home ed concern

[impossibletofindaNN]

I am concerned about a friend home educating her children. I think home education is better than school if it is done. My df does not seem to be doing anything of the sort. The children are infant school age and cannot read, write or do basic maths to any extent. The reason for this is because 'that is what school does', she doesn't want to teach them anything as then it would be like school. She has said that is she just leaves them to it eventually they will just know how to do all that stuff. The children have no interest in anything other than watching the tv and she is more than happy to let them do that. I was wondering if anyone could suggest what to do in this situation, or if I should just leave her to it.

"I wasn't saying [education doesn't 'just happen'] Saracen, just that it doesn't if they're just plonked in front of the tv. And my main point was to dispell the myth of children not going to school til later in other countries."

I still don't think you understand or are persuaded by autonomous home education. Parents do not "plonk" their children in front of the television, or in front of a reading book or anything else, with the obvious exception of babies who cannot yet go where they want and must remain wherever they've been plonked. It is the children who choose what to do. They will not choose to sit in front of TV for years if they are getting nothing out of it, but will move on to something which engages them more.

If we are talking about a bare room with only a telly and no opportunity to do other things within the house or go out of the house then that does sound be restrictive and might hamper their education, but presumably that isn't the case here.

Many HE parents would take issue with your assumption that the preschool settings which you describe are educationally richer than the typical family environment which contains toys, books, household objects, siblings, parents and yes, even a telly.

Maybe you didn't read the bit in the OP about the children and tv Saracen. That's what I was referring to so please don't jump to conclusions or make sweeping judgements about what you think I may believe.
My correcting comments on schooling in other countries is based on objective fact and gave no hint of what I consider right or wrong.

We take an autonomous/unschooling approach. but it doesn't mean sitting on your bum doing nothing, it means prioritising joy and fun and connection. So if your kids are enjoying watching the tv, show them other shows they might enjoy, bring them new dvds, watch with them, chat to them about them, bring them snacks and drinks.

If your friend is sitting on her bum while her kids watch tv and she thinks 'great, electronic babysitter engaged, I'll just drink tea and mumsnet', that's not autonomous learning - it's permissive, benign neglect and a frequent misunderstanding of autonomous learning/unschooling.

You still need to be engaged and connected if you do autonomous learning and it isn't easy by any means - it is great fun and full of joy and laughter and happiness and masses and masses of learning