Why we home educate

I originally became interested in home education the year before our eldest was due to start reception year after reading "Free-Range Education", just by chance.  Although our eldest started school, I kept returning to the idea of home education, especially after seeing the school's inflexibility on some matters, not to mention the setting of homework for four year olds.  To their credit, the school did abandon the homework in January. 
The school was not a bad school, in fact, in league-table terms, it was considered very good, but I did not feel that the system catered very well for children outside the "average" band.  We deregistered at the end of the school year.

Personally, I think that the national curriculum and the key stages to be overly prescriptive and restrictive.  I have outlined my own curriculum but its more for a general guide and we alter it as we go along, if needs be.  We don't have a daily timetable.

We are kind of semi-structured at the moment and don't follow any particular educational theory or method: probably what the Americans would call "eclectic".  If we are at home, we do a bit of maths and english in the morning and some reading on either a history, geography or science topic.    They have free access to pencils, paper and other arty materials, with unfortunate consequences for the kitchen table.  I also try and do something like baking with them.  They also spend a lot of time just playing.  Quite a lot of the time they just absorb knowledge: just through day to day conversation and when you think that they are not listening.

Home Education fits well with our current family circumstances, but we haven't ruled out a return to school at a later date for any or all of our children.  We are just enjoying the moment, who knows what the future holds.

 - Home educating parent of four children under 6.

Autonomous Education

We started out seven years ago with a structured approach - lessons at the kitchen table every morning - and have become gradually more relaxed over the years as I have learnt more about educational theory and observed what works best for my children.

Eventually we decided to educate autonomously. This means the kids choose what and when they want to learn - which can include structured courses if it is of their own choosing.  I provide resources and my time and attention, I make suggestions and give info about learning opportunities, qualifications, career possibilities etc.

We have family meetings when we plan what we want to do, discuss problems and negotiate how to best meet everyone's needs. During the day, I ask the kids what they would like to do together. This can be anything - reading, watching TV, playing, cooking, learning music, going out, etc.

We don't often do formal written work as this puts them off, even things that previously they were interested in. I keep a diary of what they do and over time I find it covers most of the national curriculum and much more besides.

I find that if I refrain from interfering they learn of their own accord, and that they learn with greater enjoyment, ease and creativity when allowed to do it in their own way, at their own pace, without an externally imposed curriculum. They're mainly self-taught in reading and writing, for example, so learnt at widely different ages, one early, one late and one average. I provide answers, explanations, and help with research, where asked. They learn a lot through conversation.

I hope that by directing their own learning my children will develop into self-motivated people who know how to choose what will be useful or interesting to them. I believe that in the long-run this is more likely to lead them to choose a path in life that is genuinely right for them as individuals. I want my children to grow up aware of their freedom to choose and their responsibility to think about their choices - not blindly follow and obey.

I like my kids (and me!) to have "nothing to do" sometimes so they can spend time thinking, relaxing, day-dreaming, and using their imaginations to think of something to do! - as opposed to being passive consumers - of education, entertainment, goods. I discourage assessment and competition because I believe they undermine the joy of learning for its own sake, and promote reliance on superficial rewards and comparison with others. My main priority is to create emotionally "whole" people. A lot of our time is spent talking about relationships, communication skills, values, spirituality, and what's going on in the world.

Here is some of what we have done recently: Lots of reading - together and individually, fiction and non-fiction. Games - monopoly (maths), crossword, hangman and scrabble (english) and so on. Wildlife programmes and other documentaries, art, craft, guitar, woodwork, board games, sculpture, junk modelling, kitchen table science experiments, sewing, touch-typing, internet research, BBC2 Learning Zone programmes, swimming, writing stories, looking after pets and learning about them, computer skills like creating graphics and word-processing, watching and discussing the news and politics, helping on a friend's farm, travelling to new places, camping, map-reading and learning about the local environment as we go. Fun maths like calculating the age of the universe in minutes. Home-ed group activities - poetry, pottery, chess, puppet-making, sports, gymnastics, trampolining, ice-skating, GCSE science classes.Trips to museums, science parks, country parks, historical sites. Lots of talking. I read to them from my own books if I'm into something that will interest them. Drawing up menus and budgets and shopping together. Family meetings to plan, problem-solve, and practice good communication skills. Sharing household chores. Home-education camps for socialising, cards, swimming, nature trailing, walking, kayaking, sailing, archery, shooting, climbing, music, more arts and crafts, talent shows. 

Despite my convictions, I still find it scary sometimes to "let go" and trust that my kids will learn of their own accord, but I hang onto the fact that I've met several young adults who were autonomously home-educated, and every one has been happy, likeable, and successful in going onto their chosen vocational or university course and career.

Most of all, home-education is fun. I wouldn't pretend that it's all roses - like any other family we have our stresses and arguments sometimes, but overall we are simply very happy and have a great time together.

 - Home educating parent of three, aged between 8 and 13.