Welcome to The Educating Parent Beverley Paine's archive of articles about homeschooling and unschooling written over a period of 30 plus years

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Free directory of Australian homeschooling and unschooling support groups organised by national, state and territories

 
Plan, record and report all in the one document! Always Learning Books planners available in each year level to suit your homeschooling needs, includes curriculum checklists
Australia's original homeschooling manual from veteran home educator Beverley Paine, how to write your own learning plan and curriculum to meet your child's needs
Let Beverley and friends help you design and write your own curriculum to suit your child's individual learning needs, learn how to prepare lessons, unit studies and more, record and evaluate your children's learning in this series of 3 parent workbooks developed on Beverley's popular homeschool manual Getting Started with Home School Practical Considerations
Introduction to
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  National and State
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  Yearly Planner, Diary & Report Beverley's Original Home Ed Manual Series of How To
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Support Groups: National SA VIC NSW QLD TAS ACT NT
Registration Guides: VIC NSW QLD SA WA TAS ACT NT

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How Do You View Your World?

© Grace Chapman

Perspective. How do you see your world most of the time? Is it full of burdens or challenges? Do you see challenges/difficulties as opportunities for growth? Growth of what? The heart-not the physical heart but the storehouse of love, peace and joy. Do you see the child who is behaving radically different or difficult as a burden, or as an opportunity for you to stretch your way of being?


To live is to change;
to be perfect is to have
changed often.

What an eventful three months! It seems disasters, crises and challenges are falling thick and fast. Generally speaking from what I have seen, many are having the 'rug pulled out from under their feet' - providing the opportunity to make lemonade out of lemons. I send my love to all of you-especially those who are focusing their efforts on recovering and rebuilding their lives following any disaster/crisis/challenge.

We have not escaped the stormy seas -Amongst other things, I miscarried at three months, Nick's job almost disappeared and it seemed that no one wanted to install solar power systems but I say that we've ridden the stormy seas and are now on calmer waters. I am grateful to the many friends who offered me kind words of comfort and understanding when they learned of the miscarriage. I didn't think I would sink as low as I did  - but there's no accounting for the power of hormones, feelings, and 'lost' dreams. I am eternally grateful to my Mother and Father who rearranged their lives to give me the time and space I needed to recover mentally, physically and emotionally. Just thinking about the love and compassion that I received ~ and know that people have for each other ~ overwhelms and excites me!

I speak with many people who are worried that they might not be doing the best thing for their children. I know that feeling well. I lived with it for the first few years of being home based learners, even though I 'knew' I had made the best choice for our family. It was the choice that reflected our values but once the decision was made there was still an underlying sense of doubt. Not anymore though. If there is one thing I could give to families just starting out as home based learners, it would be to encourage you to know what you value and make the choices that reflect those values. That goes for people who enrol in schools too, as well as for families who have been home based learners for a while. Save yourself the sleeplessness and agony of being unsure. Whatever you choose to do, do it with joyfulness. Joy comes from doing what we know is right. When we are joyous, then hurts don't hurt so much and happy times last longer. Joy helps you to do your best and doing your best leads you to feeling joyous!

Joyously.  Passionately. Without reservations. That's how we are meant to live our lives so once you've made a decision on you're approach to home based learning, do it without reservation. That doesn't mean you won't see any trains coming your way nor will you do it with any lesser degree of excellence. Change your approach when you see the need to do so. If lots of  'distractions' are coming your way, then embrace them without worry about what 'schooling' the kids are missing out on. Life, what happens in your family, is your child's greatest education. The distractions could be an opportunity for you to find out what you value. Prioritise. Choose to do what best reflects your values-and don't look back! We've got all the time we need and I believe that if we live our lives joyously, without holding on to worry or guilt to drain our energy, then we really will do all the things that are important to us. And we will see more of the golden opportunities that always surround us.

A friend pointed out that now is a good time for family discussions on consumerism, advertising etc. Why now? Well the Harry Potter movie has been released, right on Christmas time and look at the paraphernalia that is on sale. It's a prime example showing how advertising and consumerism go hand in hand. Now, as at Easter, is also timely for respectfully discussing differences in religious practices.

At this time of year, when the accent is on the spirit of unity, goodwill, generosity, giving and receiving,  I wish you Joy, Peace and Well-being.

IN appreciation of the individuals who have contributed to the informative and inspiring content of this and every other issue of "Stepping Stones" ( SSHED ), I leave you with this powerful quote from Cardinal Henry Newman, cited in Inviting the Mystic, Supporting the Prophet. p7

Grace is a home educating mother of three in far north Queensland. Until recently, Grace was the editor and producer of Stepping Stones For Home Educators. Her articles have appeared in magazines such as Byronchild Magazine and Education Choices .

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Beverley Paine with her children, and their home educated children, relaxing at home.

Together with the support of my family, my aim is to help parents educate their children in stress-free, nurturing environments. In addition to building and maintaing this website, I continue to create and manage local and national home educating networks, help to organise conferences and camps, as well as write for, edit and produce newsletters, resource directories and magazines. I am an active supporter of national, state, regional and local home education groups.

"You've been an inspiration to me, I love the way
you really listen to people."
Vanessa

"Whenever I read your writing I always come away
with increased confidence in my ability to provide and
share a wonderful learning journey with my family!"
Davina

"Your guidance, understanding, support and words of
wisdom changed our lives. We now offer support and
organise many homeschooling events for others."
Lesley

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I am convinced that your books are going to add
quality and peace of mind to my journey of teaching my kids
at home! Just from studying your website, until almost
2am in the morning, I 've been encouraged!"
Louisa

"Thank you for all your many,many reassuring words
over many, many years. You probably don't know exactly how valuable you are to the Australian Home Education community. I've been reading your stuff for maybe 8 years or more now. And I'm very grateful."
Gythaa


CLICK HERE if you want to learn
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Welcome to the World of Home Education
and Learning without School!

We began educating our children in 1985, when our eldest was five. In truth, we had helped them learn what they need to learn since they were born. I am a passionate advocate of allowing children to learn unhindered by unnecessary stress and competition, meeting developmental needs in ways that suit their individual learning styles and preferences. Ours was a homeschooling, unschooling and natural learning family! There are hundreds of articles on this site to help you build confidence as a home educating family. We hope that your home educating adventure is as satisfying as ours was! Beverley Paine

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Getting Started with
Home Educating Series of

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#1 Create Your
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let experienced home educators Beverley, Tamara and April walk you through HOW to create a learning plan that builds on solid foundations that works for YOUR family AND ticks all the boxes for home educaton registration with part 1 of this getting started with home educating serioes of parent workbooks, Create Your Own Curriculum!
Let experienced home educators Beverley, Tamara and April walk you through HOW to create a learning plan that builds on solid foundations that works for YOUR family AND ticks all the boxes for home educaton registration!

To see the full range of Beverley Paine's books on homeschooling, unschooling and natural learning visit Always Learning Books

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The information on this website is of a general nature only and is not intended as personal or professional advice. This site merges and incorporates 'Homeschool Australia' and 'Unschool Australia'.

The Educating Parent acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owners, the Custodians of Australia, and pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people viewing this website.

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Home education is a legal alternative
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are able to develop curriculum and learning programs
to suit the individual needs of their children.

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