Do any of your dc homeschool themselves?

[Mycatatetherat]

My dc are in primary school at the moment but I don't want them to attend high school. They are both very self motivated when learning things that interest them and can be focused and sensible when given a task. I'm wondering would it be too much to expect them to be able to basically school themselves? I'm a self employed single parent and couldn't possibly stop working (although I often work from home) so kind of had it in my head that I could set them tasks and pop in on them every so often. Am I being unrealistic? How much input do other homeschooling parents have?

@captaincorellisvaseline I've just been looking up Peter Gray, he is exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much!

Without qualifications you will close doors for your children. Yes, you've got a skill so they weren't relevant to you - what if what they want to do requires a degree, for example?

You have decided they won't like secondary school. What about what they want?

I don't think your children will thank you for this decision.

Totally agree on Peter Gray as a source and also check out the parent info booklet for the self managed learning college in Brighton - it's for 9-college and they have some great questions to ask your children. I can't see why you couldn't take a coaching type role if your children wanted it, especially given that they are old enough to have autonomy and responsibility for their learning. I'm imagining you will still have time to talk to them and that they will have access to other HE children. Check out Sudbury Valley schools and the Centre for personalised Education on facebook. Alliance for self directed education is also great in the US for articles, support, people doing similar things.

How will they have access to other HE if the OP is working?

HE children

I don't think that children need to be generalists. Self directed education is all about children really getting into what they want to. If you are exposing them to their community, experiences they seem interested in/ask for, then that will introduce them to soooo many subjects already. Then they can decide how far they want to go. I think that children are best at deciding what matters to them. It depresses me to think how much time is wasted at school on subjects they really don't care about and never will and that they can fully get intonif ever needed (I'm a primary school teacher too). Self directed education helps children become skilled at learning for themselves. Rather than being spoon fed or externally motivated to do so, they gather these skills so that later if they need to learn something to get further - they can easily do that and feel empowered knowing they can.

Thanks for suggestions @PlayNtag and yes I'll still have plenty of time and freedom around my work.
To be honest I already feel I am taking a coaching (for want of a better word) role with my dc. They missed reception year of school and by the end of that year they had taught themselves to read, swim and cycle, with me by their side. I didn't teach them, I see my role as encouraging and facilitating.

Some groups in our area run as parent cooperatives. Not all parents need be there. Depends if they already have HE friends...

That is so awesome. Looks like you are already deschooled somewhat then!

PlayNTag You are talking about children being exposed to new experiences and their community. Have you missed that OP is talking about leaving her kids at home with an old laptop and some textbooks?
I think HE can work well. But there are some who are so fanatical about HE that they will defend any kind of HE at all.

I am actually opposed to early specialisation. Children are developing all the time are their interests. I know if I had specialised in what I wanted to do when I was 12, I would have never been exposed to what I actually ended up loving.

I was thinking of setting up a parent cooperative actually. We know some he families already. (In fact a couple that are a little like the worst stereotypes on this thread!)

Okay it is the osmosis theory you are going for. That works until they find something they do have to be taught to do.

So OP you are going to set up a co=-operative that will operate after 3.30pm in the evenings and weekends? Since you are working the rest of the time.

Mine did, but I was in the home and she was only 8.
She chose what subjects she wanted to do, how long she spent on something depended on how much she wanted to study. I can remember her doing a whole 6 week topic on Guy fawkes, really going into detail
it worked for us because she was motivated with what she wanted to do.
Finally, she decided to go to school but it's a specialist school that allows her to study what she wants, so not unlike H.ed in that respect.
I'd say go for it, you don't know until you try.
they can always go back if they want to, it doesn't have to be forever.

RomanyQueen You were at home facilitating her learning. It is a totally different set up tow hat the OP is proposing.

I wasn't with her all the time, I was at home because she was primary, I wouldn't have been should she have continued throughout secondary.
I wouldn't be about if she decided to H.ed again.

Just for those talking about qualifications, there is absolutely no need to consider these when they are young. Mine is at school now, but if she decides to leave she will take the necessary GCSE's and A levels at home.
Her Higher Ed institute requires 3 GCSE old A-C and 2 A level A-E, which is more than achievable as H.ed student.

Have you looked at Steiner schools?

No alternative schools of any kind in my area, that was my first thought.
Regarding a parent cooperative, what I meant by that term was a group of HE parents taking turns at being with the children and facilitating learning, maybe teaching something that they have knowledge of. So maybe, just as an example, 5 parents doing a day each. That would give the other parents time to work etc.

Because they are actually qualified to teach the curriculum to kids

I have nothing against teachers, but H.ed is completely different and being a teacher would be no help at all.
Many H.ed kids/parents choose not to study the nc as it bears no resemblance to what they do want to learn. There are no whole years dedicated to learning how to pass SATS tests as well.

Home education is monitored.

Surely teaching a group of kids that are not yours one day a week is exactly like being a teacher?

Getyourownlife That is not true with nearly all local authorities.

Surely teaching a group of kids that are not yours one day a week is exactly like being a teacher?

Yes? And?

If I've learned anything from this thread it's how narrow people's views are of how a child can and should be educated!

I just don't see the point of HE if what you are doing is getting other parents to be a teacher to your child 4 days a week in a group of kids. A parent who will not be trained as a teacher and with no safeguarding in place.