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

Some universities do do different offers for some courses to young people who take a less traditional approach to education. But it does limit the courses you can do.
They would be unlikely to make an offer to a home educated young person who has done GCSEs, but not enough, unless there was a very good reason for this.

OP can I ask what you do to make sure your son spends enough time with his peers?

Taking GCSE's spread out is rarely viewed well by universities. They want to know students can handle a large workload. And he needs to do 8 GCSEs.

I'm a senior academic in a university. This is not true. The university would welcome home educated students.

Op, what do you do to make sure your knowledge and understanding of the subjects you're teaching him is current and accurate?

I have a masters degree but know I don’t have the proficiency in a broad enough range of subjects to home school a child.

How do you cover all the subjects? Science, languages, maths, history. Then when he picks four for a level, what if they aren’t your strength?

Also, I have always wondered how home schooled kids fair at uni. Big classes, noise, moving from lecture theatre to lecture theatre - what do you do to prepare him?

I don’t think he’s being ‘taught’ as such. OP says she works FT and he pleases himself with trips out, friends and similar.

Though just seen her DP is involved. Maybe he does it?

@Userwhatevernumber - yes I work. And no I don't think I'm better than anyone else! I think we all do what we think is best for our individual DC. I think some hime-ed parents can get devensive as there is so much criticism in general and goadiness - mostly from people that have no idea how home-ed really works. There can be a feeling of needing to prove yourself! I'm long past that, though. And lots of us have DC in school too - my youngest goes to school.

OvertheUnicornRainbow

Does your son feel like he is missing out when his youngest talks about school ?

Do you have regrets ?

Did he wish he went to school?

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross - I don't need any set qualifications. He doesn't just learn from me! I was well equipped to teach him the basics of how to learn/study. I can read and write and do basic maths so able to answer his questions and show him where to find answers. If anything he'll have an advantage as he can study independently.

So nobody is teaching him? He teaches himself then?

@Grasspigeons - the best thing is being able to follow what is best for the child. The worst is having to organise it all yourself!

@SquashedFlyBiscuit - what made you almost and why are you glad you didn't?

@Branleuse - child-led. And yes, he plans to.

@Hopefulhen - he mixes with a much larger variety of adults and children, with many different view points, than his schooled sister. He's obviously of the age that he is forming his own opinions about things and we discuss things in an open manner.

@Tellingitlikeitisnt - we are constantly reevaluating and tweaking things - it helps that there are so many options in the home ed community. But we've never really thought about school as HE has worked so well.

How do you cope with people thinking they know exactly what home education looks like and that you cannot possibly be fulfilling educational needs (and thinking they know the law) - former home Eder here - people are so narrow minded.

You sometimes hear parents say that unless they're standing over their child, the homework never gets started let alone finished.
Do you notice that your son (sorry, said daughter in previous post!) And his unschooled friends have adapted to their way of learning and don't need the same level of parental supervision with children of their age who are schooled?
Is it simply because he enjoys the subjects he's chosen to learn?
Do you learn more from the information your son chooses to learn than your schooled child or is it just different sorts of subjects?

Lots of autistic children go to school though. It's about finding the right setting, not simply deciding school isn't for him. You are not giving him a chance.

I have 2 autistic DC; both in mainstream, very good schools who are on the ball and happily make adjustments where necessary. One of them suffers anxiety, panic attacks and often refuses to go. This is ok, if they need the time off they have it.

The thing that I have never understood about home education is how you teach a variety of subjects so your child can progress in life. One of mine is about to sit 5 highers, 4 of which are required for university entry, there is no way I could teach 5 courses at higher level. They have to go to school for that.

@Nearlyalmost50 - no he's not. But he's been used to going to classes albeit of less than 30. But he is confident to go to classes alone now and could cope with a bigger class now better than when younger.

@Outingpost - no, he doesn't want to go to school. Some people flexi-school - which is part time school

@FrostyBamboo - being happy, healthy, confident and meeting his potential.

@Savingshoes - yes, my DS goes swimming, to the library and to the park regularly with friends - I'm not sure they've ever been asked - but they'd just say they were home-educated.

How does it work having one child in school and one not? You seem to have made the decision for him that school wouldn't suit, he never had the chance to find out though.

OP, the moment I saw your thread title I knew the way the discussion would go.

Home education is obviously still very misunderstood.

It's perfectly possible to go to university without having taken GCSEs. This upsets a lot of people but it's true!

Just to clarify I was HE. I know you can go to university without qualifications, but it limits the courses you can do.

@PointeShoesandTutus - I didn't know that. When we were looking in to it recently that wasn't what we were told. Anecdotally we have heard that the colleges often let home-ed kids on courses with fewer qualifications - mainly I think perhaps as they are good at study independently. His Art teacher says the home-ed kids are more creative and think outside the box. So, at least, round here home-ed is seen as a bonus.
He wants to do Eng, Eng Lit, Maths & Science and perhaps History. Not fully decided yet. He can take exams as an external candidate in a local high school.
Hmm..not sure...probably 60% live/ 40% online - but could change depending on what he chooses to do going forward.

@Boredbumhead - in the same way you afford DC - you spend what you can.

@SquashedFlyBiscuit - I think the way I see it is why waste your time on exams you don't need? I found this a frustration at school. Better to spend your time being able to study more indepth/wider than the GCSE curriculum and obviously to be able to study subjects that aren't taught at GCSE and have more time for your passions.