Home schooling anyone do it?

[belter]

Hi everyone.

i have been thinking about homeschooling for a while and then we were Thrust into this new way of life where there was no other option. I’m typing on an iPad so excuse the odd bit of bad grammar. 
 

here are my list of pros..

No bullying

1-1 attention

tailored learning

more relaxed 

perceived cons...

lack of social interaction 

lack of education 

Does anyone actually homeschool and what’s it like? Or maybe some of you were homeschooled? My youngest daughter goes to a small school with only 35 pupils because she really wasn’t handling the bigger school. That is not going to be an option in Australia so I’m seriously considering getting into the whole thing. There seems to be a lot more resources and info in Australia online anyway and groups on Facebook.

[Quoll]

Whichever state you go to will have a homeschooling section which will require you to be registered as a home schooler and (in some states at least) be vetted and have your curriculum assessed.  Most areas have a home schooling network which facilitates social interactions with other kids who are also being home schooled.

My granddaughters were home schooled and it was an unmitigated disaster, due, mainly to their mother's total lack of direction and structure and the local network's push for "unschooling".  My eldest granddaughter was a good 3 years behind when she finally had to go to school because her parents' relationship broke down and they both needed to go to work!  She's caught up now though thank Goodness but there was a lot of anxiety and lack of confidence involved.  My younger granddaughter wasnt that far into education when she started real school but she's doing ok - still lacking confidence though and she's inherited her elder sister's anxiety about learning, is not prepared to take risks with learning at all and her mother in particular is useless at supporting her through the learning experience.  However, that is just one example and I know of others who seem to be quite successful - it was rather more the parental input that was deficient even though they produced all the curriculum materials etc nobody actually assessed the kids' progress in their state - that will probably be different from state to state.

Other cons - restricts the family to being single income, stress of being at home with child 24/7 and little adult time outside the home, no local friendships and added pressure of needing to facilitate friendships with other kids who may live miles away.

[belter]

Thanks for your reply. It’s very thought provoking. The working thing isn’t an issue because me and my husband work shifts and school doesn’t help us at all, I think we could continue to work opposite each other. I definitely think the key is structure and planning I suppose as well as the execution of it all. 

[rammygirl]

School is about far more than education.  It is about learning to rub along and work with people you would not otherwise be with.  Learning that not all teachers are equal or even good at their job but still having to go to classes.  It is all good preparation for real life.  It also allows them to develop a wider social circle.  I know I didn’t follow my peers in the UK by sending mine to a private school for this reason.  Helped I add by the fact the local private school wasn’t really up to much and poor value and the local grammar school was excellent.  But it did mean my kids mixed with a wider social demographic and I honestly think that has helped them become the lovely people they are today.  It certainly didn’t hamper their education.  One is now a lecturer and research fellow at ANU.

[Marisawright]

I was homeschooled for at least half of each year all through my childhood and teenage years.   Academically, I always did very well.   Socially, I'd say it was a complete disaster, even though I have three sisters - so it wasn't as if I was deprived of company.    The thing is, when you socialise within your family, the dynamics are different.   You learn how to deal with family.   You don't learn to how to deal with and accommodate strangers, and you don't learn how to make friends with new people.

I did play with the neighbours' kids but I never felt I was fully accepted.  They all had the shared experience of going to school. They had teachers and school buses and outings to joke about.  They had "in jokes" I couldn't be part of.  I hated sport and was glad to avoid it, but on the other hand, I never learned how to become a team player and that hampered me in later life.  I still find that I put my foot in it in social situations, because I've missed cues other people would notice.  

[Tulip1]

I have little knowledge of homeschooling  but for me as a parent it would very much be a no go but that’s just my personal thoughts.  Your pros for me are actually not pros at all. Bullying is horrible and kids can be cruel but life will always be a challenge in one form or another. The 1-1 attention isn’t ideal as life isn’t like that either. What happens when that child is an adult in the workplace and screws up on something (as we all do) and the boss has a go at them. If they’ve lived in their bubble of 1-1 homeschooling and no ones given them any shit, how will they deal with it. Education for me isn’t just about the curriculum, it’s about life skills and much of that is learnt by having to take your turn, learning when to keep your mouth shut, getting a few ticking offs, knowing not everyone agrees with you and that you need to be tolerant of others thoughts and  opinions and realising there are others better than you at some things. The biggest thing though is friendships. No homeschooling social club meet up once a fortnight or whenever can ever come close to hanging out with your school friends each day.  When your child is a bit older, who are they going to hang out with at the weekends/after school? If they are lucky enough to somehow be excepted into a group of local kids, what are they going to talk about? The new kid at school, the person they fancy, the annoying teacher, the smelly kid in maths and on it goes.  For me, homeschooling sounds like a big disadvantage for a child. I honestly cannot think of any advantage. 

[ali]

10 hours ago, rammygirl said:

School is about far more than education.  It is about learning to rub along and work with people you would not otherwise be with.  Learning that not all teachers are equal or even good at their job but still having to go to classes.  It is all good preparation for real life.  It also allows them to develop a wider social circle.  I know I didn’t follow my peers in the UK by sending mine to a private school for this reason.  Helped I add by the fact the local private school wasn’t really up to much and poor value and the local grammar school was excellent.  But it did mean my kids mixed with a wider social demographic and I honestly think that has helped them become the lovely people they are today.  It certainly didn’t hamper their education.  One is now a lecturer and research fellow at ANU.

I do agree with you regarding the socialisation and interaction.  Our local high-school that my two attended is also home to an education support centre which very much was involved in whole school life.  I do feel that my children benefited immensely learning tolerance and acceptance of difference because of their experiences.  Those who've read my posts over the years will know that my two are chalk and cheese an academic  who read before she went to school and the other a sporty socialiser.  I couldn't have provided a home education for either of them to benefit the way they did at school.

[rammygirl]

I know someone who sent their teenage girls to different schools as they were so different. The right school is important. I too have a very academic son and one who is more intuitive and practical. Just as intelligent. Just different. 

[belter]

Having read your posts it seems to be more about making sure they find the right school. That’s what I do here they both go to separate primary schools and although a logistical nightmare it’s better for them personally. I suppose I’m just a bit nervous, I liked my school experience, I went through all the ups and downs but they seemed to have a bad experience at the beginning and it made me worry. But now they’re fine. Moving school is probably more anxiety provoking for me than them.

[Quoll]

5 hours ago, belter said:

Having read your posts it seems to be more about making sure they find the right school. That’s what I do here they both go to separate primary schools and although a logistical nightmare it’s better for them personally. I suppose I’m just a bit nervous, I liked my school experience, I went through all the ups and downs but they seemed to have a bad experience at the beginning and it made me worry. But now they’re fine. Moving school is probably more anxiety provoking for me than them.

Quite probably much more anxiety inducing for you than them! You probably won’t have too much choice of school unless you plan on private schooling - and if you do that for one you’ll probably want to do it for all. In the gov system, schools are zoned so every child in the priority enrolment area gets a place but whilst out of area enrolments may be negotiated, schools are under no obligation to take an out of area child.

[HappyHeart]

I have a close friend who homeschooled both her children. The youngest is now at Uni studying engineering. He's about to embark on a summer job with one of the big companies in Perth. He's won awards of all kinds for his excellence. Got a very bright future ahead of him. He does some maths tutoring too.  She didnt teach him to read till he was something like 7? Socially he's a dream. The most well spoken, well mannered, well adjusted young man.  I met one of his friends recently who is equally socially adept and also thriving at uni in politics and law. They were part of a wider group of homeschooling families. I think it very much depends on the family and individual circumstances. That said, I couldn't do it. 

[Johndoe]

I home schooled a foster child from age 14 to 16. If nothing else, it gave him 2 yrs lack of peer pressure and disdain and allowed him to focus on what was needed for him to elevate to vocational training.