What are your views on home-schooling?

[Littleraysofsunshine]

Just out if interest

You just can't ignore the fact that not having GCSEs limits a person's choices. Of course loads of people do brilliantly without them, but far more don't.

I disagree with you, Seeker. It's far from impossible to get GCSEs if and when you want to do them, same with A-Levels. If you decide on a career for which you need those exams, you can do what you need within the space of a year. Most HEd teens, though, have a bit more insight than that of what they'd like to pursue and find ways to do that - either they go to college, or do OU courses, or find a tutor and somewhere that takes outside candidates to sit the exams.

The point is that I'm not worried if my children choose not to do GCSEs, because I trust they'll find their own way to get where they want to be - as my DH did, my extremely intelligent by failed by school brother, my sister. It's not just a few people who have no GCSEs and have to find other ways to manage, it's 60 bloody percent! If it is really that tough to survive without them, then why aren't we asking what the hell is wrong with the schooling system to 'ruin' so many people's lives? Because it doesn't ruin their lives, that's why.

The real problem is people who have no idea what to do or how to do it. Teens who want GCSEs will do them. Teens who don't won't. It's exactly the same in school. Those who want to do them will study and get good grades. Those who don't will spend two years doing no homework, feeling got at by every adult who is obsessed with qualifications, and come out the other end with no or few GCSEs. What's the difference? Except that HE'd teens who choose not to do GCSEs probably won't feel like failures and probably won't feel shit about themselves.

ppeatfruit.

I am not a fan of GCSE's/ O levels. I'm not sure what they'll be called when dd is older, she's only 8.
She told us she wanted to be H.ed, we had discussed it so obviously the idea came from us, but it was her decision. It was around April time and we finally left in July. We found the curriculum limiting in both subject and topic, plus dd was a level 8 in Music, the expected level for a y9 student. She is now doing some parts of the A level syllabus. With the exams she is taking in music, dance and hopefully speech she will have enough UCAS points by age 14/16.

I wish I didn't really disagree with extrapolation from the particular to the general, or I could trot out my "not having GCSEs really made my life difficult" anecdotes.

Children are all so different that school will suit some children and HE will suit some children. HE is not possible for some families because of financial constraints so even if it would suit the child its not going to happen.

I am sure HE children aren't all quirky or lacking in social skills nor are all children in school because their parents view them as a nuisance nor do they all have the creativity crushed out of them.

I agree there should be full information on all the educational options out there and that way parents can make informed decisions. Each family will have its own unique set of circumstances so for either HE or school parents to say they have the right answer for everyone is a bit pointless.

I have learnt things from reading the HE threads that have helped me with my own children. I am sure there are HE parents that take ideas from the school system and adapt them to their own needs. Just because someone chooses to do something in a different way to you doesn't necessarily make either of you wrong.

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean, Seeker. I know I was making generalisations, but half the arguments against HE have been generalisations!

'They won't have any friends'
'They'll be odd'
'They won't have any qualifications'

etc.

"'They won't have any friends'
'They'll be odd'
'They won't have any qualifications'"

Has anyone actually said any of those things on this thread?

I was home educated... my family drove me bonkers, I begged to go to school so I could have a life of my own outside the family. Thankfully they listened to me and let me go to school. I liked it so much more than being at home.

morethan
I think your DD's situation is different to many children in that she has a specialist interest which takes up a substantial amount of time. This is difficult to achieve if she is at school for 6-7 hours a day, so I can understand why you needed more flexibility in her education.

I wouldn't rule out exams, even if you are not a fan, it really depends on what your DD wants to do when she is older. However, you certainly don't need to worry about that decision now so I would park it.

Not in those words, but those misconceptions have been suggested on here.

I a) can't be bothered to go and look for examples and b) can't really be bothered to argue with you yet again about HE, Seeker as it's been boring for several years now.

Brighter Future - which just goes to show how a child manages in life has got very little to do with HE (or school) and everything to do with the parents. Great that your parents listened to you :)

"I a) can't be bothered to go and look for examples and b) can't really be bothered to argue with you yet again about HE, Seeker as it's been boring for several years now."

Ok. Are you only going to argue with people who agree with you 100% in the future then? Nothing like having a lovely open mind!

No, but it's clear that you and I will never, ever agree so what is the point? Surely you can see we are wasting our time?

Refusing to believe that there might, just might, be anything even slightly negative about HE is, in my opinion, closed minded.

I was under the impression that most HE kids do take exams.

I know very few (without special needs) for whom university isn't the envisaged endpoint.

Obviously things can change along the way, but most people I know are keeping an eye on univeristy entrance requirements (either in the UK or abroad).

For all its faults, the NC is an entitlement: it is (or rather was) the minimum a child could expect to have covered over their school career.

I think sometimes people are too quick to see it as a Bad Thing.

I have never said that I don't think there's anything negative about HE! There's lots shit about HE. But I disagree with most of your reasons against it, Seeker.

Obi - most do, that's true. I think the point is, though, that it's not really a reason to not home educate, as taking 10 exams at 16 and 3-5 at 18 is not as important as it's made out to be.

Jenai - Covering something, and actually knowing it are two different things, as proven by 60% of school leavers, who were all exposed to the same stuff on the NC, and still came out the end with what we're told they need to survive in the world. So what's the point of the NC, in that case, if only 40% of all children actually learn what's prescribed for them to learn?

My major view on home schooling is that it is something that it is impossible to comment on without people getting very touchy.

HE-ers Are you saying that my children are poorly socialised and I am obsessive and clingy?

School-goers Are you saying that I don't want the best for my child and just want to palm them off on someone else?

I am a very highly qualified teacher but am not arrogant enough to think I can do it better than my colleagues who are professionals. If I have a sore tooth, I use the services of a professional dentist. My children deserve the services of highly qualified professional teachers and if the school is not good enough then I will fight from within the system to get them what they need. Also, choosing school does not mean handing your child over and doing no more. Many parents spend a huge amount if time "Home Educating" their children, in addition to school. We visit interesting places, have interesting chats and help them to learn about the world we live in. Those who HE often seem to feel that they somehow have the moral high ground as parents; far from it. My children get the best of both worlds and thrive as a result.

I think schools which work a lot like autonomous HE does would be best for most dc. I never used to think anything about HE before I started reading threads on MN. It is not something that I would ever have thought about it. However, nowadays I think it is generally a very good thing. Certainly it is important for families to have the option to educate their dc outside of school, not everyone has the option to pay for the school that is just right for their particular dc and not everyone has the option to stay home and HE either but certainly a lot more people do.

On the whole, I think well of it.

Flamingo, how have you come to the conclusion that only "40% of all children actually learn what's prescribed for them to learn"?

You have a better memory than I have flamingo. I can't remember ever detailing my concerns about HE. And you are remebering wrongy if you think I am against HE.

Roseformeplease

Many parents who H.ed do not teach their dc, they facilitate learning with a different philosophy to education than qualified trained school teachers. I don't think I have heard anybody say they think they are better than the teachers. To some it may not be their choice, but autonomous education for e.g is grounded in theory and before consulting dd, both dh and I studied several theorists and decided on a semi autonomous approach. My point is for many parents a school teacher is what they don't need, nor a curriculum, nor an institution in which to learn. So its not about better or thinking one is better its a different philosophy.

But schools nowadays are very much about pupils learning at their own pace, and in their own way. They set their own targets, work out their own success criteria and have a huge amount of choice as to what they can do / achieve. Don't assume all teachers and all schools have some kind of one size fits all philosophy of education. You would have to go back a long way, or find seriously shit schools for that to be the case.

Rose.

I think that teachers in the whole do the best with the system they are given. I know that some do and are prepared to add to the curriculum, but for some this just isn't what they want. I didn't agree with many of the targets my dc were given and especially when low found they could be detrimental to their education in terms of a self fulfilling prophecy. Success is judged on a set of criteria which imo is open to interpretation rendering it meaningless. Now others will disagree and feel we have the best system we have ever had, its down to the individual. As far as I am concerned I don't care what level my dd is currently on and have no idea. I know what she can do, where she struggles, what we need to do etc. Her teachers told me she was "slightly above average " at end of KS1 she is now y4, I didn't ask for levels before we left. I do know the level of her education from school is poor with terrible spelling and hand writing. Maths isn't good but she does struggle here.

Many parents who H.ed do not teach their dc, they facilitate learning with a different philosophy to education than qualified trained school teachers.

It depends entirely on the DC. I want to be taught-I still do if I do something new as an adult-and I don't want anyone to 'facilitate my learning'-least of all my mother.