Do you have to be clever to do Home Ed?

[Hillary]

I have two children one is 2 and 3 months my eldest is allergic to so many things she goes into anaphylactic shock and without treatment could die within 6 minutes of exposure.

I'v tried taking her to toddler group but they will not accept her as she is too high risk they won't take the responsibility, i'm really worried about sending her to shool, I would like to teach her from home but i would be worried that i'm not clever enough to teach her, i didn't go to university, i did my GCSE's but that was a long time ago, I enjoyed school but was a bit of a rebble too!

What would you advise? I don't mean i'm thick but i don't want to ruin their education.

The thing that I find with home ed is that if you can read and you have internet access, you are fine. I have learned as much this year as my son as we have researched tings together and read about things together. I don't think you have to know everything, but just be willing to learn it right alongside your child.

I think that lots of home edders get in tutors when the kids get to GCSE level, for that matter some kids do opt back in at some opint in their education.

As a secondary science teacher I would say it would be a very clever child who could do science A levels without some tuition, from someone with qualifications in the subject.

Hi Hillary, I haven't been to university but have successfully home-edded my children for over 3 years.

One decided to go back to school when we moved last year - he went straight into the top maths set.

My eldest we're looking for a p/t place at a Special School (he's dx. Aspergers) as we could do with some specialist support on the behavioural front.

Although dh was initially very sceptical, after HE-ing the other two we are planning for our youngest two never to go to school.

My background is that I took and passed Maths (C), Double Science (C&C), French (A), Music (A), Art (C), History (C). Please note that I don't have a GCSE in English - this has never been a problem for me - wish I had a pound for everytime someone says that you need GCSEs in English etc. :D

I spent time on the streets (on and off) and although I did try to attend college, I quickly dropped out because I enjoyed drinking too much. I had my eldest son at 17.

I didn't return until 2001 when I did an Access course studying Equal Opps., Social Policy and Psychology. I didn't take the final exams as the difficulties my eldest was experiencing at school (that would later lead to us de-registering him) were so stressful that I became quite ill.

2002/2003 I did an HNC Media (Audio) to 'keep my hand in' - as I'd been accepted on a degree course (I got shining references from the college that I took the Access course) but due to eldest's difficulties I decided it was better to stay close (the university was in the next city) and so I found a course that was just round the corner for the school. Whilst studying this we de-regged both the boys from school.

Just trying to emphasise that you don't need a degree to successfully support your children's education - there are only two things that you need: love and a heap of patience :D

I think when it gets to jumping through hoops for specific qualifications many home educators use local colleges, or tutor groups, or places like NEC where you can do courses by correspondance. It is worth remembering though that a lot of qualifications are just that, gathering the right way to fill in very specific tick boxes, and not having a great deal to do with reality, as demonstated by dotty's experience with gcse english.

I have a degree and a variety of A and O levels, and I still find I'm learning alongside my offspring, even at basic levels - internet is useful, local library is an excellent resource and we get by.

Jax

Despite having numerous O'levels , A levels and an HND, there are still many questions that my dd7 asks that I don't have answers to.

Small trivial things that we take for granted and don't question ourselves, around us in everyday life.

I have as much fun trying to discover the answers as her.

I don't think you need qualifications to HE just an inquisitive mind and the interest and enthusiasm to find answers.

Hi,
I HE my son who is 4 and his twin sisters aged 2. I feel very strongly that it doesn't really matter what qualifications you have, if you have a love of learning yourself, love your children and a lot of patience you will be fine.
I am an ex primary school teacher and to be honest I have found it not very useful so far with HE as the way you teach in a classroom setting is far different from the way you teach on a one to one basis.

I do not feel as if the Teaching qualification I received is worth very much at all, when I was at university (10 years ago) teachers (as now) were so much in demand that people were passing the course when I really felt they should have failed. They did very little work , missed lectures on a regular basis and did not get good reports from their teaching practice etc...

I remember thinking back then before i even had kids that I wouldn't want my kids taught by these people. I have to add that there were some excellent teachers also but a lot of rubbish ones too! By rubbish I mean people who did not even seem to like or be interested in children and were just there because they did not know what else to do.

When I qualified, I had absolutely no idea how to go about teaching children to read, my course was a shambles in many areas, I started teaching with very little subject knowledge in science and maths and had to learn it very quickly on the job. So basically what i am saying is just because some people may have a qualification it does not necessarily mean that they are any more intelligent or know more than someone who has not.

I think that home education is a fantastic way of life, we are all learning everyday and that is so exciting,

good luck to all doing it, just starting out or thinking about it,

Lisa x

Thank you for all your replies........

I'm sorry i have not replied to you until now my sister was taken ill so we have all been away.

You have all really opened my eyes and enspired me i have thought about it and have decided i'm going to give it a try, i will probably get a couple of tutors in too but i'm actually looking forward to it now!

How do you actually go about starting it? do you have to have ID for HE? I remember watching something on the news about children playing truent and HE children had to carry something to say they were ok to be off school. Sorry to be quite vague but i wasn't really paying much attention to the documentry at the time!

Do you have to inform anybody about it and are there any guidelines to follow?

Sorry about all the questions.

I think you are all wonderful it must be lovely to watch them grow too i remember my mum saying the worst day of her life was when we were sent off to school. I have trainned many horses from foals for the Riding For The Disabled which was very rewarding so to teach your own children must be wonderful (but hard)!

Thank you for your help x

You don't need ID - it is sufficient to tell a truancy patrol that your children is home educated. Not that that is an issue for you just atm! (If I'm reading right, your daughter is well below school age?)

I'd suggest joining the Early Years HE list over on yahoo, and maybe EO to see if there are any groups local to you so you can go along and meet ppl irl.

hth

Jax

Thank you yes i will do that - she is only 2 but i didn't want to leave it until last minute, She's so allergic to everything i was getting worried about school but theres a light at the end of the tunnle now!

Thank you
X