Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Home Education on Inside Out East

...after the piece on wind turbines, here.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thats Simon Webb who agreed with everything Graham Badman said including the forced home visits and interviewing of children alone,His daughter is also in full agreement with Graham Badman and both of them have met Graham! others who home educate have not been allowed to met Graham!
Simom Webb is a traitor to home educators.
Why is Simon and his daugher now on TV? and the chess medal she said she won is from a mickey mouse tournament!

Carlotta said...

He is dragged out over and over again since he is practically the only home educator who can't see big problems with the government's proposals...and all in the supposed interests of "balance", though quite what balance he is supposed to represent is hard to see.

It certainly isn't balanced to suggest that most HEors think the CSF Bill is a good idea and he doesn't address the problems that HEors foresee with the Bill, just reiterating the government's debunked line, so all in all, pretty useless really.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but I'm 37 and I still don't know what 9 x 3 is and I went to state school. Look what good it did me!

Fiona T said...

Oh dear oh dear. More propaganda.There is so much wrong with it, anything good is buried.Thankyou for letting us know this is the kind of info they're showing our neighbours though. Good to be forarmed.

Anonymous said...

I was surprised at the report because it wasn't that bad. Even the 'man from the LA' was quite sensible and saw there wasn't enough jack boots to go around ;) I wonder if he would have been able to speak like that if he still worked for an LA.
Of course he was stuck in the "it must have structure" mode of thinking.
I think they have to wheel out Badman and Ball's mate Webb because there is no one else.
The man's willingness to pull the ladder up behind him now he's done is pretty sick.

Sam said...

I particularly liked "it's estimated there are around 80,000 [home educators]...There is *one* home educator though, who believes there needs to be tighter controls"

One for, 79,999 against. Seems a good idea then!

Dave H said...

It's unfortunate that the time slot was so short, a lot of what I said didn't make the cut. I refer you to the local newspaper article I got for some of the other points, complete with a cameo from Simon Webb in the comments! http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_cambridge/displayarticle.asp?id=480711

However, it's good that the inspector (a) said that we needed more structure (which demonstrates the point that they don't understand autonomous education), (b) that it will never work and (c) that he thinks they should offer advice rather than inspect.

Note also the emphasis on "ONE home educator" when Simon gets introduced as being in favour. I'm afraid I did point out to the reporter that he was noted by the Select Committee as the only person from the HE side who submitted a response in favour.

And for the record, Kit does know 9 x 3, he doesn't always want to demonstrate his knowledge.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the response David H, I'm sure you told the reporter everything but as usual they have selective hearing. Kit looks like a really happy little boy, and learning well.

Most of the teachers in my school couldn't have taught swimming to fish. You are doing a great job.

Carlotta said...

I think you did a superb job Dave and thanks to your family for doing this.

And I do agree: the Ofsted inspector person really did dig a hole for himself. Might be worth getting a transcript of what he said for evidence of the problems we routinely face.

For so many home educated children, all that "scaffolding" that he spoke of was just an enormous waste of time. I know it was for me. I only learn when I am interested, and usually learn best, either when left completely alone, or in close feedback loops such as the internet or one to one conversations, where critique is rapid and personalised.

He really had no idea what he was talking about, being mired in unimaginative, untrialed, and uncritiqued school memes, but yes, thank goodness he spoke of advising rather than coercing us.

Fiona T said...

Yes well done David H, sadly tv is really only there for our entertainment and brainwashing. I am not at all surprised they cut what they didn't want from your piece.It was quite obvious that your lovely son knew what was being asked of him ( 9x3 ),and was probably a bit fed up with having to prove himself to the strangers in his home. It is a typical reaction I see in my own children,who are used to only being answerable to themselves for their learning.And quite frankly, so what if he didn't know.Its only a government standard the man is judging by, but of course they get everything right don't they! Forgive my sarcasm.I think you have been used ill.It was a brave of you to volunteer yourself.