The Early Human Handbook

Individual learning plans.
Learning can be tailored to the way your child learns. They may be a kinaesthetic, visual or auditory leaners or they may process information at a different speed to other children. Home-schooling can ensure that your child is not left behind or alternatively not bored and disaffected due to the slow pace of learning. You can ensure teaching is structured and delivered in a way that fully stimulates your child. Such bespoke learning environments have proven effective and home schoolings statistic confirm that such children are often academically ahead of the curve. Indeed it helps parents incorporate subjects that might not be included in the local school’s curriculum, such as foreign languages. There is also more opportunity for sport and pursuits that reconnect a child to their natural environment.

Rediscover the joy of learning
Most important of all, home education gives children who are written off by the school system an opportunity to thrive and achieve and rediscover the joy of learning. Home schoolers would argue that a child develops their own motivation to study. This is something which is recognised by our university system in application statements. Homeschooled children develop a sense of responsibility and maturity that often exceeds their school peers. This is ultimately because they develop in a system that promotes independence. They are not bound by a National Curriculum, unless they choose to follow it. They can use any curriculum which suits them or no specific curriculum at all (although this does raise the question of how achievement is recognised, especially if they want to proceed into higher education).

Safety
Home is safe. Some schools can be pretty daunting places where violence and bullying are rife. The effects of this can be devastating. Of course some might counter that this another instance of cotton wool parenting, but this argument seems to be one of blissful ignorance rather than reality. Perhaps, I am infected with some kind of 21st century parental angst, but one can’t help feel that the game is changing out there and the types of intimidation are ever more extreme.