Formalities

These articles are for those who either currently home school, are considering home schooling, are curious about the WA curriculum or who have teens they’re not sure how best to see through the upper school years. They are not intended to convince anyone of my own preferences – just to share information. We’ve had 4 kids complete Year 12 in school, 1 who left at the end of Year 10 to do an apprenticeship, and 2 who began home schooling in Years 10 and 2.

1.  W.A. – some year 11/12 Home Ed options.
I spent a good deal of time in our first year of home schooling (2015) researching ideas to round out our year 10 daughters education/experience/resume and plan for her upper school years.
Here is some of what I found….

2W.A. – Curriculum mind map outline F-10 in ONE page
I don’t actually hate the curriculum and am more schoolish in my thinking possibly than many of you (again due to having had kids in school for 22 years) so this post is for those of you who do use it, or at least would like to have an overview of it… This screenshot is of a mind-map I made in my first year of Home Ed as I wanted to see if it all actually made sense… did the learning areas have a flow?… Did they build?… Was it random? Turns out it does flow, does build and isn’t random….
Follow here to read more and download the map.

3Regarding Moderator Meetings
Home-educating friends – I know I come across a bit militant on this topic from time to time but having come out of 20 years schooling into the freedom of homeschooling – it really bothers me when, in particular new home-school parents feel as though they don’t have the freedoms that they actually do… In my own quest for clarity, I put together a document that distils the requirements of the School Education Act (law) and the Home Education Policy (which should not exceed the law).
Continue reading here.

4. Alternative Education for Years 11-12
If you have kids soon to be in the years 11-12 age bracket – the Department of Training and Workforce Development provide a host of very viable and affordable options to staying in school. Kids can leave school at the end of year 10, while still in the compulsory school-age bracket, as long as they’re in a situation that is of equal or more benefit to being in school – work or training can both qualify – there just needs to be an arrangement in place with an employer/trainer and the Education Department. Keep reading and find relevant links here.