by Lyn Loxton, – Home Education Network 2005
If you have found your way to this article, chances are you are having an unhappy time at school. Maybe you are being bullied, or are bored out of your mind or are just plain angry that your life is being wasted in the schoolyard. You may think you are a failure because teachers have said so and you may be failing exams at an impressive rate!
Chances are you are so angry and tired that you may drink more alcohol that you should Or have tried drugs more than once. There are probably even times when you begin to wonder if life is worth living……many of us do at some time.
First of all – you are NOT a failure – it is the school system that is failing you. You are an incredibly unique person and schools as they are today simply cannot cater for individuality. They have a set curriculum and set standards because this is the only way they can teach large groups of kids at once. This forces the kids to act the same and think the same and it also forces them into competition with each other both in an academic sense and a personal one. No room is left for individual thoughts and talents to be expressed or encouraged to a high degree. This is just the ways schools are and the only way they can ever be. If you wish to find out who that person inside you really is and if you wish to give him/her a shot at a real life for a change, maybe it is time to take off in another direction.
Unknowingly, you have already tried homeschooling for 5 years.
Firstly, the term homeschooling is actually misleading. School is what happens at school and only at school – education is what you can give yourself at home and out in the real world. The correct term therefore is home education or life education because it is from living life that you will find the education that is right for you.
Most of you have been in schools for so long now that you have forgotten what it is like to teach yourself about the wonders of the world and about the things that you are passionate about. In the first five years of your lives before you started school, you did nothing else but learn and wonder through the natural built-in curiosity that nature has endowed upon us all. This curiosity about life is our kick-start to learning how to survive in this world – how to walk, talk, eat, drink, run, write, read, operate the video remote and use a computer. For all of these things you didn’t need or have a curriculum or a qualified teacher in each subject. You just had the confidence and ability to teach yourselves what you needed to know. So you see, home education is not something that only hippies and whackos do, it is the way we were all meant to learn. Schools have only been around for 150 years or for three generations but in that time we seem to have entirely forgotten this!
If you had not been trotted off to the schoolyard at 5 years of age, you would have kept on learning in this way. You would have taught yourselves (with your parents guidance of course) to read and write, and to add and multiply and a million other interesting things just from day to day living because all these things are a part of our world. They are easy to learn when you are ready and don’t take up much time at all. At 5 you may not have been ready for these things, preferring instead to build Lego cities, or castles in the sand or painting works of art but at 10 suddenly a great interest in Egyptian mummies, or Harry Potter or War machines or algebra would have you scuttling down to the library to haul out great tomes on your favourite subjects and who knows where you would have ended up! This freedom to learn what you want, when you want is home education. This type of learning will happen all your life – apart from the 12 years that you are in school! For these years, most of what you learn will be controlled by others.
By the time many of you reach secondary schools, and particularly by mid way, you are often tired, angry and resentful. Resentful of the control others have over you, of pretending to be someone your not, of pressure to conform and pressure to succeed, of bad teachers, bullying, senseless homework about things that bore you to death. You have been in the schoolyard for so long now that you have not had the chance to observe the adult world and how life works in it and therefore you have not really had the chance to decide what you would like to do with your life – you have not had the opportunity for sampling.
In our society today, the school system is very powerful. It is drilled into us that we MUST attain the right pieces of paper if we are to make anything of ourselves – if we are to succeed and make pots of money (most people see this as success unfortunately), or if we are to realise the careers of our dreams.( Don’t forget as well, that the types of careers pushed by schools and society as the ultimate proof of success are often not really the ones we truly want for ourselves but are seen as the cool way to go. Its perfectly OK as well to join Greenpeace and help the natural world in its fight for survival, or to become a parent, or a truck driver or a friend lending a helping hand to neighbours or less fortunate communities around the world.)
Unfortunately, even after years of blood, sweat and tears, and you have the magical piece in your hand, there is no guarantee that you will find what you want. You may still have years of study ahead of you if you are lucky enough to get into the course of your dreams – if not – what then – extra study or a dead end job just to make ends meet.
During this time, many of you will fall by the school wayside. Deep unhappiness with your lives and feelings of utter despair and failure in the eyes of school people can end up in alcohol and drug abuse, behavioural problems, depression and sadly suicidal thoughts and actions. Your life is very precious, you only have one chance to live it and you must realise that you are quite capable educating yourself in the way that makes you happy and content with your life. You should be the master of all your learning. You should be the one in control because only you know you.
Home education and the desire to teach yourself everything about life, is still where you left it when you were five. It is probably still alive and well. Think about the passions you have now. It might be competitive horse riding, computer programming, animal breeding, web design, fashion design, dirt bikes – whatever it is – you can bet that all the knowledge you have acquired about your interest has come from your desire to learn about it and not from school. You are still educating yourself and you can keep on doing this in whatever field you choose. Many of you though may have lost sight of this ability to self-teach after years of controlled learning but it will come again with time. You have to trust that it will happen and give yourself all the time you need. Once you have found your focus and your goals in life, there are many options to choose from. I will give the tertiary options for Victoria Australia at the end of this article but for all states and countries there would be similar options.
The one major downside you will find is that your parents and most other well schooled adults in your lives will be mortified with the thought of you leaving school at this stage. They will tell you that you will end up jobless, unqualified for anything useful in life. It is not their fault – they have been taught to believe this and for them no other option is possible. Maybe you could ask them about all the things they have learned since they left school, all the life changes they have made, the computer skills they have taught themselves, the business they have started up, the house they have decorated, the old car they have remodelled, the law degree they have just started at 45 – all without a curriculum and schoolyard. Maybe they will get the idea!
Another thing you could do here is to write down all your thoughts about your aims and goals in life and your reasons for wanting to leave school and try something else. This may give your parents the chance to quietly absorb what you are trying to communicate to them. Most parents sincerely want only your happiness, and in the end may become your greatest supporter. You just need to give them a chance to get used to the idea.
Whatever happens, you can home educate at any age – you don’t need to enrol in anything, you don’t need the permission of the Education department to leave school, especially if you are 15 and over, your parents don’t need to oversee your learning in any way although many of them are very happy to help you out in any way they can.
By the way – millions of teenagers through-out the world are teaching themselves at home and they have had no trouble in getting into any University of their choice and taking up the career of their choice. We have published results from a world-wide study about the effectiveness of home education on this web page. You might like to take a look at this one. Home Schooling Works and invite your parents to as well.
You can do your VCE from home if you wish to have that piece of paper. Many careers do not even require this, so once you have decided to pursue something, have a look through a VTAC guide and see what requirements you need. If you need Year 11 English or Math, you can do this through CAE or AYCE (See website) or TAFE or teach yourself through books and ask for a special entry exam.
There are many doors open to you if you know where to look – it is up to you to start beating paths to them and opening them up for yourself and for others to follow. School is but one option – if it doesn’t suit you, for your life’s’ sake – try something else. I can assure you that you won’t regret it.
Recommended reading
Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Lewellyn. This book is a worthwhile read if you can get hold of it. Grace explains how it feels to leave school, how to explain yourself to your friends, maybe even indeed take them with you. She explains the lack of freedom you have in schools and what to do when you are finally out. She also looks at many different subjects and gives you ideas of how to get started in many different careers.
You can purchase the book through Amazon.com new or used books through this website – go to Recommended Reading. While you are there have a read of John Taylor Gatto’s Curriculum of Necessity – might put into perspective all of those issues with school and why it is so important to leave. John has been a teacher for 30 years and knows how you feel.
Talk to Home Educated Teenagers
If you would like to talk to the kids that are doing it, you can connect with them through aislinn@optushome.com.au Please title email ATTENTION HOME EDUCATED TEENAGERS.
A lot of these kids have left schools at various times in their lives, others have tried it for a while and still others have never been.
Talk to Home Educating Parents
If you wish to call and talk to someone about your choices or Home Education in general, you can phone 9517 7107 and someone will call you back. If your parents wish to talk about it also please get them to ring.
Hello,
I’m 16 1/2 years of age and I for many years have wanted to quit school and finally have. This only leaves me with a year 10 pass and I need a VCE year 11 & 12 pass to work where I would like in the future.
I was told by teachers it was a complicated process and I’ll need a written recommendation from my doctor or a counsellor in order for me to receive home schooling. I am situated near plenty of schools but I know I can no longer attend for my own sake anymore.
I was wondering if you could give me some information on this sort of homeschooling and what I need to do to see my education through at home.
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
There are lots of options available to young school-leavers such as yourself. If your career involves a university course, it may not be necessary to have VCE to get into the course – see our section on university entrance without VCE.
If you particularly want the VCE, you might consider the AYCE programme, VCE through TAFE, the CAE or a neighbourhood house. VCE via both the AYCE programme and neighbourhood centres involves only part-time attendance and completing the work at home independently.
For futher details of these options see our Alternatives to VCE page
With a Year 10 pass, you would also be eligible to use OTEN which is a distance education school based in NSW. They have HSC which is the NSW VCE equivalent. Details are also on the Alternatives to VCE page.
You may find The Teenage Liberation Handbook helpful also.
All the best with your future.
Sue
Hi Sarah, I was just having a look at this web site as I have a teenage daughter. You probably don’t want to hear from some old bat but I left school in my first term of year 10. I am now a nurse and could not be happier. I am an intelligent person, just because I didn’t fit into the school system does not change this. A good imagination and tenacity is all you need. Good luck, you will find your way. Tracie.
Thanks Tracie
Sorry, how do I apply for homeschooling I’ve been searching and can’t seem to find anything to apply by? I’m after year 11.
My son is miserable in school, he has always been a bit unmotivated but with encouragement he used to be a 70% average student, we’ve been in WA for a year now and received a letter asking if they can put him in a “special Class” . I am horrified because I know what he’s capable of, 2 years back he had an 80-90% average for maths and now they say he needs special attention with literacy and numeracy. I know some damage was done when we took him out of school a year ago, he didn’t finish his last year in primary school, and was thrown into High school (year
for the last six weeks of last year and then started Year 9 in February. Which means he went from 7 months in year 7 to 6 weeks in year eight and then straight to year 9 . My two other teenagers seem to be happy and coping but not my middle son, I’m afraid for his mental health. But I’m not sure if we can afford home schooling. Would like to know more.
I have a 14 year old son who did very well in Primary School, however, does not like High School and is failing pretty bad. He gets easily distracted and then becomes the distractor…I do not wish for him to keep going through High School failing. I would like to Home School him somehow (as I have a business to run), I’m not sure how this would work. He is a great kid but things don’t seem to sink in. He is in year 8 going to year 9 in 2010. Please help me as I’m not sure which way to go xx
Hi Kerrie,
I will send you some information via email.
Hi Lizelle,
There is no need for home education to be expensive, take a look at Home Education on a Budget and also our financial page. The cost can be as little as a library card or as much as you wish. I’ve sent you some information by email. Many people do successfully home educate one child while his/her siblings attend school.
Have a read of the info I have emailled to you and feel free to contact me with questions.
Regards
Sue
Hi Sarah,
I am not sure if you have home education confused with distance education. You can apply for distance education through the DECV website although their eligibility criteria is quite limited. If you do not qualify for that, you can also do your VCE through a neighbourhood centre, the CAE, a TAFE or via the AYCE programme. Details here.
There are also non-VCE options – see our teenagers and university pages.
If you’d like to study from home without distance education and are under 16 in Victoria, you need to register with the VRQA and put together your own programme from the many resources availalbe or by following your own interests.
All the best with finding the option that works for you.
Regards
Sue
Hi Susan,
In a couple of weeks time i will be starting year 11 and because i am a twin i have spent all of my schooling life with my sister, she left school and is going to tafe. I know my parents couldn’t home school me, but alot of other people around me could. I am just writing to get more information on homeschooling as i am really interested and i really want to complete my HSC. I have never really fitted into school and without having my sister i dont think i can handle going back. Could you please help me!!!! Thanks
Hi Mia,
Your mention of HSC makes me think you may be in NSW in which case some of the legal info and options listed on this website won’t be relevant for you. If you are in Victoria, VCE through the AYCE programme or through a neighbourhood house or the CAE may meet your needs (see our university & teenagers pages for more details). If you are not in Victoria, have a look through the options there anyway and see what is still relevant for you. OTEN may be an option for you if you are in NSW. Also, you’ll find links to legal information for other states on this page
Also, HSC (or VCE) is not the only way to further education – see the section on university without VCE
All the best finding the right solution for you – feel free to email me at robwight@optusnet.com.au if you have questions.
Regards
Sue
Hi, I’m a grade 11 student in Queensland and am really giving homeschooling some serious consideration but I need to get an OP at the end of next year incase I decide to go to uni. I was just wanting some more information on this as I’m not sure how it all works and wasnt sure if I could still do homeschooling this late in my life? Thanks.
Hi Chrystal, it is possible to get into uni without an OP – see the article University entrance without VCE (VCE is the Victorian year 11/12)
If you are really keen to get an OP, HSC through Open Training Education Network (OTEN) may work for you. OTEN is based in NSW and provides online courses, including a Year 12 to students all over the country. The minimum age is 15 years. A Year 10 certificate is a prerequisite. See http://www.oten.edu.au/oten/core/showpage.htm?pg=sienrolment for more details.
All the best with finding the right option for you. Regards, Sue
Hi, I’m 16 and just started year 11. I’m really hating school now and I’m in WA and I want to home educate myself but I need to be able to get a TEE score or my mum wont even consider letting me do it(is TEE the same as VCE?) but I really want to plus it doesnt cost as much as regular school which is good for us right now and I’m not comfortable going to my local public school. If you coould give me any infomation about how i could apply for some sort of online program or something that would be great
Thanks.
Hi Kristen,
Universities around Australia accept the year 12 equivalents from other states. Victorians sit the VCE and gain and ENTER score but your TEE would be comparable.
You have a couple of options.
1. You can try the WA distance ed people but the eligibility is limited. Also, if you hate the current school work, this will be much the same. If you don’t mind the work but just hate school, this may be a viable option if you meet the eligibility criteria
http://www.side.wa.edu.au/schools/secondary/forms/2009guide_to_eligibility.pdf
2. HSC through Open Training Education Network (OTEN) may work for you. OTEN is based in NSW and provides online courses, including a Year 12 to students all over the country. As you have completed year 10 you would be eligible.
http://www.oten.edu.au/oten/core/showpage.htm?pg=sienrolment
3. If finances permit, you could skip straight to Open University – you don’t need a TEE to enter and you could start with the May intake.See https://www.open.edu.au/wps/portal/oua/home for more details. The price is around $600 per subject but fee help is available. They also have bridging courses if you need one to cover year 11/12 maths for example.
You might also want to look at what is available at your local TAFE or at TAFEs online in the subject you’d like to study.
All the best with finding the right solution for you.
Regards
Sue
Hi, I’m now enrolled in a school in victoria in year 11, so I am doing my VCE.
I HATE my school, I was bullied at my old school and moved to this school for year 10. After being in the school that I am now I want to literally quit and give up.
I haven’t got any close friends so making it through school is becoming impossible.
What are my options for being home schooled and completing VCE?
What are the costs?
How does it work?
Please reply
There are lots of options available to young people in your position. If your career involves a university course, it may not be necessary to have VCE to get into the course – see our section on university entrance without VCE.
If you particularly want the VCE, you might consider the AYCE programme, VCE through TAFE, the CAE or a neighbourhood house. VCE via both the AYCE programme and neighbourhood centres involves only part-time attendance and completing the work at home independently.
For futher details of these options see our Alternatives to VCE page
With a Year 10 pass, you would also be eligible to use OTEN which is a distance education school based in NSW. They have HSC which is the NSW VCE equivalent. Details are also on the Alternatives to VCE page.
You may find The Teenage Liberation Handbook helpful also.
All the best with your future.
Sue
Hi Sarah, My 14 yr old son is in year 9 and really doing it tough. Im seriously considering homeschooling but am unsure of how to obtain the educational material required ie: internet sites or books. Also, does it work anything like distance learning where kids have to be online for certain things. Thanks
Hi Jacqui,
I’ll send you some information by email.
Regards
Sue
Would like some info on educational material for home educating my 3 daughters 13yr, 11yrs & 5yr. The girls are in main stream school
but this does not suit their individual learning needs, both girls have a natural love of learning but they are feeling quite stifled in the school system, they feel school is holding them back from continued learning at their own pace. Would appreciate some material and info from people living the natural learning way.
Thanks
Shell
Hi Shell,
I will email you some info.
Regards
Sue
Hi there,
I am 15 ears old and live in brisbane, ive wanted to do home schooling/education for a long time, but my dad doesnt think i can do it because i will have nobody to motivate me, is there anybody i could call or email to help me with things and does it cost much?, also my dad works 6-4pm every week day will that be a problem for enrolling? and aslo could i still do a op?
Thank you
Detroit
With your dad at work you are going to have to be fairly self-motivated whichever option you choose. If he’ll back you in that, this is certainly possible. Here are your options:
Distance ed is where the education department sends you work, you complete it and send it back. I understand that in Queensland you can enrol in distance education on a ‘by choice’ basis which means you are not actually eligible by reason of living at a certain distance from school. See http://www.brisbanesde.eq.edu.au/ for more details or contact them on 07 3214 8200. If you fit into one of the other eligibility categories, there is no fee but if they class you as a ‘by choice’ distance student, the fee is $1100 per year (as at 2010).
Home education, on the other hand, can involve learning from a program devised by yourself or your parents but does not result in a recognised qualification. There are many resources available (see resource roundup) – especially on the internet and you can pursue learning in the direction of your particular interests. The Teenage Liberation Handbook is very inspiring in terms of what can be done in this way.
Straight on to Further Educations – At your age, you can also opt to use Open University or Open TAFE. You can enrol in Open university subjects from the age of 11 without having Year 12 as there are no prerequisites for first year undergraduate subjects. If you are enrolled in two subjects you are classed as a full-time student. My advice is to enrol in a single unit for the first study period and see how you go with it. You can always step up to two units in the next study period. A unit costs around $600. If you don’t feel ready to dive straight into an undergraduate unit, they also have bridging units to help bridge the gap for those who are unsure if they are ready for uni. Many Open Uni units are online and involve a forum where students can support each other, ask questions and get feedback from the tutor. Open TAFE units usually involve access to your own tutor.
Good luck with finding the right option for you.
Sue
I refer to the posts below and experience everthing as stated by Jacqui, Lizelle and Kerrie. We have been in Australia for the past 5 months (from South Africa) and am very confused as to homeschooling versus mainstream schooling. Our son, now 15, has been homeschooling in South Africa for the past 3 years. He started his education in the UK, and when we relocated to South Africa, entered into year 5 in a mainstream school where the classes were far too big (45 per class) and he was falling behind as a result of his ADHD and the teachers not having the time or inclination to assist him.
However, now being here in Australia we are debating mainstream schooling in an effort to get him to settle in and make friends (socialisation). Also, he wants to go into a military career (possibly study military sciense at a Uni). This, I assume, would require VCEs?
I am almost certain he will not fit into a mainstream school – being very independant and an only child. We have had a look at other institutions like Alia College and Preshil which is not your traditional schools but am not sure this is for him.
Please help!
Jacqui
March 24th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Hi Sarah, My 14 yr old son is in year 9 and really doing it tough. Im seriously considering homeschooling but am unsure of how to obtain the educational material required ie: internet sites or books. Also, does it work anything like distance learning where kids have to be online for certain things. Thanks
Lizelle De Jongh
November 18th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
My son is miserable in school, he has always been a bit unmotivated but with encouragement he used to be a 70% average student, we’ve been in WA for a year now and received a letter asking if they can put him in a “special Class” . I am horrified because I know what he’s capable of, 2 years back he had an 80-90% average for maths and now they say he needs special attention with literacy and numeracy. I know some damage was done when we took him out of school a year ago, he didn’t finish his last year in primary school, and was thrown into High school (year for the last six weeks of last year and then started Year 9 in February. Which means he went from 7 months in year 7 to 6 weeks in year eight and then straight to year 9 . My two other teenagers seem to be happy and coping but not my middle son, I’m afraid for his mental health. But I’m not sure if we can afford home schooling. Would like to know more.
Kerrie Lombo
November 29th, 2009 at 9:10 am
I have a 14 year old son who did very well in Primary School, however, does not like High School and is failing pretty bad. He gets easily distracted and then becomes the distractor…I do not wish for him to keep going through High School failing. I would like to Home School him somehow (as I have a business to run), I’m not sure how this would work. He is a great kid but things don’t seem to sink in. He is in year 8 going to year 9 in 2010. Please help me as I’m not sure which way to go xx
Hi Karin,
No, VCE is not essential for getting into uni. There are lots of ways in – open uni, TAFE, SAT exam (more details in the University without VCE post
There are also loads of resources available but you do need to be fairly independent about it. See our resources section and use the internet to find whatever you need – there are free chemistry, physics, biology podcasts online from university lectures – just google what you need. One of the beauties of home education is that you can use up-to-date information and current events rather than textbooks that can be out-of-date by the time they are printed. For example, in science, you can use the webpages of scientists or science institutions such as NASA. You can use text books if you wish – Academic and General in Melbourne is a good source for those, take your son and have a browse. You are not restricted by year level or what he would be studying in school, you can just follow what he is interested in. If you want to follow the state curriculum, you can – Victorian schools use the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and the VCAA website provides lots of information on those including samples of work. You can also purchase Distance ed materials if you wish.
I also recommend you make contact with local home educators – see our networking section for details.
You are welcome to email me with questions. I am home educating three teenagers without a curriculum.
Regards
Sue
robwight@optusnet.com.au
Hi, i have a teen girl who is turning 15 on may 18. She has had a crap time at school since year 1 and its gotten to the point where she just doesnt want to go at all. I believe the age you can leave to study at tafe etc now is 16-17 so what options are there for her? She wants to study to be a chef and doesnt mind whatever work she has to do, she just doesnt want to do it in the school environment. Teachers and school counsillors are very hesitant about letting the kids leave to home school
ta
Sorry we are W.A too if you need that info
Hi Mel,
Open University is one option – you only need to be 11 to qualify. Another is doing Year 11/12 via a community or neighbourhood house. I’m not sure if this is possible in WA but is in Victoria. The other option is just to study at home as a homeschooler and tackle year 11/12 or TAFE or uni later on. The HBLN would be able to give you up-to-date info on the legal situation in WA. For other options see the university and teenagers pages of our website.
how much does it cost to do home schooling??
hi my 13 yo son is in year 7 (Vic) and although very smart at maths, science and english he has poor social skills. he is bullied constantly and the last case caused a broken arm which needed surgery. his school is being shut down at the end of this year and i’m considering home schooling him so that he doesn’t have to go through the same problems with another new school next year. could you please email me specific information for our hometown Geelong, Victoria? thank you
Hi Jake, the cost varies depending on what style of home ed you choose. It can be done just with a library membership, internet access is useful, public lectures are free and museums etc often quite cheap and you can then spend anything you wish on resources. A costly curriculum is not necessary but some people go that way.
Hi Tina, home education is possible, legal and viable in Geelong. See our legal page for the legal details and to make contact with Geelong home educators, contact Claire on 52513146 or by email claire@ryden.com.au
These articles may also be useful
Bullying The Daily Grind
Home Educating Gifted Children
Your son would also be welcome to join our team for the Science and Engineering Super Challenge at Deakin in August if he’d like to
Hi, I’m in year 10 at school, I’ve been sick a lot lately and have missed a fair bit of school. I’m thinking about leaving and doing something else, however I’d like to get my year 10 pass and possibly do my VCE or at least finish VCE psychology which I’ve started. I’m quite good with grades, I’m not bullied and have great friends, it’s just that school doesn’t feel right for me. I wanna get out there and help people but I’m not sure how to go about it. Do you have any tips on where to start and/or what career path to follow? Thanks. (Vic)
Hi Hope,
If you decide to hang in and finish year 10 where you are, you could then use one of the VCE alternative options listed here – OTEN, VCE through a neighbourhood house or the AYCE programme.
You could also use the AYCE programme to complete year 10 if they have a centre which is accessible to you.
Apart from that, you can just begin on Open University subjects – they have no prerequisites for undergraduate subjects other than being over 11 years of age. You could just dive straight into undergraduate subjects now if you wish – many of them aren’t that hard. I recommend you tackle one at a time to begin with but if you then wish to do two at a time, you are classified as a full-time student and eligible for youth allowance. It is possible to do an entire degree online or to do a couple of units and then use your results in a VTAC application for an on-campus course of your choice.
If you don’t feel ready to dive straight into undergraduate study, Open University also have bridging units designed to get you ready for undergraduate study
hi just wondering if someone could please send me information for home schooling nsw…my daughter is 15 and very smart but hates the school system…its affecting her schooling in a dramatic way….
I have a 14 year old daughter, Yr 8, with learning difficulties (mild aspergers/adhd). I feel that the only reason the school talks me out of homeschooling her is because they will lose the integration aide we received funding for. The aides do nothing for my daughter, in an attempt by the school to help keep her special needs under the radar, she is missing out on the help she needs, not to mention the fact that she is having to adjust to four different aides….not just one. Which is hard when she doesn’t get along with all of them.
I have just started studying as a mature age student at uni, and although I love it, I feel, that even taking one semester off, for my daughter will benefit my child. As she is very bright, and feel that if she has control over her learning we all may live a happier life. She will still get the socialastion in as she has some good friends who will miss her. Socialising in a school environment, where teachers have no time to understand her, is not a help, in my view.
I also have a daughter in Yr 7, who is doing fine and will stay at school. I’m supposed to be studying for my own exams, but the stress caused by inappropriate actions on the schools behalf is overwhelming. I’m a single mum, doing it tough financially….but I have been thinking about this for over a year now.
Would appreciate your thoughts….my daughter is against the idea of homeschooling, and I would love to help her understand that it may be better for her.
I’ve emailled you some info Lisa
Hi Adrie,
It sounds as though you’ve pretty much made up your mind but your daughter isn’t keen. Perhaps you could take her along to the nearest home ed group or activity to show her that being home educated doesn’t have to mean being isolated. There are regular groups, activities and at least four camps each year – sometimes more. See our networking and events pages. She can also keep in touch with her school friends after school and on weekends and through sports and hobby clubs etc. Also, part-time home ed is an option or home educating for a term or a year may give her time out. Many kids do take a year or a term of home ed and then power through the rest of their schooling.
Also, keep in mind that home ed is a valid exemption from the welfare to work laws.
All the best in your decision.
Hi, I have a 15 year old daughter who has experienced all kinds of problems throughout her secondary years. She is now half way through year 10, failing badly and is in need of serious help. I would like to home school her for at least the remainder of this year but I do not know where to start or who to contact. We are residents of Victoria, could you please help me?
Many thanks,
Cyndi
Hi Cyndi, I’ve emailled you some information.
Hi I’m 14 and I really wan to do home school but not from my parents. How much does it cost in Queensland Brisbane ?
My son is 13 and enjoying his first year of homeschooling. He has achived a lot this half year, I believe far more beneficial to traditional schooling. He has created his own website and his own business, kept up with each of the learning areas, participated in all soccer training sessions and competitions each week and recently returned from a trip to Asia where he followed the exchange rates and calculated the conversion rates for us in each place we visited. The highlight was bargaining with the stall holders in markets to get the best deals. He is just missing social interaction and is seeking to meet new and interesting people to go to the movies or sport events with. We are living in Point Cook – originally from Geelong, seeking networks in Geelong, Point Cook, Werribee, Footscray to CBD Melb areas. Tania tania-s@bigpond.com
Hi, you’d probably be looking at Distance Education then if you don’t want your parents to be your ‘teachers’. You can enrol in distance education in Qld without the usual requirement of living a certain distance from a school which applies in most states. They call it enrolment ‘by choice’ indicating that, in their opinion, you don’t need distance education. There are several distance ed centres in Qld listed here http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/distance/ I believe the cost is about $150 per year.
You could also look at Open University if you wished – there are no prerequisites and you can start at the age of 11.
All the best with finding the right thing for you.
Hi my 13 year old daughter is failing at school. She has fallen in with the wrong crowd and the teachers have not been forthcoming with ways to deal with their behaviour, instead the have bundled all of the ‘problem children’ into one class and of course the problems are escalating. I dont know what to do. She is a very clever student once she sets her mind to something. But it does not appear that the school or in fact my daughter wants to do anything about it at the moment. I dont know whether I have the know how to home school her and can not afford to send her to a private school.
Hi my 14 year old boy in struggling with school. He has trouble with his anger and stress. I have taken him to see countless doctors and specialists to try and help but so far no improvement. I worry social influences at his current school are holding him back, as he is now starting to refuse to do any work. He has so far been expelled from 2 schools for unruly or violent behaviour. And is now at a third high school – which doesn’t seem to be working for his education either.
Motivation and his behaviour seem to be the biggest issues.
I was wondering I guess for advice on what other education options are available to him at this stage? and if he gets expelled again? Any info on other services available to him would be great. I just don’t want him to give up his education… Thanks
hi, my 13 year old son is in his first year of high school (private), following 2.5 years homeschooling. Homeschooling definitely suited him, although the last year he really did very little apart from read voraciously and a little math. First term at high school was pretty successful. Unfortunately, it has been downhill from there. He is unhappy, bored with most of the lessons and has started talking of self-harm in a semi-joking way in order to avoid going to school. Academically, he is very competent and in the extension classes but i can see that his initial enthusiasm has disappeared. He tells us that he just hates school (which, combined with refusal to attend, led us to home school the last 2.5 years of primary school) and in my heart, i know that he means it. we are aware that this has been a big transition for him together with the beginning of hormonal changes-we really don’t know what to do? stick it out? we are not averse to continuing home education, but feel there must be benefits to be gained at high school. any ideas?
Hi susan i looked into homeschooling a few months back,but have misplaced the info…just wondering if you could email some more info on home education for nsw…thankyou..
Hi Lisa, I’ve emailled you some info. Feel free to email me with any questions.
Rgds, Sue
Distance Education is one option but the eligibility criteria is quite limited – basically you need to live a certain distance from a school or have a medical reason for non-attendance. Unless you meet one of the other eligibility categories, you really need your school to push for you to be accepted into the program. Distance ed is basically the same curriculum as school, you just complete the work at home. If your son has found the work boring, this may just transfer the problem to home. However, using distance ed does allow kids to actually get on with the work and it can be completed in less time than that spent sitting in the classroom – especially with how much time is lost trying to control the class and confiscating mobile phones and so on.
Another option is the AYCE programme. There are several campuses around the state which run out of Yea High School. Again, it is the regular school curriculum but only involves going to school one day a week. The environment and attitude is much less school-like and lots of home ed kids use it as a transition from home ed to further education. You can do year 7 – 12 there. More details here http://www.home-ed.vic.edu.au/2004/10/19/ayce-alternative-secondary-education-for-young-people/ and contact details as follows:
Telephone: (03) 9758 6604
Facsimile: (03) 9758 6510
Address: Racecourse Road, Yea 3717
Website: http://www.yeahs.vic.edu.au
Email: ayce.yhs@bigpond.com
AYCE Program Leader: Mrs Annette Scales
Another option is Open University (OUA). It is possible just to bypass the VCE and get straight into uni using Open University. The only pre-requisite for first year subjects is that you are at least 11 years old. If there is a subject there that appeals to your son, he could just get started. I recommend one unit at time to begin with. The advantages are that you bypass VCE and, once you have a few Open Uni subjects under your belt, you can apply via the VTAC procedure to an on-campus univeristy. The drawbacks are the cost (around $600 per unit although fee help is available) and that, unless you are enrolled in two subjects (which is considered a full-time load), you are not eligible for Youth Allowance. Open Uni also have some bridging courses available. These are designed to assist those who haven’t previously done year 11 and 12 to ‘bridge the gap’ between their current learning and university level. My eldest son has completed two undergraduate units with OUA and LaTrobe is happy to accept into their science degree next year if he also completes the OUA bridging senior maths course which he is currently undertaking.
And finally, there is home education itself. Registration is easy and anyone can do it. All you need to do is download a registration form from the VRQA website fill it in. Basically they ask for your name & address, your daughter’s name and birth date, you have to sign to say you’ll provide regular and efficient instruction that addresses the 8 key learning areas (English, Maths, Science, LOTE, Technology, SOSE, The Arts, Sport and Physical Ed) and attach a birth certificate. That’s it. You send it off and, as long as you’ve filled the form in correctly (and there is no court order regarding your son’s education – e.g. from the family court) then you are automatically registered and receive confirmation within a fortnight. In the meantime, you can legally keep your son home from school and can not be fined for truancy. With registration out of the way, it is a matter of getting on with an education. You can continue to use the books your son had from school, explore different topics that interest him, go to exhibitions and so on. Some families are more formal than others. The choice is yours.
English can be a matter of reading, writing and discussing as far as you wish to take it. You can share books together and discuss, discuss, discuss. Then essays are just a matter of framing questions from your discussions and putting together an argument on paper. As far as maths goes, you can use the Mathletics program if you wish (available to HEN members for $30 per year instead of the $99 public rate). There are free programs such as the Maths Online one.
There are various science resources and opportunities for home ed students. For example Deakin university usually run a couple of science workshops for us each year and we are taking part in their Science and Engineering Challenge in a couple of weeks. A lot of us don’t do LOTE and the education department are aware of that and it doesn’t bother them. They take the view that if we are covering the other 7 KLAs, we are ‘substantially covering’ the 8. If you do wish to do LOTE, there are various internet options or the Victorian School of Languages. If you know someone who speaks a language, that’s an even better option. Technology is not much of a problem for teenagers – they usually know more about it than their teachers do. SOSE can very effectively be covered by reading the newspapers, watching the news, watching documentaries, attending exhibitions etc and again talking about it all. Actually, lots of home education is done through one-on-one conversation. The Arts can be covered through outside music lessons, drama classes, art classes etc – many local home ed groups run sessions to cover this. Basically, for P.E., the dept wants to know that kids are getting a healthy amount of exercise. This can be netball, tennis, walking, skiing – whatever. It doesn’t all have to take place in school hours.
There are lots of teenagers home educating and it doesn’t have to mean limiting your children’s opportunities for the future. They can still go on to university or TAFE or get apprenticeships etc.
Hi Maryanne, Have a look at some of the suggestions I’ve made for Denise above. Also, our family went through a tough time leading up to home education – with both anger and stress – and, at that stage, found a parenting programme called Parent Effectiveness Training to be helpful. We’ve never looked back. Feel free to email me with any questions.
Rgds, Sue
robwight@optusnet.com.au