I haven't been on for a while, because I've been busy. But as always things have been endlessly circling about in the caverns of my head.
Recently on another list someone asked the question 'what makes a good HE home'? I wasn't quite sure how to answer it. I personally don't think the quality of whatever education I provide for my child hinges that strongly on the accommodation I also provide for him.
I understand that during the course of the discussion, people were pointing out their preferences to either a large communal living space, or several rooms in which individuals could do their own thing. Some liked large gardens for outdoorsy things, others preferred amenities to be close by.
Some went into quite some depth about the whys and why nots pertaining to their answers.
I read through them, and came to another conclusion, which I am sure will no doubt ruffle some feathers.
The way I see it, asking questions like that, planting such seeds of doubt into peoples minds, only serves to yet again, make HE families question their reasons and motives for Home Educating in the first place.
Now, I know what you are going to say...'that's not right, it was a simple question asking what people thought makes for a good environment to HE in blah blah'
The thing is, a large proportion of HE'rs are secretly paranoid - at least this is what I have discovered. They seem to feel the need to constantly defend their reasons and motives, and to almost defiantly stand by those beliefs, fearing a fall from grace should they actually change their minds about anything which may lead to their exclusion from the clique.
I have of course met some wonderful people, and find their views enlightening, helpful and honest. But sadly this does not extend to everyone I have met, who, quite catastrophically fall into the above mentioned category.
On the subject of homes..mine is adequate for it's purpose. I have a large family in a relatively small space. Downstairs is sufficient for various activities, but lack of space limits the number of people which can comfortably be in there at one time. We have a living kitchen - meaning that most of our actual living goes on in there. We cook, eat, learn, socialise, chat, gather, and play in there. It is the hub of our home. The garden is small, but more than enough for our younger family members.
Sure, if given the chance, I would plump for a couple more bedrooms, an extra study downstairs and a much bigger kitchen. But I wouldn't be wishing that just to make HE easier.
If you are determined to Home Educate, then the last thing you should be worrying about is whether you have a suitable home to do it in (obviously if your home is nothing more than a damp cardboard box, then perhaps you have a point) because providing a suitable education for your child surely does not depend on how many bedrooms you have, or how large your living space is, or whether you have integral appliances in your kitchen...!
the thing is, a large proportion of HE'rs are secretly paranoid - at least this is what I have discovered. They seem to feel the need to constantly defend their reasons and motives
ReplyDeleteMany home educators have to defend their selfs from attacks by their LA's or by ohers who often have a sinsters motive.
Having be able to get documens from our LA under the data act it gives a real insight into how their behave and their view on home education.for some reason their dont like it and some LA offcers want to get ban it!
Pretty much agree.
ReplyDeleteI do have an extra bedroom and had grand plans to turn that into our learning "hub". However we didn't like being shoved off elsewhere ....and very quickly migrated back to the living room.
It may not be a perfect, or elegant solution, but it seems to be where we want to be ( =
@ peter and carol I had a feeling that you would manage to weed the LA into the conversation.
ReplyDeleteWhat do YOU think constitutes an unsuitable home then?(to help back up your paranoia theory)
And do you think the LA would agree with you, and if so, what do you think they would/could do about it?
@ sarah. I would love to be able to have a room devoted just to learning, but like you, I don't think it would work out quite as seamlessly as initially thought.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's because learning happens everywhere, so cramping it up into just one space is somewhat counterintuitive as far as HE goes. What do you think?
Loz says-peter and carol I had a feeling that you would manage to weed the LA into the conversation.
ReplyDeleteWhat do YOU think constitutes an unsuitable home then?(to help back up your paranoia theory)
And do you think the LA would agree with you, and if so, what do you think they would/could do about it?
Its not weeding the LA into anything its how their act and behave that does it!we got documents emails letters that prove their do not like home education their never thought we where clever enough to get hold of the data!
An unsuitable home is where the child is not loved! and subject to danger/abuse and their can then refer to social service to take action the size of a house or wealth with in it should not be a factor.
Home education is attacked by LA's and other people so we have to be ever ready to defend its like a war that may will never end untill these LA's and staff can be held to account for the rubbish service thier give to us the tax paying customers i take it you agree home educators are customers? the date of the start of our war was June 23 2003! longer than the 2nd world war!
"so cramping it up into just one space is somewhat counterintuitive as far as HE goes. What do you think?"
ReplyDeleteI think think that the impetus to create a defined space comes from education long having been defined by its space, ie school\the classroom. So the tendency is there to try and recreate what we know. However if you look at my area of teaching (EFL) you'll see teachers instinctively looking to broaden the horizons "space wise" when they are freed from the constraints of a largish group. Because they can, logistics allow.
Dragging a group of ten students into the street makes me break out into a cold sweat. It'd take half the lesson just to corral everybody and keep them on task. Just one, or three students and not only does exploiting the area around us become doable, but the benefits heavily outweigh the price in terms of time and effort involved.
HE I think falls into much the same dynamic. We have an idea of what we think it "ought to" look like, but instinctively we push against any limitations we self impose in terms of the four walls we picked to contain the endeavor.
The above may well be a very convoluted excuse for how come all our HE related stuff manages to leak all over the house due to my rubbish housekeeping skills ( =
@sarah I have 4 boys...13 - 6 months. My housekeeping skills fell to pieces a long LONG time ago lol.
ReplyDeleteBesides, I don't think you need an excuse. To have everything immaculately tidy all the time, suggests a too sterile environment in my opinion.
I like to be able to go into someones house, and see that people live there. I can go to a showhome anytime!
If my house was spotless, I'd know I wasn't putting enough effort into my kids.
An LA would use evidence of an untidy house to help towards a SAO.
ReplyDelete@peter and carol said; An LA would use evidence of an untidy house to help towards a SAO.
ReplyDeleteSo you would say that HE families should endeavour to have clean, spacious and tidy houses to avoid upsetting their LA and getting a SAO?
Therefore, would you also agree that in order to limit the possibility of this happening, one should not venture into HE if they are inadequately housed..or have inadequate housekeeping skills?
this may post 2 times it went funny when i log in!Loz says-So you would say that HE families should endeavour to have clean, spacious and tidy houses to avoid upsetting their LA and getting a SAO?
ReplyDeleteTherefore, would you also agree that in order to limit the possibility of this happening, one should not venture into HE if they are inadequately housed..or have inadequate housekeeping skills?
if you wish to not get SAO and avoid upsetting certain LA's you need to keep house very very tidy if you allow visit.be very careful dont forget LA staff may ask to use toilet and use this to spy on rest of house keep other doors locked and follow then to toilet.
If your a bit untidy or lack housekeeping skills do not allow a visit from LA! These people are looking for evidence that you should not be allowed to home educate their will say one thing to your face and then say nasty things about you once their back to their office!
dont forget others so called friends neighbours can write or phone your LA so say your house is untidy unclean be very careful who you let in to your house
you not answered this i take it you agree home educators are customers? you think we not customers?
ReplyDeleteI've always said that if I have to make my home spotless before someone arrives then they aren't the sort of person I want in my house. And that goes for the LA as well. In my house? Over my dead body!
ReplyDeleteI think there may be a few cases (speaking from experience) where an untidy house might be one of a range of symptoms of a family not 'functioning' well, perhaps due to mental illness of a parent. But one could say the same about a spotless show-home too. Either, when taken in conjunction with OTHER factors, could be signs of a family needing support. But neither on its own should taken as an indicator of an ability to home educate and I certainly wouldn't want the LA in homes making judgments about families because of the size of rooms, or the presence of dust or junk.
Having a large family in a small or poorly designed house, or, say, lacking in housekeeping skills, should certainly not be a limiting factor to being able to home educate. I know people who have no central heating or who live in a caravan or who have very little money or who live in tiny rented accommodation who provide a fab education and family warmth for their kids.
As for us. Well I'm happy with my house. Sure there's room for improvement and a huge wish-list, but I think I'm pretty lucky to have a roof over my head and a fab family.
@peter and carol said; you not answered this i take it you agree home educators are customers? you think we not customers?
ReplyDeleteI have a life beyond this blog. Just because I dont sit and answer immediately, doesn't mean that i wont eventually. And no, I do not think home educators are customers...customers of what?
so when a EWS or LA staff visit a taxing paying home educating family he'she does not visit them as a customer? that cant be right?
ReplyDeleteNot that we had a visit we stoped him after he shouted down the phone and to think we help pay his wages! he wrote a number of strange letters to some where very long going on about all sorts of things sent the letters back to him very strange it all was! anther thing dont answer the phone unless you know for sure who it is we brought answering machine so you can hear who is ringing you he made a number of phone calls but we never answered him after the first one! and of course NEVER answer door unless you know who is at the door.