Here's a little about me, The Home Ed Daily's founder and editor.

I'm Sasha, founder and editor of The Home Ed Daily.

I'm a home-educating mother of three, and I run meet-ups and manage multiple home-ed groups in Devon. I envisioned establishing an online platform where all home educators could share their knowledge. I aim for this site to offer valuable links to information and online resources that support everyone in the home education community.

Like many working parents, I’m adept at juggling multiple responsibilities. I'm a photographer, digital artist, social media manager, content creator, author, editor, and mother to three sons. I live in a small village on the northern edge of Dartmoor in Devon.

Before starting a family, I was a graphic designer, photographer, and photo retoucher at Ealing Film Studios in London. My keen eye for design is used now in my content creation, downloadable resources, and digital projects. I find my inspiration in the stunning surroundings of Devon and Dartmoor.

I design printable digital downloads for my shop, ‘Dartmoor Kin’. Many of my resources are ideal for a nature curriculum or journal, with topics like moon phases, wheel of the year calendars, phenology guides and nature study wheels.

I self-published a book all about 'The Wheel of the Year' and pagan festivals whilst researching their fascinating origins in Western European history.

I admin, organise, and moderate the social media platforms/pages for ‘Home Education Devon‘ and other home education groups. I manage over 5K members in the home education community and create social media content, logos, and design elements. I also run in-person Devon socials, offer guidance, and answer questions from members.

 

Here’s how we began our home ed journey:

After a year of angst-ridden deliberation, I decided to home-educate my then-six-year-old son. He was anxious, unhappy, hating school, having meltdowns over the slightest thing and stressed - children should not be stressed! Nothing dramatic 'happened'; our small rural Primary School was lovely - the issue was the system itself and an accumulation of factors. Dropping my son off each morning was awful; whilst sobbing, he would beg me to take him home, which then would make me cry. It just seemed wrong, him miserable, shut in school for 6 hours a day, life is short - so I resolved to get the happiness back in his life and mine.

 

The UK school system fails our children with its obsession with testing, assessment, literacy & numeracy skills and the 'right kind' of behaviour (sit still, be quiet etc.). It's set to get worse too; the government is obsessed with literacy and numeracy targets and discards the creative subjects. This seems shortsighted in a world that needs creative thinkers, problem solvers, and essential life skills. Do we want to make all our children the same? Do we all 'learn' the same way? Do we just accept that it's the 'right' way because the majority do it? Are we sacrificing our children's happiness and uniqueness in order to conform?

 

I was reading a worrying article researching children's mental health. Did you know that:

1 in 5 children have mental health problems

There has been a 43% increase in ADHD

A 37% increase in teen depression

A 100% increase in the suicide rate of kids 10-14 years old?

 

Here’s a thought-provoking blog post with parenting tips: What are we doing to our children?

 

The UK education system could learn a lot from countries like Finland where children learn through play, and 'formal' schooling doesn't begin until the age of 7 (unlike the UK, where they can start school at barely 4, even though the actual CSA (compulsory school age) is 5). The English CSA system was introduced in 1870 to get women back into work quicker (rather than based on any educational benefit to children!). Mass schooling here began as a way to turn the spirited children of a rebellious agricultural society into compliant factory workers, leading to formal classrooms, strict rules, uniforms, and increased inequality.

This great video highlights the significant difference between schools in the UK and Finland. Using the teacher's first name, no uniform, free lunches and equipment for all children, going to the loo without asking... And the kids all look so engaged, relaxed and happy to be there 🥰  School in Finland from 'The State We're In'

The idea of children not learning to read until 7 scares some parents, but the research consistently shows that they catch up. Those extra years of play help children in ways that academia cannot. A recent study by Stanford University discovered that kids who started school when they were older showed significantly lower levels of inattention and hyperactivity. The difference in development between age five and age eight is significant. Starting formal schooling later has been proven to produce better long-term academic achievement, happiness and child well-being. 

Here is a very informative read on the evidence:

New Scientist - Too Much Too Young

 

It was fascinating to see the books my son chose to read himself; they were nothing like the books he was given to read at school! I had vastly underestimated the level of his reading ability (probably due to the reading 'band' system that he was put into at school); he was reading very complex words and sentences with apparent ease! He discovered his older brothers' books on Greek Mythology and read them obsessively.

I have learned that given the chance, children will learn independently when they can choose and follow their interests. I supply resources or info that can extend that interest, and it has to be said that Google is fantastic - thank you internet! If my son asks me a question (it was randomly about Mantis Shrimps yesterday!) I will look it up for him. In our previous stressful, rushing-around school days, I would often have not done it. For example: "How big is the sun mummy?", Me - "I don't know darling, fudging huge".

If you would like the actual answer, according to Space.com: 

"The mean radius of the sun is 432,450 miles (696,000 km), which makes its diameter about 864,938 miles (1.392 million km). You could line up 109 Earths across the face of the sun. The sun's circumference is about 2,713,406 miles (4,366,813 km)."

So, my first answer was essentially correct!

 

Although education is compulsory in the UK for children between the ages of 5 and 16, school itself is not. Many families prefer to home-educate their children, and it is their right under UK law to do so. Home-educating families do not have to follow the National Curriculum, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Home ed 'styles' vary from unschooling / autonomous child-led learning to a national curriculum-based 'school at home' approach - we are somewhere between the two, and it changes regularly. There is a vast support network, a considerable home ed. community (especially in Devon), and a wealth of knowledge from helpful home education Facebook groups and websites.

This Guardian article sums up some key home ed plus points (there are way more than 10 good reasons though!):

10 Good Reasons to Home Educate
 

After a few weeks into our home ed journey, my son was a different boy and, most importantly, happy again. It was like flicking a switch - amazing! A new world had opened up to us, which filled me with optimism and joy. We attended many different home education groups and activities that first year, mainly trying to find our feet and meeting other home ed families. I must admit to having days where I worry that we are not doing enough 'learning' but then remind myself that everything is a learning experience and happiness and good mental health are more important than grades, school learning targets and test results.

And some of the best things? We’ve barely been ill since leaving school (touch wood). No stressful and manic school run mornings. Spending time together, it's a cliche to say they grow up fast - but it's very accurate (I have two older sons as well, so speak from experience). And, visiting places in term time is fantastic; quiet, cheaper, easy to park, no queues, bliss!

If you're interested in home education for your own family, this 'Getting Started' article should help.