths degree. My subject knowledge is very good because I have worked hard at it. There is a Maths teacher retention crisis but that's for another thread.

I could teach most of the primary curriculum. However I would not be able to cover English properly. I don't know the proper rules of grammar or things like subjunctive clauses.

I don't think the OPs lack of subject specialism is an issue currently.
From the sounds of it, OP has engaged some specialist teachers. Now her son is aiming for GCSE level study she may have to find more tutors.

Herc, I bet you are super! My oh has maths a level and I think he could upskill himself enough if we HE. We don’t because currently I think dds are best off in school.

I have read this entire thread and it has been fascinating but the same old prejudices emerge on both side over and over again.

Op I wish you and your son all the best in his education journey and I hope he achieves his dreams.

I do wonder if you are honest enough to know your own limitations in what you can and cannot provide for him? I'm not sure that is coming through in your posts and that isn't a criticism, it's just an observation. You do come across as very supportive of your son.

I have a small number of friends who were HE (off the top of my head 7 adults and 2 children although I knew two of the now adults while children being he'd) and I found them all very poorly educated with a very narrow view of the world and sadly very poor social skills.

However, all the adults are employed, albeit in low paid jobs, with the exception of 1 who has a successful business.

I guess the question for me is what is the purpose of education? It isn't only about the number or breadth of gcses or about the ability to follow your interests... You still need to learn about things you don't want to or have no interest in to become a rounded person and a resilient adult. Just because you don't think you used a subject at school as an employed adult doesn't mean it didn't benefit you in some way you aren't even aware of.

I think the issue with the poor social skills, Silly, is that often adults who were HE as kids were HE because of hidden SN. So their social skills might not have been any better if they went to school

yet historically, great scientists will have been taught by unqualified teachers, or homeschooled by governesses

Sigh. This is the kind of ignorance I regularly come across from HE parents.

This university made a freedom of info request about science course availability in schools. I know it is a concern that some schools do not offer triple science. If you cannot do a GCSE in Chemistry, you will struggle to do one at A Level. And that will have a knock on in terms of a chemistry degree. I was giving advice about doing triple sciences. Just because some schools do not do this, does not mean it is good practice. I thought you all wanted to do better tha the worst schools?

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/the_number_of_secondary_schools

@ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal the school I work in.

Admittedly because of geographical location we go to Oxford, not Cambridge.

It's a super school.

@ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal no. Read what you quoted. Isolation and exclusivity is abusive.

You can't just infer the OP is. However, if a home school setting IS isolating and too exclusive then yes, a child is a social being and it is abusive to control a child by not allowing them to access services like schooling.

@fennybridges

Ill say it again. Open your eyes and look at what the vast majority of secondary schools are actually like in this country.

Sillyscrabblegames - the social interaction is exactly what my biggest concern is for home schooling. As it is restricted, filters and controlled - even if OP dad otherwise. Plus the cost/ ability to bring in tutors for specific subjects (like languages or PE) where the parents luck knowledge.

@ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal the state high schools in my bog standard northern city offer these things and a lot more.

@Onceuponatimethen I am in a support group online for adults who were HE. Every single one said they had poor social skills as a result of HE. Few are ever diagnosed with SN.
I know that HE parents always put poor social skills down to SN. But surprise, surprise - if you limit the amount of time children spend with their peers, their social skills will be poorer. This is not rocket science.

If anyone really wants to HE well, you have to be aware of the very real pitfalls that can happen and address them. The solution is not to just deny they exist.

I agree that some schools are not great. Which is why decent parents do everything they can to get their children into a good school. Good schools offer lots of opportunities. The school my DCs go to offer triple science.

@Greenmarmalade you are completely right. I agree that education is so much more and self-belief is critical.

However, I also know - as an AQA examiner - the demands of the specification and perhaps what would really cement that particular child's self belief is the achievement of a GCSE in English Language to springboard her into choices for her adult life, rather than being a skivvy for six younger siblings.

I realise the exam system may need improving - I am not on that level. However, the OP's son will need to use literary devices for a component of his GSCE in writing and therefore contrary to what you think, using them will project that child into a life long learning. Just after GCSE level.

I totally get it Jane. I don’t HE and social skills are part of the reason for this.

However, I mixed a few years ago through an interest in a group where some dc were later HE, but if I’m completely honest the kids who were later HE were mostly always quite quirky well before school age (as well as being great kids, of course!) I think many would have been close to the ASD borderline if not over it. I’m just not sure the causality with HE and poor social skills is always there.