Home Education
Jul. 6th, 2006 02:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ailbheI received an article in this morning's post from A Well-Wisher about Home Education. It's the one that was in the Sunday Times this weekend, which many of you who are already reading all the Home Ed mailing lists and communities will know all about :)
What it boils down to, as usual, is that people who think formal schooling is the best way for everyone think that many home-educated children are at a serious disadvantage, and that people who think that formal schooling is always unhealthy think that all home-educated children who are not in abusive situations are better off than schooled children, and some fuzzy thinkers in the middle think maybe there's no One True Way, but they think it much more quietly than the other two groups.
And what I boil down to is that different ways of doing things will suit different families and, importantly, different individual children. I think home education as I believe my family is able to offer it (since we live where and how we do) can offer my children everything they're able to take with both hands. We have a lot of personal and social resources available to us. But I also believe that if my children - individually - express a desire to go to school, we'll send them. I find it hard to believe that they'd choose it long-term, but they might, and as long as they're ok at school, we'll work around it.
It probably helps that this is my heart's desire. I may have to start my own Plumfield once I run out of kids of my own to raise.
What it boils down to, as usual, is that people who think formal schooling is the best way for everyone think that many home-educated children are at a serious disadvantage, and that people who think that formal schooling is always unhealthy think that all home-educated children who are not in abusive situations are better off than schooled children, and some fuzzy thinkers in the middle think maybe there's no One True Way, but they think it much more quietly than the other two groups.
And what I boil down to is that different ways of doing things will suit different families and, importantly, different individual children. I think home education as I believe my family is able to offer it (since we live where and how we do) can offer my children everything they're able to take with both hands. We have a lot of personal and social resources available to us. But I also believe that if my children - individually - express a desire to go to school, we'll send them. I find it hard to believe that they'd choose it long-term, but they might, and as long as they're ok at school, we'll work around it.
It probably helps that this is my heart's desire. I may have to start my own Plumfield once I run out of kids of my own to raise.
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-06 03:49 pm (UTC)It's partly plain curiosity, but I also know someone who would probably enjoy helping out if there is some sort of home education organisation near her, although I'm not sure whether she'd have the time/money/energy for it if so.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-06 03:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-06 04:34 pm (UTC)Home Schooling
Date: 2006-07-06 04:30 pm (UTC)http://www.clonlara.org/index087.html
It looks like they could use some help with the web page, but it's a wonderful education center, both campus-based and home school support.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-06 08:41 pm (UTC)you're also in a somewhat better situation than most, perhaps, to provide a circle of friends of all ages who are liable to treat 'nea as an intelligent small person in her own right...
...which ime/by my observation can - and generally does - help in the socialisation-with-others-of-all-ages-as-equals, and also in the learning-to-trust-your-feelings-about-who're-good-people, not to mention the opening-up-all-manner-of-fields-of-knowledge-and-music-as-interesting & fun departments of life...
Home Education
Date: 2006-07-08 08:27 pm (UTC)I think home education can be excellent as long as the children get plenty of opportunity to meet and to play with other children. Many people say that they need to do this at school - I don't think so, necessarily, especially if it's the kind of school where they also get the opportunity to be bullied. I think the huge size now of most secondary schools is a really Bad Thing as far as many children are concerned.
Re: Home Education
Date: 2006-07-09 01:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-09 12:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-09 01:50 pm (UTC)Your perspective is more common, I think. But it's hard for me to judge, because I have actively sought the company of other people who have chosen before their children start school to home-educate.