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In many countries of the wolrd homeschooling is a legal option for parents who wish to provide their children with a different learning environment than exists in nearby schools.
Homeschooling(also called home education), home learning or homeschool – is the education of children at home, typically by parents or professional tutors, rather than in a public or private school, homeschooling in the modern sense is an alternative in developed countries to formal education.
Lecture 3. Home-schooling
In many countries of the wolrd homeschooling is a legal option for parents who wish to provide their children with a different learning environment than exists in nearby schools.
Homeschooling (also called home education), home learning or homeschool – is the education of children at home, typically by parents or professional tutors, rather than in a public or private school, homeschooling in the modern sense is an alternative in developed countries to formal education.
According to United States Department of Education report, "Homeschooling in the United States: 2003", there was an increase in homeschooled students in the U.S. from 850,000 students in 1999 (1.7 percent of the total student population) to 1.1 million students in 2003 (2.2 percent of the total student population). According to an unsourced National Home Education Research Institute statement, an estimated 1.9 to 2.4 million children were home educated during 2005-2006.
In some places in the US, an approved curriculum is legally required if children are to be home-schooled. A curriculum-free philosophy of homeschooling may be called unschooling.
Homeschoolees use a wide variety of methods and materials. There are different paradigms, or educational philosophies. It is also not uncommon for the student to experience more than one approach as the family discovers what works best for them.
The unit study approach incorporates several subjects — such as art, history, math, science, geography and theology — around the context of one topical theme – like water, animals, American slavery, or ancient Rome.For example, a unit study of Native Americans could combine age-appropriate lessons in: social studies, how different tribes lived prior to colonization vs. today; art, making Native American clothing; history (of Native Americans in the U.S.); reading from a special reading list; and the science of plants used by Native Americans. The next unit study subject could change to some other broad topic.
Unit studies are particularly helpful for teaching multiple grade levels simultaneously, as the topic can easily be adjusted (i.e. from an 8th grader detailing and labeling a spider’s anatomy to an elementary student drawing a picture of a spider on its web). As it is generally the case that in a given "homeschool", very few students are spread out among the grade levels, the unit study approach is an attractive option.
Unit study advocates assert that children retain 45% more information following this approach
"All-in-one" curricula, sometimes called a "school in a box", are comprehensive packages covering many subjects; usually an entire year's worth. They contain all needed books and materials, including pencils and writing paper. Most such curricula were developed for isolated families who lack access to public schools, libraries and shops.
Typically, these materials recreate the school environment in the home and are based on the same subject-area expectations as publicly run schools, allowing an easy transition into school. They are among the more expensive options, but are easy to use and require minimal preparation. The guides are usually extensive, with step-by-step instructions. These programs may include standardized tests and remote examinations to yield an accredited school diploma.
Online schools and educational resources can improve the quality of homeschooling and make it more accessible.Online resources for homeschooling include courses of study, educational games, online tests, online tutoring, and occupational training. Online learning potentially allows students and families access to specialized teachers and materials and greater flexibility in scheduling. Parents can be with their children during online tutoring session. Finally, online tutoring is useful for students who are disabled or otherwise limited in their ability to travel.
Homeschoolees often take advantage of educational opportunities at museums, community centers, athletic clubs, after-school programs, churches, science preserves, parks, and other community resources. Secondary school level students may take classes at community colleges, which typically have open admission policies.
Groups of homeschooling families often join together to create Homeschool co-ops. These groups typically meet once a week and provide a classroom environment. These are family-centered support groups whose members seek to pool their talents and resources in a collected effort to broaden the scope of their children's education. They provide a classroom environment where students can do hands-on and group learning such as: performing, science experiments, art projects, spelling bees, discussions, etc. All parents whose children take classes serve in volunteer roles to make the program a success.
Certain states, such as Maine, have laws that permit homeschooled families to take advantage of school resources. In such cases, children can be members of sports teams, be members of the school band, can take art classes, and utilize services such as speech therapy all while maintaining their homeschooled lifestyle.
Unschooling and Natural Learning
Some people use the term "unschooling" to describe all methods of education that do not resemble schools.
“Natural learning” refers to a type of learning-on-demand where children pursue knowledge based on their interests and parents take an active part in facilitating activities and experiences condusive to learning but do not rely heavily on textbooks or spend much time “teaching”, looking instead for “learning moments” throughout their daily activities. Parents see their role as that of affirming through positive feedback and modeling the necessary skills, and the child’s role as being responsible for asking and learning.
Both unschooling and natural learning advocates believe that children learn best by doing; a child may learn reading to further an interest about history or other cultures, or math skills by operating a small business or sharing in family finances. The natural learner participates with parents and others in learning together
However, most parents choose a mixed, eclectic approach. “Homeschooling in the United States Report” found out that parents of homeschoolees used "a public library"; "a homeschooling catalog, publisher, or individual specialist"; "a homeschooling organization", a "church, synagogue or other religious institution" or "their local public school or district” as sources of curricular and books. Because laws vary according to individual government statutes, official curriculum requirements vary
The lack of "formal" records and transcripts (kept by school districts) can be a problem for home-schooled students that wish to enter college. Most, if not all, states permit homeschool high school parents to issue a high school transcript for their child. The College Board suggests that homeschooled students keep detailed records and portfolios.
In the last several decades, US colleges and universities are becoming increasingly open to accepting students from diverse backgrounds, including home-schooled students.According to one source, homeschoolers have now been admitted to about 900 different colleges and universities, including institutions with highly selective standards of admission such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Cornell University, Brown University, Dartmouth College, and Princeton University.
In most colleges and universities SATs are an admission requirement, which does not make any difference between a high-shool leaver or a home-educated child.
New evidence has been found that home schooled children are learning more and are getting higher scores on the SAT tests. A study at Wheaton College in Illinois showed that the freshmen that were home schooled for high school scored fifty-eight points higher on their SAT scores than those of kids that went to a normal school. On average, home schooled children scores eighty-one points higher than the national average on the SAT scores.
In the UK education provided outside a formal school system is primarily known as Home Education, the term Home Schooling is occasionally used for those following a formal, structured style of education — literally schooling at home.
According to the law parents are responsible for providing their children with education, either by ensuring that they 'attend a public school regularly or by other means.' So it’s up to parents to choose to send children to school, or to educate them 'by other means'. Thousands of parents all over the UK take full responsibility for their children's education themselves.
The survey of 1995 showed that the number of home educators in the United Kingdom was "almost 10,000",and in 1996 the number was 15,000. And one home-education advocate estimated 50,000 children being home-educated in 2005. The reasons for home-education vary:
Can give child better education at home |
Religious reason |
Poor learning environment at school |
Family reasons |
To develop character/morality |
Object to what school teaches |
School does not challenge child |
Other problems with available schools |
Child has special needs/disability |
Transportation/convenience |
Child not old enough to enter school |
Parent's career |
Could not get into desired school |
Other reasons* |
Home educators can be in traditional families with one working parent, in single-parent families, in families with two working parents, or with both unemployed. They come from all income-levels, and all classes of society.
The main argument of this approach is that “there is no point trying to force your child into doing something that doesn't interest him, because he won't learn a thing”.
Education otherwise
Education Otherwise (EO) was formed by a small group of parents in 1977 and has evolved into a large self-help organisation which offers support and information to members.
The name is taken from the Education Act, which states that parents are responsible for their children's education, "either by regular attendance at school or otherwise."
Education Otherwise is a membership based organisation that provides support and information for families whose children are being educated outside school, and for those who wish to uphold the freedom of families to take proper responsibility for the education of their children. EO has worked to raise public awareness of the fact that, in the UK it is not school, but education, that is compulsory.
Home educating families do not have to follow a curriculum or work for a "school day" or provide "school at home" type conditions. Home educated young people are not required by law to study for formal qualifications although some families choose to do so.
Parents’ job is to make opportunities available, and then watch to see what happens. Children learn so much faster when they actually need or want the knowledge. Actively choosing to play a musical instrument, speak Italian or take a chemistry exam makes it far more likely that, with the parents’ support, the child will work through the difficult or boring patches because he has a goal in mind. Even if he chooses to stop, he will still have had another valuable experience of learning.
First of all, parents don't have to recreate school at home or follow a set curriculum. 'School' is a way of educating lots of people at the same time, and teachers are skilled in doing this, but with home education parents are able to draw on knowledge of the own child and choose whatever form of learning suits him best. In fact, probably the best 'learning' happens while parents and children are visiting a gallery, or chatting on the way to the shops.
If the child prefers to have some kind of timetable, and to use workbooks or computer software, at least for some subjects, there are plenty of resources provided. On the other hand, the child may be doing fine simply following interests on a day-to-day basis. Home educators call this 'autonomous' or child-led learning, and it's astonishingly effective.
If families are interested in their child’s preparation for SAT (Standard Attainment Targets) exams, of in vocational qualification of their children, they can get these services from LEAs or EO.
“Flexi-schooling” or “Flexible school-attendance” is an arrangement between the parent and the school where the child is registered, according to which the child attends the school only part-time; the rest of the time the child is home-educated (an authorized absence from school). This can be a ling-term or a short-term arrangement. “Flexi-school” is a legal option provided that the head teacher at the school concerned agrees to the arrangement. The child will be required to follow the National Curriculum while he is at school but not while he is being educated at home. To obtain flexi-schooling parents have to get schools’ approval of the off-site supervised educational activities. In considering any request to approve any activity a school should consider: the nature of the activity, the benefit to the child, the effect on child’s education, the amount of time requested, the timing of the activity. It should be emphasized that flexi-schooling is not a right but a matter of persuading the head teacher that it will be advantageous for all.
In terms of access to university, most colleges and universities (contracted in the research of T.Whitbread) said that the decision would depend on the candidate (irrespective of previous qualifications), that they would like to meet and discuss with them their achievements before any decision could be made.
A research showed that 74% of home educated adults took college level courses compared to the national average of 46%.
Lecture 4. Educational Objectives. Teaching Principles.
The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, often called Bloom's Taxonomy, is a classification of the different objectives and skills that educators set for students (learning objectives). The taxonomy was proposed in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist at the University of Chicago. Bloom's Taxonomy divides educational objectives into three "domains:" Affective, Psychomotor, and Cognitive. Like other taxonomies, Bloom's is hierarchical, meaning that learning at the higher levels is dependent on having attained prerequisite knowledge and skills at lower levels (Orlich, et al. 2004). A goal of Bloom's Taxonomy is to motivate educators to focus on all three domains, creating a more holistic form of education.
Skills in the affective domain describe the way people react emotionally and their ability to feel another living thing's pain or joy. Affective objectives typically target the awareness and growth in attitudes, emotion, and feelings.
There are five levels in the affective domain moving through the lowest order processes to the highest:
Receiving
The lowest level; the student passively pays attention. Without this level no learning can occur.
Responding
The student actively participates in the learning process, not only attends to a stimulus, the student also reacts in some way.
Valuing
The student attaches a value to an object, phenomenon, or piece of information.
Organizing
The student can put together different values, information, and ideas and accommodate them within his/her own schema; comparing, relating and elaborating on what has been learned.
Characterizing
The student has held a particular value or belief that now exerts influence on his/her behaviour so that it becomes a characteristic.
Skills in the psychomotor domain describe the ability to physically manipulate a tool or instrument like a hand or a hammer. Psychomotor objectives usually focus on change and/or development in behavior and/or skills.
Bloom and his colleagues never created subcategories for skills in the psychomotor domain, but since then other educators have created their own psychomotor taxonomies.
Categories in the cognitive domain of Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001)
Skills in the cognitive domain revolve around knowledge, comprehension, and "thinking through" a particular topic. Traditional education tends to emphasize the skills in this domain, particularly the lower-order objectives.
There are six levels in the taxonomy, moving through the lowest order processes to the highest:
Knowledge
Exhibit memory of previously-learned materials by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts and answers
Questions like: What is...?
Comprehension
Demonstrative understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions, and stating main ideas
Questions like: How would you compare and contrast...?
Application
Using new knowledge. Solve problems to new situations by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way
Questions like: Can you organize _______ to show...?
Analysis
Examine and break information into parts by identifying motives or causes. Make inferences and find evidence to support generalizations
Questions like: How would you classify...?