Hi Sam,

Nice to see you back.

well this reader deems it no one elses business how old Lizze Cornish's kids are, I know it's not importsnt to me

Well it is important - because reading this at the beginning you might imagine Lizzie is teaching two children at home, whereas the daughter, (presumably having decided for herself) is studying for a degree, and is working with some highly qualified professionals.

Now many people - including me - can see a lot right with home education in the early years, especially if the parent(s) involved have some knowledge of child development, teaching reading, writing, knowing when to bring in things like foreign languages, music, science and so on and at a level appropriate to the child. Or knowing when not to bring them in as the case might be.

It is knowing these strategies that distinguish the good home educator from the bad one. In fact many people who go in for home education have all these skills and know what they are doing. This is why a lot of the evidence of success or otherwise of home education is confusing. Home education is not homogenous but covers a huge variety of learning styles - certainly many more than formal schooling.

The best known "free" school in Britain has no compulsory lessons, full democratic meetings three times per week with pupils having exactly the same rights as adults, and has been running since the 1930's. It isn't perfect but I bet it gets close to Lizzie's ideal. But when children decide to learn (and remember it isn't compulsory at any age) they are taught in formal lessons.

I happen to think if Lizzie is a strong advocate of home education and as someone who claims great success in educating her own children that it would be informative for the whole of the education world if Lizzie could share her methods so the people who she rants against could emulate her success. Unless she believes all children should be taught by all parents by some sort of parental instinct.

After all she has ranted against the school system for long enough. I happen to think she ought to suggest something to put in its place other than wooly phrases.

Not compulsory of course - but Sam, don't you think it would be enlightening for the rest of us to learn from Lizzie?