Arguments for and against for the uninitiated HOME ED vs SCHOOL.......

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

All things being equal..which do you think is better?

We have friends who home-ed their large family and even they say it can be wrongly done ("mouse child" syndrome of HE'ed kid who doesn't socialise enough).

Their kids are positively feral with so much time to be active and play. The parents despise the national curriculum, with its emphasis on sitting still rather than just being kids and learning through movement. The children are immensely self-motivated, have a great love of learning and seem to be progressing well. They have a lot of energy for outside school activities (my children don't).

I was perfectly happy with school until DS finally ended up in a class of 30 and I can see the drudgery aspect of it, now. Apparently the local indep. primary (12 in a class) both follows the National Curriculum and gives 30 min homework a night.. to Reception!! So that wouldn't be better, either. Last thing I want is my kids being hot-housed. I might consider HE for secondary.

I am somewhere in between the two. I don't think that school is perfect for my dyslexic 9 year old, but he gets a lot out of it. I do work at home with him on a daily basis but I don't think it's fair on him. I did teach them at home for 8 months while we were living abroad, but it wasn't as easy as I thought, mainly due to young baby. With one child I would have had a fantastic time. I do have an issue with many home edders who don't have a decent grasp of English. However much you can learn with your children, you do need to have some knowledge to start with. I have exactly the sme concern with a number of primary teachers I know - the reason my two middle children left their previous school. I speak as a teacher.