I have had the pleasure to work with my kids through the school years in a #HomeEd environment. I have seen them learn and grow into the mature and responsible young adults they are today.
The Workshop
This week I have had the privilege of working with other HomeEd parents at #HEFFest2025 in a relaxed workshop focusing on supporting learning in mathematics, organically designed as the week progressed.
We explored concrete materials to bring numbers to life, each with several uses, applicable to a wide range of learning objectives. Families played logic puzzles and games to covertly engage learners in thinking about mathematical concepts in the spirit of competition. I described quick fire activities with cards, counters, dice, spinners, and fingers to get warmed up and repeatedly practice number sense without pen and paper. As the week progressed, I wrote expanding topic progression plans (broken down into micro steps), allowing parents to identify sticking points and revisit successful learning in order to maximise success.
I found great satisfaction engaging with parents at HEFFest. They are devoted to their kids and their future, giving their time and energy to support their development from good times and bad times (from experience, those bad times can be really quite bad).
Key Takeaways
It was interesting for me to observe some differences between classroom learning and HomeEd learning:
- HomeEd parents admit they do not know something and feel nervous about teaching a concept, then they quickly do something about it.
- HomeEd parents take time with learning, if their learners need more time to master a concept, they get it.
- Learning at home is free from schedules, if a discussion or exploration extends beyond the planned objectives, the plan of learning extends with it.
- The age of the learner, or suggestions of a regional curriculum document, are a guide to the learning choice, curricula suggest a framework and progression, but should, and do, allow for flexibility.
- HomeEd parents recognise hard questions and aim to find answers instead of using statements like, “because that is how it is done.”
Reflections
Whether you’re a home educator or a professional in a traditional school setting, there’s much to learn from the successes of HomeEd learners. Home Education offers a different, but equally powerful, path to learning. It’s no longer a fringe movement—it’s a growing, thriving approach embraced by families across the country. If you’re involved in education in any capacity, I encourage you to explore the achievements of learners on this path—you may find inspiration for your own practice
Have you experienced learning outside a traditional classroom? What surprised you the most?