Why We Homeschool
I've found that people homeschool or unschool for lots of different reasons and start at lots of different times. Some have children who've never been to school and some started out in the school system, but for various reasons came out. We are a family that started out in the school system, but changed to homeschooling.
Although homeschooling for my daughters sat at the back of my mind as an option, I always thought it would only happen if they were being bullied. I couldn't afford to put them into the school that I went to because the prices were no longer as affordable as they used to be; so state school (what we call the government school system in the UK) was where they were headed.
Problems became apparent quite early on with my eldest daughter. The teachers liked her well enough, she was a quick academic learner. Nursery school was fine and she was excited to start reception at big school. Unfortunately, a third of the year (one term) in and she was in tears most mornings on the way to school. It was heart breaking to feel like I had to take her and pretty much force her to go. Everyone said she had to learn how to deal with these things, because that was the real world. She wasn't being bullied or anything like that, she was pretty much just bored to tears. Even the teacher said that she was way ahead for her age and there wasn't much else he could to in reception to keep her moving forward, so she was just repeating things.
In year one they were able to advance her a bit more and she lasted two terms before the tears set in each morning. By year two they were preparing them for SATs and happily fed her more and more advanced work in eagerness for her to gain the school good scores. We left for Australia before she did those tests though.
My youngest’s experience was a bit different, but problematic in other ways. In nursery she had four different teacher/carers so no consistency. In reception the teacher was originally the head of the nursery, but because she had teacher training and they needed more teachers she was moved. Unfortunately she didn't want to do that role, so we had a completely disinterested teacher. Not too much of a problem as, again, this was when we emigrated.
On arrival in South Australia we actually found ourselves at a rather nice public school. It wasn't perfect by any means, but the combined class set up allowed more freedom to allow my eldest to advance and she even had one teacher who truly challenged her for the first time. My youngest had a very good teacher for her first year and a half. This teacher even taught me how to help the children learn! With her next teacher I found that as lovely as she was, the teaching left gaps which I ended up filling in at home myself in order for my daughter to grasp what was being taught in school.
Then we moved to the house we have now. We had to move further out into the suburbs to be able to afford what we wanted, so we had to change schools again. The local public schools didn't have a good reputation, so we put them into a private school that was viewed quite highly and was fairly well priced as private schools go. Less than a term in and my eldest was bored to tears again! I was so busy trying to sort things out for her with the school that I missed what was going on with my youngest. She was being humiliated by her new teacher and I even observed it myself. It seems that this is common practice for those who haven't had a previous generation at the school. A way of saying look how uneducated these ones from other schools are.
By this point I'd started looking into homeschooling and discovered it was much more common than I'd thought. I didn't want to push things too much with the school for fear they'd take it out on my daughters. Then realising what was going on with my youngest was the final straw. We were homeschooling in time for my eldest’s 10th birthday.
My daughters have never looked back. My eldest did try high school for a little while for a dance programme they were doing, but that only lasted a year and a half. My youngest was all set to join her when my eldest ran into problems with a teacher similar to what my youngest experienced and she changed her mind quick sharp!
They have no regrets about leaving the school system. My eldest has loved going at her own pace and having the freedom to choose whatever she wants to learn about. With my youngest I was able to experiment with different ways for her to learn until we could figure out how she learns best. She's actually more of a visual and hands on learner like myself.
People often say to me that they couldn't teach their children, but I couldn't imagine leaving it up to others now. I love the time it gave me back with my daughters, to be involved with their development and growth.
Any system, including school, gives its advantages, but imposes its limitations and makes its own adjustments to the development of children.
Very true and if the system works for us and the advantages outway the restrictions then all well and good. If not, then we try something else.
One of the things I like about steem is you get to read about other people's experiences which you wouldn't read of in a newspaper or magazine for example and I'm always learning something new. I didn't know about home schooling! I don't have kids but hope to one day and this was a really interesting read along with all the comments :)
I never really thought of it that way, but so true. Magazines would probably be a bit more cautious and restricted on what they publish.
I pulled my daughter out of public school when I found out that their 'zero tolerance policy' on bullying was really a crappy 'kids will be kids' attitude and a shoulder shrug.
I pulled my boys out at the end of that semester when I found out that my 3rd grader hadn't learned anything at all about our country's history in school. It just wasn't a part of the curriculum.
I wish I would have known how easy homeschooling would be, and how much I would appreciate guiding my children's education before they started school.
I wish I would have known how much joy I would have thinking back over the years of so much time spent with them.
That bullying is enviable attitude really gets on my nerves! I actually wrote about that a while back because my experiences taught me otherwise. This is it if you want to read It: https://steemit.com/philosophy/@minismallholding/bullying-is-not-inevitable
I also wish I knew what I know now before They went to school; they do say that hindsight is always 20/20! I take the view that things happen for a reason though, otherwise I'd be constantly living with regret.
One big issue we have encountered with our 3 children in state schools is that they are run by the Department of Homogenisation.
Conformity is paramount, individualism is frowned upon.
I'm wondering if this is done on purpose to train a servile population who will take on the working class jobs. When my eldest was in high school for that period, they had career guidance people come in so they could look at what subjects to choose to move towards their area. The guidance counselors basically tried to put anyone off who actually wanted a career and only encouraged those that were looking at things like retail. My daughter was interested in surgery and was told straight off she wasn't clever enough; yet this man had no idea what her grades even were! I remember similar discouragement when I went to college.
It probably allows for the most determined to push through and achieve what they want, but cuts away the rest.
Yes I would totally agree on this. I have seen very much the same in the local school. Aspiration and inspiration are in very short supply.
I homeschooled my oldest two children for a couple of years. Then they decided they wanted back into school, for the socialising. I'm not sure I'd have the discipline now to give my youngest two what they'd really need, but in theory it is still certainly a much better way to go.
I do believe that there are some that can thrive in the school system, but sadly it's not a one size fits all and therin lies the problem. There are also those that thrive in primary school, but things fall apart in high school when the approach to teaching changes and often the school is much bigger. Then there are homeschooled children who have gone to high school and managed fine because they don't have the same concerns with peer pressure and know how to study when they don't understand something.
However, it should always be the choice of the parent ultimately as they know what is best for their child. This is why I don't think school should be forced.
Absolutely.
I would hate to live in one of the countries where I've heard it is illegal to homeschool. At least we have the choice, even if we have to jump through hoops to be allowed to.
It's the process for homeschooling very laborious in NZ? It varies here from state to state. I think in Victoria it's easiest, but SA isn't too bad.
I honestly don't know what it is like now, my time homeschooling was about 15 years ago. I did have to be careful about what I said on some of the questions in the paperwork because if they had done an inspection and I hadn't followed what I'd set out then I could have been in trouble.
Other homeschooling parents helped me through the process, which was great.
I'm glad NZ isn't large enough to have different governing states with varying rules. Too confusing.
For me, home schooling is the best. Its safeguards kids from facing bullying at school, being expose to drugs, immorality and pornography. Its also very affordable.
Very true. When you've got a situation where 90% of the people surrounding a child are other children of their own age, then it's almost like the blind leading the blind and peer pressure is everything to that child as they strive to fit in. I much prefer a situation where the age groups range throughout the generations and there are plenty of examples of how to fit into a community in a fruitful way not a destructive way.
I started thinking about homeschooling a few years ago, when I heard about what’s being taught in school these days and said no way. I love new a small town, and there are at least 3 other moms that homeschool. I was really surprised. I had no idea there were others around me that homeschooled!
I've recently started hearing what sort of things are being taught and at a younger and younger age! There are parents who've changed schools when they've heard what their kids are learning!
Your words are so encouraging. Thank you for sharing your reason. I'm glad you were able to catch what was going on with you youngest in time.
Thank you.
They always say... if I had known now what I had known then" comes to mind in regards to homeschooling for me. I was never able to home school my three children but wish I had. SO much knowledge i have now versus then.
I've had the pleasure of knowing a beautiful family who never went to school. The children were so well adjusted, had no preconceptions and didn't balk at trying anything new. I sometimes wish that I'd known to homeschool from the start, but then I wouldn't know what I know now and would have no comparison.
As they say, hindsight is always 20/20! Lol
You are an Info Mom. I'm sharing this to the new Info Moms group.