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Home education is a legal alternative to school education in Australia. State governments are responsible for regulating home education.
Different states have different requirements, however homeschooling families are able to develop curriculum and learning programs
to suit the individual needs of their children.

© Beverley Paine

"We are planing an extensive overseas trip on our yacht with our 12 year old daughter. We will have access to the internet. Can you please advise me on what web sites I need to go to and what the cost will be?" Tony

How you go about homeschooling is really up to you. Many families with teenagers opt for a more relaxed educational approach, with the student concentrating on acquiring basic skills by using selected text books that for the large part are self-instructional in Maths and writing/comprehension skills, together with a 'unit study' approach built upon whatever daily life produces. Some teens build on skills needed to satisfy their hobbies, passions or interests, and focus on these interests in their lives as the main 'theme' or structure to their learning. A good book to read is The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn, or Homeschooling The Teen Years by Cafi Cohen - both available from www.alwayslearningbooks.com.au

Look in the white/yellow pages of the phone book for suppliers of high school text books. Dymocks (here in Adelaide - and I know they have shops in all capital cities) stock a great range of books for students.

There is a list of homeschooling businesses that supply curriculum materials on my Resources pages on my Homeschool Australia website: http://homeschoolaustralia.beverleypaine.com/resources/suppliers.html

There are also some good articles and links to articles on the website too - click on "Articles" and follow the links to Homeschooling Teenagers.

You will have a very interesting and busy life with abundant educational opportunities on this journey and your young lady will have educational opportunities other parents can only dream about. I suggest that you visit bookshops wherever you stop. Before you head off create a long list of literature including the classics by the world's best authors (including translations of authors from Europe, Asia, China, Russia, South America, etc - the whole world, not just the UK, Australia and the USA, which is what kids in school are limited to studying). Let this be the back bone of her English 'course' for her high school years. Reading and writing should also include daily papers, magazines, emailing, surfing/researching the 'net (if you have acccess), radio, tv, etc. She can learn a lot about science and society by reading biographies and autobiographies of scientists, artists, architects, etc - people who have made contributions to civillisation over the millenia. The rest will happen naturally as you progress around the planet.

Most parents find that a few good maths text book and a plan like the one I've outlined above results in an excellent, balanced education. It would be worthwhile meeting with local homeschooling families before you head off - visit www.hea.asn.au for information about homeschooling groups in the Sydney area.

Good luck with your travels.

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