|
A Role for Educational Jargon in the Homeschool
by Beverley Paine
Lack of confidence in our ability to teach our children at home causes the majority of the problems and issues we face. It is why so many of us give up, or don't even start, homeschooling. It is why we take so long to find the 'right' curriculum for our individual children. It costs us time, energy, angst and burn out. Anything that makes us feel more confident is a bonus.
I'm not a fan of educational jargon but it can be used to our advantage. First of all, though, we need to take a look at what it is and why it is used. Homeschoolers are a subset of educators: we live and breathe education every day, much more than parents whose children go to school. As teachers of our children we come into contact with educational language every day. And eventually we all start using some forms of educational jargon, whether we like it or not.
The people who approve our learning programs have been teachers since leaving school themselves. It's all they know. Some are happy with common sense explanations written in plain language, but most are more at home if you communicate with them in the language of schools. It takes them a long time to realise that learning at home is vastly different from learning in school. Their journey towards this understanding is made easier - and quicker - when homeschoolers bother to translate what they are doing into language the language of schools.
We don't have to do it, but I see that by doing it we are educating them about the true nature of how children really learn. We're opening their eyes in a way that doesn't threaten their existence as school teachers. The next homeschooler they interview will cop the benefit of our effort. Eventually life will get easier for all homeschoolers and if we're clever we can debug some of this jargon along the way.
I'm not saying we should use jargon in the same way educationalists often use jargon: using murky language to camouflage murky thought or ideas. Sometimes this is done to manipulate others to act the way we want them to: advertising and the media excel at this. Sometimes it is used to conceal imprecision and ignorance or to avoid accountability: foggy language leads to foggy processes which in turns means that progress can't be mapped, changes can't be evaluated, and everyone remains confused. Somewhere, someone is benefiting from this confusion! It definitely isn't our children...
Using educational jargon is okay when it's a useful shortcut and it used in context between people who will immediately understand what is being communicated. I've always made a point of reading school curricula and teacher manuals - it helps to know what schools are thinking about how learning happens. Most of the time I have to read them through two or three times, with my dictionary nearby!
Rather belatedly in our homeschooling adventure I put together a glossary of educational jargon
and terms: you'll find a copy at the end of my Translating Everyday Life into Educational Jargon Practical Homeschooling Series booklet. Not only did I want to be able to communicate my ideas about education to others, including homeschoolers and school teachers, I wanted to improve my knowledge and understanding about how children learn so I could do a better job as a home educator.
Reading and learning about different ways of teaching and helping children learn is my ongoing 'professional development' as a home educator. It took me a few years to feel comfortable using
educational terms in my everyday speech, and a year or two more before I felt at ease using them in the learning programs and curriculum I wrote for each of my children.
ee Beverley's other articles on jargon:
She also has a Practical Homeschooling Series booklet on the subject, called Translating Everyday Language into Educational Jargon.
Was this article helpful? Was it worth $1.00 to you?
Your gift of $1 or more helps to keep this site operating
offering encouragement
and reassurance to families
wanting
better outcomes for their children.
Beverley Paine with her children, and their home educated children, relaxing at home.
Together with the support of my family, my aim is to help parents educate their children in stress-free, nurturing environments. In addition to building and maintaing this website, I continue to create and manage local and national home educating networks, help to organise conferences and camps, as well as write for, edit and produce newsletters, resource directories and magazines. I am an active supporter of national, state, regional and local home education groups.
"You've been an inspiration to me, I love the way
you really listen to people." Vanessa
"Whenever I read your writing I always come away
with increased confidence in my ability to provide and
share a wonderful learning journey with my family!" Davina
"Your guidance, understanding, support and words of
wisdom changed our lives. We now offer support and
organise many homeschooling events for others." Lesley
"Thank you once again for your prompt and friendly service.
I am convinced that your books are going to add
quality and peace of mind to my journey of teaching my kids
at home! Just from studying your website, until almost
2am
in the morning, I 've been encouraged!" Louisa
"Thank you for all your many,many reassuring words
over many, many years. You probably don't know exactly how
valuable you are to the Australian Home Education community.
I've been reading your stuff for maybe 8 years or more now.
And I'm very grateful." Gythaa
|
|
Welcome to the World of Home Education
and Learning without School!
We began educating our children in 1985, when our eldest was five. In truth, we had helped them learn what they need to learn since they were born. I am a passionate advocate of allowing children to learn unhindered by unnecessary stress and competition, meeting developmental needs in ways that suit their individual learning styles and preferences. Ours was a homeschooling, unschooling and natural learning family! There are hundreds of articles on this site to help you build confidence as a home educating family. We hope that your home educating adventure is as satisfying as ours was! Beverley Paine
3 ESSENTIAL STEP BY STEP GUIDES
Let experienced home educators Beverley, Tamara and April walk you through HOW to create a learning plan that builds on solid foundations that works for YOUR family AND ticks all the boxes for home educaton registration!
|
Tap into Beverley's
experience
through her books
"Your books, your blogs helped me beyond words... they helped me to find comfort in knowing it is ok to choose exactly what is best for my family." Nisha
"Your books and information are mind blowing and already I am feeling good about this new experience." Diane
"Your guidance, understanding, support & words of wisdom changed our lives." Leslie
"I feel specially inspired by Beverley's words and, the more I read her comments, the more inspired I feel, since my need for support, respect for different parenting styles, and information are fully met." Marijo
|
 |
|
Australia's premier online annual conferences, lifetime access to video and audio recordings, freebies, notes and associated resource guides.
EVERY SUMMIT IS UNIQUE!
$29 each  2023  2022 2021
$25 each 2020 2019 2017
"Biggest and best Aussie homeschool event of the year!"
The information on this website is of a general nature only and is not intended as personal or professional advice. This site merges and incorporates 'Homeschool Australia' and 'Unschool Australia'.
The Educating Parent acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owners, the Custodians of Australia, and pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people viewing this website.
Home education is a legal alternative
to school education in Australia.
State and Territory governments are responsible
for regulating home education and have different
requirements, however home educating families
are able to develop curriculum and learning programs
to suit the individual needs of their children.
Without revenue from advertising
by educational suppliers and Google Ads
we could not continue to provide information
to home educators. Please support us by letting
our advertisers know that you found them on
The Educating Parent. Thanks!
|
About
Thank you for visiting!