Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Would your child choose to be home-educated?

154 replies

emkana · 21/12/2005 20:52

I read an article about home ed today and I find the idea in many ways very appealing. Dd1 started school in September and I think she would be horrified if I suggested to her to take her out of school. She is totally in love with her teacher and she likes being with her friends all day.

But if things change and she becomes unhappy I would take her out, I think.

OP posts:
6beetrootsAmilking · 21/12/2005 20:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NotQuiteCockney · 21/12/2005 20:54

DS1 would hate it. He can stand maybe a day home with me. I expect DS2 to be the same.

tigermoth · 21/12/2005 20:56

my kids would also enjoy it for 5 minutes, then scream to go back to school once I started screaming at them to do some WORK!

spacedonkey · 21/12/2005 21:03

I certainly wanted to be home educated when I was 12, to the point I refused to go to school any more, saying that I wanted to dictate my own learning. Arrogant little git that I was. It didn't work out alas. I've offered the option to both my kids, but they choose to go to school for the social life.

CaChristmasLista · 21/12/2005 21:08

Would do it if ever either of my DS's were being persistently bullied at school. I know these situations are never simple but when I read about these poor poor kids who kill theirselves because they are being bullied I always think why did the parents keep them at that school if they knew that it was happening?

spacedonkey · 21/12/2005 21:10

My feeling is that in those sorts of cases the parents probably don't know, or at least don't know the full extent of it. Also a lot of people simply aren't aware that home ed is an option.

WigWamBam · 21/12/2005 21:12

My dd doesn't even want to be at home for the Christmas holidays, let alone for home schooling! She started in September and adores her teacher, loves group learning, and really enjoys being with other children. She has plenty of friends and is a real social animal, and it would be hard to get that balance of education and socialising with home schooling.

We3kingsofOrinocoare · 22/12/2005 21:13

I know someone who took her kids out of school because she missed them. To me that's so selfish.

I wouldn't feel qualified enough to do it, or disciplined.. but as others have said, I'd give it a try if either of mine were going through hell.

motherinfurriercoatnoknickers · 22/12/2005 21:14

DD1 would hate it if I took her out.

Mistletoo · 22/12/2005 21:15

no way Jose!

roisin · 22/12/2005 21:23

My boys simply adore their primary school, and feel very sorry for some friends who are home-edded. They would be devastated if I took them out to HE now.

However it would be a different matter if they were bored and unchallenged at school, or bullied and miserable.

Mercy · 22/12/2005 21:25

dd has been school full time since half-term and moans like hell if she's had the odd day off due to being ill. She complains at weekends because school is closed.

I think at the end of the day most children (at primary level) enjoy and benefit from the social aspect of school (as well as still being keen to learn on the whole)

Beyond that - well I just don't know. Personally I believe the school leaving age should be lowered

MrsSpoon · 22/12/2005 21:33

DS1 tells me it's boring at home, far more fun at School apparently.

ISawFrannyandZooeyKissingSanta · 22/12/2005 21:58

I am planning to home ed ds but he seems to have other ideas. He wants to go in the local school every time we walk past; he is only 2 but knows his friend "Big Boy Matthew", our neighbour, is in there.

Mind you he was adamant he wanted to start nursery until I took him to one

bsg · 22/12/2005 22:03

I totally disagree with with Home Ed. All children should go to school to be around children their own age and to socialise etc etc etc. I would never consider teaching them myself. For one I am not a qualified teacher and two that is why teachers train for many years, to teach.

ISawFrannyandZooeyKissingSanta · 22/12/2005 22:26

Hmm, well-considered and balanced views there, bsg. It's good you can see both sides of the argument.

bsg · 22/12/2005 22:58

There are not two sides to the argument. Please explain the advantages of home schooling.

zippimistletoes · 22/12/2005 23:06

I think there are massive advantages to home schooling if it suits the parents and the child/ren

there is absolutely no reason why it should preclude socialising

the need for teaching experience is non existent provided you are willing to engage in learning and teaching

if children have been sent to school and the parents and children are happy then continue

but if they haven't entered school and parents wish to try home ed then no problem carry on

if they are at school then if your circumstances can be adapted to try then take advantage of the opportunity to see how it works

notasheep · 22/12/2005 23:29

Friend educates her ds 10yrs old and on GCSE Maths-that must be an advantage,she even brings her ds to our NCT coffee group,so he knows alot about Breast feeding too!

rockinrobinkie · 22/12/2005 23:49

School has been a bit tricky for ds, and he absolutely loves being at home - which, given the combo of him (inquisitive sponge) and us (over-educated & a bit keen), is quite a fertile learning ground. So, I think he would like it. But for us it would be a slightly unhealthy thing to do - main risk being he would end up even further off our planet than he is already.

Also, I would so miss the perspective of his teachers - current one did a lovely thing in the report, which was to do a few words about what the class likes about each child - ds got "his classmates think he is clever and fun". Isn't that a good idea?

notasheep · 22/12/2005 23:57

Home educating just like Home birth is quite normal in these parts so there arent so many shall we shant we discussions.

I know for a fact that my daughter is being held back at school when i look at the school book she is reading and compare it with the books we read from the library

thecattleareALOHing · 22/12/2005 23:58

Ds yes, but I suspect dd no. She's only 10 months but really, really social!

harpsiheraldangelssing · 23/12/2005 00:02

yes I think it can be a positive choice and not just a negative one.
but all parties have to be committed of course.
of course some people thrive in school environments (I loved it - mostly) but school is not the only place to learn. and of course the one on one attention from a parent who knows their child and can tailor the curriculum to the needs and interest of the individual child - well that's a pretty obvious advantage bsg I would have thought.

Mincepiedermama · 23/12/2005 00:05

emkana I've researched this thouroughly. In fact I was all set to de-register the kids at the end of the christmas term but have decided not to do it just yet.
I've been really inspired by the reading I've done and am a member of Education Otherwise .
I may not home educacte yet, but I'm now happy with the idea as an option and will probably do it sometime in the near future.

By all accounts the socialisation argument put forward is a bit of a red herring. You'll discover more on this as you look into it.

SueW · 23/12/2005 00:06

DD would love to be home-educated because she has some friends that are and her best friend left school to be home-educated.