Homeschooling Advice Please

Shortie

Hello

I was hoping there were some on here with some experience of home schooling that could point me in the direction of some friendly advice on home schooling? Maybe if there are any decent forums around - or even if there is a section / thread on MSE that is dedictaed to home schooling that I've not yet spotted!

We are considering homeschooling for a number of reasons while we wait for a place at a different school for our 7 years old. However we found out yesterday that he's now been bumped from top of the waiting list to 3rd which suggests that the home schooling option would be a longer term option than we first anticipated

I was hoping to find some support networks around that won't mind me asking some questions so that we can try and work out what is best for our 7 year old. I don't want him to go back to the current primary school if we can help it but the idea of home schooling suddenly feels much more daunting now that we've experienced that fact that the waiting lists can change quite suddenly

Many thanks

Caroline_a

I know several young adults who have been homeschooled from a young age. Looking at them, I would say don't. They all have difficulty in relating to their peer groups, struggle to create appropriate relationships (one of the boys I know has had several warnings from work because of inappropriate behaviour towards young girls), and generally are misfits through no fault of their own.

I am sure there are people who will come on here to say how wonderful it has turned out for their child - however, the mothers of the youngsters I know would also say the same thing.

BJV

So sorry I do not have any practical advice to give but are you absolutely sure that you want him to be home schooled? School is not just about the lessons they are taught but it also teaching social interaction. Before you make the decision I would speak to someone in your local council about alternative schools. Explain the rational behind it and what your feelings are. Home schooling is a lot of pressure to take on. I have never done it but I help with a group for young children and there is a little boy who is home schooled and the difference is drastic. He is not as adventurous, outgoing or as socially aware. I am not saying that it is bad just even as his mum admits not as easy as you think. Please speak to your local education authority.

SailorSam

The Op could get around the problem of her Son not fitting in with his peers by encouraging her him to join plenty of clubs and activities that were often out-of-school activities, that could even be better if the were a wider age group.

Caroline_a

SailorSam wrote: »

The Op could get around the problem of her Son not fitting in with his peers by encouraging her him to join plenty of clubs and activities that were often out-of-school activities, that could even be better if the were a wider age group.

Unfortunately the parents of the youngsters that I know all did this. It seemed to make no difference. Sadly I think that somehow the whole homeschooling thing doesn't allow youngsters to develop as their peers do - I'm sure there will be some psychobabble as to why, but I can only go on the experience of the young people I know.

lika_86

Are the problems with his current primary so bad that they couldn't be solved by him moving class or something first?

SailorSam

http://a2zhomeschooling.com/regional/europe_homeschooling/uk_support_groups_homeschooling/

InsideInsurance

I have to say that I am skeptical of homeschooling but then we dont have a culture of it here and where we do see it on TV/ news etc it tends to be fairly wacko types that do it. There may well be some very well adjusted people that do it and raise academically brilliant kids.

My former boss was homeschooling his daughter but I never got to the reason why. They were very conscious of the social interaction and pushed her into lots of clubs and non-academic classes etc plus there were many support groups for home schoolers that they were involved in and they were forever going off on long weekend camping trips etc as things organised by the group.

I have to wonder how well these things can work for the higher levels of education. I went to a fairly good school with a high proportion of the teachers having PhDs and other post doctorate qualifications, even with that there were some questions that were asked that they couldnt answer. In one case a chemistry went to professors in oxford, cambridge and harvard before a former professor in birmingham was able to answer the question. I just never understood how parents expect to be able to replicate the level of knowledge in all subjects that specialists in each subject have when even the specialists isnt complete. Obv primary school education is different.

Person_one

Do you feel you have the skill as a teacher to provide your son with a better education than he'd get in a school? Not just academically, but socially?

I'm afraid I have to say that my experience of adults who were homeschooled is much the same as Caroline_a's with the added disadvantage that they didn't come out with great qualifications either, due to their parents' limitations as educators.

Shortie

Thanks all for the thoughts, and I do agree that home schooling is not a walk in the park and agreed that I also worry about the social development of my child as he won't be in a school environment with his peers

Does anyone have good experiences, and know any resources they would recommend? We've spoken to the LEA who have been great and have reassured us that they also have a support network for parents who decide to home school, but I wondered about personal experiences and advice to counterbalance or confirm my concerns?

Unfortunately the school is very small and there isn't another class he could move into in the same school. The issue isn't necessarily with other pupils in the class however but are generally more systemic to the school itself (we are not the first in the last 2 years to have left the school due to similar concerns).

We have considered seeing if another local school has a place available now, but that said we are on the waiting list for the school we have applied for because (a) it's a decent school (as others are in the area) (b) logistically for us it's right next door to the secondary school that our eldest is about to move up to - our eldest has medical needs and at the moment we are planning to do the school run for our eldest too, to help him adjust, and also help support the secondary school and be on hand. Apologies, I didn't mention it before as I didn't want to waffle on with something that may not have been relevant

We seem to be at a changed cross road now (ie it's looking like a growing wait for the other school place) and I guess we're looking for as many opinions / experiences / resources as possible to help us decide on the home schooling. We can just send our 7 year old back to his current school to wait for the place ofcourse, but we have reasons for not wanting him to go back there if possible (hence trying to work out if home schooling is a good option while we wait)

Many thanks for the input so far - it is definately food for thought and all help give different perspectives / points we may not have considered yet and ulitmately decide if it's something we should do or not

Caroline_a

I'm afraid my experience re the qualifications also is the same as Person_One. Additionally they seem to have no understanding of exam study or technique. One lad had been attempting (at 21) to do a very basic qualification with an assessment at the end rather than an exam. He gave up as he no idea of how to learn the necessary basic ideas needed. I feel very sorry for the kids I know - in all cases it seems to have been a case of an easy way out for the parent - not so for the child...