Friday 27 August 2010

This blog

Until a week ago, I was convinced that the only thing which attracted so many readers to this blog was the luminous quality of the prose which I turn out with such effortless insouciance. Sadly, this would seem not to be the case. Indeed, when I mentioned that I had been keeping this blog for over a year, several regular contributors to the comments hastened to set me straight about their motives for coming on here every day. Apparently for some, reading this blog is a distasteful duty which must be undertaken, whether or not one feels like it. I must say that this strikes me as absolutely extraordinary. There are many completely mad blogs on the Internet, some of them written by world class idiots. I occasionally come across such things and seldom bother to return. How different, how very different from the response of those who visit here and conclude that I am an ignorant fool and malicious to boot. They keep coming back for more! I have been puzzled by this in the past, but a little research shows the sheer altruism which motivates some of my most dedicated readers.

Here is a typical case of somebody who feels reluctantly compelled to come on here and express her opinions:

I started commenting on your blog only because you made some ill-informed remarks about children with special needs. I think that many other of your remarks are also ill-informed, so have felt obliged to continue to comment.

Now I am bound to say at once that I have been working with and writing about adults and children with special educational needs and disabilities for about a quarter of a century. I doubt that my remarks on the subject have been 'ill-informed'. Crass and offensive perhaps; even insensitive or unpleasant, but I am, I think, pretty well informed on the subject. Another person said much the same:

I too only come here to check and set the record straight from time to time,

These people put me in mind of Lord Longford when he was investigating pornography some years ago. He forced himself to visit various unsavoury shops in Soho and leafed through the most disgusting materiel, all for a very good cause. I imagine some of my readers in the same way. There they sit, hunched over their keyboards in darkened rooms, muttering 'Filth!' or 'Disgusting!'. But they know their duty too well just to log off and look at something a little more agreeable!

Another regular here, who lives in Brighton, has an even stranger reason for feeling obliged to visit and comment here. She is worried about the effects of what I say upon those who are just starting to home educate. She comes here, 'in case there are new home edders feeling thoroughly put-off...' This really plumbs new depths of weirdness! I am a fanatical home educator whose daughter never set foot in school. I have shown that contrary to what some local authority officers claim, it is perfectly possible to pass any GCSE at home, including the three sciences. Anybody coming here will soon learn that however repulsive I might be personally, I am living proof that home education can succeed in delivering a rigorous, academic education at least as efficient as that provided by the best independent school. How on earth will this 'put off' new home educators?

Interestingly, the parents who email me privately do not seem to feel at all put off by what they read here. A week does not pass without somebody contacting me for advice or information. I have never been told that anybody has felt 'put off' home education by anything which they might have read here. Nor incidentally have the parents of children with special needs ever berated me for my unacceptable views on disability. I have noticed that those who criticise me most vehemently about this do not apparently have children themselves with special educational needs. There is something horribly patronising about people complaining on behalf of families with special children, as though these people know better than others what is likely to be unacceptable in this field. It is true that I have had a few irritable things to say in the past about the number of parents in the home education world who claim that their children have special educational needs which are not being catered for at school and which have made it essential that their children are educated at home. Closer examination often reveals these problems to be relatively mild conditions such as dyslexia and attention deficit. Now I freely admit that I sometimes get a little impatient about this. I work with some children who have severe learning difficulties and are non-verbal, unable to walk and also have epilepsy. To hear some mother going on about her kids 'special needs' when all it amounts to is that he can't sit still and concentrate, does annoy me a bit. This is perhaps the sort of 'ill-informed' view which has caused people to find it necessary to monitor this blog!

I think that people sometimes overestimate the significance of this blog. It is nothing more than the personal thoughts of a former home educator. It is not, as I have had cause to remind folk in the past, a peer reviewed, academic journal. The ideas expressed here are usually my own and if others find those thoughts disgusting or contrary to their own inclinations, then it does not really worry me. I am of course happy for everybody to come here and comment; that's why I don't moderate the comments at all. However, if anybody really is upset by the sort of things which I say here, then there are plenty of other blogs on home education which cater for the kind of wooly-minded crank determined to avoid at all costs teaching her child. This blog is about education, education outside the school system. Such education can be, as I said above, at least as successful as anything being offered in the best of independent schools. Somebody commented here recently, saying;

Why is home education not as good as good to Eton college Webb

Well it is, or at least it can be if parents wish to put in the time and effort. For those reluctant to do so for ideological or perhaps ergonomic reasons, home education is likely to remain a poor substitute for school based education. I am hardly to blame for that; such is the nature of the world!

45 comments:

  1. "It is true that I have had a few irritable things to say in the past about the number of parents in the home education world who claim that their children have special educational needs which are not being catered for at school and which have made it essential that their children are educated at home. Closer examination often reveals these problems to be relatively mild conditions such as dyslexia and attention deficit. Now I freely admit that I sometimes get a little impatient about this. I work with some children who have severe learning difficulties and are non-verbal, unable to walk and also have epilepsy. To hear some mother going on about her kids 'special needs' when all it amounts to is that he can't sit still and concentrate, does annoy me a bit. This is perhaps the sort of 'ill-informed' view which has caused people to find it necessary to monitor this blog!"

    The fact that some children are severely disabled does not diminish the problems that children with 'relatively mild conditions such as dyslexia or attention deficit' experience in mainstream schools.

    Apart from the fact that poor development of attention is not simply that a child can't sit still and concentrate, attention deficit puts the child at a distinct disadvantage in the current school system where concentration and sitting still are considered virtues in and of themselves in young children. Never mind the state of their frontal lobes or motor control.

    I still contend that you are ill-informed about special educational needs, Simon. If you were well-informed you would be telling us about research instead of making sweeping dismissals of the concerns of other parents.

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  2. When the supposed incidence of a syndrome is rising at the rate of 4 or 5% per annum and the disorder itself is being diagnosed not by any objective medical criteria, but rather by the description of a child's conduct; one has to ask questions. This is particularly so when there are advantages for having a clinical diagnosis such as increased funding for the school.

    The situation for epilepsy and blindness, say, is quite different. Here, there can be no doubt about the conditions. It is curious to note that in disorders where the diagnosis is made on purely subjective criteria, ADHD and dyslexia for example, the rates soar. For problems with objective tests, they remain static. Discuss.

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  3. 'There are many completely mad blogs on the Internet, some of them written by world class idiots.'

    However, such people are rarely invited to give evidence at Select Committee hearings, Simon. I would imagine some people are concerned that you may have some power to influence the way HE is viewed, especially since you've stated that your blog has many LA officers and MP's who are regular readers.

    BTW, I don't understand quite how a person's sexuality is relevant to their comments here.

    Your blog is so nearly good. LOL! If you would just stick to the issues, then excellent debates can be had and people can learn from each other. But you keep getting personal. It's as though you enjoy the catfights. {sigh}

    As you've said, the sorts of discussions taking place here are not to be had anywhere else. Heretics are useful people! Can we please just have the discussions without the regular 'naming and shaming' sessions?

    I guess it's your blog though and you can do what you like with it. I'm just sayin'...

    Mrs Anon

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  4. "BTW, I don't understand quite how a person's sexuality is relevant to their comments here."

    That was merely a light hearted tease at the person concerned, who has had a few sharp things to say in the past about me. Besides, ever since I learned the word 'heteronormative' from my daughter, I have been itching for a chance to use it! This was not naming and shaming, since I doubt anybody except the person herself will even know about whom I am talking.

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  5. Somebody who has probably spent a good part of her life paying the price of homophobia is the last person who should be on the end of any attempt at a "light hearted tease" regarding her sexuality.

    Especially when it comes from somebody that she doesn't really get on with, who has expressed a certain degree of intolerance for homosexuality in the recent past.

    And I doubt there are many who don’t know exactly who you are talking about.

    You write posts that stimulate a great response, you don't need to cheapen them with irrelevant sideswipes to give them an edge in getting attention.

    They detract from, rather than enhance, a post and dilute the points you wish to make.

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  6. "Somebody who has probably spent a good part of her life paying the price of homophobia is the last person who should be on the end of any attempt at a "light hearted tease" regarding her sexuality.2

    I have remarked before that I have pursued a similar lifestyle myself in the past, ie hopping in the sack with guys. I have never found this something to avoid talking about and would not be at all affronted if anybody cracked jokes about it! Since the person concerned describes herself on her profile as a lesbian, I rather assumed that she would not find the reference to heteronormative lifestyles offensive. However, I can see that not everybody is as open and relaxed as I am myself about sexuality and so I shall remove this reference from the post.

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  7. " so I shall remove this reference from the post. "

    Thank you Simon.

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  8. I saw my post above this, published.

    (ignore me, I just noticed what might be a tecnical hitch and want to see if it is the reason why my posts vanished yesterday, cos I am still quite convinced that some of the did rather than get posted on the wrong page)

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  9. You know Sarah, yesterday you swore a solemn oath that you would not be hanging round here today! You urged everybody to remind you of this and so I am duly doing so.

    " the undercurrent of hostility that spills over in hyperbole and insults."

    This is not always a bad thing. I have no particular objection to being insulted myself and others are eveidently quite happy to toelrate my hostility. This sort of thing can provide a little spice to otherwise bland debates, always as long as it does not get out of hand.

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  10. I have noticed a post from Sarah which has now vanished. I hope nobody imagines that I am removing comments; this also happened yesterday.

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  11. IT'S GONE !!!

    yes I know I'm not here officially, I'm ironing really….. in my head.

    but look, can you see my post talking about my post above, well the post above has

    GONE !!

    and I know why, I got a "page impossible to show (in Italian, which is why the translation is probably not what you'd see in English) when I posted, I went back, refreshed, my post was there, I posted the one underneath, refreshed, and you are referring to my post, but it isn't there anymore.

    I AM NOT MAD !!!

    I just have a glitch.

    so I am allowed back now, cos the house is sort of tidy (NDN cockeral had insomnia so I cleaned until 4am in frustration) and I am not bonkers from overposting. (glowers at the posters considering responding "well, actually...")

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  12. SW: "I am living proof that home education can succeed in delivering a rigorous, academic education at least as efficient as that provided by the best independent school. How on earth will this 'put off' new home educators?"

    I totally agree that HE can be as good as Eton College. As a 'fanatical home educator' you should concentrate on sharing this message and assisting those who want to pursue this style of HE.

    My son also passed the three IGCSE sciences and maths with A*s (as well as four other academic subjects AABB) as a HEr. My younger children study and love Shakespeare (Christopher Marlowe;-), Latin, Algebra etc.

    Because I choose to HE in this way does not mean that those who do not are wrong. I support every parent's choice to educate their child according to their wishes. I understand that if I interfere in their business, some other Fabian, new-world-order, statist can come along and interfere in MY business. And we don't want that, do we Simon?

    Your blog is not really about home education at all. You, and now your daughter, are using 'home education' as a platform to gain attention. I suspect your daughter will attempt to exploit HE as a way to gain political attention, where you use it to gain attention for your 'writing'.

    I don't believe you believe every silly thing you say on this blog, you are simply trolling and, to your credit, quite a few people fall for it. This seemingly complete lack of morality and ethics troubles me; that like some 'Big Brother' contestant you will do and say anything for attention.

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  13. " This seemingly complete lack of morality and ethics troubles me"

    Why on earth would the ethical values and moral code of a complete stranger trouble you? Is your own life so empty that you have nothing more pressing to do than search the Internet for people with different ethical systems to your own? Perhaps you need to get out more or get a hobby or something!

    "you are simply trolling "

    It might be trolling if I were going on other people's blogs. The idea of somebody trolling on their own blog is surreal!

    "I suspect your daughter will attempt to exploit HE as a way to gain political attention, where you use it to gain attention for your 'writing'."

    I may be wrong, but I doubt very much if anybody here is even aware of anything I have written since the two pieces I did on home education over a year ago. Well, apart from the book and I don't think that many home educators will be buying that; it is an academic work aimed more at professionals. As for my daughter, she is heavily involved with the leadership campaign for Ed Balls. Nobody on the campaign even knows that she was home educated though, so I doubt she is making capital from it.

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  14. "I AM NOT MAD !!!"

    That's what all mad people say...

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  15. How mysterious you are, Simon! I can only assume that I'm the Brighton dwelling lesbian but now I'll never know what it is you had to say about me. Ah well, I guess I'll live with that.

    I like the Lord Longford comparison but I can't say I find it quite that exciting here ;-)

    I do enjoy the comments threads. I like the way people who wouldn't normally be conversing do exchange views.

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  16. ing each other over the head with the nearest toy. Self included.

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  17. "The situation for epilepsy and blindness, say, is quite different. Here, there can be no doubt about the conditions. It is curious to note that in disorders where the diagnosis is made on purely subjective criteria, ADHD and dyslexia for example, the rates soar. For problems with objective tests, they remain static. Discuss. "

    Not sure that the tests for 'epilepsy' and 'blindness' are any more objective than those for ADHD or dyslexia.

    A researcher told me recently that over 40 types of seizures had been identified; so who has 'epilepsy' and who doesn't? Similarly with 'blindness'; I have a friend whose elderly father has a severe visual impairment. She's getting tired of people saying 'Ooh, my granny's visually impaired too, and she goes ice-skating regularly, when said friend's father has very little vision at all and struggles to navigate his own home.

    The diagnostic criteria for ADHD are not so much subjective, as broadly defined. There's a difference. In a disability that's broadly defined, particularly one where awareness is increasing, along with expectations of performance in school, one would expect an increase in prevalence.

    Unless you are talking about a clearly defined disorder, with a clear, identifiable aetiological pathway, many factors will change the apparent prevalence of medical conditions.

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  18. How long will it be before your head is completely engulfed in your backside Simon?

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  19. "For problems with objective tests, they remain static. Discuss."

    Asthma in increasing rapidly. Hospitalization for asthma has increased by 50% over the past 20 years, and deaths from asthma in the United States have increased to 5,000 per year. Type 1 diabetes has increasing by as much as 6% per annum in some countries and world wide increases have been seen. Discuss.

    BTW, Sarah's are not the only posts that have disappeared so it's not your qlitch Sarah.

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  20. "How mysterious you are, Simon! I can only assume that I'm the Brighton dwelling lesbian but now I'll never know what it is you had to say about me."

    I simply said Allie that you pursued a far from heteronormative lifestyle. Since, as I have said before, my own lifestyle was itself far from heteronormative at one time, I could see nothing objectionable about this. It's not as though I were outing you! I have been hoarding the word 'heteronormative' for some while and was despairing of finding a chance to use it. Quoting you seemed the ideal opportunity.

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  21. "How long will it be before your head is completely engulfed in your backside Simon?"

    Answers on a postcard please to the 'How long before his head disappears up his own arse' competition, C/O Home Education Heretic.

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  22. for anybody with a similar missing post issue, it is an unreseolved issue that blogger has had for at least three months.

    I suggest copying your longer posts into word or similar...just in case, like me, it is picking on you.

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  23. well fine then you gitfaced software glitch, I'll post my comments on my blog and post the url, take that you anit-Sarah basket bit of code that is making steam come out of my ears..not mopping like a good little housewife just cos you think I've hit the limit on how much time a person can spend obsessing on the internet... you stinkerrrrrrrrrrrrrr

    http://homeschoolinitaly.blogspot.com/2010/08/oh-ffs-ill-just-post-it-here-then.html

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  24. "BTW, Sarah's are not the only posts that have disappeared so it's not your qlitch Sarah."

    I know, seems like thousands of blogs are railing a blogger and google to fix it cos it has been going on a long time, still looking for somebody who has found a workaround.

    but I don't half feel picked on. It will only let me post if I am not debating, I can wibble about missing posts all I want, but a single word about the debate and "poof"....my comment disappears.

    apparently if the glitch picks on you on one blog it tends to follow you around on all the other blogs you post on too (whimpers at the thought of being invisible forever, all over the interwebs)

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  25. I just tried to copy and paste from your blog to here, Sarah, and it wouldn't post!

    I agree with just about everything you said. Very interesting that you're looking into unschooling because of the debates here.

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  26. The above is Sarah's post; Blogger decided to post it after it had told me it couldn't! Sorry if it appears 3 times...it is worth reading though :)

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  27. The above *was* Sarah's post. It appeared, and then disappeared again when I posted the one above this.

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  28. By the way, I'm not the anon who was wondering about Simon's head/arse situation. At least, I was wondering, just not out loud.

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  29. See it's ME !!

    Not even other people can post my posts. the great data god of the blogging sky has decided I should be barefoot'n'pregnant, in the kitchen with a mop !!!

    Bloody Blogger hates me.

    Nobody loves me

    Think I'm going to eat worms.

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  30. Simon !! cunning plan !!

    Think this might something that is happening to pre "design" blogger. Can you access the design tab and implement your standard template with a new design overlay and see if the upgrade deglitches you (well..me)

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  31. I think I had to click on the link "blogger in draft" on this page (scroll down a bit) to gain first access

    http://bloggerindraft.blogspot.com/2010/03/blogger-template-designer.html

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  32. Are you pregnant, Sarah?

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  33. "Are you pregnant, Sarah? "

    Even by the standards of a man who is renowned for his tacky and inappropriate comments, this seems a bit much!

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  34. 'Even by the standards of a man who is renowned for his tacky and inappropriate comments, this seems a bit much!'

    Why, Simon? At 8.42 Sarah said: 'the great data god of the blogging sky has decided I should be barefoot'n'pregnant,' and I wanted to find out if she was really pregnant before I congratulated her. I should probably have checked that she was really barefoot and mopping the floor as well.

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  35. No I'm (thankfully) not pregnant, but the sudden death of a motherboard 10years and nine months ago drove me to drink, which combined with an evening free of wittering in cyberspace ... got me pregant ....and I fear the the MegaByte OverLords are trying to engineer some deja vu.

    I've done my bit for the negative Italian birthrate. I demand my retirment from mini tricolore waving people production.

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  36. sw:Why on earth would the ethical values and moral code of a complete stranger trouble you?

    As a human being, I have genuine concern for the spiritual health of all my fellow creatures; even the most undeserving.

    sw:The idea of somebody trolling on their own blog is surreal!

    I don't think so, a useful definition of trolling from wikipedia reads: "a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into a desired emotional response[1] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion." Sounds pretty much like a SW post to me.

    But back ON topic; why didn't you address my points that relate to HE? If you are so passionate about HE why don't you concentrate on sharing your expertise, instead of criticising others? Is it because you get more attention with your 'inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic' responses?

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  37. "As a human being, I have genuine concern for the spiritual health of all my fellow creatures; even the most undeserving."

    Yuk! Horrible smug self-righteousness. Puts on in mind of the Biblical injunction about first taking the speck from one's own eye.

    "Sounds pretty much like a SW post to me."

    Shows no understanding of what either a blog is, or a troll. I would be a troll is I began posting the things I say on, say for example, the Dare to Know blog.

    "If you are so passionate about HE why don't you concentrate on sharing your expertise, instead of criticising others?"

    I feel that some people are embarking upon a course which is very harmful to their children. You use the word 'criticising' as though criticism is always a negative and bad thing. It is not. Some people feel that my ideas about home education are muddle-headed and wrong. They criticise me for them. That's fine, I have no objection to that. I believe that some parents are engaged in a course of action which will cause damage to their children's development at a time in their lives when the brain is particularly receptive to learning. I regard this as a a terrible mistake and draw attention to it as vigorously as I am able. I have no expertise to share, other than the fact that I am a parent. Parents often share ideas and offer advice. This is what I am doing here. Those who do not wish to heed my advice or who find it objectionable, do not need to read it. I am not thrusting it down anybody's throat.

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  38. "As a human being, I have genuine concern for the spiritual health of all my fellow creatures; even the most undeserving."

    Another point to consider here is the extent to which we regard those who follow different methods of home educating as being morally or ethically defective. I assume that those who use other HE techniques have the same concerns for their children as I do.They love them and want the best for them. I certainly don't feel that I need to worry about their 'spiritual heath'.

    Neither does AM really. This is the worst sort of hypocrisy, where somebody disguises their malice as religious or spiritual concern. If I were really worried about somebody's 'spiritual health', would I describe them publicly as being, ' like some 'Big Brother' contestant you will do and say anything for attention.'? Probably not. A further giveaway is the phrase at the end of this bit; ' I have genuine concern for the spiritual health of all my fellow creatures; even the most undeserving.' The clear implication being that I am myself one of the 'most undeserving'!

    This is a person who dislikes me and detests what I say. this is fair enough, I doubt that s/he is alone in this. Instead of simply denouncing me for my horrible views, AM tries to trick it out in religious terms as concern for my morals and ethical values. This is monumentally awful and causes my gorge to rise.

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  39. "As a human being, I have genuine concern for the spiritual health of all my fellow creatures; even the most undeserving."

    Probably not the effect you had aimed to achieve, but I just got an image of Mary Whitehouse's and Hyacinth Bucket's new age love child in my head.

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  40. "Mary Whitehouse's and Hyacinth Bucket's new age love child in my head."

    I have an image myself of AM as being a cross between the Dalai Lama and Mother Theresa. If one can imagine the Dalai Lama making spiteful and anonymous comments which compare somebody to a contestant of Big Brother, that is!

    I am thinking of cruising the Internet myself actually, because I too am becoming troubled by the 'complete lack of morality and ethics' which some people display. Like AM, I too feel an urge to minister to their 'spiritual health'. If only AM would open up a bit and reveal her identity, then I might be able to make a few judgements on her own morality and ethics. Alas, it is not to be. As is so often the case with those who feel a call to tend to the 'spiritual health' of others, she feels the need to remain anonymous.

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  41. Well in the meantime you can always come and minster on my blog.

    I am as spiritual as your average teapot, so I'm pretty sure that means in "spirtual health" terms I need to be in intensive care ...or something.

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  42. "Well it is, or at least it can be if parents wish to put in the time and effort. For those reluctant to do so for ideological or perhaps ergonomic reasons, home education is likely to remain a poor substitute for school based education."

    I like your use of ergonomic here as it fits with one aspect of my dislike for school and intensive parent-led home education. According to Wikipedia, "ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries that can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability". I suspect burn out of the the type seen in cases like Ruth Lawrence and young medical students are extreme examples of the academic equivalent to physical repetitive strain injury.

    I suspect this is much less likely to be a problem with the more relaxed, mixed forms of home education, that include much child-led alongside parent-led education, probably the most common style in the UK, than it is in hot housing HE families or today's league table obsessed schools.

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  43. "I suspect this is much less likely to be a problem with the more relaxed, mixed forms of home education, that include much child-led alongside parent-led education, probably the most common style in the UK, than it is in hot housing HE families or today's league table obsessed schools."

    I suspect that you are absolutely right. there are hazards and risks with any course of human action, including home education. There are risks for hothousing and also risks for the more relaxed type of education.

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  44. It depends on what you mean by relaxed. For instance, laissez-faire parenting/education is very different from autonomous education which may well not be very relaxed in practice at all!

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