Home Education Matters

AI is a thorny topic and no more so than in the lives of our children and their learning. How can we use this new tool in a way that feels responsive and healthy, as well as ethical and sustainable? We discuss this and more with Frederik Bjørnbak from GradeAid, the creator of an AI based maths platform that aims to both harness your child's natural interests and get them off screens ... sound impossible for an AI platform? Find out in today's podcast!

With Frederik Bjørnbak- CEO and founder of GradeAid - Frederik's Website- @Gradeaidai on Instagram

This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!

Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Sometimes home education isn't a choice and it's not filled with happy smiles and perfectly curated craft activities. This week we're talking to Louisa from Believe and Bloom Education who has supported numerous families to navigate the rocky road into a harmonious home education journey when they've had to embark on the journey from chaos and desperation. She shares hope, tips and lots of reassurance for families that are being thrust into the home education world.

Louisa Stanley

Louisa is a qualified teacher with over 20 years of experience and the founder of Believe and Bloom Education, specialisig in supporting home educated children, learners with SEND, reluctant learners, and children who benefit from a personalised approach.

Louisa's Facebook page

Louisa's Website

@believe_and_bloom_education on Instagram

Louisa's Facebook group

This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!

Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

The new social media ban is causing a bit of a kerfuffle online so we thought we'd discuss it with two of our home ed children. Buckle up for some big opinions and do share yours in a comment wherever you're listening to this or join our live podcast this Friday at 10.30am on all our social media channels (yes, we feel the irony!).

This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!

Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Want a non social media space to hang out with other home educators? Us too! Here's ours: https://www.skool.com/home-education-uk-1347/about

Join Charlotte and I as we explore the style of parenting known as connective parenting, gentle parenting, attached parenting, authoritative parenting. It's got a ton of names but you might know it best as that lovely sweet spot in parenting where it just goes really well!

Yes, those rarest of rare moments when you feel you're bossing it as a parent, fulfilling all the needs in just the right way and still finding space for personal boundaries and constructive support.

And we'll be doing a follow up podcast on practical steps to achieve more of these halcyon parenting moments so keep an eye out for that!

This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!

Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Today's podcast dives down into learning Japanese when you're home educated, from the early steps through immersion right up to GCSE. Kenia guides us through the best ways to learn, what to expect in the exam and even gives us some fun phrases in Japanese to throw into conversation. 行こう!

With Kenia Lopez- Hello!  I am Kenia.  I teach French, Japanese, Spanish and English online! I have been a language teacher for over 20 years in primary and secondary schools in France, Japan, USA and running my own language courses in Ireland and in the UK. I am also a home educator! - Kenia's Website- Kenia's Facebook page

This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!

Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

In this week's episode Emily is joined by Jess Garner who founded Gr0ve, a mentoring service for neurodivergent young people. From diagnosis and self identification to community, belonging and co-regulation, this episode is packed full of tips, insights and advice on navigating the autistic experience as a family.

Jess is late-realised Autistic, ADHD mother to neurodivergent children, and a former secondary school teacher and middle leader. She founded GROVE, an Autistic-staffed online organisation supporting Autistic young people, after her older child was unable to attend school. Jess recognised a gap in support for Autistic children to connect, belong and explore what being Autistic means to them.

Jess's Facebook page

@gr0ve_org on Instagram

Jess's Website

Links mentioned in episode:

What Works for Autistic Children, Luke Beardon

Neuroqueer Heresies, Nick Walker

We are all Neurodiverse, Sonny Jane Wise

Pete Wharmby

https://theautisticadvocate.com/

https://ausometraining.com/

https://autismunderstood.co.uk/

https://www.spectrumgaming.net/

This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!

Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Today's episode is discussing the transition from home education to college (16-18) and the challenges, opportunities and social dramas it involves.

If you would like to find out more about Education Brothers (we receive no money for this promotion - we just really like what they do!), check them out here: https://www.educationbrothers.co.uk/

And remember to like, subscribe, leave a comment, join our various and random social media channels and generally share the podcast love!

Dave Bradbeer guides us on a fun (yes fun!) ride through the early years and primary maths curriculum. Packed full of practical ways to cover the maths syllabus up to Key Stage 3, this podcast is full of ideas for how to engage your child with maths learning in a way that focuses on engagement, real life understanding and enjoyment.

With Dave Bradbeer - I am a learning coach, working with parents and children to help deliver Maths. For home educating parents, I offer assistance with developing a curriculum that is based on the needs and interests of the child. - Dave's Website- Dave's Facebook page

We are joined by Alice Khimasia who talks us through her wonderful, challenging, exciting, liberating unschooling route!

Home educating your children is, as Alice describes, an inherently counter cultural act. Choosing to unschool them is a step even further away from the norm, bringing with it joys and challenges on the way.

It's a beautiful and thoughtful discussion on one woman's experience of unschooling her children.

With Alice Khimasia - Alice has been unschooling her four sons since 2010, sharing their journey through Organic Education. A former school refuser, she advocates for learner-centered environments that prioritize safety, consent, and wellbeing. Her work has been featured in a BBC documentary, The Guardian, The Times, and a 2016 TEDx talk. - Alice's Website- Alice on YouTube

It's a topical one this week and so we've dashed out a fun and at times pretty controversial episode on the new bill. It starts out restrained and then descends into unexpected rants. What's the conclusion? It's time to both boss up and settle down.

To settle down: Join the friendly little community we've established! Here is the link to join (did we mention it's free?): https://www.skool.com/home-education-uk-1347/about

To boss up: check out some of these places to get your inner activist going ...

The bill - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3909

A summary - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/695e578a8ab0677c14afdfc9/childrens_wellbeing_and_schools_bill_2024_policy_summary_notes.pdf

An article - https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/news-and-blogs/the-childrens-wellbeing-and-school-act-passes-into-law/

The OU survey - https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/openuniversity/home-education-futures

The petition - https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/756811

Some of the much maligned groups we mentioned! -

https://www.educationotherwise.org/

https://educationalfreedom.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hefa2021/

And two great sites from people working tirelessly to make a difference in home ed:

https://doingeducationdifferently.co.uk/

https://edyourself.org/