Learning in the Absence of Education

Essays on Homeschooling

© Beverley Paine

A Day in the Life of a Child 'Damaged' by the Modern World
(continued)

When we write for magazines, newsletters and journals it is important to promote our own particular beliefs and ideas, but it can be done in an inclusive, diplomatic way, that doesn't prescribe one way of parenting as superior over another. In this way homeschoolers can support all other homeschoolers, honouring diversity and respecting difference.

I once said in reply to a question on how we home educate our children “We do nothing”….. Well, this raised some eyebrows! I was then asked, “What do you mean - 'nothing'?” Thinking about it, precisely that. Nothing... nothing overtly 'educational', that is.

I have my own life. I am a busy person. I don't do housework, or just the bare minimum and usually when someone is coming around to dinner or stay! Just enough to keep me sane. I do a little gardening, but not enough to feed us. What I do, and do fairly obsessively, is write. Letters, articles, and books. And not for profit, yet. But I am practicing and improving (I hope!) and will one day see my name amongst the millions of other books being published, mass produced from our wonderful hardwood old growth forests... Then again, maybe I won't. Life presents such moral dilemmas.

Anyway, after about five years of home educating my children, which involved trying out just about every teaching method available, I desperately wanted to pursue my life long ambition. To reconnect to the passion of my youth. To reclaim my identity. After all, this was what I was encouraging for my children...

So I quit. Quit being a home educating parent. Or tried to. I couldn't coax the children back into school; they knew enough about 'doing nothing' to want to stay put. Thomas has another definition for what it is he does all day - he calls it 'freedom'.

It is. And I wanted a piece of it. Boldly I went ahead and took it. Fortunately Robin is willing to work part time, leaving plenty of time for him to interact with the children four days a week, relieving me of some of the pressure responsible home educating entails. We feel the resultant low income is well balanced by the knowledge that the children are being exposed to how important working at fulfilling dreams is. One day the money will come...

I am not discouraged by my 'do nothing' approach to their education. I call it learning in the absence of education! I sit and type, often up to six hours a day. Usually I respond and communicate with my children as needed. They see me passionate about something, see the meaning I weave from writing. They see me excel at something. They get excited with me when magazines arrive with my articles published, or we pick up some new books from the printers, or I finish yet another edition of my debut novel.

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More than 60 essays covering a wide range of home schooling concerns and issues, such as late readers, value of play, socialisation, learning maths, part time school, and thoughts on testing. Learning in the Absence of Education is an intimate and honest look at day-to-day homeschooling life spanning several years. Includes articles on learning maths, reading and writing, spelling, socialisation, part time schooling, fathers and homeschooling, value of play, grading and testing, coping with stress and illness, and much more.

"These essays are the real life experiences of a long term home educator and activist and make inspiring reading... a valuable resource for all those interested in home education.... What I particularly appreciate are the personal day-to-day stories that are so specific in the incident or outcome These are essays written over time that reflect natural learning (read life) as it really happens.

I really enjoy Beverley's writing style in this book. It is very direct, sometimes even challenging the reader. She tries to be scrupulously honest always so we read of advantages and disadvantages of whatever topic she is discussing. She will also point out the ideal situation and how she thinks she falls short. Sometimes she is self-deprecating; sometimes she glows with enthusiasm for their successful lifestyle. There are touches of humour and sometimes wry cynicism.

Hopefully this book will answer many people's questions and fears about natural learning. It is all in here: how right it feels when natural learning is working well, what happens when we have insecurities ourselves, and the results so far. By presenting the natural learning case in this essay style, Beverley has been able to reflect the different moods, the ups and downs, that make the book a valuable resource for all those interested in home education, whatever their current style."
Janine Banks, home educator, Qld

ISBN 1876651016, 128 pages... $22.95

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Homeschool Australia SA HE Network Unschool~Kidz! About Beverley Paine

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