Home Education

A meme from Missus Wookie

Why do you homeschool?
I think Grace would have ended up with a nervous breakdown at age 5 if we'd not rescued her from school when we did. She was well on the way to one.

What technique or curriculum do you use?
We've used a variety of approaches, including mimicking school, autonomous unschooling, Literature-based curriculum, eclectic approach, unit studies and now, this year, textbooks. We've done most things.{g} It all depended on what the kids needed at any given period. The only one I regret was the unschooling. We wasted almost two years of the kids' lives. I'm sad to say that almost no learning went on during that period, other than the informal learning which would have gone on anyway, even if we'd used a curriculum. This is quite counter-cultural in Britain and I frequently end up battered and bruised for making that comment. So, I rarely do! {g}

Do your kids work above or below grade level (or both!)?
The only tests I've done reasonably regularly were reading tests and both always tested above their chronological age in reading ability and comprehension, by 2 or 3 years. But when Grace got to about 14, it levelled out for her. The ASD has hindered her comprehension, especially the 'social imagination impairment' part of the triad of impairments. Jack is probably still somewhat ahead in reading ability, but is about average in Maths and Science. He is way ahead in anything involving physical ability though. Kind of like the opposite of dyspraxic!

What is your educational level?
Postgraduate diplomas.

Do you feel that your education level has an effect on your teaching (both limits and abilities?)
Yes. Because I had taken a post-grad Advanced Diploma in Special Needs Education as well as a Post-grad Certificate in Education, I assumed I understood rather more than I actually did. It gave me the confidence to start home-educating in the first place, but after that I had to relearn everything I knew about how children learned.

What does your daily schedule look like?
We haven't really had one this year. It all depends on the day. In years past, it went something like this: early morning, me, chores, Bible, computer, kids up, breakie, chores, showers, Bible study, read-alouds, topic of the moment (all on the sofa), lunch, tablework, Maths, science or English etc. Done by 2.00.

Are your kids always polite and ready to learn?
No, but then neither am I! {g}

Do the kids (or you!) get frustrated?
I do. I don't think they do any more. Grace used to get horribly frustrated, to the point of tantrums and tears over Maths. After the diagnosis of autism and her assessment results, I can understand why. I thought she was just being difficult, now I see that she could no more understand that work than fly to the moon. I feel enormous remorse now over the way I pushed her. I have apologised to her and she has forgiven me, though.

How has this affected your parenting?
My frustration? I think it made me harder and more removed from them. It's not good.

How much free time do they have?
Loads! Compared to school-kids, they are ridiculously free!

What do they do during their free time?
Grace: draw, write stories and sing. Jack: play guitar, listen to music, play football with friends.

What hobbies do they have?
The above.{g} Jack also competes with an athletics club. Grace likes her church youth group and being a Young Leader at Rainbows.

What difficulties and challenges do you have with homeschooling?
Having a child with autism was challenge enough, but the fact that her problems were at one end of the shy/gregarious continuum and Jack was at the other end has proved enormously challenging. He's an extravert, she's an introvert. He likes being OUT, she craves time HOME. UGH! It's been gut-wrenchingly difficult for me to try to meet both their needs without them ending up resenting eachother. They have both moderated eachother's extremes somewhat though. And I think they are both more well-rounded individuals as a result. I know families with one child on the spectrum and the whole household revolves around that individual, which simply serves to entrench the obsessions, in my humble opinion. I feel families like that *enable* the undesirable behaviours.That's probably a discussion for another day.

What makes homeschooling enjoyable?
The freedom to plan our days the way we want. It's been great not to have a boss!

How do you get involved in the community?
Through the home-ed community and church, Scouts, Guides, Athletics club, things like that.

When do you have opportunities to interact with public or privately schooled children?
Whenever we want, home-ed groups, neighbours, church youth group, Scouts, etc

Would you like more of these opportunities?
I think we have plenty.

How can they be created?
Never needed to create any. They just happened.

What is your least favourite homeschool stereotype?
I didn't think there was one in the UK, till I asked a few people. Apparently, it's a 'hippy' thing to do. Though we aren't hippies. {g}