HEA Gets it Wrong Regarding Ex-Teachers Keen to Support Home Educating Families

Jan, 2022

The president of the HEA Karen Chegwidden went on record on Radio National's flagship morning current affairs show AM this morning expressing the association's concern about the number of teachers leaving the school system and setting up homeschooling businesses. She said that they should be part of distance education provision and not home education, which she indicated should be left up to parents.

I find this comment disturbing and a bit sad, although the HEA is not the 'peak home educating body' it purports to be and only represents its membership and not the broader home educating community. And it certainly doesn't reflect what I see as the reality unfolding in our community.

There is an exciting revolution taking place in home education and while I was dubious at first and do have some remaining concerns regarding the preparedness of regulatory authorities to handle the massive increase in registration applications, I am hopeful and optimistic about the overall effect of this influx of enthusiastic and engaged professional educators, many of whom are themselves parents.

They're keen to meet long standing existing needs as well as new needs currently emerging in our home educating community. And, from the conversations I've had with quite a few teachers leaving the school system in the last few months, they are keen to learn as much as they can about the nature of home education, how they can be a part of this vibrant, established community.

Change can be challenging and hard to embrace. Hundreds of thousands of families have experienced a version of homeschooling over the past 2 years during periods of lockdown. And just as many teachers have discovered different ways of engaging with their students.

Whereas once home education was often viewed with suspicion many teachers have caught a glimpse of what it can be - and already is for thousands of experienced home educating families. They're starting to get a taste of the freedom and flexibility that is home education and are excited by the potential to be part of this thriving, vibrant alternative.

A door has been opened. Yes, it is a bit chaotic at the moment, but the home education movement is decades old and robust. And tried and proven models of engagement with our community do exist and there are many home educators ready to embrace and accept this change.

The current management committee of the HEA has once again demonstrated how out of touch it is with our home educating community.