Educating at home

[Jbr]

www.guardian.co.uk/parents/story/0,3605,789867,00.html

You've got to read this article, if only to see the names of these children. I wouldn't be sending them to school either with names like that.

And no wonder the health visitor thought these children were a bit strange.

In the final paragraph she does refer to the pronounciation of their unusual names! They'd probably do alright here in London - 'Eeee-ro' and 'Tyyy-bowlt' but maybe difficult where they live!

The choice to educate at home is of course a personal one and as long as it is done capably deserves support as one of a range of options. I did feel though that in this case the children's mother has chosen to do this purely based on her own negative school/life experiences, rather than because she can offer something better, or because she feels her children as individuals would not suit mainstream education. She is very bitter about her own failed school life and encounters with various other institutions - I wonder how much she is able to put these aside to consider things on a less emotional level.

I don't think it's strange in itself but I do wonder why you have to go through so many exams to become a teacher yet so long as you allow yourself to be checked etc, you can teach at home.

Call me cynical, but of course when you take the children of middle class families, who seem to be the main proponents of home education, is it really that much of a suprise that they "do better" than the wider peer group.

I'm a governor at a school where 35% of children in year 6 stated that there were no books other than their own school books in their own homes. I can't tell you how depressed that made me feel.

I don't see what class has to do with not having books. Crikey, I used to trawl second hand book stalls myself as a child. I could get about 10 for a £1.

I used to get into trouble for reading all the time because it impacted on the rest of my life. I was like that woman in the new Harry Potter advert.

:-)

JBR, teaching within a school environment is very different to what you do when you educate at home. A large part of teaching is 'crowd control' which obviously doesn't apply when you're educating your child/ren at home.

There are many different styles of HE. From sitting at the table doing work books with a very structured approach to completely autonomous learning where no teaching goes on at all. If you use the autonomous approach then you merely act as a guide to your children whilst trusting their natural desire to learn.

I know some friends who teach in a regular school routine (schedule wise). Others play it by ear as long as it gets done by dinner. I guess whatever works best for each family.

ks, even given what the Beckhams have done to their little darling, Tybalt is not a "normal" name. Hero is Shakespearian too and probably just as well appreciated as Romeo.

Gumdrop, sympathise so much about the bookless families. Kids from families like that seem to have less and less of a chance at success in life as time goes by.

The mother in Jbr's piece has a lot of unsettled business behind her. Doesn't mean that state schooling isn't right for most kids. Given the loss of their first child through NHS problems, the mother obviously has a deep-seated hostility to The System. Her kids will probably do fine eventually, because they have reasonably well-educated parents, but her piece is by no means an argument for home ed as a general principle.

Personally I would send my kids to school however dire - almost - "who else would look after them free, 6 hours a day, 5 days a week?"...!

JanH, I am horrified by your last comment. I can't believe you would subject your children to school "however dire" just for your own convenience.

Uh oh - I can feel trouble brewing. Janh - that made me laugh!

My children attend the same schools that I did. They certainly are not getting the same education.
Times have changed and so has education. I do not think you can base choices on your own, outdated experience. I can't think of anything worse than educating my children at home. They would all turn out to be midwives

Recent research on home educated children showed not only that they did better accademically than their schooled peers, but that home educated children from working class families did better than home educated children from middle class families.
Not only will that surprise Gumdrop, but it surprised the researchers as well!

Recent research on home educated children showed not only that they did better accademically than their schooled peers, but that home educated children from working class families did better than home educated children from middle class families.
Not only will that surprise Gumdrop, but it surprised the researchers as well!

Hazelj, surveys schmerveys but each to their own hey?!

agree www- but home-education is a bit like opting of society completely, no?

Well that is a point of view but what exactly do you mean? hmmm?

err... well... your kids are insulated from the terrors and fascinations of the real world and cocooned in a haven/prison of their parents making.

the terrors & fascinations of the real world are nothing compared to what I've got in mind for them if they don't comply

scary stuff, www! I hope your boy isn't being home educated

Obviously not. I think it's wrong (JOKE!).

Wrong, you say? Bit strong, what?