Tuesday 15 March 2011

Giving children options or making their decisions for them?

One of the most enjoyable aspects of home education is the freedom to teach absolutely anything which one wishes. I happen to believe that all children need a broad and balanced education, whether they will later be artists, musicians, university lecturers or road sweepers. Because I have mentioned the importance of this so often, the idea has grown in some people's minds that I am preoccupied with academic education to the exclusion of all else and that perhaps I had planned my daughter's life upon a certain path which would culminate in her going to university. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It is true that I wanted my daughter to have a bunch of decent IGCSEs; I think that all children need them. This is what I regard as the basics, the bread and butter of education. However, in addition to things like physics and chemistry, she also spent an enormous amount of time on the arts. I could not know what direction her life was likely to take and so I thought that she needed to experience a wide range of things so that she could make up her own mind about what she liked and wished to pursue further. To this end, I made sure that she learnt three musical instruments, and took examinations in acting, among other things. I also taught her to draw, paint in water colours and oils; that sort of thing.

One of the curious things about teaching your own child is that you soon find out that anybody can teach anything at all, even if they know nothing about it. For instance, I cannot play a single note on the guitar, but this did not stop my daughter getting Grade 5 at classical guitar. I do not act, but was easily able to teach her up to Grade 6 (Bronze Medal) in the LAMDA exams. She studied ballet for eight years and it is a matter of regret now that I did not teach her that as well; it was the only subject for which she had an external teacher. All this was supplemented by frequent trips to the opera, ballet, theatre and art galleries.

I have observed that many home educating parents in this country seem to focus upon the arts and apparently neglect academic subjects. The natural consequence is that many of these children seemingly take to creative things rather than the more academic. I worry about this a little. My own daughter had the opportunity to take any direction. If she had not studied both mathematics and physics as well as music and art, then she would not really have been able to make an informed choice about the future direction of her life. This would have been unfair on her; effectively making the decision for her. Children who are raised only with creative and artistic options, without the systematic study of things like history and science, are being short changed and their path in life effectively decided for them. I cannot think this a good thing and it is one of the things about home education in this country which makes me a little uneasy. My own daughter could very well have chosen to study art or music rather than the philosophy, politics and economics which she will actually be studying at university. Unless she had had a wide experience of all sorts of things, her choice would have been restricted.

36 comments:

  1. This is an important factor in our decision to HE.

    What my children decide to do at when they are older does not bother me, so long as they have had a robust and varied education so that they can make an informed choice. I do not want to limit their future choices by them having a lack of knowledge on a subject.

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  2. Oh no, I'm not doing enough! These posts make me feel like a slacker Simon.

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  3. 'Anonymous said...
    Oh no, I'm not doing enough! These posts make me feel like a slacker Simon.'

    Huh, I could introduce you to people who make me feel the same way! When my daughter went to college to do her A levels, I thought that I had done enough. Not far from us is a family whose son is studying for four A levels at home. They regard me as bit of a sell-out on the home edcuation front since my daughter began college.

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  4. *I am likely to offend and create the usual barrage of comments from someone in particular upon saying this, so I apologise in advance.*

    Simon said: 'I happen to believe that all children need a broad and balanced education'

    I have just this morning received my sons reviewed statement of SEN, and ahve been ploughing through the many notes which our EHE officer included with them.
    One of which stated: 'Mrs P is, in my opinion, providing a broad and balanced education for E, and appears to be taking into account when planning her educational schedule the many needs of a Home Educated child' (etc etc blah blah blah).

    I would like to agree that balance and variety are key in providing an education. Guidance is important, but it must be unbiased and unrestrictive.
    My son loves the arts, but also quite happily gets his head down to some maths or physics. in fact, he is now beginning to understand the connection between the arts and science, and how many subjects can be closely related to each other.
    He enjoys his computer games, but also has a healthy interest in exactly how they are programmed, which reuqires him to understand mathematics and physics etc.
    He loves to draw, but also appreciates how being able to do so in different ways (paint, pen and ink, chalk, clay etc)can convey a variety of different meanings - from this he can move into so many other subjects including history and geography.

    My son knows what direction he would like to move in as far as a career is concerned, and I am 100% behind him. He also knows that he may have to study certain things which initially may not hold his interest, therefore I see it as my duty to approach those subjects now, in a structured and scheduled way.

    We have iGCSE's planned for next year, and an OU course too. Both of which are tailored to assist him in the direction he wishes to move ahead in.

    At the end of they day, at the tender age of 13, he freely admits to not having the first clue of how to go about achieving what he wants to achieve in the future. He knows that I am more ilkely to be able to make the right decisions for him. We discuss it together, but I implement it for him.

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  5. 'At the end of they day, at the tender age of 13, he freely admits to not having the first clue of how to go about achieving what he wants to achieve in the future. He knows that I am more ilkely to be able to make the right decisions for him. We discuss it together, but I implement it for him.'

    Pretty well sums up how it was with my daughter at that age. it would have been irresponsible and negligent of me not to act on my daughter's behalf in what I saw as her best interests. Few children at that age are really able to make informed choices as to their education, with full understanding of all the implications of the choices.

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  6. Best not to teach ballet at home - you really do need a qualified teacher to both properly prepare a child for pointe work (or partnering, if the child is a boy!) and to prevent injuries.
    Without good teaching, a child might end up being hurt or (more likely) being unable to progress to the highest levels of study later should he/she choose to do so.

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  7. 'Best not to teach ballet at home - you really do need a qualified teacher to both properly prepare a child for pointe work (or partnering, if the child is a boy!) and to prevent injuries.'

    Yes, I came to the same conclusion, albeit with considerable reluctance!

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  8. Loz says-been ploughing through the many notes which our EHE officer included with them.

    Why do you care what an EHE officer says to you?

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  9. - not Loz- but because if the child has a statement,then it still gets reviewed annually whether you like it or not!

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  10. 'Julie said...
    - not Loz- but because if the child has a statement,then it still gets reviewed annually whether you like it or not!'

    Yes, if my child had a statement, I too would be going through the notes of any review with a fine toothcomb!

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  11. teacher Julie says-not Loz- but because if the child has a statement,then it still gets reviewed annually whether you like it or not!

    you dont have to do that just say no thanks to the EHE officer. tell them you dont want a statement or any of their other funny nonsense send it straight back to your LA

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  12. peter and carol said: Why do you care what an EHE officer says to you?

    Because I do.

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  13. Actually, it's not that I care what she says...rather I care about what my sons statement says.

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  14. Good thing you are not giving legal advice, Peter!

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  15. Peter, you can ask for a statement to be ceased, but they don't have to agree. The parent can't just send it back. The reviews are compulsory - the parent doesn't have to attend, but the LA have to review the child's SEN somehow. If they have no information then they can decide it appears that a child's needs are not being met, and this can be a very difficult and time consuming process for parents, fighting the return to school. Social services have been known to get involved too. I wouldn't advise parents to do what you suggest when they have a statement. It could get very messy and the LA would not be acting outside the law.

    Chrisine

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  16. A friend is in court this very day (Wed) due to problems with her child's statement (she is being prosecuted) ... because she had no idea what she was getting herself into!

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  17. Julie said...

    Good thing you are not giving legal advice, Peter!

    how nice to hear from you Julie! i have giving legal advice to a number of people who are now home educating! I told them that their LA has no legal right of entry into thier house just because their are home educating! our own county councillor did not know this to! LA staff hope that parents do not know the law on home education and try to make out their can force their way into your house. I finally got it in writing from HCC that their have no legal right to have a home visits in you home!

    i do enjoy our chats its just a shame you side with HCC/Webb. im sure over a period of time i could win you round!

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  18. Peter, you can ask for a statement to be ceased, but they don't have to agree. The parent can't just send it back. The reviews are compulsory - the parent doesn't have to attend.

    you can just sent it back no law says you can not? you state why you are sending report back what you dont agree with in the report!

    offer them a phone call for the review or a video confrence call via skype most modern frims do this! or by email or by letter,take control tell them your trying to help them! always put that in any letters email phone calls you have from your LA.s how can i help i always say.

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  19. Peter - I completely agree that the LA have no right of entry -but that advice is written in sorts of other places ( eg home ed support groups websites).

    The issues of SEN children and statements etc though are far more complicted - perhaps a bit more sensible advice earlier on could have saved the family I mention above their court date (and legal bill - no legal aid for them). In that case advising anyone to refuse cooperation could be a disaster.

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  20. julie says-A friend is in court this very day (Wed) due to problems with her child's statement (she is being prosecuted) ... because she had no idea what she was getting herself into!

    in court for what Julie? you going along? i pop along myself if i lived near by we could all have coffee!

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  21. Julie says-In that case advising anyone to refuse cooperation could be a disaster

    i never said refuse cooperation just sending back a report! their are many way one can do cooperation! take control i say!

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  22. loz says-rather I care about what my sons statement says.

    write your own statement and send it to your LA!

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  23. She is in London... and it is an SAO.

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  24. Julie says-She is in London... and it is an SAO.

    i know all about SAO! we won with our one! has she got in touch with her county counillor for her ward? has she written to the sectary of state for education asking him to revoke it M Gove M.P on the grounds she is home educating? has she put in data request? has the LA follwed the correct legal postion something i found out an SAO naming a school must consult the school and governors often the LA does not so she must write to that school at once tellign them her child is home educated get the school on your (like we did)and their will write to the LA to say we dont want this child named on the SAO for our school! the school can alsos write to M,Gove M.P to.

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  25. Sadly, because of the special needs issue, she is legally in the wrong (although morally in the right). You can't deregister from a special school - you need permission, and so she has been threatened with imprisonment and a fine. She now has the best legal representation any home educator can get, but the LA has refuse to drop the case and seem to want to make a public example of her.

    That is why I am saying that there are some cases where home educators (in general) shouldn't rush in with "advice".....

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  26. You can't deregister from a special school - you need permission,

    their cant with hold this permission unreasonably.She win if her legal team know what thier doing? lets hope she wins! she win if i had been advising her!
    you cant be sent to jail over an SAO you can only be fined!

    time for coffee then off to the bank!

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  27. Sadly, in this case she can't actually win (it is all a bit complicated )... and her legal team are the best available to any HE er - but it all goes to show that sadly sometimes things are as traightforward as they seem. Her best hope is that the judge tells the LA to go and sort it out with her; or that she gets a token fine, although it is still appears that she still can't deregister the child until a separate legal appeal to a different body has done its stuff. Now any sensible lA wouldhave waited until that appeal was heard before going ahead with the SAO - but this LA aren't willing to be "sensible". I can't decide if it is because the LA are too stupid to see the obvious- or because they know that this is a SAO they can actually "win" so they are going at it whilst they can!

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  28. Peter said "you cant be sent to jail over an SAO you can only be fined!"

    sadly not true either - if it is only the lesser offense (which many are) then it is a fine, but the one in this cases carries a prsion sentnce riak as well ( section 444 1a)

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  29. Juile says-sadly not true either - if it is only the lesser offense (which many are) then it is a fine, but the one in this cases carries a prsion sentnce riak as well ( section 444 1a)

    bank sorted!

    section 444 1a is for a child who is registed at a school as a pupil and not attending! in this case the child is home educated!

    i do hope this women has not made any blunders such as allowing them into her house? if their get into your house their will gather evidence to be used against you. and also has she wrote to her county councillor for help?has she also wrote told the LA she is home educating and that she wants to help the LA! its very inportant to be able to show the steps you or your child have taken with your LA we here to help should be the motto this often sends them packing! all in letters long letters to will help! look at as a project it will also help with your english and spelling!

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  30. No, the issue is she can't deregister so she is being prosecuted under 144 1a - ao although she is home educating she can't use that as the "get out of jail card"

    As I said it is all a lot more complicated when you are dealing with a special needs case- and she does have the best HE barrister there is on her side! The LA are making an example of her, I think....

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  31. No, the issue is she can't deregister so she is being prosecuted under 144 1a - ao although she is home educating she can't use that as the "get out of jail card"

    LA's are not allowed to with hold de-registering unreasonably.of course i have no idea how she has gone about all of this? I would have wrote and said im de-registering my child at end of week who has special needs so that my child can be home educated! please advise and confrim you agree if you need any further information please do contact me in writing. That the first thing to do and see what comes back from your LA? you also tell the school this as well. I would also contact my county councillor telling what i was going to ie home educate and give him a copy of the letter! has she done any of this?

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  32. She can't - because the special school was named by a higher "power" which means she can't get the LA to deregister her; that part has to wait until a separate appeal. She has done everything she can (eg MP etc) but no one can help her. LA should of course wait until other appeal before they enforce SAO - but as I said I think they are making an example of her.

    I hope the magistrates will see sense and at least delay judgement before the other appeal is heard, but as I said LA flatly refused to do this yesterday, so who knows!

    Some times life is as simple as it may first appear!

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  33. - I mean isn't as simple....duh!

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  34. julie says- higher "power

    what higher power? a court?


    well she can shown the court she has done everything she can and just wants to home educate her child! is there a court date set or is just bluff and bluster by her LA? i would still try county councilor M.Ps are waste of time but county councilors can help ours did! he also become a friend to Peter as well Dr Tony Ludlow is his name liberal he is.

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  35. Peter and Carol said: "Why do you care what an EHE officer says to you?"

    Some people like to work with their LA. No problem with that, and why harangue those that do?

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  36. Some people like to work with their LA. No problem with that, and why harangue those that do?

    then no dont harangue those of us that dont want to work with their LA? I got no problem with those that want to meet or play ball with their LA its your choice but also then repect the right of us who do not want to? and dont forget LA will say look a lot of home educators in this area do meet and allow us into their homes why wont you? my view in life is leave me alone i leave you alone! but im afraid some LA's will not leace you alone reminds me of a nosy neighbor i used to have always sticking his nose in where it was not wanted! Webb is like this because he has cosy meeting with his LA he wants to force every one else to are you like this or like that nosy neighbour i knew?

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