Home schooling is surprisingly common in the Goulburn area and the parents of the group are encouraging more families to join them as a part of National Home Education Week.

They are also encouraging parents who are curious about home schooling to come along to their next meeting. “It’s just another way to school your children,” Mum Jeanelle Slater said.

The parents of GHSG chose to home school their children for a variety of reasons, from wanting to cater to individual learning needs to not being impressed with the school system.

“There are lots of reasons and everyone’s reasons are different,” Mrs Slater said.

GHSG parents use a variety of teaching methods, some of which may not normally be available in a classroom.

“I use a bit of everything, whatever works. I approach them all differently and we use a lot of what schools use but also a lot of different ones,” Joyce Neilsen, another mum in the group said.

“If I don’t know the answer, I teach them how to find the answer.”

Mrs Neilsen also said that educational materials for home schooling were not hard to find. “There are lots of resources. If you google it (home schooling) you get lots of results.”

GHSG mums say that it is completely up to their children whether they attend a traditional school or not. Some have tried school but found home schooling was more beneficial to their children’s needs. However the mums agreed that it was easier to home school if their child had never been to the mainstream system.

“It’s easier if they’ve never been because they haven’t lost that love of learning,” Mrs Slater said. The only downfall, these mums say, is getting less alone time - but it doesn’t bother them.

“For me it was just an extension of life,” Mrs Neilsen said.

“I actually like my kids,” Ms Slater added laughingly.

Goulburn Home School Group meetings are on the second Tuesday of every month with the next being on Tuesday October 11. To join this meeting call Jeanelle Slater on 0401 845 280.

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