I thought it might be helpful to mention this here
Bob Collier
I've mentioned this elsewhere and maybe should mention it here:
My son Patrick has started at Vocational College this month. It's adult education, though he's only 15, so he gets treated like a young adult which is good. It was his choice.
Consequently, I no longer have a child out of school. But the main reason I wanted to mention this is because I know there are critics of unschooling who assume that children allowed freedom of choice to follow their own interests whatever they might be will automatically have difficulties adjusting to the demands of "the real world" when the time comes. So I thought I would mention that Pat's transition from videogaming night owl to conscientious college student was as smooth as silk. He was interested in doing something that required him to change his habits so he changed his habits, of his own volition, and has adapted almost effortlessly to his new and different way of life. I've been most impressed.
And by an interesting quirk of fate, last week we had a Census here in Australia. When it came to filling in the details for my son, who, until the previous week, hadn't done any academic work whatsoever for eight years and eight months, I ticked the box that said "Full-time student", not "Doesn't go to school". That was very strange.
Bob
My son Patrick has started at Vocational College this month. It's adult education, though he's only 15, so he gets treated like a young adult which is good. It was his choice.
Consequently, I no longer have a child out of school. But the main reason I wanted to mention this is because I know there are critics of unschooling who assume that children allowed freedom of choice to follow their own interests whatever they might be will automatically have difficulties adjusting to the demands of "the real world" when the time comes. So I thought I would mention that Pat's transition from videogaming night owl to conscientious college student was as smooth as silk. He was interested in doing something that required him to change his habits so he changed his habits, of his own volition, and has adapted almost effortlessly to his new and different way of life. I've been most impressed.
And by an interesting quirk of fate, last week we had a Census here in Australia. When it came to filling in the details for my son, who, until the previous week, hadn't done any academic work whatsoever for eight years and eight months, I ticked the box that said "Full-time student", not "Doesn't go to school". That was very strange.
Bob
Claire
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>That must have been weird, Bob!
> And by an interesting quirk of fate, last week we had a Census here in Australia. When it came to filling in the details for my son, who, until the previous week, hadn't done any academic work whatsoever for eight years and eight months, I ticked the box that said "Full-time student", not "Doesn't go to school". That was very strange.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I was disappointed that there was no way to record on the census that we are homeschooling. It would be a fascinating statistic for them to collect! While I know that the proportion of school-aged children in Australia who are homeschooled must be tiny, it is certainly increasing. I feel very lucky to be part of such a dynamic and, for the most part, progressive community.
Claire