Why Home school?
Here we get a chance to look at why home school is becoming an option for more and more parents and why many are turning their backs on the traditional school option and embracing the more liberal approach to their children’s education. Since setting up the Home School magazine we have come across many other home schooling parents not only here in the UK but all over the world and have found one common link that bonds them all. Regardless of why they home school, their passion, commitment and determination to give their children to give the best possible education and start in life has been a united presence that stretches across the globe and it is that drive that we will be looking at in this part of our magazine.
Stop Bullying
Sadly along our journey we have come across many parents who have taken their children out of school to escape the unfortunate but very real problem of bullying that has tormented both theirs and their children’s live for many years. In many of the cases the schools have been unable to curb the bullying leaving distraught and fretful parents little option than to remove their child from school altogether and in some extreme cases their homes.
Gone are the days of petty fights and squabbles over dinner and tuck money, now the stakes are much higher with violent and aggressive acts becoming more and more a part of the school playgrounds activities. Obviously it would be wrong to suggest that every school has such extreme cases of bullying within it’s perimeter but for the few who do it can be a very real and very frightening problem for all concerned.
Little is known as to the direct cause of the increasing violence in schools but with unrealistic league tables and mounting pressures on the youth of today, there seems no doubt that children of all ages are experiencing difficulties. Young adults are struggling to get a foothold on society and with such high expectations and demoralising prospects are our youth turning into angry violent bullies because of it, who is to know. What is for certain is that some schools are still havens for the bullies and many parents are taking their children out of schools to give them the protection and security that they feel they need.
If you’re family or anyone you know have been affected by bullying then please feel free to contact our Advice service, your information will be treated in the strictest of confidence. In addition, if you require further information on dealing with bullying or wish to share your experiences with others, we recommend these websites:
http://www.bullying.co.uk/ The nation's leading anti-bullying charity. Who give vital advice and support to young people to help you overcome bullying, at school, in the community and on the internet.
www.parentscentre.gov.uk Providing helpful information and links to help deal with bullying.
http://www.kidscape.org.uk/ Committed to keeping children safe and are the first National Charity dedicated to preventing bullying and child abuse.
Learning Difficulties
Due to lack of funding and qualified teachers, children suffering from such difficulties as ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism and Dyspraxia can be left out in the cold by the present school system. Many children facing such problems are forced to either be placed in special learning centres if available away from friends and their main stream school or suffer in silence becoming more isolated and frustrated with the school system.
Over the past few years there has been such a lot of bad press about such learning difficulties as ADHD, expressing how schools are unable to cope with the disruption that these children impose but very little has been done to alleviate the problem. Rather than face the issue head on and start to address the problem, it has been almost swept under the carpet in the hope that the problem will just go away; instead the problems are getting worse and the whole education system seams set to burst with an explosion of uneducated and psychologically damaged youngsters. All a result of our uncaring and ill educated ideas on one system fits all approach.
Dissatisfied by the lack of support parents are taking these children out of the system altogether and are succeeding were the schools are failing providing good, sensitive appropriate education and care for their children. Children with learning difficulties often just benefit from that one to one home learning that the school just cannot provide. With parents already having an understanding of heir children’s personnel needs and conditions it is easier for them to be able to adapt a more suitable curriculum and provide some much needed tactile, hands on approach to learning which has been found to be a very effective teaching method with children with such difficulties.
For more information about ADHD and other learning difficulties then visit the websites recommended below, or for further advice on home schooling children with learning difficulties than contact our Advice service were we will be happy to help.
ADHD Treatment Options
Stay up to date on the latest information on ADD and ADHD. Learn about the newest medications and discover alternative treatments and natural remedies for children and adults.
www.adhd.org.uk A site centred around ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, Dyslexia and similar neurological differences along with any other types of hidden impairment.
www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk Supporting children, families and adults with dyspraxia
www.westfieldacademy.org Dedicated to Teaching and Seeing the Gift in Your Highly Distractible Child. Including Top 10 Tips for Teaching ADHD/ADD Children.
www.nas.org.uk The N.A.S champion the rights and interests of all people with autism and aim to provide individuals with autism and their families with help, support and services that they can access, trust and rely upon and which can make a positive difference to their lives.
www.dyslexia.uk.com They are not only interested in helping children and teenagers to succeed in education, but also passionately believe that getting extra help should not depend on a parents ability to pay for extra tuition themselves.
www.cafamily.org.uk Help and support for families with disabled children.
www.childrensdisabilities.info Recommendations and accomadations for teaching children with attention deficit disorder (ADHD and ADD).
.Loss of Faith
As discussed earlier, the ever increasing violent behaviour of society is for some a great concern and many feel that a lack of moral and spiritual guidance is what is the root cause. With religious education and Sunday school taking a backseat for many children is this shift in belief having an effect on society and is school part of that problem.
With many families turning their backs on their faith and pursuing a more agnostic approach to life are our children being misguided by their less spiritual piers, many parents believe so and are taking their children back to the bosom of their family and their religion in order to teach moral guidance that they feel that school can no longer provide. With the ever increasing multi cultural society that we are all a part of, it is no surprise that schools are unable to consider and treat all the many different cultures and religious beliefs with the respect that they deserve. So many feel that the only way they can ensure continuation of their faith, is to home school.
For more information about how you can successfully home school without compromising your religious beliefs contact the following websites:
www.christianhomeschoolers.com Christian Resources, Homeschooling Resources, Links, Articles, and more...
www.islamichomeeducation.co.uk Information, advice, support and resources for Muslims who are educating their children at home or who are seeking other alternatives to mainstream ...
www.homeschool.co.uk Christian Home Education and Homeschooling Resource in the UK, South Africa and Australia
Freedom
The idea of strong discipline and lesson management that school provides can be too restrictive for some parents and they feel that a more laid back approach to teaching is far more favourable. Many of us are driven by the goals and targets that are set for us in our 9-5 working world but for a select few life can be very different and raising children to resist the lure of the pound and appreciate the land is a far more rewarding educational prospect.
Giving children a worldly education and allowing them the time and opportunity to enjoy their childhood is a truly fantastic goal and one that provides a far more rewarding return than exam results and paper certificates. Where would our world be without such free thinkers and creative minds, many of our true pioneers have been very poorly educated in the traditional sense but have far exceeded any graduate with their worldly knowledge and artistic flare.
Giving children the chance of an education is the duty of the parent but how that education is given is entirely their choice and for many the education of life is enough.
www.freedom-in-education.co.uk Freedom-in-education is about people being able to choose what they want to learn and when they want to learn it.
http://learninfreedom.org Taking responsibility for your own learning.
Failure in the system
For many parents watching the ever decreasing exam results and constant press about school closures and failing standards leaves them not believing in the education system as a whole. This grave but very real feeling is for many enough for them to want to take their children’s education into their own hands.
Although many parents are not armed with teaching qualifications and experience they have determination and desire which drives them forward to provide the best form of education for their children. Wanting to succeed is a great incentive and one that is apparent in most home schooling households, this desire to give their children the best start in life is a great and real prospect and one that many parents are starting to achieve.
Homeschool-portal A look at reasons why public schools are failing and how homeschooling can be an advantageous, unique and stimulating alternative.
Exclusion
Sadly there are always circumstances beyond anyone’s control that determines whether or not a parent will home school and expulsion or exclusion from the school system is one. Some children seem to have a problem with the system and the sense of authorities that school provides and find them selves not quite getting out of school what their parents would hope. For these few, education can be a daunting uphill struggle and a problem that their parents are left to try and tackle their way through as best they can.
The system as stated earlier can only deal in the ‘one type fits all’ and sometimes that can fall short of what that specific child requires. Different approaches such as the more tactile, hands on lessons can work wonders with some, where as a less restrictive educational schedule based around allowing freedom of choices and experiences can be the way forward.
To help make the road ahead a little easier we recommend a look at these websites:
www.ace-ed.org.uk Obtain information and a free exclusion pack available to parents or carers of a child who has been excluded from school.
www.kidsbehaviour.co.uk Helping you deal with all aspects of child behaviour.
For those parents that considering home schooling maybe for some of the reasons mentioned above, we are happy to offer our support and help and recommend you take a look at these websites:
Preschool ideas Just want to share with you some great ideas on
Preschool lesson plans and activities, including notes on childhood development, homeschool and the Montessori method.
If you have any further unique reasons for home schooling or any comments on what you have read then please contact us via our Mail box we look forward to hearing from you.
