Homeschooling for children with exceptional needs. By ... - Slingshot

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opportunities for Jono. She organises music classes, a choir, art class, science fairs, surf life saving, Christmas plays and countless field trips. Her photo albums are full of spirited children gaining practical, hands-on experience and enjoying learning in the world that is their classroom. Many home educators are frustrated by the public attitude towards their lifestyle and say people don't realise there are support groups throughout the country that provide social opportunities for home schooling families. Through these groups parents exchange information and children form friendships. Dawn reveals one of the truly remarkable things about home schooling and the thing she loves the most is the way the children interact with one another on these occasions. She says they accept each another with no regard for the age and gender boundaries that usually go up between children. The older kids nurture and respect the younger ones, "It's a beautiful thing to see", says Dawn. Irene Cooper, national president of the New Zealand Educational Institute and a primary school principal, says home education is a choice that all parents are entitled to, but believes our public schools provide a good service. However, parents of gifted children or those with learning difficulties have a view that the ability of schools to meet a diversity of needs is not up to standard. Mrs Cooper explains home schooling is a different kind of education and is very hard to define. But she believes home schooled children are missing out on a kind of learning they cannot gain elsewhere. "In primary school children are in a class with the same classmates all day. They are together all year and they establish relationships. Then there is an even broader mix in the playground. They learn ways to behave and operate in conventional society. It's good learning for life and learning to become a good citizen of this country. What home schoolers do to establish this, I don't know." She says schools in New Zealand are required to provide extra care for children with exceptional needs and in her view it is something they deliver on. But the flexibility and freedom that home education provides means a child's strengths and weaknesses can be individually nurtured. Many home educators feel this would never be possible in a conventional school environment. Ms Keys says she wouldn't recommend home education to everyone, but if you're not happy with school and if you're prepared to give it the time and energy, it is a fantastic opportunity. "If you have got a kid that is not Joe Average, a kid that needs extra help or a kid that is extra bright, get them assessed by an educational psychologist. Find out what their weaknesses are and what their strengths are. Don't just fluff around. "You've got to train them up for the rest of their life. You can't just look at this little holy huddle that is going to happen now. These kids have got a future, they've got to go into
the workforce, go into tertiary education of some kind. They've got to interact with people who are high flying managers, CEO's or just get on with Jo Bloggs down at the workshop. "They've got to be able to communicate and mix in. If you don't teach them that, if you offer them this little 'me, myself and I' thing and don't pursue what's best for the kid, I don't think you should do it." Reprinted with permission.
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Homeschooling for children with exceptional needs. By ... - Slingshot

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