By Levina and Geoff Snow
We chose to home educate our two children after the kindergarten experience for our elder child was a disaster – bullying and being excluded by the other children and being overlooked by the teacher. The choice initially was to home educate for a few years – then for primary school – then for lower secondary. As it turned out our children each only attended full time school for one year – Year 12.
Our eldest child has a unique learning style and we are absolutely convinced that had she attended school she would not be where she is today – 3rd year of Bachelor of Science (Latrobe University), majoring in Mathematics. We are sure that attending school would have resulted in a distressed, bullied child that didn�t learn much and dropped out early.
Our younger child would have coped at school but wanted to stay home with her sister. She has completed a Bachelor of Science (Melbourne University) majoring in Zoology and is doing honours this year.
We used our own method of learning that didn�t involve a rigid timetable. We did have expected levels of progress similar to state schools (through copies of blank report cards for each year level), and as long as our girls were up to that standard we were happy. Neither of us has teacher training – just common sense.
Our daughters are now young ladies who are well mannered, responsible and productive citizens. They value honesty, trust and compassion and are caring individuals. They look out for each other and take care of young and old. They have social networks that include both home-educated and traditionally-schooled children of all ages.
Whilst we are proud of their academic achievements and the fact that they will be lifelong learners – willing and able to research whatever they want to know – we are more proud that they are great young adults who behave well and will be the backbone of future society that is often reported so bleakly.
Your story has inspired me, My girl is in grade 3 and I’m concerned for her well being at school due to bullies.
I have brought her up to respect others and is a very well mannered little girl, hates to break the rules and mothers all the other children but I have been thinking lately was it right to teach her these old fashioned up bringings in this cruel modern world?? She is so depressed at school (the second I have enrolled her in) that I am just now researching home education.. there are so many different ways to go about it and I worry I cant give her the education she needs as I’m not a bright spark and left school early
what way did you go?
I too started homeschooling after it was evident my daughter was not going to make it in a mainstream setting. Sadly due to a family breakdown it was longer possible to do it alone. I thank the gods that we discovered Melbourne Community School in St Kilda which is a parent run school for a maximum of 20 kids of all ages that educates like a home school but with the support other parents and a few teachers. It is our lifeline. And my daughter and I still get to have considerable input into what she learns and how she learns it and she now has a lovely group of mixed aged friends she calls her family. Thank you MCS.