A Guardian post asks Is Home Schooling Worth Considering?

I think more and more people will start asking this question now that home education is getting a broader exposure- even in essentially hostile pages like the Guardian.

The short answer is, yes, it is well worth considering. The question was asked in the money blogs so I am guessing for that family it could mean the loss of a wage and a heavy financial adjustment. Been there, done that. Many home educating parents share the money earning side of things and also the education of their children. For most of us however, one parent goes out to work and the other home educates. We have a friend who works occasionally and we help out with the children on those days. Some home educators find a good child minder who will continue the home ed and ensure the children attend the groups.

Most home ed families have to struggle with one wage and so they are good at taking care of one another; clothes, books, curricula, even food. There is a whole lot of learning available online for free as well.

The cost? Obviously it is a great deal cheaper than paying for an Independent school place. But then I read on the comments that the average school child’s parents has to find £1500 a year. Believe me home education doesn’t cost anything like that!

There was some good advice about being cautious with buying curriculums. I wouldn’t buy a complete one. Pick and choose books from among them so that you can tailor the learning to your child. Check out books you might want from different sources. Amazon isn’t always the cheapest.

Use local freebies like libraries (my local isn’t that good but still) museums and parks.

In the end, I can’t think of a better way to bring children up to be happy, educated and well rounded people.

It has been nearly five years since I began home educating my children and the reasons seem almost irrelevant at this point. The child who was being so badly bullied in school is now a young man with a great talent doing well in college, work and with his portfolio of art. He is no longer the closed off miserable 14 yr old who could barely read when I first got him home.

I am now home educating children aged 15, 6 and 4 as well as bringing up their 2 year old sister. Unless something dreadful happens these younger children will never attend school.

My 15 year old daughter is autonomously educated, something that Graham Badman thinks is a form of education worthy of eradication. She plans her own learning and organisers her own day around her learning and the skills she wishes to hone.  I offer some guidance and help her with resources as any mother would when their child is trying to achieve something. She completed her IGCSE maths when she was 14 and got a B.  After discussion it was agreed she need not sit other gcse exams unless there is a real need to. She turns 16 in Jan and will be starting Open University courses in Feb. She wants to write for a living and certainly has a way with words, but she is aware of the difficulties in that market and has back up skills for earning a living.

But is she socialised? She is relaxed in the company of adults, children and her peers. She chats with the mums at our home ed group meetings and plays with the babies; she teaches some sessions with the group and is considered “professional” by a couple of the children. Her friends come over and she goes out with them and to Explorer Scouts. Having two older brothers she is able to hold her own with their friends too.

And the others? Well to be honest my 2 yr old is not yet socialised-but then find me one who is. The three younger children do have friends and see lots of other people of various ages. Our house is the home ed hub at the moment (although occasionally we think about getting a hall or somewhere) and there’s plenty of group lessons, play and outings.

But aren’t they hidden? Apart from being known by the fellow home ed families, the children are well  known to the neighbours and local shop owners. They are also well known at our parish church and Beavers and Scouts. When my 15 yr old wasn’t too well recently I took her to the GP and while we were there I sat quietly while she explained her symptoms and answered his questions. He was obviously surprised that a 15 year old could do this and commented on it two or three times while we were there.

Surely you need to be a teacher; no one knows all the subjects? There is a great deal my daughter has been learning that I knew nothing about when she started. Let’s take The Franklin Expedition for a start. When she wanted to learn about it neither of us knew much-now she knows a whole lot and I have learned quite a bit alongside her and from her. Her science modules and projects have been done as a joint learning excercise. One thing I would never do is teach her something false just to look like I know something. I will never forget my son being given erroneous information in science by a teacher who refused to listen to the correct answer.

At home we have access to some excellent internet resources, other parents who are often experts in their field and the library. With all this how can we all help but learn?

The younger ones are all under 7 so there isn’t much I can’t manage with them. I do have DVDs for Math (because that is something I am not much good at and Mr Steve Demme is) and I am grateful for Mr Linney for providing lessons and pronunciation for both Latin and Spanish. I am fluent in Sign Language and so teach a group of children.

What about real life? You can only get that by going to school. This gets said a lot. I can’t quite see why school equals ‘real life’ and being part of a family, local community and broader home educating community with different approaches to life and with responsibility for your learning and behaviour within those communities is ‘unreal life’. It seems to me that real life is about having the life skills necessary to live, to have self-respect and respect and care for others whatever their age or ability. If my experience of schooled children is anything to go by, schools don’t teach this at all. Sadly far too many schooled children can’t speak to anyone not exactly the same age as them at all. My dd has pointed out the appalling habit of texting friends to say they are coming to the door, to avoid having a parent answer the bell! I don’t see how an institutional set up like a school ever teaches ‘real life’.

Yeah, well maybe you do it okay, but what about those others? These ‘others’ are the ones Badman and his mates have been unable to unearth. Have I ever met families who I personally think are making a mess of home education? I have come across a family who struggled with it to a huge extent especially when a baby arrived and mum wasn’t that well. The children are now in school because, while this may surprise some people, parents do tend to know when to do that. Another family I knew were just pretty unpleasant people and yes I think that effected the education. What can I say? Home educators are human just like the rest.  I have come across other families whose approach to home education is one I wouldn’t have been happy with, but I still thought the children were doing better than most schooled children of comparable age. We are not closing down schools because so many children end up illiterate and bullied- there is no evidence that home education harms children at all and a great deal that shows home education works very well indeed.

It isn’t fair that your children might do better than mine. In an equal society they should be forced to have the same (low) standards as our children. Apparently this really is an attitude from some parents. Fortunately I haven’t come across it. I’m not sure how I would answer it. I can’t think of anything polite to say anyway. All I can say is, if you really think like this then give up your time and give it to your children so they too have a better standard of education.

You can’t teach science though can you? Actually I don’t think I ‘teach’ very much of anything. We learn together and if I happen to know extra then I’ll pass it on. However I would rather the children learned to learn, to do their own research, than having me just spout information at them.

Science is just as easy to learn as any other hands on subject. Most experiments get done in the kitchen or the garden. You need a kitchen full of white vinegar, salt, sugar, oil, red cabbage, potatoes, lemons and bicarb and you’ll need some wires and a  9 volt battery. For other stuff you’ll need to buy a little science kit. Shop around and you can pick one up for £20 or so. My daughter’s school friends complained when they saw her science work because she was able to do so many experiments compared to them.

The only aspect of science I might find difficult at home would be A’level chemistry because there are assessed lab works involved-other than that; it’s a breeze.

Homeschooled children miss out on music and drama though don’t they? Not in my experience they don’t. There is plenty of music to be learned easily at home and those of us who can play instruments share that with other families. Getting in tutors for instruments is a cost problem but music, singing and getting to grips with composers is free. Drama is often done in the group and children join drama groups in their area, as well as dance and other things.  In fact, from what my children got in school, most home ed children have better music, art and drama access than school children.

You are doing your children a disservice by making them different. (LOL I saw this written on the Guardian comments a couple of days ago!!) As I mentioned earlier my children are learning self-respect and respect for others. There is nothing shameful about being a little different. In fact the ability to be different seems to me to be a definite advantage.

Children need to get away from their parents. You are too close to your children if you keep them with you. All the evidence is that children need strong attachment to their parents and where this is missing children feel afraid, angry, lonely and miserable. Take a look at the research. Independence is learned properly through training from the family. As children grow they learn to do more and more for themselves and take on more decisions. At home they get to decide their learning and learn to work with others of all ages including adults.  There are plenty of home educated young people out there, including my own older ones, who are capable, autonomous and responsible -like adults should be.  My son’s employer comments how unusual this is in a young man of his age (18). Why is that?

Finally, I have a right and duty to the education of my children and I will ensure they get the best education possible.  For us that means home education.

I didn’t get around to watching the news or seeing anything about the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, but I didn’t want it to go unmentioned.

Our family has visited the Cold War Museum at Cosford Air Museum and seen the ugly slabs they have, remnants of the fallen wall.

In the history of the world many huge walls have been build around cities and even across whole areas of country. We have the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall and some of the Antonine wall left here in Britain. All these walls were built to keep invaders out, even the the Great Wall of China, although often added to by tyrants was there to protect the people and keep invaders out.

The wall built in Berlin was to make the east a prison. Not to stop invaders getting in, but to stop the people getting out. All the guards and barbed wire were on that side and most of the deaths were of desperate people seeking freedom.

Pope Leo XIII warned us what would happen if communism was allowed a foothold-and of course he was right. Finally a spark came out of Poland  though.

It is good that the massive role Pope John Paul II played in bringing down the wall and communism has not been forgotten although I never see much in the MSM on this.

I’ve added a link under ‘curriculum’ for want of a better place for Tim Johnsons online tuition. He offers quite a bit for those of a classical bent as well as what is considered the core English and Maths.

I don’t know him, but have been told he is a good’un so I am putting the info here for anyone who is interested in their children doing GCSE, IGCSE or A’levels. There is a move to try and organise an exam centre for his students as well.

He has written on the Badman review.

I have been tagged by Kate (at home in my Father’s house) for the “Say something nice about a priest” meme. Apparently the person who created the meme meant that we are to say something nice about a particular priest and we are to pass it on to three other bloggers to do the same.

So.

I am going to say something about my parish priest. He is a man who quietly works hard. He doesn’t make a big deal  of what he does and frankly most of us only find out via the word of those who have received his care or because we have been there and seen it close up.

I know he has sat with a frail and sick man for over 2hrs offering comfort and the Sacraments. He spent time with the man’s wife too and did this more than once while the man was very ill.

He also did something that he made me promise never to tell- something generous and kind for a friend of mine.

He has offered a great deal of time and support to another friend of mine in a crisis where frankly professionals have been less than helpful.

Some of my favourite priests are Fr John Corapi, Fr Benedict Groeschel,  Fr Fessio SJ and of course Frs John Boyle and Ray Blake God bless them all especially in this year of the priesthood.

I tag

Deb

Swissy

Therese

Interestingly when I came to check out the CES document for further fisking-it has vanished from their site.

They are taking some serious heat from parents at the moment because they are colluding with Ed Balls plans for sex ed for little ones. There’s a lot of stuff around the Catholic blogs on this so I wont write on it at this time. I will however say I believe that this already failed approach being forced on ever younger children is nasty and I am sure that Badman would love home educated children to have their innocence stripped from them too.

But back to the CES on home education. While the document has vanished I have kept back a marvellous little quote I just had to mention:

“We have also been told of parents describing their home schooling
arrangements and curriculum as being “Catholic home schooling”. There is no such
model or programme of which we are aware and it is important that monitoring authorities are aware of this and feel able to revert to diocesan authorities and/or CESEW for advice if such queries arise. We would also find it helpful to be kept informed of the extent of the use of such a term, ie for what numbers of children and in what areas.“

I would have thought it patently obvious that “Catholic home schooling” or as we like to say “home education”  was what went on in the Domestic Church of all families who are Catholic whether the children spend half their lives in school or not. To be fair they are talking strictly ‘curriculum’ here but then that too shows an amazing ignorance. There are a whole plethora of Catholic curricula out there (American mainly).  I am aware of Seton, Mother of Divine Grace, St Thomas Aquinas and many more. I have bought some excellent Catholic Heritage material for our family.

Many of us don’t use one set curriculum but pick’n'mix among various books and ideas that best suits our children.  There used to be a basic right to religious freedom -don’t know what happened to that.

The CES has no right whatsoever to ask what number of children are “Catholic home educated” as that is the business of the family and while I can imagine a situation (very rarely) where a Catholic family may want advice outside of home ed circles on curriculum I would bet they would go to a parish priest rather than have anything to do with the CES who have landed us with All That I Am and the useless Icons books. Are they worried that so many of us have Faith and Life in the house? LOL.

Some things just make you laugh. Paula Rothermal informs the DCSF of her interviews with Graham Badman in which his opening question was whether home educating mothers have Münchhausen by Proxy.

Don’t laugh-apparently this is true.

The obvious slur was that home educators are of course abusers. I might add at this point that the whole diagnoses of Munchhausen by Proxy is strongly debated in pyschiatric circles. There is serious doubt whether such a disorder exists at all. But that is by the by. Paula Rothermal’s evidence here shows a man determined to see nothing positive in home education and prepared to scrap the bottom of any barrel in search of something foul to throw at us.

I hope all parents are taking note of this.

The next bit, written on the feast of St Charles Borromeo, a man who understood education properly.

6b) Do you agree that the school should provide the local authority with achievement and future attainment data?

7. Do you agree that the DCSF should take powers to issue statutory guidance in relation to the registration and monitoring of home education?Not sure; see 6a). In principle we agree in relation to registration, [in other words; in principle we agree with removing the rights of families and parents to educate their children despite Catholic teaching to the contrary-but we have no god but caesar anyway] but the issue of monitoring is peculiarly sensitive and it is impossible to give blanket approval before seeing draft guidance. The training of staff and quality of communications will be central to success here. [Okay, we all agree LA staff need a lot more training. Of course the money to pay for it is a question and who does the training another one and why we can't leave the home ed community to get on with when countries like the USA do well without this much interference and where both Canada and New Zealand are dropping their unnecessary registration schemes because there hasn't been a single case of abuse in- what was it? 20 years I think.]

9. Do you agree that the local authority should visit the premises where home education is taking place provided 2 weeks’ notice is given?

Not sure. We are uncertain about LAs in this role for reasons rehearsed above; might an Ofsted inspector not be better placed for this role? [ Not sure why Ofsted who inspect schools would be any better at inspecting parents, and there is no reason given in the response. It just seems to be that LAs don't seem up to much, maybe Ofsted inspectors-equally ignorant of home education-would be better. I really don't know what to make of this.]

The notice period seems generous.[why?] Perhaps two weeks is appropriate for the routine four weeks, six months and annual visits, [ I must have missed something. There are to be a four week visit and six months visit and then annual visits?? Does anyone know anything about this?]but it could be important to provide a right to visit at shorter notice in case of particular concerns. [Oh dear, ignorance of Catholic teaching and now ignorance of the law; If there are particular serious concerns then social services and indeed the police can simply turn up on the doorstep. The law has been around a long time].

More later.

2. Do you agree that a register should be kept?

Agree. We are aware that this feels draconian to some[most] home educators but good

home education should have no fear. [here her ignorance shines through. Already we know there is plenty for 'good home educators' to fear-not least the blatant anti-religious stand taken by this Government and those who snuggle up with it.We have also been made aware that 'good home educators who us an autonomous approach have a great deal to fear. And that is just the beginning.]It is a necessary step in the protection of children and their right to education.[in what way?}

For over 2000 years the Catholic Church has taught that the family is the domestic church, the bedrock of a healthy society and in the sacrament of marriage, holy. She has taught that parents have a right and duty to the education of their children and She has supported that right and duty through teaching, pastoral care and through schools and universities. (Remember the Catholic Church invented the university).  Schools were there to SUPPORT parents, never usurp their role. These teachings were repeated over and over with documents on the rights of families right up to  Vat II and after. There is the beautiful document FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO written by Pope John Paul II which encapsulates the whole teaching in a simple way.

But in England we have the CES.

Nothing that comes out of the CES surprises me these days. It has long proved itself no friend to Catholic families, or to real education and to call it a service is stretching a point-although it certainly serves the anti-catholic, anti-family government very well indeed.

Oona Stannard, who has no authority within the Church to dictate to families how we should bring up and educate our children seems to think she can force her views down our throats.  She is already considered dangerous to the welfare of children by parents objecting to the appalling “All That I Am” programme. She is blamed as the “chief” who ensures that schools are not allowed to buy in orthodox and well rounded Catholic curricula even for RE (let alone anything else). Despite having absolutely NO CHURCH AUTHORITY whatsoever she insists on barging in on family life at every level even when parents demand otherwise.

It is long past time the bishops of England and Wales acted on this. She should have been sacked a long time ago.

Stannard has now gone on to stab home educators in the back and makes a special effort to twist the knife in those of us who are Catholic. Nice. H/T Maire.

Worse still, I know this will be reported as ‘Bishops’ supporting the Government. On the whole I try not to be harsh to our bishops. They have a tough job and I wouldn’t want to do it. But their silence on this issue is gravely damaging. They have been complicit with Stannard’s bullying behaviour for far too long.

I am going to fisk Stannards document in a while. Then I think Catholic home educators need to get together and write to our bishops and write to Bishop O’Donoghue who seems a good man. We should have turned to him before now I guess.