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A Brief History of Homelearning in BC

Homelearning in BC has a history predating the 1989 inclusion in the School Act of "homeschooling" as a viable option and with it the legal requirement of registration of school age children. This same School Act recognizes parents' right to decide on and be responsible for the educational program of their choice. School age children must, however, be registered with a school authority. Individuals and groups across the province contributed their ideas to the 1987 Sullivan Royal Commission on Education, which was the basis of these subsequent changes to the School Act. Prior to this legislation, home schooling was a choice that families made, researching and creating their own way of doing things despite the lack of recognition by the Ministry or society in general. The early homeschoolers who pioneered this movement, inspired and supported each other and this tradition continues today as families give of their time and experience for new homeschoolers through support groups as well as gathering through informal and formal networks centered around their activities.

Why home school?
The desire for learning to be more relevant for an individual child, or wanting a different social or academic experience, are some reasons people have chosen learning environments other than the public school option. Decisions are based on religious conviction, or moving away from an unworkable situation, or wanting something different. Families' motivations range from wanting more of their values reflected in the learning experience, less separation of life and learning, to a desire to respect what their child knows - honoring their individual style and preference.

What's happened since?
With the new legal requirement for registration came a funding allocation to school authorities to administer the registration of homeschoolers. A few Public, Independent and Correspondence Schools responded and so began a new era for homeschooling. The funding we received that first year seems generous by comparison with the diminishing allocations to our present level of .0125% of the funding level of the school. Public schools received around $1200 and Independent Group 1 schools $600 that first year; now those figures are reduced to $250 and $175. During this time there's also been a growth of program offerings from the public school sector, as the Ministry, school districts and distance education schools respond to the opportunity offered by the Internet, as well as a growing request for options, and increasing public interest in homeschooling.
Homeschoolers find themselves in an interesting political situation. They've become a new market for service providers and retailers, with the resulting pros and cons requiring attention to sort out the advantages of each for their family. This has sparked debates about funding, accountability, measuring success, and how to take advantage of public tax dollars for education while maintaining the values that one stands for. It highlights the question for many people wanting change, which is 'how is it possible to be innovative within a prescribed system'?
A provincial organization that was formed by homeschoolers to give voice to their issues and desires and lobby on behalf of homeschooling is BCHLA (British Columbia Home Learners Association). Visit their site: [ http://www.bchla.bc.ca ]http://www.bchla.bc.ca for more information, to read current information from around the province and to learn how to become a member and share your views.

And so, from a family's perspective
Increasing choices from within the public education system lead some to a dilemma: how much autonomy for their learning choice can parents maintain? Who determines what accountability and success means? What is worth trading or not for access to resources? In the end it is this engagement in life and learning, the deliberation of what values each family has that gives life to the lifelong learning model. And with it comes an opportunity and challenge to examine one's beliefs about learning. And the children are our feedback - what they are saying, experiencing, feeling. No one prescription for all. It is an individual family's journey to discover what will or will not work.
A homelearning pioneer mother, Lyn Suggitt, called her approach 'participatory democracy'. Discussing options with her children and supporting them no matter what they decided to do… to challenge or experience something for themselves at home or in school.

Meanwhile on the home front
Families are going to conferences, bookfairs, buying curriculum, forming clubs and taking advantage of community services, hiring tutors, using library services, cruising the internet, starting support groups, challenging the secondary systems with the older students coming of age; inventing, experiencing, experimenting…They gather for field trips, group classes, and use each other for support. They, like parents everywhere, are dealing with the trials and celebrating the insights of a family on an adventure together. As well, there is a generation of older homelearners heading out into the world, living their lives shaped by first hand experiences of choice and responsibility.
What an amazing time to be considering all of this when increasingly positive views of homeschooling are being aired publicly and there are an increasing number of options to consider, both in the short term and for post secondary opportunities.

Some Links:
BCHLA - BC Home Learners' Association
ACHBE - The Canadian Home Based Learning Resource Page. The site has the sign up info for the homeschool-ca mailing list. For those considering homeschooling, it is a great place to find information and ask questions - and there is a section for each province, including BC.
BCHSA - BC Homeschool Association