Alwyn Poole
Innovative Education Consultants
www.innovativeeducation.co.nz
A huge trend in the Western world is families turning to home schooling for their children.
In the US:
It’s not just white families who are moving to home schooling; 9.7 per cent of white families have pulled out of traditional education, as have 12.1 per cent of Hispanic families, 8.8 per cent of Asian families and 16.1 per cent of Black families. (https://www.axios.com/2021/08/31/homeschooling-pandemic-critical-mass)
In Australia:
The Covid-19 pandemic is accelerating the trend to withdraw children from formal education, with a record 9,000 students now registered for home schooling in NSW, a jump of nearly 30 per cent. (https://www.axios.com/2021/08/31/homeschooling-pandemic-critical-mass)
In Ireland:
The number of officially registered home schooled children has climbed by almost 25 per cent since the pandemic began, to 1,825. The real figure, however, is estimated to be closer to 4,000. A surge in applications since schools closed during the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a backlog of almost 2,000 applications from families waiting to be registered. (https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2022/05/14/school-can-be-oppressive-the-rise-of-homeschooling-in-ireland-1.4876880/)
In New Zealand:
The NZ Homeschooling private Facebook page has 10,000 members.
In Northland alone:
Recent data shows Te Tai Tokerau homeschooling applications for this January have jumped more than 350 per cent, compared to January 2021. The latest figures from the Ministry of Education show Northland is experiencing the biggest surge in homeschooling since 2002, with 662 new applications received in 2021. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northland-age/news/te-taitokerau-experiences-20-year-high-in-homeschooling/6GZTPTI2BUL55WR73WICDKOBKE/
It is easy to write of the ‘why?’ as being due to the uncertainty, disruption and fear created by the Covid-19 response of Western Governments, but it doesn’t take much digging below the surface to find out there is a great deal more to it.
- Parents have reconnected with how important their children are to them and the crucial nature of a very good education. Many schools in Western countries are simply not providing education of the required quality. The massive leap in home-schooling for Black families in the US is highly indicative of systemic dissatisfaction. Many parents in NZ know that our literacy and numeracy stats are in decline and are deeply dissatisfied but do not get heard. The NZ education system is in DEEP trouble and the current minister has done everything but give it the final nudge off the cliff (he has enough time to) through neglect and a complete lack of political will and ideas.
- Under lockdowns a significant portion of parents became deeply concerned with the learning provisions of many schools. Firstly, a significant portion of schools’ online ‘learning’ was sparse at best. Secondly, and much more importantly, families across the world began to look at the content being taught and the quality of the teaching. It was not difficult for them to conclude that their child, and they as taxpayers, were being ripped off – to great consequence. They have chosen to do exactly the right thing and get in behind their child. To do so, many are giving up work and careers for a time.
- At many levels people are finding the inherent benefits of schooling at home: things like more genuine time with your children and not simply when everyone is shattered at the end of the day. Children are able to spend a great deal more time on task as they are not encumbered by all of the in-school down-time traps, not affected by hours per week travelling to and from school (both in the cities and rural). For many children, they are a lot less stressed and worried about conflict and bullying (for which NZ leads the world).
- Interests can be more fully followed: the kitchen, garden, countryside, beach, museums etc become places of learning and don’t require an OSH form every five minutes.
There are two challenges. One is great content and support. (This is a plug: click on https://www.mthobson.school.nz/mha-connected.)
The second is of high political and education sector interest for our beautiful country and the families within. How are the politicians and the ministry going to be positive and support this change, which has great potential? For example, this is a great opportunity for schools to assist in all of those places around NZ where you get up in the dark and get home in the dark if you bother to go to school. Will school leaders and teacher unions see the good aspects?
Or are all of those that see themselves as ‘the system’ going to try to wrest control back and deny an increasing number of home-schooling applications?
Alwyn Poole
Innovative Education Consultants