Homeschooling : heeding the voices of learners

Abstract

Homeschooling research to date has focused mainly on the perspective of homeschool educators. However, heeding the voices of homeschool learners is essential for a reliable understanding of the homeschool context. This article focuses on findings regarding one homeschool learner who was a participant in a qualitative, multiple case-study of four homeschools. Homeschool educators and learners were interviewed concerning their discourses and perspectives regarding their respective homeschools. Projections were used that explored participants’ meanings at a deeper level, and there were three sessions of non-participating observation in each homeschool. The views of the homeschool learners corresponded, to a certain extent, with those of the homeschool educators, but also indicated some significant differences. Although the limited scope of the investigation prohibits generalisation, the homeschool educators all appeared to be convinced that they were acting in their children’s best interests, and yet often without accommodation or awareness of their particular needs. The homeschool learners did not communicate their needs or feelings on a conscious level, but instead bowed to the educators’ wishes. The lack of congruence on a deeper level between the views of the homeschool educators and learners is discussed from a bio-ecological perspective, thus giving due regard to both the entire context of each homeschool and developmental factors. We shall consider the implications of the findings for homeschool practice, further research and policy.