Getting Started Getting Started and and

Keeping Going Keeping Going in in

Home EducationHome Education

Prepared and presented by Barbara Prepared and presented by Barbara SmithSmith

www.hef.org.nzwww.hef.org.nz

Some thoughts come to Some thoughts come to mind?mind?

Can I do it?Can I do it? Is it Legal?Is it Legal? I don’t have a teaching degree. Can I I don’t have a teaching degree. Can I

really teach my child?really teach my child? How do I do it?How do I do it? What about pulling children out of school?What about pulling children out of school? Where do I find curriculum and materials?Where do I find curriculum and materials? How much time will it take?How much time will it take? What if I have several children at different What if I have several children at different

levels?levels?

More thoughtsMore thoughts What about my child’s special needs?What about my child’s special needs? Are you sure I wont ruin my child?Are you sure I wont ruin my child? What about socialisation/special interest What about socialisation/special interest

enrichment activities?enrichment activities? What about exams?What about exams? How do I tell my relatives?How do I tell my relatives? Where can I get support?Where can I get support? What does it cost?What does it cost? How do I fill out the exemption form?How do I fill out the exemption form? What about ERO reviews?What about ERO reviews? Will my children be able to get into Will my children be able to get into

UniversityUniversity Will my children be able to get a jobWill my children be able to get a job

RadicalRadical

Home education is a radical departure Home education is a radical departure from accepted normsfrom accepted norms

Of family structureOf family structure Of family organisationOf family organisation Of socialization (and we don’t mean Of socialization (and we don’t mean

learning social graces)learning social graces)

PoliticalPolitical

Home education is a political ActHome education is a political Act

Getting StartedGetting Started

Unload, turf overboard most pre-conceived Unload, turf overboard most pre-conceived ideas of schoolideas of school

Home education is tutoring/mentoringHome education is tutoring/mentoring Education is Education is NOTNOT schooling schooling Schools not required to teach anything in Schools not required to teach anything in

particularparticular Home educators do not have to keep to the Home educators do not have to keep to the

National CurriculumNational Curriculum Count on comprehensive change to lifestyleCount on comprehensive change to lifestyle Take one month off for every year that your Take one month off for every year that your

child has been in schoolchild has been in school

2 basket approach to 2 basket approach to CurriculumCurriculum

Learn to Read – thereafter, Read to Learn to Read – thereafter, Read to LearnLearn

SkillsSkills EnthusiasmEnthusiasm CuriosityCuriosity

Tailor-madeTailor-made

You have the opportunity to design You have the opportunity to design curriculum tailor-made tocurriculum tailor-made to

YOUR child’s learning style YOUR child’s learning style YOUR teaching styleYOUR teaching style

Schooling and EducationSchooling and Education

There is a big difference between There is a big difference between schooling and education.schooling and education.

In New Zealand schooling is In New Zealand schooling is compulsory, education is not.compulsory, education is not.

In England education is compulsoryIn England education is compulsory

Can I do this?Can I do this?

Most definitely yesMost definitely yes Mentoring/tutoring is superior to the Mentoring/tutoring is superior to the

classroomclassroom Take it one year at a timeTake it one year at a time No back doorNo back door Your own life becomes the role model.Your own life becomes the role model. (If not yours, it is the teacher at school plus (If not yours, it is the teacher at school plus

the peer group)the peer group)

Parents are best qualifiedParents are best qualified

You know child the bestYou know child the best Child most secure with youChild most secure with you Home education builds on and exploits Home education builds on and exploits

all natural advantagesall natural advantages No-one more committed than youNo-one more committed than you No-one more motivated than youNo-one more motivated than you No-one with better observationNo-one with better observation

Not necessary to stay aheadNot necessary to stay ahead

Learn along with your child/renLearn along with your child/ren Just impart what Just impart what YOU YOU know and all those know and all those

life skills and most important lessons in life skills and most important lessons in life-the wisdom, the big picturelife-the wisdom, the big picture

Attitudes, values, standards, concepts ofAttitudes, values, standards, concepts of

1.1. Right and wrongRight and wrong

2.2. Good and badGood and bad

3.3. Wise and unwiseWise and unwise

Is it legal?Is it legal?Parents and caregivers who wish to educate Parents and caregivers who wish to educate

their child at home must first have approval their child at home must first have approval from their local office of the Ministry of from their local office of the Ministry of Education.  Under the Education Act 1989 Education.  Under the Education Act 1989 Section 21, a homeschooling applicant must Section 21, a homeschooling applicant must demonstrate that:demonstrate that:

their child will be taught at least as their child will be taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered regularly and well as in a registered schoolschool

their child, if they would otherwise be their child, if they would otherwise be

likely to need special education, will be likely to need special education, will be taught at least as regularly and as well taught at least as regularly and as well as in a special class or clinic or by a as in a special class or clinic or by a special service.special service. …MoE …MoE websitewebsite

Exemption FormExemption Form

Please go to this page to download the Please go to this page to download the exemption form: exemption form:

http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Pahttp://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/AllAges/EducationInNZ/rents/AllAges/EducationInNZ/Homeschooling.aspxHomeschooling.aspx

Filling out Exemption FormFilling out Exemption Form

Download from MoE websiteDownload from MoE website Get help from someone in your local support Get help from someone in your local support

groupgroup Keep it shortKeep it short Expect to be asked for more informationExpect to be asked for more information Your statement of your curriculumYour statement of your curriculum Wont be held to what you writeWont be held to what you write Don’t mention any special needs of your Don’t mention any special needs of your

childrenchildren

Pulling children out of Pulling children out of schoolschool

Detoxify Detoxify De-institutionaliseDe-institutionalise Re-establish relationshipsRe-establish relationships Establish chores and routinesEstablish chores and routines Take off one month for every year Take off one month for every year

that your child has been at schoolthat your child has been at school

What do we still need to What do we still need to cover?cover?

Can I do it?Can I do it? Is it Legal?Is it Legal? I don’t have a teaching degree. Can I I don’t have a teaching degree. Can I

really teach my child?really teach my child? How do I do it?How do I do it? What about pulling children out of school?What about pulling children out of school? Where do I find curriculum and materials?Where do I find curriculum and materials? How much time will it take?How much time will it take? What if I have several children at different What if I have several children at different

levels?levels?

What about my child’s special needs?What about my child’s special needs? Are you sure I wont ruin my child?Are you sure I wont ruin my child? What about socialisation/special interest What about socialisation/special interest

enrichment activities?enrichment activities? What about exams?What about exams? How do I tell my relatives?How do I tell my relatives? Where can I get support?Where can I get support? What does it cost?What does it cost? How do I fill out the exemption form?How do I fill out the exemption form? What about ERO reviews?What about ERO reviews? Will my children be able to get into Will my children be able to get into

UniversityUniversity Will my children be able to get a jobWill my children be able to get a job

Three helpful bookletsThree helpful bookletsby Craig Smithby Craig Smith

Negotiating the Curriculum Negotiating the Curriculum MazeMaze

by Carol Munroeby Carol Munroe

Training Our Training Our ChildrenChildren

By Craig and Barbara SmithBy Craig and Barbara Smith

                          

     

Home Education Home Education FoundationFoundation

www.hef.org.nwww.hef.org.nzz