What is home schooling ? (Part One)

4th June 2014

I was visiting a couple of friends the other day and they were asking me questions about home schooling.
I then realised that I just presumed that everyone who reads my blog, already knows about the wonderful world of home schooling. Naughty me :)

So I thought I might do a blog with a bit of information about home schooling and especially what you have to do, to be allowed to home school in New Zealand.

So what is home schooling?
It is where you teach your child/ children at home.
But do you know what, as parents we have been teaching our children since the day they were born and you probably didn't even realise it.
Well some things were pretty obvious that you taught your child, like how to use a knife and fork to eat, how to ride a bike, how to dress themselves. But there were so many other things that they were learning along the way too, just by playing and interacting with everyone and everything around them.

Did you know?
Here is a list of countries it is legal in:
Africa
South Africa
Canada
United States
India
Indonesia
Taiwan
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Russia
Slovenia
Slovak Republic
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Australia
New Zealand
There are 28 countries in the world where home schooling is legal.
I found this info on the website www.en.m.wikipedia.org.
Not sure how accurate this information is, but the website did state it had been updated 10 days ago.
But thought it was interesting all the same.

What does home schooling look like?
Now before you rush out and buy a large blackboard (hang on a minute, now I'm showing my age, they just white boards now) and desks, it doesn't have to look like school at home :)
If you want to and that is what works for your family, you and your children, then knock yourself out.
But you do have other options :)

Some parents do it by correspondence, some people buy ready made curriculum for all subject or just for some that they need help with teaching. Some parents use no set curriculum and just go totally by their child's interests. Some do it all totally online, some do it totally from work books. Some use lapbooks, some do unit studies.
It's all a matter of trial and error to see what works for you and your child.
I know at first I used workbooks a lot till I got my head around what would work for us.

Does the parent doing all the teaching, have to be a qualified teacher?
No you don't.

What about socialisation? Won't they miss having friends?
What is socialisation?
For us socialisation is introducing our daughter to as many different environments so that she can learn to interact with everyone and everyone.
Whether it be family members or people in the wider community.
We encourage her to ask questions where ever she goes, whether it is at the supermarket, library or even passing some street workers on the side of the road.
Children still have many opportunities to go play with other children too, they just can't help themselves.
They seek each other out, like they are magnets and metal :)
Plus their are usually home schooling communities in your area, that you can make connections with.
Some just do casual play meet ups and others do more organised structured meetings where they focus on art, science and all sorts of other things.
Plus there are all the extra curricula stuff, like what regular school children do, like swimming lessons, sport lessons, music lesson etc.

Are you monitored or do you have to do anything special to be able to home school in New Zealand?
In New Zealand you have to apply for an exemption to be allowed to home school your child.
You don't have to apply for an exemption till they are 6 as the legal age her in NZ for them to have to attend school is 6 years old.
That doesn't mean you don't teach them anything till they are 6 years old, it just means you don't have to formalize it till then.
Once you have the exemption, your child no longer has to attend a public school.
I will go into more detail about the exemption process in part two.

Can I get any help financially?
In New Zealand you are entitled to what they call a home schooling allowance.
The total allowance is split in half and you get paid into your bank account,  half in June and half in December of each year you are home schooling.
1st child = $743
2nd child = $632
3rd child = $521
subsequent children = $372
To get this allowance, you have to have a exemption and will be posted a declaration form for you to sign and have witnessed by a justice of the peace, to prove you are still home schooling.

Meanwhile if you are after any more information about this, here are two websites that might be helpful:
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/AllAges/EducationInNZ/Homeschooling.aspx
http://www.home.school.nz/

I'm not an expert on this matter, how ever if you have any more questions about this topic. Please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer them :)