Regular readers will probably be aware that six months ago I was thrown off all the home education lists of which I was a member. Perhaps there was some justification for this, although I obviously have a different and rather biased view of the matter! I still keep in touch with the lists though and I feel that it is time to say something about them.
I quite understand that these lists are in a sense a safe place for home educating parents; a place where they can express their fears and anxieties free of meddlesome and judgemental professionals. This is fair enough. The problem arises when parents join the lists who genuinely want objective information. Since these places are really just for parents and often ban professionals who are not actually home educating, this means inevitably that myths, old wives' tales, half-truths and downright lies proliferate. Perhaps this is inevitable. Another feature of the lists is that members soon learn that to ask too many questions or express scepticism about any aspect of home education is to invite at best derision and at worst anger. Anybody who says that she is thinking about deregistering her child is told that this is the best possible course of action and that she must go ahead and do it, regardless of the reservations felt by her family and friend.
Now of course, deregistering a bullied child may be the best course of action a parent can take. On the other hand, it may be a dreadful mistake, the consequences of which will exacerbate an already bad situation for a family. Without knowing all the details, it is quite impossible to say. Some bullied children are better out of school, others are not. Those offering advice though, always seem perfectly sure of themselves.
I have been thinking that it is a pity that a list could not be set up by the DCSF, for example, where parents who were home educating or who were considering this as an option could go. In addition to parents, various professionals would also spend a certain amount of time there, answering questions and offering advice. I would think that psychologists, speech therapists, teachers, social workers and local authority officers would all be good people to have on such a list. Then, when a parent asked about the idea of home education, apart from parents there would be people who could provide a few facts and perhaps point out the other side of any argument in favour of home education. For example, I frequently see people on the lists who say things which are hopelessly wrong and misinformed, and as things stand, nobody seems to correct them. Indeed, hopelessly wrong is putting the case mildly; some of them seem certifiably mad!
Many anxious and vulnerable parents join lists such HE-UK and EO because they really do not know what to do next. Invariably, they are encouraged to go ahead and take their kids out of school. I can't remember the last time anybody on either of those lists was advised to stop and think very carefully before taking such a serious step. (I did so once on the EO list and the moderator would not let my post through!)
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Actually, I say that all the time on my local list. I don't get thrown of because I'm the moderator and owner of the list, but I have made enemies.
ReplyDeleteI learned many years ago, in counselling training, that it's not usually a good idea to advise people on any course of action (unless they are obviously walking over a cliff). What that does is to dis-able, dis-empower people and keep them dependent on you or another professional for their next step. In effect, it infantalises them.
The best way to help someone is to give them all the information they need in order to make a decision about the next step themselves.
So, when someone comes onto the local list wondering about HE and everyone else is saying, 'Do it! Go on! It will solve all your child's problems!' I'm the one saying, 'It might help, or it might just create new problems. Here are the facts:...'
It's a difficult position for me to be in. I'm not popular. I get gossippped about. But I'm at the end of my HE journey so I can cope with not being popular.
To sum up, it's always better to inform, rather than to advise.
Your solution is just yet another bunch of people all sticking their oar in with more advice. More professionals/evangelicals pushing their own snake-oil cure for the ailment. I's not a solution, just an expansion of the problem.
Mrs Anon
Simon said "I have been thinking that it is a pity that a list could not be set up by the DCSF, for example, where parents who were home educating or who were considering this as an option could go. In addition to parents, various professionals would also spend a certain amount of time there, answering questions and offering advice. I would think that psychologists, speech therapists, teachers, social workers and local authority officers would all be good people to have on such a list."
ReplyDeleteThere was once such a list. It was called the ParentCentre Forum and finally teetered to a halt just over a year ago, security risks being given as a reason for its demise. Last time I looked it still had some archived posts on it. It was once very active with a lively home educating section. Many of the members have set up alternative groups or moved onto facebook. There was a woman called Anne who was the DCSF expert in residence, who used to give advice on anything and everything, from time to time. There were quite a few professionals posting on it too, so you would have probably have considered it somewhat more balanced, Simon. I'm surprised you weren't aware of it actually. Just your sort of thing.
Well, I am certainly in favour of more real information about home education and since I take education seriously as a positive commitment to my children I expect that others should too. However, although I am intrigued about the Parent Centre forum, I suspect that any attempt to set up a similar group now would either be domindated by the official "home education is second best line" of many "experts" or by the same "home ed is simple just withdraw your child" arguments as are the main boards now.
ReplyDeleteI probably constantly harp on about this , but what many new parents want is practical advice... ie how to home educate.
Yes, I used to go on the Parents Centre forum. It was a bit too wide though. I was thinking of something specifically for home educators. I think, Mrs. Anon, that both you and Julie have a good point. Any such place would soon be colonised by both fanatical pro-home educators and also dedicated antis from the professional scene. Maybe it wasn't such a brilliant idea after all.......
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