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Home educating has increased in popularity over recent years. The exact figures are unknown due to there being no legal obligation to inform the LEA (Carnie,2017). Estimations have been made in relation to how many children are being home educated in the UK and according to Carnie (2017) it is around 50,000 children. Elective home education occurs when either the parent or carer of a child decides to take full sole responsibility of all areas of their child’s education (Davis, 2015). Parents have the right to do this because according to the 1996 Education Act, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure their children receive full time education that is most appropriate for their age and ability (Carnie,2017). This legislation also discusses how education does not have to be met through the means of going to a school but can be done in other ways (Carnie,2017) such as home educating. So, it is the parents’ responsibility to choose the right form of education for their child. Every child has the right to be educated (Donnelly, 2016) and all children should be provided with the best educational opportunities to allow them to flourish (Gov.uk, 2019).
As stated in the 1996 Education Act (Carnie,2017) and by Gov.uk(2019) a child’s education does not have to be conducted in a full time schooling setting it can also be provided through alternative approaches because unlike some individuals perceptions, education is not synonymous with schools or schooling (Davis, 2015). An example of an alternative form of education according to Gov.uk (2019) is home educating and it is now one of the more flourishing form of education (Donnelly, 2016).
A child’s education begins within their home setting before schooling age, (Davis, 2015) as well as from the people they hold close to them (Hopwood et al, 2007). This may lead to individuals questioning why it is not more of a common occurrence for children to be educated at home for all the time they are receiving education (Carnie,2017). Alternative settings such as the home environment could be viewed as more educationally rich compared to full time school settings, as home is the place where children start their educational journey as it is the place they learn to walk and talk. Murphy (2012, Citied in Donnelly, 2016) discusses how alternative educational options, do not have less of an effectiveness compared to more academic establishments. Furthermore, Jones (2013) discusses how you will often find that home educated individuals perform higher than those in more academic settings.
Unlike most forms of full-time school settings where students learn in large groups and are told what they need to learn (Carnie,2017), home education is the opposite. This alternative approach to education in most cases, takes a more autonomous approach to learning and educating. The children tend to have more of a say in what they learn and the adult at times takes a more back seat approach in the educating process, only intervening when necessary to provide support to the child (Carnie,2017; Davis, 2015). A more autonomous approach to educating can help to support the child and be individually tailored towards their interests (Davis, 2015; Jones, 2013). Taking a more individualised approach to education allows the child to play a more active role in their education, helping them to develop independence (Noddings, 2013) and become more engaged in what they are learning (Jones, 2013; Hopwood et al, 2007). A more engaged child (Noddings, 2013) allows a more individualised curriculum to be developed, which in turn, captivates their personal interests and talent leading to a more prosperous education (Jones, 2013). This can not always be gained in a standard school setting where every child is taught the same thing, inhibiting the promotion of individuality (Carnie,2017).
By taking a more individualised child centred approach to learning (Davis, 2015), home education has been found to create more motivated (Hopwood et al, 2007) and engaged learners who are willing and want to learn (Jones, 2013). This has resulted in children having an increased sense of identity (Jones, 2013) and confidence (Hopwood et al, 2007) by the end of their secondary education.
When it comes to home educating, considering individuality when choosing topics or things the child is interested in, due to parents not having to deliver a pre laid out curriculum (Thomas, 2004) like school teachers (Jones, 2013) is not the only advantage. There is also more freedom and flexibility in relation to the time lessons take place (Thomas, 2004) because there does not have to be a set timetable. Finally, there is flexibility in relation to the subject areas being covered in the day. This means the amount of time spent on subject areas can easily vary for example, Thomas (2004) discusses how a child could spend a few minutes learning about one area and then could go on to spend a whole day or longer learning something else. When a child engages with a subject (Hopwood et al, 2007) they will be more likely to spend a longer period on the area of interest. Having this flexibility (Donnelly, 2016; Thomas, 2004) means that children will be able to choose what time they start learning during the day. This gives them the freedom to work at a time that suits themselves and their families (Carnie,2017). Furthermore, the freedom afforded by home education can be associated with developing individuality, due to its autonomous approach to education (Davis, 2015) which, typically can be lost within formal schooling settings.
Due to the informality of home education and some individuals viewing democracy as something just related to the government, the ideals of democracy could be disregarded in this instance (Noddings, 2013). However, despite people’s understanding and perceptions, there is a strong connection between democracy and education (Bawa, no date). Dewey discusses how democracy’s primary purpose is a form of living and a way of life. Bawa (no date) also discusses how an individual’s education enables them to be equipped with the appropriate skills and information to live within a democratic society (Nodding, 2013). This form of society gives individuals the opportunity to express their personal experiences using communication Noddings (2013).
In recent years, there has been a new democratic trend in education, which is the adoption of more heuristic approaches to learning (Bawa, no date). The heuristic trend links in with informal approaches to home education because it promotes autonomous learning, (Davis, 2015) and children having more active roles in their education (Jones, 2013) by learning for themselves through things they are interested in (Donnelly, 2016). The skills and characteristics that children develop and gain through a home educating approach are those which can help them to become more democratic citizens. Taking a more heuristic approach can help children to develop an increase in self confidence (Hopwood et al, 2007) which, in the long term will provide the individual with the confidence to make their own decisions through following their own moral principles. This will help prepare them to participate in the deliberative democracy they live in (Noddings, 2013), which can be developed through a home education alternative approach.
Numbers of parents’ home educating is on the rise (Carnie, 2017). Families are choosing this alternative form of education as they view it as the most effective way for their child to be educated. Mainly due to its more individualised and child centred approach to learning (Davis, 2015), which are areas that are commonly overlooked in traditional school settings (Jones, 2013). Home education is suitable for all ages including those aged 11+. It has been found that some home educated children of secondary school age actually study towards and undertake their examinations earlier than they would in a school setting, as they often work at a higher academic level than expected for their age group (Hopwood et al, 2007). Possible reasons for this higher educational achievement compared to their peers (Hopwood et al, 2007) could be due to a multitude of different factors such as more flexible learning (Barbieri, 2016; Donnelly, 2016), freedom of when learning takes place (Carnie, 2017, more individualised learning (Davis, 2015) and also the ability to work at their own pace, which can help to create more motivated and engaged learners (Jones, 2013; Hopwood et al , 2007). One of the reoccurring disadvantages of this form of education that was put forward by a few parents is that when it came to the time for their children to take their examinations, it can be a long drawn out process to find a suitable place where the child can actually sit and complete the secondary examinations (Hopwood et al, 2007). Overall, home education can be a beneficial educational alternative for not just secondary age children but those of primary age. This form of education provides more freedom (Barbieri, 2016), the opportunity to express individuality (Carnie, 2017), whilst equipping children with the necessary skills needed to live within a democratic society (Noddings, 2013) through the use of a more child centred approach to education (Barbieri, 2016).
References:
Barbieri, A. (2016) 10 Good Reasons To Home School Your Child [Internet]. Available from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/10/10-good-reasons-to-home-school-your-child [Accessed 27th April 2020].
Bawa, B. (no date) Relationships Between Democracy and Education [Internet]. Available from www.yourarticlelibrary.com/democracy/relationship-between-democracy-and-education/76841 [Accessed 24th April 2020].
Carnie, F. (2017) Alternative Approaches To Education: A Guide For Teachers and Parents. 2nd ed. Oxon, Routledge.
Davis, R. (2015) Home Education: Then and Now, Oxford Review Of Education, 41 (4), pp. 534-548.
Donnelly, M, P. (2016) The Human Right Of Home Education, Journal Of School Choice, 10 (3), pp. 283- 296.
Gov.uk (2019) Exploring Moving To Home Education In Secondary Schools: Research Summary. Available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exploring-moving-to-home-education-in-secondary-schools/exploring-moving-to-home-education-in-secondary-schools-research-summary [Accessed 26th April 2020].
Hopwood, V, O’Neill, L., Castro, G. and Hodgson, B. (2007) The Prevalence Of Home Education In England: A Feasibility Study. Report no. 827. Nottingham, DfES Publications.
Jones, T. (2013) Through The Lens Of Home-Educated Children; Engagement In Education, Education Psychology In Practice, 29 (2), pp. 107 – 121.
Nodding, N. (2013) Education and Democracy: In The 21st Century. New York, Teachers College Press.
Thomas, A (2004) Educating Children At Home. London, Continuum.