Developing self-esteem for home educated teens

Recently we have been supporting our home ed teen apply for college in Cornwall. Not having gone down the societal norm of exams as a way of securing a placement we discovered some amazing people who were willing to explore how our eldest son could begin 6^th form.

We wanted to share some tips and links to support those who are bravely removing their children from mainstream and whilst many would love to but don’t feel ready to we hope this will help as many adults as possible to see there is always a way. It might not be easy, but when you are at the head of curve, you are paving a new way and so the hard work is required. Much like when we plant a tree, we know we will never see that tree in its glory, and we do know we leave a legacy for generations to come.

We have found that by supporting our children to experiment with subjects and activities, as much possible, has empowered them to make mistakes, change their minds, and apply previous knowledge in a new area. They have found their passion, personal interests (and reasons why) and their own learning style, through informal exploration and formal exam board materials.

6 tips for adults home educating their teens

Encourage your child to read even in small half hour chunks. We have always suggested to our children to read for 30 minutes or so before bedtime. They still do this now at 16 and 13. This helps them relax and removes their thoughts of the day. This often creates conversation the next day about words and their meanings and the topic or story line of the book.
Create opportunities for them to volunteer in the local community so they can be in service and understand more about the area they live within – this builds a sense of self, independence and opportunities to be with others adults in a different environment.
Speak to friends and families about possible work experience in their industry.
Create a portfolio with your child – this will be super helpful when you apply for college. Ask for references from any work experience or volunteering experiences -these can help build a picture of your child including their skills and attributes.
Ask teachers or ex-teachers – there are quite a few around to mark projects. Our son worked on a two- year art project and we found a teacher who marked it against at AQA syllabus and gave him feedback. This was considered by the college our son applied for as they could see all the evidence of his work and experimentation.
Let them find their own rhythm. Most children at main stream school get a 40 minutes lesson and we would say most teachers there is often no more than 15 minutes of learning. Most children prefer a routine so create a basic timetable for the whole family to see. Create breaks and holidays and space around the learning for discussion and development.

Some links you may find helpful

Tutor and Exams – national centres
https://www.tutorsandexams.uk/taunton/

Book suggestions
https://www.goodreads.com

Cornwall council home education
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/schools-and-education/elective-home-education/