Home schooling

[zara 4]

If you wanted to school your kids at home,how would you go about it,I assume there'd be some trouble with the education department?Would you need a teaching background to do this???Thanks.

[Catso]

Whilst, as you say, I doubt it will be easy to convince the authorities, I believe the gist of it is that you just have to able to prove you would give them a proper education, to the accepted standards.

Have you looked up home education on your local authority or DfES web sites? Try it.

[Clanad]

At least here in the U.S., anyone can home-school their children and it's a growing practice. One does register with the individual State government and must use an approved curriculum, however the curriculum can be purchased from home school organizations and have already received State approvals... it's not for the faint of heart, but we have several friends and one daughter that home school and are very happy with it. Ironically, for all of the sniping complaints from the National Teachers Union, the last three winners of the National Spelling Bee here in the U.S. were home schooled kids...

[Clanad]

One last addition... the individual State, usually through the County School Board visits the home school twice or so each year and the children must be tested by the school board periodically to check on appropriate progress...

[noxlumos]

no, there will be no problem with the authorities and you need no qualifications/ teaching background. It is actually your RIGHT to home educate your child and is as simple as writing to the head of the childs school "un-enroling " them and then proceeding to home educate. You do not have to inform the LEA, but it's wise to as they are very helpful and usually what happens is that they send an education officer round to have a chat about what you are teaching/ proposing to teach every now and then ( six monthly at first then as and when).There is no set curriculem you have to observe and all you have to ensure is that the education you provide is adequate for your child. We have home educated for years as has mimi-fifi who also posts on here ( hope she posts on this one).

Best thing we ever decided to do. The older kids have all gone on to to degree coures and I think it was 100% right for our family.

[noxlumos]

ps. Google "education otherwise" they'll guide you in all things to do with home schooling in the UK.Good luck:)

[SaxyJag]

Many people home-school and it's not difficult. You simply need to give notice to the local education authority that you will be removing your child from school and educating them yourself. You may be visited by education advisers/inpectors from time to time ensure that you are actually educating your child and not just allowing him or her to skive. However, you're allowed to give your child what you deem to be an appropriate education, so the remit is very wide. You do not have to stick to any set curriculum and you do not have to be a qualified teacher.

There are support networks, both local and national, for parents who want to homeschool. In my estimation, it is one of the best types of education there is. My two are grown up now, but if they were eleven again, then it's definitely the route I'd choose for them.

Education Otherwise are a very useful source of support and information. They're here:

http://www.education-otherwise.org/index.htm

[jake-the-peg]

If you're considering this for children at secondary school level, you might want to have a heart search as to whether you're sufficiently capable with the subjects and if not how you'll get around this.

Is your French and German up to it?

Can you solve simultaneous and quadratic equations and explain how?

Can you explain how to use Netwons laws of motion to calculate how long a stone takes to fall?

What if they want to do A level? Would you still want to do this at home? that's a lot tougher!

Why not get some practise GCSE exam papers in various subjects and do them yourself - that should give you a pretty good idea about how much work it's going to take for you to fully understand what you're taking on.

I'm sorry I don't know which side of the Atlantic you're on but if you're in the US the exams are obviously different but the advice is still the same

[mimififi]

dead easy in the UK, zero legislation regarding what and how you teach. Noxlumos' suggestion for searching Ed otherwise is a great one, also search for "Home Education" and "Home School planner" will get you lots of hits on UK sites.

I use a prepared curriculum now for my 11 and 8 year old, but I write my own stuff for my rising fives.

It is a wonderful life and I recommend the move to Home Educating your children for anyone who has the heart for it. It can be tough, but is so worthwhile.

[zara 4]

Thanks all,its something i've been considering for a while,i have had some trouble getting one or two of them off to school and though i want them to do well home schooling is an option i'm seriously thinking of,thanks again!!!

[Lindsey81]

when i was 7 my mother took me out of school because I was bullied and she dont have no education backing. She told the headmaster then asked for the work to be given to her and every 2 weeks a social worker called round took the papers and gets them checked then you find out if your behind if so the social workers help you

[zara 4]

Thanks!

[Bob A Job]

Home schooling may be benificial on an educational level, but will your childs social skills develop in the same way they would in a school surrounded by children there own age. When i look back to my school days i remember learning alot more about life than about science and maths.

[zara 4]

Yeah,i've considered that but the boys not a 'going out' type boy,he's beyond his years and the youngest will still mix out of school anyway,that won't change,

[mimififi]

home educated children being socially challenged is an urban myth and a complete fallacy.

external clubs, once or twice a week are more than enough.

In my humble opinion, kids tend to learn anti social behaviour at school, rather than social behaviour. Of all the home ed kids I've met (and I'm a member of loads of groups) they are all outgoing and adventurous and speak their mind. They also generally are less swayed in their opinions than their counterparts. They are less subject to peer pressure and thus have more courage of their convictions.

I used to teach in school and the shy kids and the scared kids just got more shy and more fearful. School does not teach social skills.