Sunday 14 August 2011

Some good news for home educators



Many readers will be pleased to hear that I am in the process of winding down this blog, with a view to ending it completely in a fortnight or so. There are two main reasons for this. The first is simply that when my daughter goes off to university in the autumn, I can hardly claim to be a home educator in any way at all. It would be a bit much if I were then to continue writing about the subject and making handy suggestions as to what the government or local authorities should do with regard to home education! It will really be no affair of mine at all from the end of September and so this seems a neat point at which to end my association with the whole business.

There is another reason why I cannot really spend any more time on this blog. I am now churning out books at an industrial rate; another four will be hitting the bookshelves in the next six months. I simply don’t have time any more for expressing my views on or indeed taking any further interest in home education. I shall have a few parting thoughts over the coming days, but after that I am afraid that that will be it. Obviously, my email address is on here and I am quite happy to correspond with anybody on the subject or offer any help or advice which anybody needs.
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28 comments:

  1. Admin15 August 2011 at 00:52

    Well I am sorry to hear that the blog will no longer exist but can see why you feel it has come to a natural end.
    Good luck with your future endeavours.

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  2. Julie15 August 2011 at 00:52

    Although we haven't always agreed, this has been a good place to discuss real issues and I will miss it. However nothing is static, the one thing about parenting is that it is always on the change; I hope that Thursday's A level results bring you all great joy and that Simone gets the grades she needs for Oxford. Whether my dd's results will totally bring to an end my "still technically home educating" era remains to be seen (maths retakes may be on the cards!). You clearly have plenty more avenues to explore work wise .

    Life here is also subject to change; not only am I now a grandma (and thus creeping around the house to avoid waking sleeping mother and baby) but I also am about to join the ranks of those making money out of HE (although in a somewhat sideways manner). I would point out (to silence my local commentator) that I am still totally committed to tutoring groups of HE children without charge for 2 days a week; but I have also been approached to do the same for a group of children from an ethnic minority group a little distance away for an afternoon a week for a sum that I would be stupid to turn down. The whole set up is extraordinary - in fact not all the children are from HE families, but as a community they are totally dedicated to the education of their children and run classes every afternoon for groups of the children from mid primary to A level. It will certainly be interesting!!

    Life moves on......

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  3. Anonymous15 August 2011 at 02:10

    I think it's a shame, but it's to be expected, I suppose. I disagreed with you most of the time, probably, but it was still good to be forced to think through the issues.

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  4. Allie15 August 2011 at 02:26

    Yes, I agree with anonymous. I have found that my feelings have changed about some aspects of home education and that's probably partly to do with the debates that have happened here.

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  5. Anonymous15 August 2011 at 03:26

    Yes, I agree too. I only came across your blog very recently, but I've found it enormously thought-provoking, even (especially?) when I've disagreed with your views. Best of luck with the writing.

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  6. Anonymous15 August 2011 at 06:47

    I shall miss this blog. It is almost compulsive reading!

    Good luck with your writing. The article you linked to about your book on London was fascinating and made me want to buy it.

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  7. Anonymous15 August 2011 at 07:38

    Good luck for the future, Simon, and best wishes to Simone for her exam results.

    Perhaps someday you'll be back as a home-educating Grandfather!

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  8. Anonymous15 August 2011 at 08:49

    I hope that one of those books on your assembly line is the practical home education one, though - even if its not right away. Your posts on that subject were always great reads, and really useful!

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  9. Anonymous15 August 2011 at 09:14

    glad to hear your going! your support along with your PC correct daughter of crazy old Badman was a disgrace your both traiters to home educators!

    You still sucking up to HCC Julie did they put you in touch with this group?

    HCC are a crap local council which employs officers that tell lies!

    dont buy Webb rubbish books to!

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  10. Julie15 August 2011 at 13:06

    Peter - er no, - they don't live in Hants anyway!!

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  11. Anonymous16 August 2011 at 01:21

    dont be shy Julie every one knows you suck up to HCC!

    how about a free lesson for Peter? what is it you teach?

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  12. Anonymous16 August 2011 at 04:21

    I've agreed with some of your opinions and other opinions I agreed to disagree with you.

    All the best to you and Simone in your future endeavours!

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  13. Anonymous16 August 2011 at 05:25

    Thanks to everybody who expressed their best wishes. I am, I realise, not the easiest man in the world to get along with, either in real life or cyberspace!

    Simon.

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  14. Anonymous16 August 2011 at 23:48

    You do realise that Pete Williams will have to go back to standing on traffic islands howling at the moon and fighting lamposts.

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  15. Anonymous17 August 2011 at 01:24

    anon says -You do realise that Pete Williams will have to go back to standing on traffic islands howling at the moon and fighting lamposts.

    no need to do that i carry on at uncle Ed Balls think i write him a letter today!

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  16. Anonymous17 August 2011 at 09:11

    And I'm sure that when he receives your letter it will convince him that Home Ed is so very wrong on so many levels.

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  17. Anonymous17 August 2011 at 10:53

    And I'm sure that when he receives your letter it will convince him that Home Ed is so very wrong on so many levels.

    no funny enough last time he thanked Peter for his letter and wished him well with his home education! you have to lobby these M.P,s Peter been to the house of commons to to talk to M.Ps many where very intersted in his ideas! got some nice pictures of Peter at the house of commons nice one with Dennis skinner M.P

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  18. Anonymous17 August 2011 at 12:17

    what a shame

    I got to this blog (too?) late, and find it the perfect antidote to what I find to be the HE orthodoxy- online and in rl. Some of the stuff you say I disagree with- but most of it is a relief to read- refreshing COMMON SENSE- (which isn't, of course, as common as it should be)

    very sad. Best wishes to you and to Simone- and thanks.

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  19. Anonymous17 August 2011 at 15:10

    "HE orthodoxy"

    That's a funny one, tell another!

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  20. Anonymous17 August 2011 at 23:51

    HE orthodoxy...
    you know, it's the don't dare question the dogma or rhetoric that is spouted by MF-W or EO.

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  21. Anonymous17 August 2011 at 23:56

    Peter, you obviously don't realise that despite the fact that those MPs were very nice to you and your son to your face, they are in reality duplicitous bastards.

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  22. Anonymous18 August 2011 at 00:01

    So Peter, it would be a good time to explain the reason why you feel the need to be so bitterly spiteful about Simone and her success...
    It's not the actions of a rational or reasonable man. Real men don't feel the need to direct personal attacks at children.

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  23. Anonymous18 August 2011 at 01:29

    Well there you go, you've just prooved yourself that there is no HE orthodoxy by pointing out two different approaches. There are as many ways to HE as there are home educators.

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  24. Anonymous18 August 2011 at 02:20

    anon says-Peter, you obviously don't realise that despite the fact that those MPs were very nice to you and your son to your face, they are in reality duplicitous bastards.

    of course i do but we got our visit to the house of commons and had a look round and got to meet many M.P's so we got what we wanted out of it! it was a good day good fun.

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  25. Anonymous18 August 2011 at 02:24

    Real men don't feel the need to direct personal attacks at children

    you know all about real men do you? his daughter got it wrong and wanted to force other children to be interviewed alone by LA office and she also wanted LA to be able to force they way into a private house just because child was home educated Webb daughter fully suported Graham Badman and his crazy ideas. she has shown no remorse for any of these actions and conties to belive in Graham Badman mad ideas you ask her?

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  26. Suzi18 August 2011 at 14:50

    I do not often comment, but read your blog almost daily. Sometimes I agree with your opinions, other times I do not, but your posts are always thought provoking and refreshing.

    All the best for the future.

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  27. Anonymous21 August 2011 at 03:16

    Neither Simon nor Simone have expressed any views that differ that far from those held by Dr Freeman.
    The Tower Education Group was undoubtedly a source of reference for Graham Badman.

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  28. Anonymous21 August 2011 at 03:25

    Peter,
    I'd like to agree with Suzi and how she found the articles written by Simon.
    Of course, you felt it appropriate to mount a one man crusade armed with ignorance, hypocricy and outright aggression.
    You seem very unpopular with almost everyone you come into contact with, whether that contact be direct or indirect.
    I wonder if the people of Guernsey will find your comments...

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