Home Education

[Bagpuss]

Hi All

 

I wanted to have a little delve into the world of home education, but can't seem to get more than two pages up on this section

 

Can anyone direct me towards any threads on this subject.

 

Also, if anyone can share their experiences, I would really appreciate it.....just having a little ponder in my hour of confusion

 

I wish I could arrange DD's education around the forum....I could have different peeps for different lessons

 

All the Lipstick Aspies for all the twinkly girlie things and ASD girlie awareness/puberty issues

 

All the forum teachers for the proper teaching Bard for history, DMB for puters and physics, Krystaltps and Summertime for SENCO needs, alongside Elun & Smiley (who will have a duel role, alongside Lipstick Aspie role), with Kathryn in sole charge of English.

 

All the forum kiddies for playmates and to argue sit with at lunchtime

 

Pearl for reading

 

Hev for teaching wise money management and Maths

 

Oxgirl for PE

 

BD for fun and games at playtime

 

Lya for love, cuddles and baking (cos DD adores her)

 

SV to teach music

 

Flo for dance

 

Tally for Art after reading her decorating thread

 

Brooke & Mumble, school cleaners extrodinaires

 

Forbsay, Looby and Clare63 as my trio of dinnerladies..

 

KarenT as the wonderfully organised school secretary

 

KarenA as a much loved school nurse

 

Need to go away to consider positions caretaker & cook....................I think we need a couple....and who better than TheNeil and Emily...our first forum couple

 

Sorry to all those members I missed out........I've gone abit

 

Think this is probably better off with the rest of my threads.....in Off Topic

 

Well, I did try to start out seriously

Edited February 12, 2008 by Bagpuss

[Tally]

I wanted to have a little delve into the world of home education, but can't seem to get more than two pages up on this section

 

Down at the bottom of the page there is a little box that says something like "30 days." Use the arrow and change it to say, "show all."

 

The pinned topics at the top might also have some useful information and links.

[Bagpuss]

Thanks Tally

[Kathryn]

Hi Bagpuss,

 

Sounds like a very rich curriculum you've outlined: hey, we could start our own forum school!

 

 

I'm no expert on Home Ed, but these are two support organisations often mentioned:

 

http://www.education-otherwise.org/

 

http://www.heas.org.uk/

 

There's also a pinned topic in Education which has some more information and links, although it's a fairly ancient thread.

 

I'm sure the experienced Home Edders will be along with more advice soon.

 

K x

[Bagpuss]

Thanks Kathryn, will check out those sites.

 

One quick question for anyone.......can a child with a statement be home educated by their parents, or can the LEA over rule that decision?

[Kathryn]

Hi Bagpuss,

 

You have the duty, as do parents of any child, to ensure that they receive a suitable education and this can be at home or school, whether they are statemented or not.

 

Education act section 7 covers this:

 

The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him

to receive efficient full-time education suitable to: -

a. his age and ability and aptitude;

b. any special education needs he may have.

either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

 

You can withdraw a child from a mainstream school without the LEA's permission. The LEA then has a duty to check that you are providing an appropriate education, but I'm no expert on how it works in practice - hopefully others will advise.

 

K x

Edited February 12, 2008 by Kathryn

[Bagpuss]

Thanks Kathryn.

 

On Saturday, I'm off to visit a really close friend for weekend, it's been planned for a few months. She's a teacher, has worked in both primary and secondary, and also taught in ASD base.

 

She's now working as an EWO.

 

What a perfect timing for my visit eh?

 

I'm hoping to come back with lots of good advice

 

She'll be glad to get rid of me on Sunday

[justamum]

You can withdraw a child from a mainstream school without the LEA's permission

 

please be aware this is incorrect for Scotland, but permission can not unreasonably withheld (or take too long)

[oxgirl]

Hi Baggy, sorry you're feeling so unsettled about school stuff at the mo. <'>

 

You can add Jay on to your list for Science/nature studies, with a speciality in snail reproduction!

 

Re. home ed, we took Jay out of school for the last two primary years. He wasn't coping and wasn't progressing and, at 9, they still couldn't get him to sit and write a few words without screaming the place down! He was spending most of his time on his own with his TA, someone we didn't particularly trust anyway, and we came to the conclusion that we could do better than her. He had a full statement at the time and full-time 1:1 but I had no trouble at all taking him out of school. You don't have to be qualified in any way to educate your child yourself. Every year the LEA would send an inspector to just check up on what I was doing and make sure he was receiving an 'appropriate education', but we always enjoyed his visits and he was always encouraging and gave us very good reports, so no problems there.

 

Re. the actual home ed itself, I did find it hard to adjust at first, and so did he. Once we'd got into a routine that suited us, though, we started to make really good progress. Life became relaxed and stress-free and we enjoyed the simple things, like painting in the afternoons, strolling to the library or the park, having lunch in the local cafe, stuff like that. I look back on those days very fondly, actually. You'll usually be able to find a group of home educators in your area, who'll meet up regularly and share activities or just go out for days. We went to Education Otherwise meetings fortnightly. Jay joined in with activities, although never really 'mixed' with the children tbh, although it was some interraction, certainly more than he was ever getting at school, where he was totally isolated. Because he wasn't in school he wasn't exhausted all the time and so we could access more activities and pick and choose his social opportunities. He went to a dance class once a week and on saturday mornings he went to a movement group for dyspraxic children, none of which he would have had the energy to benefit from if he'd been at school.

 

Deciding to home ed is a really scary prospect, it took us nearly two years of dithering before we could work up the courage to actually go for it. People used to tell me that the making of the decision is the hardest part and they were right, once we actually started we actually wished we'd done it a lot sooner.

 

Best of luck and I hope you can find a solution that suits you all.

 

Take care. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[pearl]

I could do library skills & information retrieval as well Baggy

No advice I'm afraid, I know zilch about home ed, but hope you find some answers <'>

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

sounds like a good school

 

if all our woos has begun earlier i would most certainly be home edding

but now it is too far gone

remember that many things we do are education

making you own playdough, gardening

lok at your life and see what you do?

 

x

[Canopus]

Far too many parents think that HE is a one way ticket. This is why they um and agh for years. If HE doesn't work out then your kid can return to school at any time.

[Bagpuss]

Thank you all so much <'> <'>

 

I've been feeling this really does seem to be the most sensible option for DD. We can't see what she is currently gaining from attending school.

 

I'm scared I don't have the ability to teach her, but we know she would be happier, calmer and learn more at home. Her behaviour only becomes volatile during school term.

 

I suppose I just need more confidence that I can do this, and do it well. Plus I need to know as much as poss before making a decision.

 

BTW, does anyone know if a Statement is withdrawn once a child is HE?

[Canopus]

BTW, does anyone know if a Statement is withdrawn once a child is HE?

 

We have discussed this before. It depends on the LEA so enquire about it. Some LEAs are generous and retain the statement, whereas others are run by meanies and obliterate it.

[oxgirl]

BTW, does anyone know if a Statement is withdrawn once a child is HE?

 

Jay's statement wasn't withdrawn. It meant that, when it was time for secondary ed., he just slipped back into the school system with no problems.

 

Try not to worry too much about your ability to be able to teach your child. There are many different ways of learning and they don't have to include sitting at a desk. If you did do it, you would find what works best for you and your child. For us, it meant going with what Jay was interested in. Finding out about trucks, reading books in the library, walking round taking photos of trucks and then writing little sentences about them in his project book and sticking in pictures, nothing too heavy or 'formal' just learning to sit and write a little piece about something. It's all positive learning experience. We picked blackberries and then I got him to email his grandma and ask her for a recipe for jam. We made jam and then used the jam to make jam tarts. We photographed them and stuck them in a book and wrote about how we'd done it, etc. Not what you'd usually do in 'school' but all the elements were teaching him something and were enjoyable.

 

Take care. All I can say really is that, if it feels right, it probably is. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[Kathryn]

BTW, does anyone know if a Statement is withdrawn once a child is HE?

 

Not automatically. It can still be maintained although the LEA doesn't have to arrange the provision in it. The statement would be amended to remove the name of the school in part 4, and to state instead here that parents have made their own arrangements.

 

There are a very few cases where the LEA has been known to fund home based programmes such as specialist dyslexia tuition, ABA and - would you believe - Sonrise. I don't expect this is a regular occurence!

 

K x

[Bagpuss]

Been trying to get a handle on how DD feels about HE, and it's proving difficult.

 

She is off poorly at the mo, but is asking everyday "Can I go to school today?", and when we tell her she can't, because she is still poorly, she gets upset. Although in fairness, some of this is resulting from her wanting to buy a book from the school's book fair.....but there is obviously something she likes about going to school

 

She is vague about answers when we ask her about school likes/dislikes, or just says I don't know if we ask her directly about her feelings re school. When we do get an answer, she will change it, then back again. I honestly don't know how she really feels about school anymore or what her preference would be.

 

I asked her if she had friends at school, and she said "yes", so I asked what they were called, and she said she didn't know.

 

I'm a little concerned that although she is unhappy at school, she somehow enjoys aspects of it Would she miss the parts of school she does enjoy if we decide to HE?

 

Her happiness is paramount to us, which is why we thought we'd investigate HE a little further, but I wish I was clearer about her feelings. Feel a huge weight on my shoulders....to get it right.

 

I wish she was able to tell us clearly what she wants

 

Blimey, this is really hard isn't it

Edited February 12, 2008 by Bagpuss

[oxgirl]

I totally understand what you're saying, Baggy, we had exactly the same with Jay. He didn't cope with school at all and found it extremely stressful, but it was all he knew! He never protested about going to school in the morning, even though he'd more often than not have a terrible day when he got there. To him it was just a routine, you got up and you went to school and so he did. When we eventually decided to take him out he was, actually, quite unsettled and upset, not because he loved school, because he clearly didn't, but because it was 'unknown'. As far as he was concerned, you just went to school and to NOT go to school was scary and different and not part of his usual routine so he was pretty worried and unsettled about it. It wasn't helped by his TA expressing her negative feelings about it.

 

We put it to him that he was having a break from school, but didn't really ask his opinon as such because we knew that he wouldn't be able to express to us his preference. He didn't have any experience of what it would be like NOT to go to school so, therefore, he couldn't choose it, if given a choice he would have probably just chosen to carry on with what he knew, as it was familiar and safe, iyswim, he didn't really know his own mind because he didn't have all the facts. For us, looking at him and the kind of physical and emotional state he was in at the time, we couldn't carry on as we were, something had to change. We spent years hoping things would get better at school but they never did, in the end we decided that we'd have to do something proactive.

 

So, I do know what you're going through and it is really hard. It took us ages to finally decide to go for it. I remember feeling just like you do, I just wanted someone to tell me what to do, what would be best. My DH was much more keen to home ed than me, in fact it was his idea and him that would have done it the previous year. It was me that was scared, I suppose I knew it would be me doing all the home edding and nothing much would change for him, so it was an enormous burden on my shoulders. It's true what he said at the time though, he said if we do nothing and keep on as we are, we've still made a decision so making the decision to NOT carry on as we are is no more of a decision, iyswim.

 

In the end, I guess, it's just a matter of weighing up all the things that are good about school and all the not so good things and deciding if the good things balance out some of the bad things. Certainly for us they did not, but your DD might be happier and doing better than Jay was, there might be more things she'd miss. For Jay he didn't miss a single thing, other than the fact that it was something NEW for him to worry about until he'd gotten used to it.

 

Good luck and try not to torture yourself too much. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[Cat]

If you are seriously considering HE and want to talk to some other parents who have already jumped ship and are home edding their SEN children this is the list to join http://www.he-special.org.uk/

 

It's a brilliant list and any questions or doubts which you have can be answered there

 

Home ed is not for everyone but it certainly changed our life for the better.

 

Cat

[dooday24]

my freind took her child out of school last sept and she has a statement,,

and she is so much calmer and happier well they both r..

love donnaxxx

[Clare63]

Bagpuss, there's a whole new world out there in Home Ed land and don't forget Home Ed groups which organise activities so the children can meet and socialise. I will hasten to add that I do find Home Ed hard, mainly trying to get Connor to focus and knuckle down, but then again he is a teenage boy ! also there never seems to be enough hours in the day what with planning, preparing and supervising. All said and done though the benefits have been enormous we almost have our child back, he's no longer a quivering wreck and his confidence and self esteem is increasing everyday.

 

Take your time Hun and consider all options.

 

Clare x x x

[Bagpuss]

I totally understand what you're saying, Baggy, we had exactly the same with Jay. He didn't cope with school at all and found it extremely stressful, but it was all he knew! He never protested about going to school in the morning, even though he'd more often than not have a terrible day when he got there. To him it was just a routine, you got up and you went to school and so he did. When we eventually decided to take him out he was, actually, quite unsettled and upset, not because he loved school, because he clearly didn't, but because it was 'unknown'. As far as he was concerned, you just went to school and to NOT go to school was scary and different and not part of his usual routine so he was pretty worried and unsettled about it. It wasn't helped by his TA expressing her negative feelings about it.

 

We put it to him that he was having a break from school, but didn't really ask his opinon as such because we knew that he wouldn't be able to express to us his preference. He didn't have any experience of what it would be like NOT to go to school so, therefore, he couldn't choose it, if given a choice he would have probably just chosen to carry on with what he knew, as it was familiar and safe, iyswim, he didn't really know his own mind because he didn't have all the facts. For us, looking at him and the kind of physical and emotional state he was in at the time, we couldn't carry on as we were, something had to change. We spent years hoping things would get better at school but they never did, in the end we decided that we'd have to do something proactive.

 

So, I do know what you're going through and it is really hard. It took us ages to finally decide to go for it. I remember feeling just like you do, I just wanted someone to tell me what to do, what would be best. My DH was much more keen to home ed than me, in fact it was his idea and him that would have done it the previous year. It was me that was scared, I suppose I knew it would be me doing all the home edding and nothing much would change for him, so it was an enormous burden on my shoulders. It's true what he said at the time though, he said if we do nothing and keep on as we are, we've still made a decision so making the decision to NOT carry on as we are is no more of a decision, iyswim.

 

In the end, I guess, it's just a matter of weighing up all the things that are good about school and all the not so good things and deciding if the good things balance out some of the bad things. Certainly for us they did not, but your DD might be happier and doing better than Jay was, there might be more things she'd miss. For Jay he didn't miss a single thing, other than the fact that it was something NEW for him to worry about until he'd gotten used to it.

 

Good luck and try not to torture yourself too much. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

 

Mel, there is so much in your post that I could relate to. Even down to your DH being really keen to HE (ditto here), but you being aware you'd be the one taking on the responsiblity on the whole for it (ditto again).

 

DH also feels as you did about Jay....that DD's request for school, is about the routine of going, and her not being aware of how it would feel not to go iyswim You've explained it far better than me

 

I'm just totally confused

 

Up until Jan she was happy, and we were bobbing along nicely....now in the space of a few weeks, she has deteriorated to such an extent her teacher feels the school is no longer appropriate, and we've somehow found ourselves in the position of having a new school named for her at panel, which isn't our choice This has all happened within half a term

 

So we have three choices.....HE, accept LEA's choice of school or fight the LEA for a place at special school............and at the mo, I really don't know what would be the best option for DD.

 

Need to investigate all of the above, and then make an informed choice me thinks

[Bagpuss]

If you are seriously considering HE and want to talk to some other parents who have already jumped ship and are home edding their SEN children this is the list to join http://www.he-special.org.uk/

 

It's a brilliant list and any questions or doubts which you have can be answered there

 

Home ed is not for everyone but it certainly changed our life for the better.

 

Cat

 

Thanks Cat, it's lovely to read so many positive experiences of HE....it's something we know so little about. Will definately check out the website you suggest, thanks again.

[Bagpuss]

my freind took her child out of school last sept and she has a statement,,

and she is so much calmer and happier well they both r..

love donnaxxx

 

Thanks Donna, again, smashing to hear of a really positive outcome for HE

[Bagpuss]

Bagpuss, there's a whole new world out there in Home Ed land and don't forget Home Ed groups which organise activities so the children can meet and socialise. I will hasten to add that I do find Home Ed hard, mainly trying to get Connor to focus and knuckle down, but then again he is a teenage boy ! also there never seems to be enough hours in the day what with planning, preparing and supervising. All said and done though the benefits have been enormous we almost have our child back, he's no longer a quivering wreck and his confidence and self esteem is increasing everyday.

 

Take your time Hun and consider all options.

 

Clare x x x

 

Crikey Clare...don't scare me with talk of meeting groups...... Just about manage the meet ups Seriously though, the replies I've received have all been so positive re HE. I hadn't realised just how much information and support was "out there". Thanks <'>