What is home schooling ? (Part Two)

4th June 2014

In 'Part One', I briefly mentioned the application of exemption from school.

http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/AllAges/EducationInNZ/Homeschooling.aspx
At the bottom of this website is where you get all your information in regards to the application and info for parents.

These are the things that have to be included with your application :

1. Proof of guardianship (if needed)
2. Copy of students birth certificate
3. Need to notify principal of your intention to home school (in case of a child currently enrolled in a school)
4. Completed application form.

These are things that need to be in your application of exemption:

• Child's special education needs have been described ( if relevant)
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the broad curriculum - your knowledge and understanding of the broad curriculum areas you intend to cover.
• Curriculum coverage has been described - curriculum coverage for the first year and long term planning has been described.
• Topic Plan - discuss a topic of your choosing which takes a close look at one part of your programme to demonstrate how you will teach a particular topic.
• Resources and reference material - list resources and reference material available to you, curriculum materials available in the home, resources in your local community and human resources.
• Use of environment and community resources and social contact - The ministry of education likes to see that the environment is a source of learning, which includes providing for your child's social needs.
• Progress and achievement - How you will asses your child's progress.
• Regularity - shows how you will structure your home school activites and shows their commitment to their child's education.

Don't worry if at this point it all seems a bit overwhelming.

I think most parents who are home schooling and have been through this process, have a bit of a panic attack at the idea of what this all means, and how the heck am I going to be able to do this.

Sometimes it helps to get in touch with some members of the home schooling community and ask question and get some advice on how to approach it all.

They are all very helpful and friendly and this is how I managed to get my head around what I wanted to put down on paper.

If you don't want to read further, then feel free to stop now :)

But I will add my daughter's application that I put in just so you have an example.

This is not to be stolen and reused for your own purposes, so I am trusting that all who reads this will respect that. It is my interpretation of understanding and giving the Ministry of Education what they needed to get my daughter's exemption.

My daughter's application - 

Broad Curriculum Areas

Our goal is for Miss Personality to develop a passion for learning based on her current interests.

Miss Personality is already a keen learner who loves to communicate what she has learnt as well as independently seeking new things to discover. So we as her parents just want to keep extending her interest and provide the most optimal environment for her.

I have noticed she likes group activities or learning from being part of a group. Since she is the youngest member of our family and most of the time an only child, I would like to get her involved into as many group learning environments as we can. But also making sure she covers as many of the key learning areas covered in the New Zealand curriculum as we can through other methods of teaching and learning.

Miss Personality really seems to enjoy learning through topics or unit studies that incorporate all the key learning areas covered in the New Zealand Curriculum.

Topic

One of the topics my daughter has shown an interest in is butterfly’s.

In the past we have watched the life cycle of a butterfly, so I would like to extend on this previous experience with more depth.

Method:

Arts – Miss Personality will use lots of different art supplies eg. Glue, paint, collage materials, to decorate a pot for planting seeds into.

Science – Miss Personality will research the optimal time of the year and environment for growing seeds.

Maths – Miss Personality will choose a method to do a daily record when observing to see if any butterfly’s have laid any eggs yet.

Technology – Miss Personality will use a digital camera to photo the changes of the eggs as they happen and then transfer photos to a folder on the computer for later use.

English – As the eggs change Miss Personality will also be encouraged to either do a written or voice recording of her observations.

English & Technology – Miss Personality will use google search engine and the library to research the proper names of each stage of the cycle. Miss Personality will also research what butterfly’s eat, and how long they live for.

English, Technology and Arts – Miss Personality will use information gathered and previous photos taken to either create a flow chart or a hanging mobile to present it.

English, Technology, Geography and Maths – Miss Personality will use google and the local library to research how many different kinds of butterfly’s there are in the world. Then Miss Personality will locate on a map where in the world these butterfly’s come from. Create a graph to record this information.

English and Technology -  Introduce Miss Personality to the word ‘Migrate’ and find out what it means by looking it up in the dictionary.

English and Technology -  Use google search engine and the local library to investigate if butterfly’s migrate and why.

Community – See if there is a butterfly garden in the Auckland area and go visit it.

Learning Goals:

Learn about the butterfly life cycle.

Learn to use a search engine to gather information.

Practice sounding out word that are difficult when reading information.

Practice hand writing and self editing skills.

Learn how to use a digital camera, computer and printer.

Learn about weather  and how it affects the growth of a plant.

Learn how to find books of interest in the library.

Learn about the Dewey decimal system at the library.

Resources:

Art supplies e.g paint, glue, collage materials, scissors, cellotape, glitter etc.

Plant shop e.g potting mix, seeds, pots etc.

Computer e.g search engines, storing of information, word-processing etc.

Local library e.g asking questions to learn about the different ways to find books of interest.

Key Competencies:

Thinking – Miss Personality will design and decorate her own plant pot.

Using Language, Symbols and Text - Asking questions at the library, deciding which information she would like to record when researching or making observations. Reading maps, to pinpoint where in the world the butterfly’s come from. Using a dictionary to find the word ‘Migrate’.

Managing Self and Problem solving – Miss Personality will work through coping strategies when she is getting frustrated and find other solutions to making the situation better for her to cope with. She will be able to practice effective communication when negotiating which method she would like to use when presenting or recording her information gathered.

Relating to others – Miss Personality will have to practice turn taking when talking, as well as active listening. She is great at talking, but sometimes when she gets passionate about the subject forgets to listen or let the other person have a turn talking. Miss Personality will get practice with this while she is at the library and when her and I are negotiating how to do her work.

Participating and Contributing – Miss Personality is very good at these things and will be actively involved in all aspects of this topic.

Curriculum

English – Spelling, Reading and Writing

Miss Persoanlity is going to develop into someone who enjoys writing and reading through her topics/ unit studies of interests.

Miss Personality loves to read lots of different kinds of books, both non fiction and fiction.

I will keep extending on her current knowledge and level of understanding and learning in these ways:

·         Being read to

·         Reading to herself

·         Keeping a record of books she has read

·         Playing board games

·         Re telling stories in her own words

·         Writing her own stories

·         Writing her own plays

·         Writing her own songs

·         Illustrating her stories and topic/ unit studies

·         Writing/ talking/ thinking about characters in books.

·         Writing/ talking/ thinking about characters in movies/ documentaries she watches.

·         Writing letters and cards to people we know.

·         Texting/ messaging her sister on the internet

·         Doing word searches

·         Writing captions to her art work

·         Making lists of things to do or wish lists of things she would like to do

·         Reading signs and labels in the community

·         Visiting the local library on a regular basis

·         Using Reading Eggs online, which practices skills in phonics, sight words, word families, spelling and vocabulary.

·         Reading recipes as we bake

·         Writing shopping lists when we go do the weekly shopping

·         Scrabble on the ipad

·         Reading sewing and knitting patterns.

·         Learning communication skills when talking to customers at dad’s store.

Mathematics – Numeracy

Our goal is for Miss Personality to become more confident and competent in all aspect of maths. She is a keen learning and loves anything associated with numbers.

I will extend on her current knowledge of this subject by:

·         Practice reading from an analogue clock.

·         Baking and cooking – fractions and measurements

·         Knitting – adding and subtracting stitches

·         Playing board games – Monopoly and Yahtzee

·         Using a number line to 100 and practicing skip counting, less than and more than.

·         Using Mathseed online programme

·         Various work books

·         Designing maps for her treasure hunt games

·         Learning about different shapes in 2D and 3D dimensions

·         Learning about currency through buying items in the supermarket as well as Monopoly board game.

·         Playing card games – last card, skipbo, uno

·         Measuring when sewing

·         Lego

·         Minecraft

·         Helping dad at his work with keeping records of stock in the store.

Science

Miss Personality has a natural inquisitive nature, which we would like to keep extending on through her personal interest and surrounding environment in the following ways:

·         Human Body – Research and explore through internet and local library, how muscles and bones make the body move.

·         Butcher – Visit a local butcher and investigate where different cuts of meat come from. From which area of the animal and which animal.

·         How to take care of different animals.

·         Rainbows – How is a rainbow made?

·         Doing experiments that she has observed  on Backyard Science

·         Watch ‘Myth Busters’ with her dad

·         Introduce her to recording and analysing data collected through experiments

·         Exploring the beach

·         Planting and growing vegetable, fruit and flowers

·         Reading science books from the library

·         DVD’s that related to Miss Personality’s interests

·         Read books by ‘The Magic School Bus’.

Social Studies including Geography and History.

Through us travelling and living in another country for the last two years, she has been introduced to travel, maps and trying to find our way around. Since we will be going through this again when we move back to New Zealand, I will get Miss Personality to help me with finding our way around in our new surroundings.

I will extend on her current knowledge and understanding of these subjects by:

·         Getting to know our new community by visiting supermarkets, butcher, zoo’s and any other places of interest.

·         Learning about emergency numbers and location of hospital, fire station, doctors etc.

·         Finding locations of where butterfly’s come from.

·         Looking at maps of the world and of New Zealand.

·         Teach Miss Personality how to program in destinations on the GPS.

·         Visit the local library to source books of information in relation to maps and history.

·         Visit local museum

·         Create a time line in relation to a Topic/Unit Study

·         Watch DVD’s that relate to Miss Personality’s interests

·         Create maps to find hidden treasure in a treasure hunt game.

·         Learning how to use public transport eg, timetable, route, bus stops.

·         Learn about the first maori’s and how they lived.

·         Visit the buried village and learn about what happened there many years ago.

Art and Music

Miss Personality loves being creative in any way she can and has full access to a wide range of art supplies to encourage and support her in her imagination.

Miss Personality also has an interest in all music and singing.

I would like to extend on her knowledge and understanding in these subjects by:

·         Buying craft kits that she can put together herself.

·         Getting Miss Personality into a dance lesson of her choice

·         Getting Miss Personality involved in learning a musical instrument of her choice

·         Listening to the radio or CD’s of her choice

·         Attend a ballet or musical stage show.

·         Learn how to make musical instruments at home

·         Making and experimenting with playdoh, clay and other types of manipulative hands on textures.

·         Making gifts for special occasions, like birthdays, Christmas etc

·         Using books at the library for arts and crafts ideas.

·         Talk to her dad about information to do with different music artist that he knows of.

·         Make puppets using different art supplies. Research what kinds of puppet shows there are. Which countries do them. Make up a play and perform it with her puppets.

Technology

Miss Personality is very keen to learn about anything new that she can use with her hands. I would like her to grow into a confident user of new technology as her interests develop. So I would like to keep extending on her knowledge and understanding of this subject by:

·         Learn how to transfer photo from digital camera to computer and then print.

·         Learn how to knit.

·         Learn where wool comes from.

·         Knit a teddy and some clothes for it.

·         Learn how to use a sewing machine safely.

·         Learn how to read a sewing pattern, cut fabric and sew together to create a project of her choice.

·         Maybe take a sewing class.

·         Learn how to program a GPS.

·         Learning how to answer the phone and take messages at dad’s store.

Health and Physical Education

Miss Personality has a high energy level that needs to have an outlet of some kind, depending on her interest. I would also like her to have an understanding of how to have a healthy body and what she can do to help assist her body in being the best it can be.

I would like to extend on her knowledge of this by:

·         Our goal is to provide an opportunity for her to experience as many different sports as she would like e.g swimming lessons, ballet, gymnastics, tennis, golf, horse riding etc.

·        Miss Personality is going to explore and experiment with tasting different foods.

·         Learn about the five senses and the different taste spots on the tongue.

·         Go for walks to investigate our new area we live in and discover what is local to us.

·         Finding new recipes to try, either on the internet or from the local library.

·         Discussing what we would do in an emergency in regards to an escape plan.

·         Attend a home schooling sports group

·         Extend on her current knowledge and interest in the human body

·         Discussing safety issues in regards to using the sewing machine, tools in the kitchen or garage, crossing the road since we will be living a busy city, when using the bus etc.

·         Learning about puberty at a level of understanding to her.

·         Reading books from the library to do with topic/ unit study of interest in regards to health and the human body.

·         Discussing with Miss Personality any issues she may have about self- esteem as it arises.

Learning Languages

Our goal is to re-introduce Miss Personality to Te Reo, since we are moving back to New Zealand. At such time she develops an interest in any other language then we can introduce it to her in a

similar way. I believe that the interest in learning another language can be introduced when talking about other cultures and countries.

I plan on extending on Miss Personality’s knowledge and understanding by:

·         Learn to count in Maori.

·         Lean common greetings in Maori.

·         Learn shapes and colours in Maori.

·         Learn some songs in Maori.

·         Watch on YouTube the stick game/song and practice at home.

·         Read some books on maori myths and legends.

·         Learn about the first maori’s and how they lived.

·         Visit a local marae.

·         Visit the buried village.

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment is a vital to the learning process. The assessment tools I will use are observation, discussion and informal comparison to the levels in the National Curriculum.

I believe that being in a one on one environment will enable me to be able to evaluate where Miss Personality’s current learning level is at and extend or revise as needed.

Through observing and discussions with her practicing the skills she has learnt, and using them in real life situations. It will be the perfect way to assess whether she has grasped and understands some of the concepts she has learnt, and whether it needs to be revisited or extended on.

I will also keep a record of spelling lists she has learnt, books she has read, maths workbooks she has finished, as she achieves it. Then I can look back on past work completed, and have a visual comparison to assist me in evaluating what Miss Personality has achieved and how she has progressed.

Areas in the Home.

Miss Personality will utilises all areas of the home whether it be inside or outside.

Depending on what the interest of learning is, and which is the easiest and safest place to do it, it could be anywhere from the kitchen to the garage.

Miss Personality has total flexibility to use any area of the house she would like to use when learning as long as it is safe and she has checked with a parent first for safety and materials available to her .

Regularity – Routine.

We are committed to ensuring that Miss Personality regularly receives a high quality education.

As home educators we don’t break up our day into subjects, while some subjects are covered in a more traditional school form with direct teaching and work books, many other subjects are just part of our everyday life. We do have a structure to our days which ensures we cover what I consider the core subjects to Miss Personality’s current educational needs without excluding Miss Personality’s ability to self-direct her own learning.

Miss Personality will get out of bed between 7-8am and carry out her usual morning routine of making her own breakfast, getting dressed, hair, teeth, apply her own cream for eczema, do inhaler, have her antihistamine, make her bed.

Then I will direct her to start on some activities/ book work based on what I believe are the core subjects e.g maths, reading, writing, spelling.

I will include regular breaks based around morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and moments for Miss Personality to stretch her legs with a walk or some form of exercise.

Afternoons are usually spent on a more emergent curriculum based on Miss Personality’s current interest and unit studies. I also believe it is important for Miss Personality’s well-being and self-esteem to attend regular group activities/ social gatherings , given that she is pretty much an only child. 

Because Miss Personality is in an environment where she is learning 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at all times apart from when she is asleep. I believe that she has more opportunity than what she would in a regular school to be educated, as there is not a minute of the day where she is not doing something educationally beneficial to her.

Social Contact.

Miss Personality is a very social child and it is important for her wellbeing to get as much contact with others as we can facilitate.

We intend to introduce her to as many environments as possible where she can be involved in group activities of interest to her.

We also plan to get in touch with the local home schooling community and get involved in as many outings and gathers as we can.

Also her dad is going to be managing a store, so we would like to utilise this environment by allowing Miss Personality to practice some of the skills she has learnt in real life situations.

Resources.

Here is a list of some of the many resources we plan on utilising in our journey of home schooling:

·         Local library

·         Internet

·         Local garden centre

·         Digital camera

·         Art supplies eg. Glue, paint, plaster, collage materials etc

·         Local butcher

·         Home schooling community/groups.

·         Family and friends

·         Board games

·         Card games

·         Garden

·         Local play grounds

·         DVD’s

·         CD’s

·         Television

·         Maps

·         Telephone book

·         Dictionary

·         Gardening tools

·         Kitchen and kitchen equipment required when baking

·         Lego

·         Sewing machine

·         Knitting needles and wool

·         Local museum and zoo

·         You tube

·         Minecraft

·         Reading Eggs

·         Ipad

·         Work books and work sheets

·         Local swimming pool and beaches

·         And many, many, many more.

The End

I hope that all didn't put you to sleep :)
But this got accepted on the first try.
Sometimes it may not get accepted first try, but don't worry as they will probably just ask to extend on somethings or add some more information.

Now once you have sent off an application and it has been accepted, it does not mean that it is set in stone.
Meaning you can change things. Life happens or your child's interests may change, so as long as you can explain 'why' if you are ever asked, then it will be fine (well that's my understanding).
Also this application is for the rest of their educational life, so of course if will change from year to year.
And a separate application needs to be done for each child that you intend to home school.