A fresh look at home education
Most parents cannot wait for the magical age of five to come around.
They’ve survived the sleepless nights, the toilet training, the inquisitive stage and the 24-7 on-demand lifestyle, all to reach this rite of passage. Sure, they are bound to shed a few tears and have a little separation anxiety, but the day they deliver their angel to the school gates is the day they get a snippet of independence back.
We tend to take state-sponsored education for granted, but it was not until 1870 in England that it became compulsory to attend school between the ages of five and 13. At the same time in New Zealand, there were no compulsory attendance laws at all, and only half of children aged between five and 15 attended school.
Today in New Zealand it is compulsory for all students aged between six and 16 to attend school for a formal education. However, there is a small loophole; it’s possible to apply for an exemption in special circumstances. Statistics from last year show that the parents of about 6800 kiwi kids do exactly that each year, and choose to educate their children at home.
That number has steadily grown over the past decade, and there are a variety of reasons why parents choose home education says Home Schooling New Zealand principal Todd Roughton.
“Almost daily we field enquiries from families around the nation who want to go home schooling because they are concerned about socialisation. They are not happy that their children are constantly exposed to the bullying, pornography, profanity etc that is now so commonplace in our schools.
“We also field a great number of enquiries from families who are very concerned about their children’s lack of academic achievement, despite constant reassurances from their schools that everything is okay.
“There are also enquiries from families with children who have specific learning difficulties. They are keenly aware of the reality that State schools simply cannot meet the specific individual needs that their children have.”
Seventeen-year-old Sarah Wagner’s parents withdrew her from school when constant bullying began to distract her from schoolwork, and her grades began to fall. Her grades are now back on track through home education. Although the self-discipline of home education can be difficult, the lifestyle has its benefits she says. “It’s really nice to have school be a bit more relaxed, you know, to have it flexible so that I work study around other things.”
Keeping a child’s education on track is just one of the demands that parents face when they choose home education. Although no formal qualifications are needed to home educate, parents are required to prove to the Ministry of Education that they have a plan for their child’s education that sees them taught “as regularly and as well as in a registered school.” The Education Review Office is entitled to review the standard of home education and revoke a child’s exemption if the education they receive at home is not satisfactory.
Some parents choose to create their own materials for teaching, and teach from life experience – i.e. divvying out maths equations at the supermarket. However, as well as fun, spontaneous learning, there is planning required to home educate and it can be a time-consuming process. That’s why many parents choose to adopt a plan or curriculum that supports their life view, says Roughton.
“At primary level, one set curriculum is perhaps not so necessary, as basic reading and writing and arithmetic skills can be gained through a wide variety of avenues. A plan is always necessary however.
“At secondary level, it is much harder to put together your own “package” and still expect to arrive at nationally recognised outcomes. For that reason, we would say that the best option is to choose a set curriculum to assist you to do that.”
One of the key arguments for homeschooling is helping a child to direct their own learning. When a curriculum is developed around a child’s gifts and abilities, it can help them learn to learn for themselves. In other words, they begin to take responsibility for their own learning, to formulate their own ideas, and to a point, choose the direction their projects will take.
Proponents of home education also believe that the home is the natural place for a child to be educated. They point to warmer family relationships, fewer teenage problems, flexibility for children to discover the world around them and a more spontaneous and exciting education.
It’s not without its downsides though. Home education usually means reduced income as one parent stays at home rather than going to work. It also means giving up at least part of your house to make room for children’s projects, and having to make a greater effort to involve your children in social activities with other children.
Wagner says that the social element of home schooling hasn’t been a problem at her age because she has other social networks besides school. However, it could be difficult at a younger age.
“Most of my friends are not from school anyways. I more hang out with friends from church, which is okay because I can drive and get places. I think it’s harder on my younger sister though because she is reliant on mum.”
It can be argued that while home education helps a child to form their own ideas, they can miss out on exposure to an assortment of ideas that they would normally receive in a school environment. It can also be difficult for children to see their parent in two roles – that of parent and teacher. These arguments – and a tendency of the State education sector to look down on homeschooling – can make it difficult for those who home school says Roughton.
“While many people have expressed admiration for what we have done, others have tended to undermine it.”
However, Roughton also says that for those who make it work, their children can have a more wholesome and enjoyable education. And his children have proved that home education does not mean lower academic standards.
“We have four children who have been educated to a high academic standard. Three of these have graduated with year 13 academic certificates. One is pursuing her music ambitions, one is doing a nursing degree, and one is doing a teaching degree. The fourth is en route to finish his year 13 studies.”
The success of home education depends entirely on the parent and the child, but Roughton says in his case, it was worth the “ups and downs” along the way.
“We have had the joy of being able to raise our own family – we have not handed them over to the State to do that job. We have been able to travel the world as a family and to continue schooling en route, and we have not missed a single aspect of their growing up.”
