Yes, home education can be tiring

And it some days it feels like you don't get anywhere.


But exploring the places we find uncomfortable can mean we learn more, grow wiser, have more perspective, become better at managing change and difficulty, than if we just sat and did nothing.

School can be a big source of tension

If it is, remove it. You'll find many different ways become possible.

Everyday we can try something new

I want to make a wooden horse.
OK.

We have time to make the little things

We have a passion for learning

Because learning and life are inseparable. What joy to live both flamboyantly.

Does an education happen to a child?

Or do they go out and get it?

Our children have time to think

And what a precious time that is.

Imagine a world, where we do not question what we're told

How many school rules translate to an adult life? Walk on the left? Enter by this door only? Sit here? Maybe one rule: Do not question authority. Maybe we should question it more often.

Waiting for class to begin

Normal behaviour, wouldn't you say? (And our class size here is twelve, thanks.)

We spend a lot of time not judging ourselves

Oh go on then. I give myself 10 out of 10. And all my kids too. They get 10 out of 10 as well.

There's not one 'right' way to do something

Find your own way. And if it goes wrong?


If you never make mistakes, you never make anything.

Really, who'd say no to a classroom like this?

We keep our minds open

Better to catch those new ideas.

When we're engaged and involved, we learn best

We do stuff. We get involved. We become actors in the event. However you want to say it, we participate. We engage our bodies and minds. How interactive can a whiteboard get?

So much time is wasted in school

There's the administration, the waiting, the collation of materials, the waiting, the distribution of materials, the waiting, the announcements, the waiting, the preparation of 30 people, the waiting, the clearing up from 30 people, the waiting. And then there's the disciplining of the one child in the class who takes all the teacher time. Quite frankly, why bother?

Positive lessons do not always come in positive ways

Sometimes we have to think through what it is we'd like to learn.

A child can learn more in five minutes than five hours

Wouldn't you say that's the same as an adult? If you want to learn it, need to know it, take the trouble and go find it out for yourself, then it stays with you.


More than can be said for my memory of Mrs Davies' Maths class.

Life lessons come in all shapes and sizes

We can't predict what those lessons will be, nor when they will come at us. We stay open minded, alive to all possibility. That's an exciting way to live a life.

At the end of the workshop, no assessment

Instead, let's have that thoughtful discussion, over ice cream.

We expect our education...

...never to be over.


I'd say that's a healthy attitude to learning.

The education we wanted wasn't there...

So we made it.

Dirt was made for kids to play in

I'm not saying I want to get rid of the washing machine, mind.

You don't have to be rich or privileged to home educate

But imaginative, yes, to think differently.

Cost?

Second-hand, third-hand, home-made, resourceful, recycled, imaginative, borrowed, loaned from the library, eligible for group rate, student rate, educational discount. And we can always find an outdoor science lesson for free.

No ban on conkers, cycling, climbing trees, or running in the playground

We believe it's healthier to assess the risks, think through the scenarios, plan ahead, then take the jump.

Outdoor the sun shines, the birds sing

No stuffy, crowded classrooms for us, thanks.

'What did you do at school today?'

Lunchtimes are civilized

We don't ask permission to do what we do, or go where we go

No school hours, no school timetable, no school days, no school terms. Just living, and learning.

Thank goodness we don't follow the National Curriculum

Because I bet nowhere in that tombstone does it say, Play with repeating parrot for six hours.

Hands up if you'd rather be in the office

In home ed, every child is unique

Yup, some days are hard

They're abandoned, sprawling, chaotic. And somewhere, somehow, we'll learn something from them.

We don't take anyone's wisdom for granted

And we never receive a wisdom passively, without thought, or without question. No, we can't do that. We expect to experiment, and discover it for ourselves. I call that learning; the children call it having fun.

If it's not fun, we're not interested.

You can bet that if there was no fun to be had, even from having accomplished something scary, we wouldn't do it. Would you?

Our 3Rs

Responsibility. Resourcefulness. Respect. We find we can apply one of those to most circumstances.

Determination...

...sometimes requires courage, not to be knocked off-course. And sometimes what we have to do is easy, and blindingly obvious.

Self motivation...

...is a quality we value highly. You never know where it will lead, nor what will come from it. And to me, that is wonderful; like living a surprise every day of your life.

The problem with home ed kids?

You can't tell how bright and sure they are, until you track them down, spend time, and talk to them. They sure don't present themselves to you, telling you how good they are at going to school and passing tests.

Children are resolute learners

When they really want to find out something, they do. Stop them at your peril.

Curiosity is wonderful

And we can follow that impulse, wherever it leads us.

I'm able to follow my own ambitions

That's what this home educated child says is the best thing about her days.

Won't ever stop learning

Thanks to museums, galleries, discovery centres, places to explore. And showing that home educators take their resources from everyplace, everywhere.

Socialisation?

Bring people together, hire a room, talk to an education officer, plan an activity. Or join a club, make a date, arrange a place, create an event, find a group, talk about what's around, arrange to meet, ask if anyone's coming along, say we'll meet you there. Is that how social people organise themselves? Home educators are no different.

You don't have to work in a school to be a teacher

Once a child is out of school, they find the world is filled with teachers. And every one of you is a teacher. You teach about life, people, society, humanity, attitude.

If there's a problem?

We try and fix it. We rely on our intelligence, perception, understanding, awareness. We do not rely on armies of staff to sort the problem for us. We work together, travel as far as we can, and seek help when we genuinely need. That is how we take responsibility.

Inspiring and creative lessons, home ed style

Stopwatch at the ready? Just follow our lead. Home educators are, everyday, inspiring children to think, plan, observe, discuss, enjoy. For that, we don't need walls or a pre-set test.

We imagined how to live differently

And then we started on the journey.

Home ed: the heart of the family

You can make a classroom, anywhere