In Britain, the age of children who are home educated is like a big fat pyramid, with a large proportion of children aged 5 or 6, but many fewer of the older ages.
Rarest of all are the teenagers of exam entry age 14-18 years. This is because it's not just a matter of parental transcripts for 'graduating' from secondary education and university entrance here. It's tough preparing kids to sit national criteria-referenced exams as 'proof' of an adequate education.
Because there are many fewer home educating aprents with 'exam experience' there is not the amount of mentoring by experienced parents of inexperienced ones, especially locally, that there should be. It was rare, when I started home educating 14 years ago to meet a parent with that experience, though it's more common now. The internet has helped. The UK's home ed exams Yahoo group is a fantastic source of experience and support. But locally, not so much.
In order to improve matters a little, I set up an exhibition of the exam work from a group of students who took the ART IGCSE last summer. It was held at a Montessori School in Oxford which has a good partnership with home educators. The room is a converted barn - a perfect venue.
The families who came were grateful to be able to see the work, match them with the grades the students achieved and take note of what the examiners were looking for. Some parents came from as far away as East London to the exhibition.
I've organised many, many activities for home educators over the years, as will some of my readers here, I'm sure. Mostly, it's very satuisfying to be able to help and encourage others in that community. But some aspects of dealing with home educating parents have always bugged me.
One of those is the fact that some parents just can't see why instructions apply to them. 10.00-12.00 the exhibition was on for. I had left Grace alone at home because she was ill. I couldn't bring her with me because she was feeling rotten and I don't like to leave her alone at home too long because of her disability.
At 12.10, just after I'd packed up and was locking the door, a mother arrived with her child (as I knew would happen.) 'We made it!' she exclaimed. 'Well, actually, you didn't!' I thought, but did not say. This woman had driven for more than an hour to get there, but had clearly not planned to get there within the window of 10.00-12.00. That would be conforming to rules and rules are for other people, aren't they?
Fortunately, another parent offered to stay and help her, as I really did have to leave. But if I'd been on my own, what should I have done?
This is a typical event. Someone does a lot of work (in this case, me) to put on an event for the benefit of others and people from the group they are trying to help show little consideration for their effort. After 14 years now, I do expect it, but I am sad that I expect it. I really wish that the home educating community could pull together more and show each other respect.
If we failt to combat the proposed legislation to strangle home education in this country, it will be for this reason only, we failed to unite because we failed to respect each other.
Jack's efforts above! Some of the mums took photos. Mostly, I had a good morning of catching up with friends, like Jo, below. Just that off key note of the late arrival in an otherwise melodious tune.
Would this sort of thing bug you? Is it just my firtborn nature showing? In Born to Rebel, Frank Sulloway argues that firstborns are more conscientious, more socially dominant, less agreeable, and less open to new ideas compared to laterborns. Is it my fault for not being more relaxed?
We are all pretty tired this morning, but have another gig tonight in a different town.
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