On the weekend I read a report in the newspaper about homeschooling. Well I half read it and half covered my eyes to the horror of it. The article suggested that home-school registrations in Queensland have risen by 234 per cent in the past seven years. And it is believed that close to 85 per cent of children being taught at home are not registered with the Department of Education
I’m not against the idea of homeschooling per se, I am just anti the idea of me doing the homeschooling. In fact I can think of at least 14 reasons why I could never homeschool my own child. Or any child
- One of my dog’s favourite parts of the day is taking Little Pencil to school in the car, he treats 8am like the most exciting time in the entire world and jumps up and down excitedly like a mad cyclone as we leave the house. At 8:03 he is fast asleep in the back of the car. If we homeschooled he would miss that intense three minutes of exercise between 8:00 and 8:03.
- By the time I get Little Pencil to school I need a coffee and occasionally a snooze. I also need some silence
- I hate homework more than most people. I think I can say this quite seriously because for some reason I still don’t understand, I get involved in Little Pencil’s homework so have more reason to hate it than most people
- I am the least patient person on earth, This may be related to the point above.
- If we homeschooled Little Pencil he would have far fewer friends, holidays would be catastrophic because he’d have no one to play with. Also aren’t holidays for homeschoolers just like term time? You still have to stay at home which is essentially the same place as school
- I can’t do math above kindergarten level . In fact I’m not even that great at kindergarten math
- I don’t like craft. I especially don’t like craft where children are allowed to do the decorating or the gluing or the writing or any of it
- My 13-year old son already thinks he knows everything. How on earth his teacher’s cope with convincing him they know more than he does is a skill that I just don’t have
- I hate mess
- I love the fact that Little Pencil has a school uniform so that he doesn’t have to spend hours deciding what to wear. I fear homeschooling would get off to a very late start if he were to decide on his own outfit. Or he would be a nudist
- You cannot sit on Facebook and Twitter all day long if you’re supposed to be teaching your child
- I don’t like anyone else using my favourite textas
- Apparently house cleaning is not on the curriculum so I would feel bad about wasting half of my son’s day
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But honestly
14. I would rather run away and join the circus and I HATE circuses
Could you homeschool? Do you have the patience? Can I have some just for homework time PLEASE?
Oh Lana, thank you (not) for making me spray my post school-drop-off coffee all over my laptop screen.
I could never homeschool, for much the same reasons as you (except No. 3 – I hate homework too but feel no compulsion to involve myself in it!)
I’m definitely not condemning those who choose to, but it’s not for me. (Maybe because I was teacher in a former life?)
Maybe that’s the thing! I was also a teacher in my former life! xx
Could not think of anything worse than having the kids at home e v e r y s i n g l e d a y!! I used to love the time when they were at pre-school/school and took it as an opportunity to do further study. Later on, I was at work when they were at school, so it was a win-win situation.
I also remember the struggle of staying calm while helping out with homework and the idea of doing school projects used to fill me with fear. Homeschooling – no way!
I have not won the keeping calm struggle! xx
I would rather poke myself in the eye with a lead pencil! SO with you on this one….
I’m with you on all points!!
If I didn’t enjoy working so much, and if Jaden didn’t enjoy school so much – I would homeschool. Kids can get through their work for the day much quicker in a home school environment, there is no homework, there are no eleventy billion notes home from school that need to be dealt with … and the thought of being able to tailor my child’s learning to his own particular pace and interests is incredibly appealing.
He’d still have friends – but he’d find them somewhere other than school 🙂
Lovely to see such an open minded attitude coming … From the other side… So to speak 🙂
Ali
I understand where you are coming from Kell, also that you haven’t got to homework stage yet 😉
But on a more serious note I do worry about tailoring our kids learning to their specific interests – I think we need to expand them all the time by sometimes challenging them with interests outside of their comfort zone
No I meant ‘no homework with homeschooling’! I am already crying for when the homework DOES start coming home from school!
I did a lot of research on homeschooling for an article (that didn’t get published *sob*) earlier this year and really believe it’s the way to go (for J anyway – hard to tell with M 😉
But unfortunately I’m not keen to give up my work as I love it too much. That said, if the day ever came where my kids were really struggling in the school environment, I’d homeschool them in a heart beat.
And I’m not sure I agree about challenging them with interests outside their comfort zone. I think they find their way to most things eventually – the beauty of home-schooling is being able to jump on that thing that has caught their attention the second it does.
For example – right now J is loving doing simple math. So when we’re in the car he loves us asking what’s 3 plus 5, what’s 9 take 4 … and figuring out the answer. He is currently loving me reading him a chapter book (the BFG) …. but he has no interest in learning letters. From what I have observed of him thus far in life however, the second he DOES develop an interest in letters and words (and he will at some stage) … he will learn them in a flash. But let’s say he was in Year 1 – he’d be forced to learn those things whether he was ready or not … and would get frustrated and lose confidence because he’s not getting it.
Now I am not suggesting we mollycoddle our kids and make life and learning easy for them. But I think they’re better placed to learn broader concepts beyond the textbook if we’re able to work with where their brains want to take them … rather than forcing their brains to work to a schedule.
All this said – I was of course traditionally schooled and thrived in the system. So I find it interesting that, after doing all the research, I would home-school if I could 🙂
Isn’t all homeschooling homework? 🙂
I also thought I would have liked to homeschool Little Pencil when he was really young but when I started supervising his homework I realised it wasn’t going to ever happen. Oh that and 13 other things I may have mentioned above
Spent day at school today helping in 3/4 my kids classrooms plus “science day” experiments. Absolutely exhausting! Teachers deserve saint hoods. Soooo patient. No way!!
They deserve saint hoods and better pay. And longer holidays. Okay maybe not longer holidays
14 fairly valid reasons we home educate our children
1. I get to see my children at their best, not just rushing them out the door for school, or at the end of the day when they are tired.
2. No homework. No packing lunches every morning. No “I can’t find my .”
3. The world is our classroom. There is no need to be stuck inside the walls of our home to learn. Instead of learning about ecosystems from pictures and textbooks we get out there and into the different ecosystems. Instead of endless stencils about making change, we get into the world and use real money to pay for real things.
4. Our children can pursue their own interests and talents while still fulfilling the curriculum requirements.
5. Not a morning person? There’s no need to start at 9am. Start at noon or at 3pm or even start at 5am if that suits you best.
6. Our children have friends of all different ages from all different walks of life. They interact with a variety of people on a near daily basis.
7. You can go on excursions to museums and art galleries when they are near empty because it’s mid-week.
8. You can go on holidays whenever it suits you because there’s no rules about when the term must start and end, so you can get off peak deals on everything.
9. You get to actually spend time with your kids and show them the classic movies you loved or read them the books you cherished as a child or teaching them to knit or sew or cook.
10. Children learn to behave well, to be quiet when needed, to not feel like they have to fit into the peer group, when they are not surrounded by a bunch of kids their own age but instead spend time with a huge range of people from different ages, backgrounds and cultures.
11. Of course it varies from family to family (as each school varies) but home educated children can get a better education in less time because there’s no need to wait for the teacher to explain the same thing three times to make sure everyone gets it, there’s no waiting in line, no hold ups because of other kids disciplinary issues, no days where they get nothing done because they have a casual teacher or it’s Easter Hat Parade rehearsal day.
12. Appointments are easy to organise because the kids can go see your doctor, dentist, hairdresser, music teacher etc inside school hours.
13. The kids can have free time to just be kids and play outside, get dirty, use their imaginations and have fun.
14. You get to learn that your kids are pretty fun to be around and you actually like spending time with them, unlike those who say they would hate to have their kids home every day.
And, for the record, my kids did go to school for one year. They weren’t at any disadvantage because they had home schooled and it was more work having them at school than having them at home.
Awesome! This is why we home educate too 🙂
Liz I couldn’t agree more. Homeschool has been such an amazing discovery for our family. It works for us and we love it ! Each family is different and it may not work for everyone. You just have to decide what’s best for your family and go for it.
Brilliant points well made. As I said I couldn’t do it but it doesn’t stop me from admiring people that do – and you sound like you clearly love it which is a credit to both you and your child! Thanks for such a thoughtful and considered response. I love it
Wow. I’m trying really hard to find a way to respond to this without sounding offensive.. I want to assume that you’re trying to be funny or light hearted and with your closing comments, that you are genuinely interested… But ( and these are the offensive words sorry, the description is what I want to employ, not the insult) you sound very selfish and ignorant to what homeschooling is all about.
1. You don’t think your dog would get as excited about a trip to the park?
2. It’s 8.57. I’m drinking tea in my dressing gown and writing to you. My son is ironing pudding cloths for a scout fundraiser – he likes ironing and gets to watch a program saved on the hard drive with his sister. My other child is asleep.. Because that’s how her body clock works … It’s a relief not to have to drag her screaming into class because she wasn’t ready to start learning when school thought she should be. She’s a very active, motivated little learner but not on their timetable.
3. Homeschool is not about hating or avoiding work .. Or learning.. it’s about wanting the best for your child.. I hate washing… Homework is set by another person to accommodate a group … at homeschool it can be interest driven, working at your child’s own personal level and driven by a desire for your kids to succeed…
4. No, -I- am the least patient person on earth. But that’s about me, and it’s been healthy to explore that, address it and grow rather than sitting in it. My kids don’t set out to push my buttons, so it’s something in my perception if I’m not coping. It’s awfully refreshing to view what my kids are doing – even if it’s struggling – as normal, as ok, to remember my own struggles and help them through it. It’s great to say ‘it’s not working today, let’s do something else’ and return to it another time. And.. Who said my kids can’t thrive if I’m not perfect, patient and all giving? I’m a human being and a role model… I’m doing my best and that’s a good lesson!
5. A) My children have more friends, better relationships and far batter interpersonal skills since we left mainstream school. There are no cliques, no ‘you can’t play with us’, ‘we don’t like you’ , secretive bullying groups, there are lots of kids who will involve anyone and enough kids and adults to problem solve when needs arise. There is always someone to catch up with and a designated picnic day where everyone can free play. I know all the mums, so I’m happy to entrust my kids to their care and know who I can call on when I need a hand. My kids do dance, gym, scouts, music … Socially, leaving school was great for all of us.
B) we don’t hate being at home… But we aren’t home all the time! Museums, shopping, parks, libraries, friends, after school activities… You wouldn’t believe how much there is to do with your children in and out of term. Perhaps kids hate being at school, but they don’t have feel the same way at home.. It’s not the same thing.
6. You can’t do math, but you’ll drop your kid in the same system? … I can do math… Well enough… I haven’t retained a lot. I’m a bit pleased how much I can do when I practice. It’s been great for my maths struggling child (who didn’t struggle with math at school, he was apparently just a naughty boy who wouldn’t do his work) to know that it wasn’t just him who struggled, that it’s not everyone else who has the answers and he’s the only one with a problem, and to work it out with me. Anyway, there are amazing online resources, work books and games… Learning is about working it out for yourself, making meaning for yourself. It isn’t about sucking all the knowledge from the teacher!! Just as well, too… Entry level for an education degree is as low as it can be… You can read that in the Herald. Teachers facilitate learning… Same way you did when you taught your preschool child various things and let them muck around with it until they got it.
7. You have a funny idea about craft. I hate stretch marks. But I put up with them for my kids.
8. My 11 year old knows everything.. Except he doesn’t. Drives me nuts, but I know I care more about his learning than a frustrated, overworked teacher. I’m his mum. I can’t fulfil my obligations by writing a ‘could do better’ report.
9. I hate mess. We have mess. Normal people do. I can’t imagine anything worse than my focus being a spotless house! Won’t be showing photos of it at my funeral, that’s for sure! My kids help out.. They live here, it’s fair. My eldest loves being allowed to cook alone, loves being given responsibility to vacuum, thinks working the washing machine is cool… And hates cleaning the loo. But knows how… My youngest has cupboards of junk.. She didwhen she was in school too. She has to clean up… She’s learning about putting things away and why we don’t keep everything … One day she’ll have clean cupboards… Its all learning to live in the world.
10. My child thinks she’s a glamour queen… It’s how she’s made. Doing her hair, finding the right, dubious collection of clothes to perfect an outfit.. She drives me nuts (again) but it’s learning… When she’s cold, when her favourite dress has paint on it, when she can’t climb the play equipment… She learns why rather than just to follow the crowd do as I do, don’t question it. And… Just like in school: I can say, ‘no, change.’. But then, I’m the boss when all is said and done. Getting them to put a ‘uniform’ on would be no harder when staying at home than it is when getting ready for school .. if that’s the approach I wanted.
Who said learning starts at 8.45? Why must it finish at 3? When you spend some time in a class, there’s a lot of time spent on making sure everyone has what they need, everyone understands, wait for teacher to manage poor behaviour, wait for teacher to get to you so you know youre on the right track/ what to do next, recess, wait for teacher to resettle class, library time, resettle back into class and repeat morning process for another topic before lunch.. Oh, fire drill. Lunch time. Wait for Teacher to resettle class and deal with grievances from the playground, get books, behaviour management.. (still)… announcements, school assembly, wait for teacher to deal with kids who don’t ‘get it’ before they get to you, or maybe she doesn’t and misses the you and the kids who could use extension…. And that is assuming you’re a child on track. Ok, so they learn, mostly… But it doesn’t have to take that long. For eg. In 18 months of homeschool, one child here has progressed more than 2 years in maths and another has confidently progressed from grade 2 level to almost grade 5 in an effort to fix the issues he had at school. All according to the curriculum… And we don’t work all the time… A lot of the time they are pursuing their interests and my part only starts when we use the information they have learned. For the younger one, there’s a bit of structured learning, but a lot of play, just like at school…
11. I’m not sure that I want to address that statement… You can’t twitter and Facebook all day with kids home… Well, I’m doing it now… See above about time commitments… But if you mean ALL day…. Then I guess you don’t need to hs your kids if that’s your norm… The housework can’t take that long after all….. I hope you DONT mean ALL day… You can’t believe your kids want to be joined to you at one hip and a desk at the other?! They want a break too!
12. You can’t buy your kids their own textas? … AHHH, give them your textas… You hate craft, after all.
13. Life skills = housework. They can and should learn these skills. They can and should learn how hard you work for them. They can and should learn to clean up after themselves and do their bit to look after the place they live. But then, they can’t do that all the time. How is leaving your child to work out a problem while you hang the washing wasting his time? How is letting him have free time to work out his lego design, learn something on. Line or … Play … Wasting his time?
As a homeschooler, I struggle to see how parents can hand their children over and not get involved interested or support what their kids do. I’ve seen teachers intimidating grade one kids, I’ve seen people yelling at and belittling them for the amusement of the class of grade 3 kids because they didn’t call out the right answer to a question. I’ve seen kids bullied and been to,d that it’s not happening or that they must learn to cope with it … Without the schools guidance or support.
I have beautiful children in my extended family who are a testament to their parents and the mainstream school environment they are part of… And I’ve listened to parents moan about holidays as though they hate having their kids with them and wondered why they tied themselves to a family if they didn’t want it. I’ve also seen kids fall out of the system and have no support to break their fall, just shaming ..and they are no fools, just don’t learn in a crowded, distracting environment the way the system says they should be able to learn. There are a million reports about failing school systems if you care to vet your reading…. And if the report you read is the one I think you read… You might learn a lot if you were able to talk to one of the people involved, because she felt that he had been misrepresented badly and that creative license was a huge part of that journalists work.
So, you asked a question, I’d like to pose some in good faith that you could perhaps address in your blogging in the interests of a balanced approach. Although I may never see it. Why did you have children, what is it you want for your kids ultimately, what is it that you want them to get from their mainstream education and what is it that you took from yours that is so memorable and valuable today. What actual bits do you really rely on but couldn’t help another person to learn? I think a lot of people don’t question these things before they judge homeschoolers. You still may feel the same but it’s an interesting journey.
I hope I haven’t made you feel under attack.
Ali
Wow Ali, I must admit I am offended at you calling me selfish because I really don’t think of all the words that could be used to describe me selfish is the one that would spring to mind if you knew me. I don’t judge you for homeschooling I think it’s AMAZING for you and your child that you are both happy in that situation. I thought I was pretty clear when I said “’I’m not against the idea of homeschooling per se, I am just anti the idea of me doing the homeschooling.”
Your decision to homeschool sounds as brilliant as my decision NOT to homeschool. You can’t address my points from your perspective because those points are mine and I don’t expect them to be true for anyone else.
Thanks for dropping by the blog xx
Hi, I have to defend Lana on this one. Although I love the fact that you enjoy homeschooling your kids and it’s obviously very successful, Lana did say one important point…”I’m not against the idea of homeschooling per se, I am just anti the idea of me doing the homeschooling.” She isn’t being selfish and she isn’t against homeschooling, it’s just not for her.
I’m sure all of us bring our children up in the way that works for us. There is no right or wrong way of doing things, just different.
Cheers
RES
For the record, I’m a homeschooling mum and I didn’t take offense to your post 🙂 We homeschoolers often cop a bit of flak in the media and society in general, so we can be a little defensive at times :). I’m just just glad that we live in a country where we have the freedom of choice to do what is best for ourselves and our families. Knowledge is FREE, choose the mode of delivery that is best for you and your kids! 🙂
Loved this Lana. Had a giggle. With you. And at myself. I love having my child home from school during the holidays. He’s an awesome kid. We have tonnes of fun. I never want him to go back.
But I also know that me homeschooling him is not something either of us would benefit from.
I am smart enough to know I’m not smart enough to be up for the job.
Hi Lana, am late to this feisty party but as both teacher and parent I’m with you TOTALLY (your list gave me a big giggle) and no disrespect to all the commendable, successful home-school parents, who basically I am in awe of.
Jay encapsulates my view when she suggests she’d rather stab herself in the eye with a ‘Sharpest Pencil’ LOLOL!
You can stick me in your eye anytime… er just realised that didn’t sound great 🙂
This post made me laugh and I relate to most/all of it!
I homeschooled my sons for one year and both of my boys still say it was the best year of their school life. We all remember it wistfully and I wrote about it in a blog post—’Twelve Good Things About Homeschooling’: http://louise-allan.com/2013/08/12/12-good-things-about-homeschooling/. I’m so glad I did it even for that year for all the reasons I outlined in the post. I really wish I’d started it sooner, especially for my elder son who has never really ‘fitted in’ at school. He’s now in Year Nine and this is the first year we’ve not had any tears. I wrote about that in a blog post, too: ‘Parenting a Creative Child’: http://louise-allan.com/2013/11/03/parenting-creative-child/.
Looking down the retrospectoscope as I can now, I probably should have homeschooled him until this year—would have saved us both a lot of angst. The thing is, I was working outside of the home when he was younger and I’d already had two daughters who coped fine in the school system, so I didn’t expect him to have such difficulties. Also, like you, I had other things I wanted to do with my days—and that’s not being selfish. Some Mums don’t mind giving up their days, and some do. One of the things I’ve learned after eighteen years of mothering is that it’s better to have a happy Mum than one who is begrudging every minute of her selflessness.
Anyway, we’ve battled through and come out the other side—I hope. It’s a pity homeschooling can be such a divisive issue—there’s room for, and a need for, both.