Anyone Home Educating?

[skylight]

We Home Ed our youngest 2 daughters 4yrs & nearly 6yrs old, and after moving here 6months ago have not found any social groups. Is anyone else in the area also Home Educating and would like to meet up on a regular basis.

[telfordstar]

We Home Ed our youngest 2 daughters 4yrs & nearly 6yrs old, and after moving here 6months ago have not found any social groups. Is anyone else in the area also Home Educating and would like to meet up on a regular basis.

Can i be nosey and ask why you home educate and do you get support from schools to help you. Ive always wondered thats how im asking.

[Stavro]

We Home Ed our youngest 2 daughters 4yrs & nearly 6yrs old, ...

Excellent. I wish you all the best in this.

[George Brims]

I've so far only met two groups of people who home school. People tend to do it either because of religion, or because they plan to raise a genius. Are you from one of those categories, or do you have some other reason?

In the first case there's usually a church to which people adhere which gives them some social contacts. The second group raise weirdos. I would have said "weirdos with no social skills" but having just called other people's kids weirdos, I would open myself to a chucking stones in glass houses riposte.

[Loraine]

I've so far only met two groups of people who home school. People tend to do it either because of religion, or because they plan to raise a genius. Are you from one of those categories, or do you have some other reason?

In the first case there's usually a church to which people adhere which gives them some social contacts. The second group raise weirdos. I would have said "weirdos with no social skills" but having just called other people's kids weirdos, I would open myself to a chucking stones in glass houses riposte.

Interesting post - I know of at least 8 or 9 families who have home schooled their children at some point (mostly when they reached their teens) and so far the majority of them have turned out to be well rounded, social individuals - no different to any other child. Only the odd one or two have struggled to interact socially and that's due to their own personality, not the lack of interaction with other youths their age!

One big advantage of home schooling is your child gets your full attention unlike in a class environment where the attention of the teacher is divided between 20-30 students and it is impossible to give them all individually tailored tutoring! Also there is no rigid curriculum to stick to - you can teach your child anything you like on top of the usual maths & english, etc. One child I know of who is home taught is learning kayak surfing, squash, how to build a computer from scratch, landscape gardening, and many many more that I can't remember!! As far as home schooling goes the world is your oyster and many children still go on to sit exams and pass them and I'm sure it's done them no harm not going to school!

Having said that, both my children go to school because that's my choice for them. But if a parent chooses to teach their child at home - who are we to criticize?

[changilass]

I wouldn't feel confident in home schooling.

If it was so easy then teachers wouldn't need to train for so many years and you wouldn't need specialist teachers for all the different subjects.

I take my hat off to anyone who does do it, as they must be highly inteligent individuals with the patience of a saint.

[Aaldtimer]

I may be wrong, but I think you have to have a teaching qualification to carry out Home Education.

[LMS]

One big advantage of home schooling is your child gets your full attention unlike in a class environment where the attention of the teacher is divided between 20-30 students and it is impossible to give them all individually tailored tutoring!

Fair point - but the teachers have the added bonus of qualifications and training. At primary school I suppose most people could cover most areas proficiently but when it comes to high school, I am sure most parents would struggle. I have qualifications up to postgraduate level but I would not dream of home educating as I do not have the breadth of specialist knowledge.

However, good luck to skylight as the choice is hers.

[BRIE]

I don't think as many people home educate in Scotland as in England. There isn't the same support network up here as in England think if you choose to home educate up here your pretty much left to get on with it where as in England you have a curriculum to stick to & have regular visits from the education department.
When I looked into home educating my son the education department up here had no idea who I needed to speak to & were no help whatsoever. That put me off the idea straight away.

[BRIE]

I may be wrong, but I think you have to have a teaching qualification to carry out Home Education.

No you dont you just need to prove that your capable of providing a varied education & have access to the resources you need.

[EDDIE]

I think the only downside with home education is the kids will not be able to develop social skills and be able to interact with the other kids its a shame really because i think they lose out in there childhood not being able to have fun and inter act with other kids while learning and doing what the other kids do whether it be playful or mischief.
I just dont understand why people home educate there kids because the parents need time to do there things while the kids is at school and i think the kids need to go to school to learn as well social skills.

[Kirdon]

One big advantage of home schooling is your child gets your full attention unlike in a class environment where the attention of the teacher is divided between 20-30 students and it is impossible to give them all individually tailored tutoring! Also there is no rigid curriculum to stick to - you can teach your child anything you like on top of the usual maths & english, etc. One child I know of who is home taught is learning kayak surfing, squash, how to build a computer from scratch, landscape gardening, and many many more that I can't remember!! As far as home schooling goes the world is your oyster and many children still go on to sit exams and pass them and I'm sure it's done them no harm not going to school!

Having said that, both my children go to school because that's my choice for them. But if a parent chooses to teach their child at home - who are we to criticize?

My kids do "normal School" but also learn many other skills from my OH and myself after school and at the weekend so the above teaching of "kayak surfing, squash etc, etc" is nothing special to "home teaching" just normal parenting.

[roadbowler]

hi skylight. Glad ye posted. I also home educate my daughter. As for peoples opinions on here of the pros and cons i won't comment because i'm aware of how these conversations go like including the above, weirdos and religious freaks? Lol So, my comment is, read the book, "Dumbing us down" by John Gatto then make your assumptions.

[Stavro]

hi skylight. Glad ye posted. I also home educate my daughter. As for peoples opinions on here of the pros and cons i won't comment because i'm aware of how these conversations go like including the above, weirdos and religious freaks? Lol So, my comment is, read the book, "Dumbing us down" by John Gatto then make your assumptions.

There are many good reasons to home school. Some children are introverted and natural loners and are not particularly interested in social interaction anyway.
Unfortunately, I cannot envisage a complete overhaul of the system, but for people who take up the challenge to teach at home I wish them every success.

[EDDIE]

There are many good reasons to home school. Some children are introverted and natural loners and are not particularly interested in social interaction anyway.
Unfortunately, I cannot envisage a complete overhaul of the system, but for people who take up the challenge to teach at home I wish them every success.

If some kinds are natural loners thats the last thing they need to be removed from kids there own age they need to learn to adapt?

[Margaret M.]

weirdos and religious freaks?

Studies show that home schooled children score significantly higher than others, in all subjects. Here in the U.S., in the national average scores, home schooled children rank in the 80-90th percentile compared to the 50th percentile for children in public schools. So why would any intelligent person classify parents who want to give their children the best education possible, as “weirdos”? I come in contact with many families that homeschool –- it is very common in my area so there are many resources and group activities at libraries, fitness centers and the like. As far as the argument that homeschooled children lack social skills, I wish all children could have social skills like those of the home schooled children I have met. Children acquire these skills from their parents, playing with children in the neighbourhood, participating in sports and other activities outside of school.

[Stavro]

If some kinds are natural loners thats the last thing they need to be removed from kids there own age they need to learn to adapt?

Do you mean conform?
The quiet and obedient pupil tends to get left out because the extrovert gets more attention from the teachers.

[Stavro]

Studies show that home schooled children score significantly higher than others, in all subjects. Here in the U.S., in the national average scores, home schooled children rank in the 80-90th percentile compared to the 50th percentile for children in public schools. So why would any intelligent person classify parents who want to give their children the best education possible, as “weirdos”? I come in contact with many families that homeschool –- it is very common in my area so there are many resources and group activities at libraries, fitness centers and the like. As far as the argument that homeschooled children lack social skills, I wish all children could have social skills like those of the home schooled children I have met. Children acquire these skills from their parents, playing with children in the neighbourhood, participating in sports and other activities outside of school.

Yes, from what I have seen too, that seems to be correct.

[EDDIE]

Do you mean conform?
The quiet and obedient pupil tends to get left out because the extrovert gets more attention from the teachers.

To be honest about it i hated high school and if there were an alternative to high school i would have tooken it i was never interested in learning back then and if i could turn back the clock i would change a lot of things like most people would do but i cant.

[steeko]

My brother in law is home schooled and is very intelligient and interacts easily in a social way. He is not home taught for religious reasons, and is certainly not a freak or weirdo. As with most things, if the right effort is put into something, the more you gain. If a teacher really wants a pupil to learn, this is evident from the teaching. I can fondly recall good teachers and appreciate the effort they put into their teaching. I can also recall teachers who frankly shouldnt be teaching. There are of course pupils who just dont want to learn. So for any educational method to work, the quality of the teacher is paramount.