We have always home educated our children, who are now aged 9 up to 16 (The eldest has recently gone to sixth form college in the UK). Agency has always been a key part of what we wanted for them, and also for them to be involved in - though not responsible for - adult life. I think a focus on micro business is often seen as ideal, but a…
We have always home educated our children, who are now aged 9 up to 16 (The eldest has recently gone to sixth form college in the UK). Agency has always been a key part of what we wanted for them, and also for them to be involved in - though not responsible for - adult life. I think a focus on micro business is often seen as ideal, but actually it's not what I think kids need. They need to be able to explore and create *without* the external pressures of it needing to make money (that might happen incidentally but it's very incidental). And they need to be involved in things that adults are if they want to be - which also requires the adults around them to be involved in interesting and useful things!
It can also look like traditional academic pursuits, when that's what they've decided to do - my kids are generally very academic and have chosen to pursue traditionally academic achievements. But when they were younger they mostly played - and that play encompassed building, organising, and creating. They also helped us with what we were doing, with everyone being involved in house renovations and building outdoor play equipment from a young age.
They key thing we have wanted for them is for them to develop a sense that if they want to do or to know something, they can drive that process. They are active participants in the world around them, not passive receptors to be told what to do. This takes scaffolding and support and a lot of adult involvement - it's very far from leaving them to it - but the driving force is always that individual person.
We have always home educated our children, who are now aged 9 up to 16 (The eldest has recently gone to sixth form college in the UK). Agency has always been a key part of what we wanted for them, and also for them to be involved in - though not responsible for - adult life. I think a focus on micro business is often seen as ideal, but actually it's not what I think kids need. They need to be able to explore and create *without* the external pressures of it needing to make money (that might happen incidentally but it's very incidental). And they need to be involved in things that adults are if they want to be - which also requires the adults around them to be involved in interesting and useful things!
It can also look like traditional academic pursuits, when that's what they've decided to do - my kids are generally very academic and have chosen to pursue traditionally academic achievements. But when they were younger they mostly played - and that play encompassed building, organising, and creating. They also helped us with what we were doing, with everyone being involved in house renovations and building outdoor play equipment from a young age.
They key thing we have wanted for them is for them to develop a sense that if they want to do or to know something, they can drive that process. They are active participants in the world around them, not passive receptors to be told what to do. This takes scaffolding and support and a lot of adult involvement - it's very far from leaving them to it - but the driving force is always that individual person.