FAQ about Home Schooling By Janelle McDonald Is it legal? Home Schooling is legal in every State and Territory in Australia.

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1 FAQ about Home Schooling By Janelle McDonald Is it legal? Home Schooling is legal in every State and Territory in Australia. I m just a mother I can t teach my children. Yes! You can! You have already spent years as your child s teacher. 90% of mothers are the Home Schooling facilitators. There is no evidence to suggest that the home Schooling Facilitator needs qualifications. YOU know what's BEST for YOUR child! Will home schooling suit us? Like any other form of schooling home schooling will suit some families and not others. Home schooling families need to be prepared to make a commitment that requires a lot of time and energy. The facilitator needs to be prepared to spend hours in planning, teaching and having the child there to constantly ask questions. The family needs to be determined to go out and find resources. When a child is young home schooling may also mean the loss of a second income. How do I plan for home schooling? It is important to plan the family s educational philosophy as well as long term goals for the child. Develop your educational philosophy. Set aside a regular time to plan. Find out about your child s learning styles, strengths, weaknesses and passions use any psychologist reports, old school reports, occupational therapist reports, comments from friends and family, and your own observations. There are online assessments that can be done to learn your child s learning style, or you can do it through observation. Animated presentation on how we learn (for students) Finding your Child s Learning Style What if I don t understand the subject myself? This is where the facilitator needs to do some work. The facilitator either learns the materials first there is a wide range of books, Internet sites or friends and family to teach on just about any subject; or work things out together. Learning with your child

2 is powerful. With the aid of a good book, program, website, you can work through the problem together. If you are really unable to help, which is very unlikely in the junior grades, call in an expert tutor, friends, family, businesspeople and mentor. Many community members are willing to help. Mathematics seems to be the biggest worry many have when it comes to home schooling and how will I teach it. There are many different ideas on the Internet that will help you. My child doesn t get it. How can I teach in a different matter so that they do? Draw on your own experience it s possible that you were taught in different matters; use other resources don t just do book work use CD ROMS and websites; try putting the problem into a different context; reword. Leave the concept and come back to it at a different time. The key to home schooling is flexibility. How, when and what to teach is now up to the family. How long do you do school work each day? This is an extremely personal choice. Some people using prepackaged curricula or who mini school work to normal school hours, others who unschool do not keep any hours. Until a family has found their own routine a suggestion that they start work at a set time each day, work through the basics (reading, writing, spelling, maths) during the morning when the child is freshest. Spend the afternoon doing more hands on activities science experiments, social studies etc. Lesson times can be as short or long as needed. Time should be judged by things such as the child s attitude, tiredness, enthusiasm and frustration level. How do I if my child is keeping up with children in school? Some people worry about this whilst others think it is unimportant. Your child will learn constantly, it is something that comes naturally. Do not panic and think they are not learning. The child s portfolio is used to keep track of what they are doing. Be aware of the state s curriculum framework, and what is expected at each stage. If it is a concern to you, it is possible to purchase textbooks for each grade level, to find Internet sites that have online tests, use CD ROM programs that assess the student s level. Most states encourage the participation by home schoolers in the National Literacy and Numeracy tests; it is possible to participate in Australasian Schools Competitions; the Australian Mathematics tests may be participated in if the homeschooler registers through a school. Don t forget GERRIC s APTS and ASSETS tests. There are always competitions. The Nestle writing competition; BHP Billiton Science Awards; Mathematic competitions the internet, local library, friendly school teacher and schooled friends can all be a place to source competitions.

3 Syllabus Information What if we decide to send our child back to school? In the majority of cases home schoolers have no more problems moving back into a traditional school than a child moving from one school to another. Home schoolers, on average better, have better social skills than their schooled peers, and are able to work independently, which lessens any problems. What about high school? It is possible to home school through high school. If you are concerned that you will not be able to keep up with the child use whatever resources you can: Online courses, adult education courses, Open Learning, TAFE, CD ROMS, mentors, tutors, and friends. There are many study guides available to use as a general guide if you are concerned about being able to do the year 12 certificate. What about University? Home schoolers can receive entry into many universities through a variety of methods. How much socialisation is needed? Once again a personal matter. Some children need to be surrounded by others, other children are happy without others around. Remember your child will be involved in the community and be socialising with a wide range of ages and interest groups. Home schooled children are usually more mature and have better social skills. Judge the need for social contact on your own child s comments. Some children keep friends from school; make new friends at activities they participate in (e.g. classes, home schooling groups, Guide/Scout groups, interest groups, music, sport). Where do I find resources? Resources are all around. Be creative in your search and you will be surprised where they can be found. Finding resources does not mean going to the local educational bookshop and buying a pile of books. Use libraries, museums, arts events, and community groups. Haunt garage sales, second bookshops, op shops for books, games, and videos. Human resources can be found through friends, family, and local community. Join a home schooling support group; subscribe to home schooling

4 magazines, science magazines and newsletters, newsletters about the passions. Search the Internet for just about any subject you need. How do I assess my child s work? To most of us assessment means taking tests. While some tests can be done to ensure mastery of a concept there are a myriad of other options. Remember it is often the process rather than the end product especially if you have a child who is not motivated or who is a perfectionist. Be creative with your assessments. Assessment can include discussing the topic, making videos, board game, brochure, board game, brochures, cartoons, collages, debates, diagrams, journals, newspaper, recipes, mural, flow chart, mind map, drama, puzzles, power point presentations, art work. Look at curriculum development models such as Bloom, Williams, Kaplan and use ideas from them to help with creative assessments. What records should I keep and how? Record keeping is again personal; there is no right or wrong way. There are two main reasons for keeping records to satisfy state requirements and to have a personal record of your child s growth. Create your own style of record keeping that works best for your family. Suggestions include folders; diary by parent and/or child; tick sheets, filing box for each child, nature diary, scrapbook, and photo album. What to keep. Some examples include: samples of academic work, unit or lessons plans, newspaper clippings, artwork, references, travel reports, photos, list of books, films, websites, computers, experiments, computer disks with power point presentations, scores from computer games. Variety of forms portfolio checklist What about me? The home schooling facilitator needs to avoid burn out. Keep to a daily organisation - Set a routine, invest in an answering machine, create a weekly menu - Simple meals are a life saver, give the children chores even the youngest can help around the house, create a to do list, use a planner and take it everywhere. Importantly take time out to nurture yourself, find a support group, educate yourself read widely, join support groups either to attend or on line. And most importantly - Enjoy! Free Printable planners

5 Other Resources Home Schooling Styles Links to various styles Flat Stanley