Adèle E. Breedt

Dear Sharon

>>As a distributor of curricula have you come in contact with many
homeschoolers?>>
No, not as a distributor, but yes as one of the few that is actively
involved with our local HS Association and HSLDA. The internet has also
been an amazing tool to bring the HS Community together though only a amall
percentage of HS'ers have internet access. One of the reasons possibly
being that we pay for all telephone calls (local too) and it's thus costly
if not used with discretion.

>>Are the legalities uncomfortable in SA?>>
Yes. Things are hotting up as Government does not like the free-thinkers
that are being raised. They are wanting total control also with regards to
curriculum & teaching method (quite a nightmare for unschoolers or even unit
study users). We are expected to be satellite campuses for our local
schools. The new set of evaluations that our children have to pass annually
is quite ridiculous & definitely not in our children's best interest! All
this will have to be contended in Court (the Ed Dept will however have the
onus of proving that their way is indeed the only way!) Unfortunately it's
stressful & causing some families to put kids back into school to avoid the
confrontation (even though it's not in the best interest of the child!) So
far very few HS'lers that have applied for registration (some don't, but
stay "underground") have been registered and given permission to HS (we
don't just "inform" the Education Department but have to ask "permission" to
excercise our parental duties!)

>> Do most folks do homeschooling now or less than in the past?>>
If you're talking about before 1994 as the past (it was illegal to HS then)
yes, far more are HS'ing now. According to figures from Curriculum
Suppliers (the school-at-homers i.e ACE etc) there are about 25 000 families
HS'ing (though many more are still "underground"). Last year however more
HS'ers wrote Matric (Gr 12 final examination before tertiary education) than
Private School Students did!!!

>>What sort of school did you grow up with? Confusing, I would guess, by the
ages of you children I put you in late twenties.>> I'm 33 and was educated
in various public schools, the most memorable being a small farm school (a
Three Room School House *grin*) I also did some Nursing, Bible School &
studied Law (now I'd say that's confusing!!) ...

>>I wonder if there is a way to be parents that isn't intensive?>>
Yep, there is: give birth to them and then hand them over to some Childcare
Centre to raise them while you bury yourself (and any feelings of guilt) in
your Career! You then wish weekends and school holidays away so that you
can just get rid of the brats & have some time to youself again...

Warm regards
Adèle in South Africa
HS Mom to a 7yob and twin 5yob's