'The Home Education Experience' by Sue
I doubt if we would have considered home education if we had remained
in the UK. When we moved to Cyprus towards the end of 1997, our sons
were 11 and 9 and had been attending an excellent CofE primary school
in the UK. They asked to learn at home when we moved, at least for
the first few months, to give us a chance to look at the local schools
rather than plunging straight in. Their teachers assured us that they
wouldn't lose out, and suggested some useful resources... so, with
some trepidation, armed with as many educational books as we could fit
in our luggage, I embarked on an attempt at emulating school in our
new home.
That didn't work very well, and I could easily have become
discouraged. But I found some helpful mailing lists online that
showed me how education is so much more than the National Curriculum.
We went through a period of 'de-schooling', and slowly found our own
way of working. Gradually we realised it was a wonderful lifestyle:
no hassles to get up early (Cyprus schools start around 7.45am!) , no
worries about bullying or peer pressure, freedom to spend as long as
we wanted to on any topic, and growing family closeness. I still
didn't intend it to last for more than a year, but my sons surprised
me by asking to continue into the secondary years, as they were so
enjoying this relaxed way of learning.
God knew what he was doing when he led us into this, taking me just
one small step at a time. Somehow the years rushed past, and we
stopped even thinking about schools. Last year my older son (20) was
accepted for two years on the MV Doulos, and my younger son (18) began
a correspondence course degree in theology. They certainly didn't
lose out educationally, and have the added bonus of getting along well
with people of all ages.
In the past ten years I've become quite an advocate for home
education, seeing the deterioration of classroom standards in so many
schools, and the increased regulations and testing that stifle so many
teachers. Some children do well in schools, but others don't for
many reasons including personality clashes, late development, or
kinaesthetic learning style. And for those on the mission field, even
in westernised countries like Cyprus, there's the added problem of
having to learn a foreign language rapidly or pay for private
education. Home education enables children to continue learning in
their own language, using resources from their own countries.
Are there any disadvantages?
It can be a bit lonely at times. Home education is not legal for
Cypriots, so there are only a few ex-pat families home educating here,
scattered around the island. There is, however, a flourishing and
lively inter-church youth group close to our home, where our sons made
some lasting friendships with other TCKs. They also got involved in
the church band in their early teens, something that would not have
been possible if they were in school. Of course, that kind of thing
may not always be possible in some cultures. There were also useful
local clubs: Scouting, drama, music, and so on, which we made use of. But still there were times when it felt as if we were on our own home
educating. Without the Internet resources and mailing lists (mostly
secular) to support and encourage, we might have given up.
Another potential problem is that one parent needs to be at home with
the children. I always felt that was my calling; my husband's
ministry is in media, and quite specialist, so my only role there was
communicating with our supporters and providing some hospitality.
But if husband and wife are both heavily involved in ministry, it
would be difficult to give enough time to home education. I
personally believe that we need to give our children all the time they
need in the growing years - I've come across some adult MKs who feel
resentment about having been sent to boarding school, or having
struggled in a local school - but God guides each family differently. Home education does provide a lot of flexibility: in some families
both parents provide some educational input and work in a 'shift'
style around them; in others, one parent works at home in between
educational activities. A bonus is being able to take furloughs or
breaks outside peak holiday times!
How to get started with home education:
* If your children are in school, ensure they are de-registered.
If home education is legal where you are living then there should be
no problem. Even if schooling is compulsory for nationals, there may
well be exceptions (or blind eyes turned) for ex-pats wanting their
children to have education in their own language.
* Browse the Internet. There are rapidly increasing resources
available, from simple educational games for primary children through
to advanced courses in almost any subject, and many forums for home
educators. If a broadband connection is possible and affordable, it's
well worth having.
* Discuss, as a family, how the children would like to learn. Do
they - and you - like structured workbooks and timetables, or would
they prefer freedom to learn as and when motivation strikes? If
they're old enough to have some idea of a future career, what
qualifications might they need - if any - and are they possible to do
from home?
* Don't order dozens of text-books and CD-Roms. We used very few
of ours. Take it slowly and choose resources you need, with the
Internet as your first port of call.
* Pray daily for wisdom and patience!
Sue's husband is involved in a media ministry reaching out to those in
the Middle East. Sue writes, reviews books, and runs a site for home
educators, http://home-ed.info