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 No place like home for home-schooled Hunter kids 

No place like home for home-schooled Hunter kids

BY ALISON BRANLEY EDUCATION REPORTER
24 Aug, 2009 04:00 AM
MORE Hunter parents are choosing to abandon the NSW education system to teach their children at home.

The number of children being home-schooled in the region has more than doubled since 2006.

Figures tabled in NSW Parliament show 186 children registered for home-schooling in the Hunter this year, up from 77 in 2006.

Statewide there are 2342 registered to study at home.

Michelle Morrow, who runs a website for home educators in the Hunter, estimated the figures were double those stated because of the number of families who did not register.

A further 120 Hunter students also study distance education through Australian Christian College, Sydney.

Ms Morrow said some of the increase was because there was less stigma attached to the practice than in previous years, and that parents home-schooled because of philosophical reasons, religion and bullying.

She estimated about half of home-schooled children were removed from school because they suffered a combination of behaviour disorders and bullying.

"In many cases being home-schooled can make a big difference," she said.

Ms Morrow teaches three of her children at home and just sent her eldest Daniel, 13, to high school because of his interest in maths and science.

She said she started to home-school Daniel intending to keep him home until he was seven but found the benefits were so great that she continued with the program.

"Learning is tailored towards the child and their learning needs. It really gives them a love of learning," she said.

However, the belief that home-schooled children miss out on socialisation appears to be a misconception. Home-school groups run athletics and swimming carnivals, gymnastics, poetry readings, play dates and participate in after-school activities.

"I'm getting asked by other kids if I can home-school them," Ms Morrow said.

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first
too bad these kids will end up socially retarted
Posted by abbo, 24/08/2009 6:01:01 PM, on The Herald
I just wanted to clarify that I do not believe that 50% of children are homeschooled because of bullying at school or a behavioural problem. Parents choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons. Many homeschoolers have chosen to homeschool before their children are school age. This is a large portion of the homeschooling population. This group often chose to do so because of their convictions and their educational philosophy, rather than any “issues”. What I was trying to say is that there is another sub group of parents whose original intention was not to homeschool but they have now removed their children from school and begun to homeschool. I would estimate that of this group, possibly 50% are looking into homeschooling because they feel the school is not addressing specific issues pertaining to their child, this can include academic performance, special needs and bullying. If people are interested in finding out more about homeschooling they can contact the Home Education Association on 1300 72 99 91 or visit their website http://www.hea.asn.au/. Michelle
Posted by Michelle Downunder, 24/08/2009 6:45:00 PM, on The Herald
The vast benefits derived from obtaining education in a professional, group environment with peers far outweigh the convenience of home-schooling by control freak parents who are trying to protect their children from the 'big bad world'. I grew up with a number of home-schooled friends, who now all unfailingly recognise that it is an irresponsible, socially-stunting exercise that held them back in life.
Posted by kaycee, 24/08/2009 7:45:34 PM, on The Herald
I have to agree with Michelle that people choose to homeschool for many reasons. It is a conscious decision for most, made before their kids are school age, not because they don't fit the system, but because the parents have a definite philosophy on life and learning. It is certainly not a last resort because the school system doesn't meet their kids needs. Homeschooling is a lifestyle decision for most of us.
Posted by violet, 24/08/2009 7:48:03 PM, on The Herald
mmmmm abbo said - "Too bad these kids will end up socially RETARTED" (emphasis added to highlight spelling) I just wanted to say at least they will be able to spell lol
Posted by Mishell, 24/08/2009 9:57:10 PM, on The Herald
Dear abbo, Where does sitting next to someone you get in trouble for talking to equate as socialisation, whereas including children in any and all interactions with members of society equate to social retardation? I'm a NSW Primary Teacher AND a Home Educator and I'm qualified to tell you that we teach children to follow orders before all else in classrooms. Schools can only 'socialise' a child for other like institutions. It is NOT a 'social preperation' for the child's life after school. Only outside of classroms are children free to talk, unless bullied otherwise. Most of a school child's day is taken up with listening to instructions and producing markable work. I hope more people will see how common Home Education really is and has been for hundreds of years. Schools are the invention of the industrialisation period when we needed workers in factories who followed orders and didn't waste time talking. That is NOT our current economic climate, but it is STILL predominately our School System. Now Entrepreneurship is more highly paid and rewarded. Teachers love teaching, but they are not always free to teach the way they wish to, because of this system.Thank you for reading
Posted by Tam, 24/08/2009 11:29:24 PM, on The Herald
Great to read a positive article. Home education allows kids to be free to pursue their interests and be themselves. I'm glad to hear it is on the increase so we can have more individual free spirited free thinking people in our society. As a home ed parent I am not trying to protect my kids from the world, but allow them to be a part of it and their community rather than being institutionalised for the major part of their childhood.
Posted by Shelly, 25/08/2009 12:35:17 AM, on The Herald
Kaycee, I'm sorry that your friends blame their parents for doing what at the time they felt was best. Assuming you're an adult now, the home education world is vastly different to even ten years ago. Our children interact with hundreds of peers on a regular basis in the "big, bad world" gaining life experience rather than being told about it by professionals. We have travelled extensively, followed our and their passions, created businesses which they have taken part in and trained sport at elite levels; not adult driven, all their choice to be part of our world and our choice to be supportive, responsible parents. I can't imagine our children ever thinking they have been part of a socially-stunting exercise and yes, they read the article and comments and were quite vocal about refuting the negative comments about socialisation.
Posted by tkdmnk, 25/08/2009 7:12:30 AM, on The Herald
Taking the last two lines of your comment, kaycee, this is the take I and my peers took about schooling: "schooled friends, who now all unfailingly recognise that it is an irresponsible, socially-stunting exercise that held them back in life." In my experience home educated kids are certainly socialist retarded ;) Home education is freeing in that they are not tied to the majority thought, having been brought up in an environment with parents brave enough to be individual and able to think outside the box. Home ed is the way of the future and in a few generations the whole outlook on education will have changed dramatically. Home educated kids are now entering uni at an unprecedented rate and excelling, the workplace and being preferred above schooled kids by their employers. My son is studying at Monash after a lifetime at home. He is doing very well both socially and academically. The future is bright :)
Posted by elle, 25/08/2009 8:24:39 AM, on The Herald
Witnessing how well-socialised home educated children were is one of the major reasons we chose to homeschool our children. To meet children who know how to talk to people of all ages, including adults is incredibly refreshing. There is nothing more illogical than to throw a bunch of children of the same age together for a large portion of each day and assume that they will become "socialised". As elle commented, I suspect the proportion of people who attended regular schools who say that it was an "irresponsible, socially-stunting exercise" is FAR higher than those who were homeschooled.
Posted by TM, 25/08/2009 11:17:59 AM, on The Herald
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