What are your views on home-schooling?

[Littleraysofsunshine]

Just out if interest

Ooh poor boy

I've not done it but know a few who have. I think it very much depends on who does it and how they do it. I don't think you have to be good at everything as you can access some areas on line and through individual tutors. There is a HUGE home ed social and educational scene - lot of meet ups and events.

The parents I know who HE are social and slightly Steiner in their approach. Their kids are integrated and mix with other kids and families, they aren't isolated at all. My three adore school and would struggle with home ed but I know it can suit others.

I hope so. He's said he wants to go to Oxford. I wouldn't want to do anything to stop him, he's a very bright boy. I can't send him to another school, knowing he'll be bullied again though. He is different, and it stands out a great deal.

I feel tired just thinking about it

The qualifications issue is huge.

My story is further up the thread - short version, parents actively discouraged exams. All well and good being the parent who already has a degree and a good career, living in a 1980s housing boom. Not at all good being a working mother in a recession with no qualifications.

I'm a bright person. I've taught myself all manner of subjects, travelled and now run my own business in the film industry. But the lack of qualifications has been a serious problem for me. I recently looked into changing career from media to social work. No course would accept me as I have absolutely nothing to show in the way of GCSEs, A-Levels, degrees etc. It angers me that I could potentially have been a doctor, a journalist, an exotic animal vet or any number of things but that decision and choice was taken away from me before I even knew what options I had available to me.

Please don't live your ideals through your kids, that's all I want to say. Because you won't be the one paying the price. Not against HE at all. Just please do think of the future and prepare your kids well for the unknown.

Are you able to go to college, Moel? Access course or something?

I think that Moel's point is that she shouldn't have to sort it out as an adult with access courses etc but that her parents should have made sure that she got the opportunity to do her exams at the normal time.
I wanted my DCs to have as many doors as possible open to them. Qualifications do this the easy way. It is even more important in these days of intense competition.

If you know that a university/course/job is asking for a certain number of GCSEs and A'levels at certain grades it eases the path to go and do them. Boxes are ticked and you can pass the first stage. I can't see why you would make life difficult. You can make it without ticking the right boxes, but you are starting with a handicap and some people/institutions may not be prepared to look beyond it. Why risk it?

exotic I said upthread how do you FORCE yr. refusing DC to do all the prep. for exams? Yes in an ideal world they'd listen to you,do all the correct things at the right time etc. but sadly it isn't an ideal world.

My DD (A college lecturer) and ex teacher) used to say there should be a gap at school when all the ado refusers go out and do anything but schooling (work or whatever).

And as i pointed out above you still have to your gcses and a levels in one sitting, so hothousing a child as Cat has done to get a single gcse at a time is meaningless as they want to see someone who can handle the pressure if multiple subjects in one go. I suspect most children can handle a single gcse in there best subject at 10/11 if that is what they are allowed to concentrate on.
My dd told me yesterday she has an online friend who is HE and absolutely hates it.

If yr. DD's friend hates H.E. then they should be at school. My philosophy is child centred I disagree with the 'we know best for you dear' type of parenting it can backfire disastrously.

Moel My school and exam refuser DS did work experience in the chosen field to get onto courses and it worked okay. IMO social workers need good experience and then some quals. to do their job properly.

But HE from the start is not child centred which is why it should be done when Al else has failed.

ppeat that's pretty much what I did (back in the 80s so far easier to fall off the radar). I was working FT by the time I was 16. Did a few GCSEs at college, Access course and degree in my 20s. I've done OK but it would have been far better had I been able to do things in the more conventional way and I would have had more opportunities available to me.

I would have been happier these days I think; schools are far nicer places in the main than they were 20+ years ago.

I do wonder what the benefit is of having an 11yo sit a GCSCE. I was v.put off our nearest Secondary because they're so intent on pupils sitting GCSEs (usually Maths) early. If they've sat A-Level maths by 15, what do they do until they're old enough to go to university? I suppose there's stats, further/pure maths and so on, but it did seem to me that there would be an unavoidable hiatus at some point waiting for everyone else to catch up.

Sorry, I was referring to your dd's suggestion re school refusers (I was one).

No that's true bruffin I have never advocated H.E. from the word go. I've said that I go by the child.

Jennai But if yr. parents had MADE you do the correct exams (btw people change their career choices too) how as a refuser would you have felt?

I was just commenting really, ppeat. I was a lost cause; absolutely hated school. I would have run away rather than go. HE wouldn't have been the answer (single parent, mum had to work, not much in the way of resources to draw on).

My career direction has changed several times over the years; it's worked out quite nicely and I feel I've more to bring to the table than some who've only worked in the environment I work in now.

I'm pleased it's worked out well for you. I agree that some people who are conformist are often blinkered in many ways.

AH! There WAS a point to my musings

I was fortunate in that I was able to work. It kept me (in the main) on the straight and narrow. I enjoyed meeting people and I enjoyed earning money. That would be far more difficult now I imagine; not many opportunities for 16yos with no qualifications.

I wasn't particularly non-conformist, it's just that our school (funnily enough the very same one I didn't want for ds in part because of the early GCSE thing) was absolutely dire. I don't think I'd have had the same problem with it if it had been more like the one ds is at now. I hope people don't base their opinions of school too much on their own experience; schools are so different now, ime.

You'd be surprised jennai DD2 was a very erratic school attender she wasn't H.E. at secondary but was 'ill' a lot and did'nt get many GCSEs but like you worked from young and did work exp. (lucky in that we could support her). She's now a fashion editor and works very hard. IME secondary schools still 'don't get' adolescents which I have always found very

"No that's true bruffin I have never advocated H.E. from the word go. I've said that I go by the child."

And if the child doesn't want to go to school from the word go and is made to go, how is that going by the child?

How is HE from the start not child-centred but school from the start is?
Surely usually neither are or both are dependant on what is meant by "going by the child".

Juule If the DC is unhappy at school then I wouldn't force them to stay but it's an idea for the DC to see whether or not it suits them. There ARE some good schools. Our GD is on her own with her Mum who is a bit erratic and she LOVES school and her teacher. IMO it would be wrong for our ex DIL to H.E. She's not consistent enough. Of course it would be very difficult if GD's next teacher turned out to be a bully.