First Published Tuesday, 18th March, 2008.
The following are a variety of news items, articles and interviews covering the current state of education here in the UK and abroad. Notably, there is quite a bit of information on Home Education, ranging from interviews, news items, books, blogs and highly recommended Home Ed websites, hopefully leaving no question on Home Ed unanswered.
“Square Peg, Round Hole”
In May of this year in the UK, the NAS launched their “Make School Make Sense” campaign in Westminster. It was launched in Wales in August and will be launched in Scotland on 31 October and in Northern Ireland on 28 November. No outrageous demands are being made, merely a request for recognition that our children can learn, achieve and make a positive contribution – but this requires local access to a range of mainstream and specialist schools, which are autism-friendly and where the teachers have received specialist training. This is nothing more than our children’s right.
News just in today…
“Schooling for autistics condemned”:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/5350506.stm
Josh Muggleton, a 16-year-old student with Asperger syndrome – and proud of it – tells us what it was like for him in a mainstream school.
“Square Peg, round holeâ€
(courtesy of NAS Communication Autumn 2006)
“Inclusive education promotes the idea of all children being educated together in mainstream schools. But what happens to people like me who discover it doesn’t always work?
I wasn’t a troublesome student. I never got a single detention. My behaviour was exemplary. I was keen to learn, always did my homework and was never late for school. It is not as if I went to bad schools. Both my primary and secondary schools have good records for academic achievement and excellent Ofsted reports.
So what went wrong?
First of all, soon after I started school I realized that I was a bit different from other children. I was repeatedly bullied, teased and soon discovered I was a misfit. Apparently, not many kids walk around the lines on the playground in the middle of summer with a thick coat zipped up to the hood. Being diagnosed with dyslexia also didn’t help.
Somehow I survived primary school. I treated my depression and low self-esteem with my own ‘chocolate therapy’. I hoped that secondary school would be different. Before I started, my parents wanted to meet with the school to discuss the additional support I would need. They refused. It seemed that they first wanted to see how far I would sink. Unfortunately, I sank too far and never recovered.
True inclusion only works when schools can give enough support.
At secondary school, I was bullied more than ever. The school did nothing. I became more depressed. After making serious threats to commit suicide, I received help from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service(CAMHS).
After four years of secondary school hell, I had a complete breakdown. My psychiatrist decided that I could not cope any more and signed me off on medical grounds.
So what was it that caused the breakdown?
It wasn’t just the bullying, it was the lack of understanding of the staff at the school. Nobody seemed to listen to what I was saying. I needed a place of sanctuary when things got too much for me. I needed encouragement from the teachers, not threats. If the teachers had been properly trained in ASDs, they might have been able to help me cope.
I’m now studying for A levels, using a home-based study programme. I would like to go to sixth form college, but is there anywhere that can give me the support I need?
Recently, I have been giving talks to groups about my experiences, the way my mind works and what people can do to help me. It started by accident, when my dad was asked if he knew of anyone who could speak to a small group of teachers about Asperger syndrome. I volunteered. People said my talk was insightful and I got more and more bookings. It’s one of the few positive experiences I have had.
Inclusion didn’t work for me. I tried my best to adapt, but true inclusion only works when schools can give enough support. If they can’t do that, then inclusion becomes very damaging. I’m only just beginning to rebuild my shattered confidence and self-esteem.â€
I hope that wherever you may be, your children are receiving the education they deserve.
Helpful book: Homeschooling the Child With Asperger Syndrome: Real Help for Parents Anywhere and on Any Budget by Lise Pyles.
The following are responses to Home Ed questions from times past, which may be helpful to others, especially in regard the ‘socialization’ issue. It also contains numerous links that come highly recommended by many.
Re Home Ed… It’s a lot of work, and not a decision anyone takes lightly, but as you’ll hear time and again from others and from books on Autism/Asperger’s and homeschooling, it can be extremely worthwhile. Laws differ from place to place, and families often still need to file forms, have their child evaluated from time to time, abide by particular rules, but by and large the home-ed program is parent-designed, led and delivered. A great many families really enjoy this option, and find their child blossoms in the nurturing environment of ‘home’.
It does take a lot of parental involvement, a certain amount of money to buy materials(though not as much as you might think), and it takes time.
You asked “How do you keep homeschooled children from being isolated socially? Are afterschool activities/sports enough to keep them socially interacting with their peers?
The following article answers this question very well(credit to Lise Pyles) …
Socialization and children with Asperger Syndrome
Anybody who has been homeschooling more than 20 minutes knows that the most popular probing question from the masses is: ‘And what about socialization?’ This is an especially bothersome question for families of Aspies who want to homeschool. Since lack of social skills is one of the hallmarks of the child with AS, people naturally assume that keeping a child home instead of exposing him to the social climate of school will just worsen the situation. The reverse is true, in my opinion, for the following reasons:
1. School has people, but that doesn’t make it social. In fact, it is usually fairly anti-social since kids can be very cruel and bullies seem to be an ever-present part of the school experience. What is social about exposing our children to daily torment? Nothing. AS children are natural targets for bullies and the situation frequently results in a tantrum, depression or violence, all of which could have been avoided by avoiding this ‘social’ atmosphere.
2. Homeschooling does not mean denying social experiences. To the uninitiated, homeschooling conjures a picture of cloistering your child at home all the time. For most homeschoolers, nothing could be further from the truth. There are trips to the library and the park, gatherings with other homeschoolers, and lessons and clubs that tie in with the child’s interests. And we still live in neighbourhoods, still have extended family and friends, church, etc. Homeschooling does not mean restricted movement but rather greater flexibility.
3. Social experiences tend to be more positive when done through home education. As homeschooling parents, we can monitor social gatherings to keep them positive. That is, we can pick and choose the activities, watch for bullies and intervene, head off other kinds of trouble, and teach our children with spontaneous social lessons ‘in the moment’, (or make a note to discuss things later). In short, we are on deck. Finally and perhaps most importantly, we can steer our children gently homeward before sensory overload undermines the whole event. In school, our kids do not get the luxury of this kind of protection or customized teaching. It’s usually a case of ‘sink or swim.’ Our kids tend to do more sinking than swimming.
4. Homeschoolers may get more social opportunities out of their day. When we homeschooled, my son was in the comfort zone of his home surroundings for mornings of academic work, and that still left him with some energy in the afternoons and evenings to try other things. Parks department classes, bowling league, swimming lessons, and Boy Scouts were just some of the things he tried. When we stopped homeschooling and put him into a regular school, however, these fell away. He was too burned out from the school day to do anything else, and quit all outside activities. Although he’d wanted to try public school and did fine academically, the trade-off was that he gained some very negative social experiences and lost some very positive ones.
5. The idea that our kids need the classroom experience of having positive role models around them every day is suspect. It’s true that positive role models are better than negative ones, but just placing our kids alongside peer-age, so-called normal kids does not mean that they will intuitively pick up on proper behaviour. In fact, more often than not, they will not pick things up intuitively. Things like social graces, body language and speech pragmatics must be consciously and deliberately and specifically taught, bit by bit. Unless the child has a one-to-one aide to provide full-time tutelage in these things and allow ample rehearsal time, not many skills will be picked up. Contrast that with the home environment, where the parent does have the time and patience to teach these things and can provide a safe place for rehearsing them.
6. Finally, we need to measure by a different yardstick. Our AS kids do not typically need or want the same level of social interaction than their neurologically typical peers do. Not everyone wants to be surrounded by others all day long, have large parties, or a dozen friends. Many of us(self included) cherish solitude, are happiest in our own company and function better with fewer social interactions. This is not abnormal, only different, and it should be honoured. It is far better to have a little interaction and look forward to more another day, than to have too much interaction and suffer devastating consequences.
For further information on the ‘socialization’ issue:
http://www.nhen.org/newhser/default.asp?id=227#soc
You asked “How do you know when or if the time is right for such an important decision?â€
Some parents home educate from the beginning as they ‘couldn’t even find a school that would suit their child’, in our case, I was exhausting myself staying up late, typing away in the home/school communication book into the early hours in order to provide suggestions and assist the school toward better understanding and provision to no real avail despite a “Statement of Special Educational Needs†being in place. My son continued having panic attacks, night terrors, bowel issues(which have since completely disappeared since home-ed was introduced). He is now free to learn and is thriving in every sense of the word. We tried both private and public schools. The current NAS “Make School Make Sense†Campaign says it all. I spent many months researching ‘Home Education’, went onto the Autism UK list for feedback, and gathered quite a hefty folder of valuable information. When the time came, I knew instinctively that the time was right and have never had a day’s regret.
The following sites are recommended and cover everything you could wish to know about Home Ed:
http://www.education-otherwise.org/Legal/sinc.htm
http://www.he-special.org.uk/
http://www.heas.org.uk/
http://www.muddlepuddle.co.uk/
http://www.home-education.org.uk/
http://www.home-education-centre.co.uk/
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~tammyglaser798/authome.html
Statistics on Home Ed in Australia:
http://www.hea.asn.au/hea/news_viewarticle.asp?id=46
For further reading “Home Educating Our Autistic Spectrum Childrenâ€:
Alan Philips and his wife Helen have two children, Lee and Greg, now aged 21 and 19. They have home educated for 13 years and continue to run a programme to support Greg.
Alan and Helen have set up a consultancy service to give direct support to other parents in the practicalities of home teaching and helping their children, especially those at the severe end of the spectrum. They have experience in helping families to prepare cases for SEN tribunals and also in helping them to obtain funding from education authorities for home-based education programmes.
http://www.cary.demon.co.uk/paths/
You asked “Can you give me some idea of how your day is structured and how it works for all involved?â€
There are a number of different styles and approaches. “ Many of our kids are very bright and without modifying the teaching style, one would never tap into their abilities.â€(Inga Smith Sawyer) In our particular case, I put together a timetable(including English, Maths, Music, Art, R.E., Phys. Ed., Science, Geography, History, French, Home Ec/Life Skills) and this begins at 9am and finishes at 3 pm. I cover the curriculum and more. A firm, though flexible routine is in place from morning to night. M enjoys weekly trips to places like Bockett’s Farm(for trampolining, physical exercise on indoor soft mats, tunnels, slides etc), Spectrum Leisure Centre(swimming), regular library trips, visits to the Science Museum, Aquariums, Zoos, theatre(plays), cinema, local community trips, ice-skating, bowling, mini-golf, the list is endless, as well as trips abroad. Technology is incorporated into all subjects except Home Ec, Phys Ed & R. E for the moment. I plan termly in advance, with a separate daily/weekly organizer plan to ensure we’re on track. M thrives on the routine within the current timetable and we enjoy having others visit to share in particular subjects. There seems to be better sleep all round too! We have scheduled breaks throughout the day and 45 mins of exercise/sport each day. It’s very rewarding and I find that there’s ample time for myself at the end of the day(some breaks within the day included). We have family ‘movie nights’ and do a lot of fun things as a family and together, just as a couple. Life is far more relaxed and happy nowadays. R and G enjoy cooking so they have their particular cooking nights which gives me a nice break. There are quite an array of on-line courses, dozens of colleges and universities offer either a wide selection of courses or sometimes an entire degree program on-line…the choice these days is enormous. Colleges are interested in capable, motivated learners and responsible people. They find both in autistic home-schooled students.
Lastly, you asked “Do you get tired of not having that time for yourself(that you would have if M were at school)?
To this question, a definite “No†as M is a lot healthier and happier and I now look forward to each day without apprehension. So many things have fallen into place. I genuinely enjoy it. The whole family has benefited. It’s alot of fun planning each subject, and providing all these science experiments, art/craft experiences, watching the enjoyment M gets out of Music and Movement etc, seeing how much he enjoys learning now. It’s nice watching the progress and knowing that this is how learning should be – it should offer a challenge, but also be enjoyable.
The following was my response to Autism Today(phone interview).
Dear Karen,
Hope you’re well. In response to your email re “Home-Schoolingâ€, I would be delighted to share my experiences and thoughts on this topic.
1. How do you feel about your results from home-schooling?
The results to date have been outstanding. M(our 7.5year old son) is so much happier and healthier, as am I, both physically and emotionally, not to mention feeling safer in the structure of home-schooling and genuinely enjoying the vast array of learning experiences presented to him. Had I known sooner just how beneficial this particular ‘lifestyle of learning’ would be for all of us, I would have placed it far higher on my possibility list from the outset.
2. What is the effect of home-schooling in relation to other obligations, family etc?
The effects of home-schooling in relation to every aspect of family life has been positive. Life is far happier and relaxed. We have a 21 year old Aspie son who has not long completed his Honours Degree in Music and is now working full-time, who wishes he had been home-educated since he was horrendously bullied during his school years. We also have a 19 year old Aspie daughter who acknowledges how improved life is for us all without the enormous stress of having to deal with the previous school situation. Our daughter provides art experiences for special needs children and is currently studying toward the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. She also provides respite for families on demand. We work together as a very supportive family unit and continue to share quality family time all round just as we’ve always done, through mutual interests, movie nights, travel etc.
It does take a lot of parental involvement, but it’s well worth it. Our home-schooling day begins at 9am and finishes at 3pm generally, though I provide a multitude of extra activities to maintain a balance of work/play outside of those core hours. During independent activity, I am able to easily manage the daily chores(in some instances with M’s assistance as he enjoys helping and has his own chores that he takes pride in). The effects of home-schooling all round, have been positive.
3. If you’ve tried both regular and home-school schooling what is your opinion of the comparison?
Regular schooling here in the UK leaves a lot to be desired. As a parent and a member of the National Autistic Society, I fully support the current “Make School Make Sense†campaign which highlights the fact that “Local provision for children with autism is often limited, teachers’ training in autism is inadequate and children and their families struggle to access the entitlements that are their right.†This has certainly been our experience, as we have placed all of our children in both private and mainstream settings in the quest to ensure they receive the education they deserve. As parents, we need to ask ourselves – Is the school program supporting our child well? Another important factor naturally, is the quality of staff and their acceptance of difference. It’s terribly important that expectations are not lowered when it comes to children with ‘differences’, but that standards and expectations remain high. There are quite a few schools that actually handicap children in this respect.
In comparison to regular school, home-education ensures our son’s needs are met, that he receives a high quality education that includes both inside and outside of home experiences/lessons and that standards/expectations are consistently high. In fact, M has been exposed to a far greater variety of experiences while being home taught compared to those experienced in the regular school environment. Having experience with special needs/autistic children myself for many years, I feel very confident in guiding and teaching our son, though no parent needs to have had prior experience to make a good ‘teacher’. There is a multitude of support and information available for those who require it both online and offline nowadays.
4. What type of opportunity to develop social and relationship skills does your child have while being home-schooled?
The one thing that really stands out since we began home-schooling is the improved quality of social interaction. M enjoys weekly visits to a particular farm where he enjoys various activities(eg. trampolining, plenty of physical exercise on indoor soft mats, tunnels, slides etc) as well as scheduled visits to a Leisure Centre for swimming and exercise. He also visits the local library regularly and enjoys trips into the local community which is enhancing his social skills further. We enjoy visits to the London Science Museum, Aquariums, Zoos, Theatre, Cinema, Bowling, Mini-Golf, the list is endless, as well as trips abroad. It’s also great to be able to share lessons with others in our home.
M has one particular friend that he met in regular school who we regularly bring to our home in order that they might both enjoy excursions and activities both in and outside of the home(ie sporting, leisure, art, music experiences). This particular child’s mother requires respite so this works well for both our families. Particularly wonderful for M since all of his cousins, extended family live in Australia.
5. What level of education does your child get while being home-schooled?
I cover the curriculum(grade level) and more. I put together a timetable(including English, Maths, Music, Art, R.E., Phys. Ed., Science, Geography, History, French, Home Ec/Life Skills, Technology). I’d expect M to reach his full potential at his current developmental level in all areas of the curriculum, using texts, cd roms and many and varied resources that support the national curriculum. Planning-wise, I have drawn up weekly plans in every subject and am currently pre-planning the curriculum on a termly basis.
6. If you home-school your child with autism do you also home-school your other children? Please elaborate.
Our other children are now adults but I would certainly have home educated our eldest son had I known then what I know now.
7. Do you think that home-schooling your child is more effective than public or private school? Please explain.
All three of our children experienced both public and private school settings and from my experience of home schooling so far, I would have to say that home-schooling is far more effective. Far more work is being completed and of a much higher standard. There has been notable increased energy levels, possibly due to no longer having to expend great amounts at school maintaining control in unfavourable conditions(ie. Sensory violations,inadequate staff training, lack of consistent approach, bullying etc etc) In the calm, nurturing environment of home, our son is now free to learn and is rising to the challenge beautifully thus far.
8. Do you feel like you have to home-school due to the lack of support for your children in the regular school setting? We want your true feelings.
Absolutely! I fought through two attempts to have our youngest son ‘statemented’ here
in the UK in order to ensure that he would receive the education he deserves, that his requirements would be met, but very quickly discovered that what you find on paper, is very different to the reality. Despite many meetings and a genuine desire to work together as a team(ie school/parent) the LEA fully supported our decision to home school, acknowledging the very sorry state of education not just here in the UK but in the vast majority of countries world-wide, for autistic children. There are currently 500 children being home-schooled in our borough alone. We simply don’t have precious time to waste when it comes to educating our children.
Home-schooling can most certainly be considered a favourable first option as I’ve now come to realize. If met with the very deep commitment it deserves, home-schooling has been shown to produce very capable, motivated and responsible adults with a great deal to contribute to society.
Update time:): Hi everyone ~ hope you’re all doing well. Whether you’re home educating or otherwise, hope it’s all going well. Please feel free to share any stories, resources, etc you may have.
On a personal note, this week has been an extremely happy one as we have celebrated our daughter’s success gaining entry into the university of her choice to continue her studies in psychology. We’re a very closeknit family and it’s going to take some adjusting not having our sweet girl around on a daily basis. We have grandparents arriving from Australia shortly for a visit, along with other family and friends. An exciting time all round.
On the home education front, things are going wonderfully. Our youngest is so much more confident and happier these days and remains a pleasure to teach. We’ve managed to take in a couple of great plays locally lately. One entitled, “Johnny Spacehopper and his Vital Statistics”, tied in beautifully with the national curriculum and had a Star Wars theme so went down very well. The other was very British(The Chuckle Brothers), with a hint of olde world charm. I did feel sorry for those members of the audience who wound up with cream pies in their faces though ~ very pantomimish:).
Enough of my ramblings… On with the latest news on the home ed front.
For those who aren’t aware, the UK home education community is entering an unsettling period. We are currently on the eve of consultations which may lead to new legislation affecting English home educators and which may, for the first time in English history, restrict how parents can teach their own children; prescribe what the government wants young people to learn; enforce what we teachor have the threats of our children forcibly returned to school or face fines or imprisonment.
By May 2007, the consultations will be over and we may know what the government wants to impose upon us. Many are making their voices heard in regard this. Whatever the outcome, it will change forever the way home education is practiced in England.
There is good news for home educators in Europe. Romania is soon likely to bring forward legislation legalising home education. French home educators have successfully fought off an attempt by one of their parliamentary commissions to bring forward amendments to legislation which would have effectively made home education in France illegal for most parents.
We’ve also seen the birth of a new Home Education support and campaign group ~ AHEd. This is the first national group in the UK since Schoolhouse was formed 10 years ago and HEAS was formed in 1995.
“Journal of Home Education”
Published 4 times a year by Cinnamon Press. 64 large format pages (246mm by 189mm crown format) perfect bound with a full colour cover (bound and finished as laminate paperback book). We intend the journal to become the highest quality source of news and information available on the subject. A publication that can be kept and referred back to for years to come.
http://www.home-education.org.uk/journal.htm
News Item
“In Pictures: Class of one, school run”:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/in_pictures_class_of_one/html/1.stm
“Virtual school beats real thing”:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/5382994.stm
Websites
“Syntheticphonics”
Here you will find miscellaneous reading and writing resources which are free to download. Ideal for home and school. Use them flexibly and imaginatively. Some are ready for use, some you can use to make your own teaching aids, some you can adapt for different ability groups by using them in different ways.
http://www.syntheticphonics.com/resources.htm
“Askability”
The children’s society have developed what they call ‘the world’s first website for disabled children and young people.’ It uses pictures to communicate news and information.
http://www.askability.org.uk/
“Resisting the Herdâ€
Jan Fortune-Wood
One of my favourite books is “Possessing the secret of Joy†by Alice Walker. It’s the third in a trilogy that begins with the more famous book “The Color Purpleâ€. It’s not a story for the faint-hearted, taking up, as it does, the story of Tashi and the consequences in her life of the practice of female genital mutilation. It has one of the greatest endings of any book; the penultimate line being “resistance is the secret of joy.â€
A few years ago a friend who works largely in alternative and small schools education commented that doing anything with a group of home educators is like trying to herd cats. He didn’t mean it as a compliment, but it is, in fact, a huge strength, and one that we need more than ever if the freedoms we enjoy as home educators are to survive for future generations.
Home educators are indeed known as an independent minded lot. Sometimes this makes the things we do together a bit trickier, but for all that I still wish that long may it continue. Cats, after all, are not setting out to be deliberately awkward; they are simply following their nature: being autonomous and independent.
However, in the face of mainstream educational establishment that sees education as a product to be consumed and families and children as units to be controlled, then we can all too easily be conceived as defiant and to be distrusted.
Despite talk about diversity, society and governments seem intent on deciding what is the “normâ€. A recent anti-home education ruling in Europe made it explicit that minorities in particular are to be targeted for integration and the recent DfES suggestion that they should be able to monitor home educators to see that we teach citizenship similarly demonstrates and urge towards conformity not only in education, but in identity. There is a distrust of anything that is ‘other’.
The pressure to conform comes in a variety of packages, but most home educators feel it at some point. We’ve personally experienced it from good friends who feel that our decision not to use schools reflects badly on their continued use of school provision. They are particularly uneasy when they know that their own children are unhappy or deemed to be failing at school and our home educating lifestyle seems to be a threat – often leading them to believe that attack is the best form of defence. In the past, we also experienced it from my former employees who felt that home education was an over-protective indulgence and that we should be taking a lead in making our children ‘join in’ with the local culture even if it meant they were unhappy, frightened and not thriving in education or life. Our children have experienced the pressure to conform for themselves, often from school going friends who wanted to prove that they were getting something worthwhile by being forced into school. Other families are put under pressure by their extended family or neighbours, often in the name of the children’s ‘best interests’ although words like ‘conformity’ and ‘fitting in’ are never far from the surface.
The European Convention on Human Rights enshrined on the 2000 Human Rights Act says that children have a right to an education in line with their parents’ philosophy. When the DfES begins to talk about setting criteria against which they will judge our education they have forgotten this. The criteria are not theirs to set, they are ours and any criteria that we set for ourselves are not likely to be homogenous; there is no monolithic voice of home education. Philosophies vary. Home educating beliefs and lifestyles cover a vast range. One of the things I most value about gatherings like HES FES in the summer is the opportunity to see this vast range of family shapes, beliefs, educational styles, political opinion etc thrown alongside one another and all equally laying claims to ‘normality’.
Home educators are a wonderful illustration of the fluidity and dynamic nature of culture and identity. We educate not according to any standardized curriculum, but according to a cornucopia of philosophies, some of them based on minority cultures, some fantastically idiosyncratic and yet all of which have a matrix of links to the cultures and places in which we exist. All of us are anchored within cultural contexts, but the difference for home educators is that whilst we participate, we do not do so unquestioningly or uncritically.
What home educators miss out by not taking part in schools is not some deeply valuable cultural experience, but simply homogeneity. What we lack, or rather eschew, is the common belief that children can be fitted into neat little boxes and that their minds are no more than empty buckets waiting to be filled with the prescribed list of so called ‘essentials’ that so often turn out to be little more than a veneer for cultural control and dumbing down. That is no loss at all, but is rather another sign of our independent minds and autonomy and a gift to the communities in which we live.
As home educators we network, we support one another, we share skills or resources, we share ideas and we participate in common activities where they nurture and coincide with children’s intrinsic learning motivation. What we don’t do is surrender that basic learning autonomy which makes home education such an exciting, unpredictable, but still eminently ‘normal’ human adventure. As home educators we live within given cultures in which there are huge reservoirs of accumulated knowledge; we don’t throw it all out, but we do ask questions, we do criticize, we do offer new insights to society at large and to one another.
Trying to make home educators conform might very well be likened to trying to herd cats, but that is no bad thing. There is a wonderful poem by A.S.J. Tessimond that begins,
“Cats, no less liquid than their shadows,
Offer no angles to the wind.â€
And goes on to describe a creature that slips through loopholes, will not be pinned to rules or routes for journeys, will not learn to answer to names and is seldom truly owned (unless shot or skinned!) For those of us seeking to respect and nurture our children’s autonomy; for those of us who believe that each person’s intrinsic motivation is the core of life learning, that’s not such a bad analogy. We may want to gather together to reassure and support one another, to share our resources and test our ideas, but we should be proud to remain difficult to herd, at least as difficult as cats. Cats and home educators can agree with Alice Walker that RESISTANCE IS THE SECRET OF JOY.
“Notes from a Homeschooling Dad”
Jeff Kelety
Quirks of Fate:
A Homeschooling Look at Being Different
It came on with all the subtly of a sledgehammer.
“I like Mom more than you,” Myles announced one evening in a rather matter-of-fact tone.
“Oh? Why is that?” I inquired, feeling a little injured but trying not to let it show.
“Well, you’re too stern.”
“I see.”
Now where was I supposed to go with this one? What subject do I look under in the family literature? Popular parenting, dare to discipline? It might have been humorous in the old Calvin and Hobbs comic strip when Calvin offered up unsolicited parent opinion polls, but in real life it was a little hard to swallow.
It wasn’t the fact that Myles holds a special affection for Deborah that caught me so off guard. She is, unquestionably, a very compassionate and empathetic spirit. But let’s face it, Deb’s no pushover. In fact, on the “stern-o-meter” I’d say we’re about evenly matched, both of us pretty easy going, but straight up with the kids when something’s off the mark. So why was I the one getting the two thumbs down? The scales of parental justice were definitely not tilting in my favor.
For a little while I managed to let it go. I tried to convince myself that Myles’ proclamation was just a normal kid thing, a phase that would soon pass. After all, who could really find fault with such a self-effacing, boating, biking, wrestling, reading, model plane building, all-around homeschooling dad like me? Every kid should be so lucky – so I thought. But something was definitely amiss. It wasn’t just the occasional blunt criticism. Lately there were fewer hugs with Myles, fewer wrestling matches and fewer laughs together. He had even begun to stiffen ever so slightly when I would lean over for a goodnight kiss.
How could this be happening? Wasn’t it supposed to be me and the kids forever – one for all, all for one, four peas in a pod, the captain and his crew? But try as I might to simply will the thing away, a sort of gray cloud had settled between Myles and I.
About the time that I was becoming aware of the growing distance between us, I was also becoming conscious of what I deemed to be increasingly quirky eight-year-old behavior. For instance, Myles hopped. He always had. It was easy to dismiss when he was young, but now as a strapping almost nine-year-old, it gave me pause. Similarly, from time to time, Myles would vigorously wave or flap his hands. And it seemed he was having some difficulty relating to his peers. Other kids his age had buddies, but Myles more often than not would be off on his own. Not discontent, just off on his own. And while his peers were branching into music, sports and other interests, Myles remained focused almost exclusively on the pursuit of history.
Now don’t get me wrong here. Myles is a terrific kid – bright, inquisitive, a voracious reader and sweet as can be. He just had these, well, quirks. I reasoned, therefore, that it was my fatherly duty to de-quirk my son. So I began to gently ask Myles to refrain from hopping or to keep his hands at his side. To this, I added periodic lectures about annoying mannerisms. Despite these concerted efforts, however, nothing seemed to work for very long; my de-quirking campaign was clearly ineffective.
Naturally, rather than seek insight, I merely redoubled my efforts. The admonitions and lectures became more frequent. And I suppose you could characterize my temperament as having shifted from gentle to, dare I say it, stern.
The thoughtful reader will have begun, of course, to put two and two together by now. In view of the onslaught of my constant nagging, who could blame Myles for keeping his emotional distance from me? But hindsight is always 20-20 and this sort of self-defeating pattern might have gone on for some time were it not for the perceptiveness of a close friend.
It turns out that our friend, a nurse-practitioner and a keen observer of children, was acquainted with a boy Myles’ age who shared many of the same distinct behaviors. She recounted to us that this boy had been diagnosed with a neurological disorder called Asperger’s Syndrome. A neurological disorder? Finally it had been said. At last something that had been dangling obliquely in the back of our minds had been brought to the clarity of day. Could it be that Myles’ “quirks” were not random at all, but really belonged to a larger class of behavior?
Deb immediately began an intensive review of the literature. Gratefully there was a good deal of information readily available on the web and in print. Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a neurological disorder that impairs a child’s ability to read and internalize normal social cues, the sort of thing that most of us learn unconsciously. They may, for instance, blurt out perfectly accurate but entirely inappropriate remarks such “You are very fat.” They may also approach acquaintances and begin a topic in mid-stream, leaving the listener somewhat bewildered. As a result, AS kids often have difficulty sustaining friendships. In addition to the social component, AS kids frequently exhibit repetitive motor behaviors such as hopping or hand waving and have generally poor coordination. They may also develop a singular focus of interest – in Myles’ case, history – and have a tremendous capacity for retaining information. AS kids are predominantly boys of above average intelligence. Often their ability to focus on a single interest can translate into high levels of professional achievement. Many have hypothesized, for instance, that Albert Einstein was affected by AS.
Together, Deb and I reviewed the characteristics of AS and to our astonishment, it was as if we were reading a story written expressly about Myles. Relief and sadness welled over us all at the same time – relief to know there was an identifiable antecedent to Myles’ unique behavior and some sadness to realize that we faced a potentially life-long challenge.
Nevertheless, an immediate and significant change in my approach toward Myles accompanied the recognition that his quirks were, in fact, quirks of a genetic nature. My program of incessant nagging came to an abrupt halt. I realized that my son’s distinct behavior is part and parcel of who he is, no more separable from the person of Myles than the color of his eyes, the shape of his chin or the depth of his curiosity. My program of nagging was replaced by something far more effective – simple, unconditional acceptance. Some people cough, some people twitch, some people jog and some people hop – we are all the same, we are all different.
For the last eight years in my role as a homeschooling father I thought I knew the meaning of acceptance, thought I knew how to revere the essence of an individual. But it wasn’t until recently, when measured against the crucible of “different,” that I began to fathom what it means to fully honor and accept the individual.
Hopping is no longer discouraged in our household. In fact, with the Christmas acquisition of a trampoline, hopping and bouncing are celebrated by the whole family. Tigger is our inspiration. And gratefully, hugs and laughter and kissing have returned. The cloud that threatened to engulf my relationship with Myles has lifted, not because he changed, but because I changed. Quirks of fate grew into quirks of love.
Further Thoughts
Asperger’s Syndrome is not a cognitive impairment in the traditional sense. Asperger kids are typically above average learners who often have a tremendous facility with selected subjects. What causes these kids the greatest difficulty is their impaired ability to process and integrate social information. This makes AS kids different and being different in our culture is not easy, particularly in school. Being different in a school setting usually spells disaster for special needs children in the form of teasing, taunting and ostracism. It is for this reason that Tony Attwood, a prominent researcher in the field of Asperger’s Syndrome, refers to school as a “social minefield”1 for AS kids.
Homeschooling offers an important alternative to institutional instruction and has two potent benefits for the special needs child. First, and foremost, it provides an environment of acceptance in which a child is free to be his or her self without fear of ostracism. A child needs to feel safe, accepted and rooted in order to expand intellectually and emotionally. This is, of course, true of all children, but it is particularly important for an AS child who will often battle as much with the despair of not readily making friends as they do with the AS characteristics themselves. Family and close community support offers a safe training ground for acquiring those social skills that come naturally to most children.
Second, homeschoolers have the flexibility to concentrate on the acquisition of “friendship skills” as they have been referred to by Attwood and Gray 2. The typical response in a school setting to inappropriate social interaction is public criticism. The underlying assumption is that the interaction was entirely of the child’s own volition. In a homeschool setting, on the other hand, ineffectual social behavior can be viewed as opportunities for replaying and correcting the interaction in a completely non-judgmental and didactic way. Reading material that illustrates friendship behaviors can be stressed, journals of successful social activities can be kept and specific, mutually supportive playmates can be encouraged.
We take the acquisition of social and friendship skills largely for granted, but for AS kids, and kids with related Autistic Spectrum Disorders, these skills do not come naturally. Gratefully homeschooling offers a wonderful environment for nurturing these critical life skills.
For more information on Asperger’s Syndrome and related Autistic Spectrum Disorders, refer to the resource list below.
AUSTRALIA – “Home Schooling Aspergers”
“A journey into the trials and tribulations of home educating our child with Aspergers. A place for learning, sharing, crying, celebrating and self eduction of the less-focused parent.”
http://homeschoolingaspergers.blogspot.com/
Important news for those home educating in the UK:
“Confirmation from DfES that they have no intention of changing the existing legal framework, nor to make registration compulsory, is very good news indeed.”
Going to school ‘not compulsory’
Home education frees children from the national curriculum and tests
Councils in England are being reminded that parents have the right to educate their children at home if they wish.
Proposed Department for Education and Skills guidelines on “elective home education” stress that education is compulsory but schooling is not.
Councils should offer support to home educators, and parents must see that their children are suitably educated.
But the authorities have no right to enter people’s homes or make routine checks on children’s progress.
The department has been discussing the issue with several groups representing home educators and with local authorities.
It is the legal right of parents to educate their children at home if they so wish and the Department for Education and Skills supports the right of parents to make this choice for their children
DfES
Introduction to consultation
It has decided not to propose any changes to current monitoring arrangements or legislation.
It has dropped plans for compulsory registration of home-educated children.
Instead it is proposing to issue guidelines for the first time, which point out that it is fundamental to the English system that the responsibility for educating children rests on the parents.
That same principle also applies in the devolved education systems in the rest of the UK.
What parents must provide is “efficient full-time education” suitable to their children’s age, ability and aptitude and any special educational needs.
SOME REASONS PEOPLE CHOOSE HOME EDUCATION
Distance or access to school
Religious, cultural or philosophical beliefs
Dissatisfaction with the system
Bullying
Short-term particular reason
Child’s unwillingness or inability to go to school
Special educational needs
Parents’ desire for closer relationship with children
Most do this by sending their children to school, but some prefer home education.
Nobody knows how many. Research commissioned by the education department said it might range between 7,400 and 34,400, while the guidance notes say it might be 40,000 and councils are working with half that number.
The proposed guidance says local authorities now have a duty to try to identify children in danger of missing education.
But it says they have “no statutory duties in relation to monitoring the quality of home education on a routine basis”.
It really is so heart-warming to families to have their choices recognised in this way
Ann Newstead
Education Otherwise
They could intervene only if they have “good reason” – it stresses – to believe parents were not providing a suitable education.
They could ask parents to provide information. Parents “are under no duty to comply” though it would be “sensible” to do so.
Serving a school attendance order should be “a last resort”.
Allegations
The aim should be to build a trusting relationship between families and local officials.
This is something that can be lacking at present.
Some parents claim local authorities have told people to educate their children themselves, to evade their responsibilities to provide for those with special needs.
And some local authority officials have said parents sometimes claim to be home educating to hide abuse.
The guidelines accept that local authorities get no money for helping home educators, but say they should at least provide written information and website links.
They say there will be diversity in people’s approaches to education.
“Children learn in different ways and at different times and speeds.”
‘Very good news’
Consultation on the proposed guidelines runs until the end of July. They have been welcomed by one of the main home educators’ groups, Education Otherwise.
“Confirmation from DfES that they have no intention of changing the existing legal framework, nor to make registration compulsory, is very good news indeed.”
Spokesperson Ann Newstead said they appeared to be “a welcome change to the kind of documents that home educators have seen used in the past by local authorities”.
Details needed to be checked. One of the accompanying documents said registering children educated at home would be made compulsory, but the department had assured her this was an earlier draft, published in error.
“These are the most positive statements that have been coming out from the DfES,” she said.
“It really is so heart-warming to families to have their choices recognised in this way.”
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6636569.stm
Hope you’re all doing well 
. Time to catch up on the latest…
Though we now have guidance on home education from the DCSF, discussion and debate continues here in the UK. It is unlikely that LAs seeking tighter controls on home education and increased monitoring, will be satisfied. Further discussions with civil servants are expected, and continued debate may possibly lead to calls for further rewriting of current guidance. While containing some problems, overall the guidance is seen as reasonable by most of the home education community.
There is both good news and bad from Europe. Home Educators in Estonia have gained rights, while in Germany the authorities are increasing their oppression of home educating families, many of whom see their only future as exiles from their homeland.
There are two ways of seeing this: either it signals the increasing confidence of an authoritarian regime or it is the last desperate effort to crush a growing movement. Whatever the aim, with many families prepared to leave everything behind, the German authorities are clearly failing to prevent dissent.
New Phone Help Line – Education Everywhere
There is a new venture which was set up in December 2007 so that people wanting to know more about home education would be able to speak to a real human being. There are some excellent websites available which give all kinds of information to anyone who needs it. Nevertheless, people usually want to actually speak to someone on the phone before they look for such information and may want to be able to ring as often as they like to ask any questions or to seek the reassurance they so often need.
Not everyone has access to the internet and having a phone number can be a lifeline for so many people. Those of us involved with Education Everywhere have considerable experience, knowledge, information, ideas and endless patience.
We are not a business, not even strictly speaking a charity since we are not registered as such and have no money except from our own resources or from contributions from well wishers.
We ask for nothing except to be able to help.
The website is www.educationeverywhere.co.uk
or ring: 01942 897779 anytime.
SEN & Bullying
There have been two reports in the press by England’s Children’s Commissioner recently. The first, a disturbing report into the bullying of disabled and special needs children. It contains the frightful example of Peter, now 17, who told researchers that when he was in school he was badly bullied. “They would call me names, spit on me and throw stones and bottles.†When he reported it to teachers he was heartlessly told: “that I had special needs so I should get used to it as I would be bullied all of my entire life.â€
Another child was attacked because of her disability saying she was ugly. She was forced up against a wall and required 18 stitches to her head.
In what can only be thought of as barbaric behaviour, it was also reported that a child with Down’s syndrome had returned from a park with injuries and torn clothing having been attacked for entertainment.
A study of 500 children with learning difficulties aged 8-19, revealed a staggering 80% suffered persistent bullying at school, and 60% had been physically attacked.
Research indicates that in 2003-4 upwards of 45% of home educated children who left school did so because of bullying. It seems from this report that nothing much is improving.
Apparently the DCSF are working on yet another round of guidance to “stamp out bullyingâ€.
Complaints Procedures
In another report by England’s Commissioner for Children, the way in which schools deal with complaints about bullying is also criticised. He says that parents report that the formal complaints procedures of many schools lack transparency, accountability and ultimately effective redress. In other words, parents don’t know who is doing what or even if anything is done at all and ultimately nothing changes.
The commissioner is calling for:
*Families to have a right to a hearing before a governors’ committee and the opportunity to be supported by an independent presenting officer
*Universal access to independent mediation services to settle disputes between parents, children and schools
*An independent complaints panel in each local authority area to act as the final appeal body from the governors sites
*An extension of the Local Government Ombudsman’s role in order to consider issues relating to internal discipline in schools.
These measures do seem to address many of the problems of schools that fail to manage the issue. Recalcitrant head teachers not wishing to address the problem need to be made to justify their school’s policy.
Link:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7098105.stm
“England’s pupils feel less safeâ€
In a large scale international study of 45 countries, England came 37th out of 45 in a league table of feelings of security at school.
Apparently children in Iran, Morocco, Romania and the United States came higher up the scale than England. Those children who felt most safe were Norway and Sweden while those who felt least safe were South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago. There was also a high expectation that they would be injured by a classmate.
Link:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7121824.stm
“Desperate Mother Home Educatesâ€
The mother of an autistic child in Devon told how the move to a secondary special school led to “one of the most horrendous experiences her family has ever had†leading her daughter to change from being a good natured funny child to an isolated and angry child lacking in confidence.
Despite staff doing the best they could, there were so many children with so many different problems that it was impossible for the staff to have sufficient knowledge of each specialist need. She said “the lack of understanding of her condition was staggering. What is a parent to do? Stand by and watch as ignorance and a lack of training systematically destroy your child?â€
The experience of a large noisy school was too much for her autistic daughter who, in common with other autistic children, finds noise, disruption and change unbearable. She said her daughter eventually became “a ranting monster†because her needs were not being met.
Being a writer she put together some guidance on how she worked with her daughter at home, but despite the staff willingly taking this on board, it was too little too late.
She finally took the decision to home educate her child at half term and though she no longer has time for herself she describes it as a pleasure.
Referring to the ex-secretary of state who placed her dyslexic child into a £15 000 a year private specialist school she added “there are many, many families struggling with children with special needs and very few of them have the benefits of financial security and political sway enjoyed by the likes of Ms Kelly. She has made a choice for her son -but it is also a choice for herself. People like me haven’t got a choice. I am trying hard not to be angry. But I am.â€
The DfES have previously stated that state schools are suitable for all children.
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml;jsessionid=IRT3JKYFQRCGFQFIQMFCFFOAVCBQYIV0?xml=/education/2007/01/10/eglue10.xml
“Widening Home Education Opportunities at the Open Universityâ€
The OU region of London, which in the past refused to accept under 16 year olds, has accepted a home educated child after it was pointed out to them that it was contrary to the new Age Discrimination Act not to do so. This could mean an end to the postcode lottery faced by home educated young people wanting to enrol in OU courses.
Meanwhile, the Wales region of the Open University receives a thumbs up. It has led the way in taking a flexible and supportive approach to the inclusion of home educated young people under sixteen over at least the last four years and without any pressure from legislation.
“Facebook profiles used by admissions tutorsâ€
The Guardian is running a story that the admissions tutor of Emanuel College, Cambridge University has stated that he checks up on prospective candidates facebook profiles. Cambridge University are playing down the admission as a throwaway remark in the college magazine, but that’s of little consequence – if true. In writing the article he clearly had no appreciation of the implications of his actions.
The reason why this is important is that young people’s FB profiles often include information of a deeply personal nature that, if known by admissions tutors, would breach university equal opportunities policies. They could, for example, give away people’s racial origins in photographs, political affiliations, sexual preferences and information about extended families etc.
If this ploy has occurred to a Cambridge university admissions tutor, it will have certainly occurred to many employers.
It is advisable that all young people making applications for work or study, or indeed any other activity, consider very carefully what they allow the public to see and read on any on line profile, particularly those on the newly developing social network sites. It should be borne in mind that once out there, information about yourself cannot be easily recalled. What someone says when they are 16 can effect them for life. Take for example Gordon Brown’s musings about school.
Link:http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jan/11/accesstouniversity.highereducation
“Lower School Leaving Age Proposedâ€
The head of Birmingham City Council, the UK’s largest education authority, has said that some children should be able to leave school at 14 to pursue a trade as they would clearly be better off doing so as they were sometimes better suited to apprenticeship learning.
This is the diametric opposite of the policy recently announced by the DCSF which will raise the compulsory education age to the last day of June in the year during which they attain 17 by 2013 and their 18th birthday by 2015.
Children are Unbeatable! Alliance
It is legal for parents and some other adults to hit or hurt their children to punish them.
The Children are Unbeatable! Alliance think this is wrong. We want to change the law so that nobody will be allowed to hurt children and we want young people to work with us!
We are starting a new young people’s campaign and are looking for young people to get involved. This is a great opportunity to work with other young people to change the law and make a difference. We think the law should change because…
*Hitting children to punish them can be painful and embarrassing.
*It’s against the law to hit adults. We think children should be equally protected.
*The United Nations and the Council of Europe say that it should be illegal to hit children.
*Children have human rights, including the right not to be hit.
*Lots of other countries have already made it illegal to hit children.
We want young people to be involved because:
*The law is about young people.
*We think that people in power should listen to what young people think.
*We believe that young people can make a difference.
You could get involved by joining our campaign group:
If you live in or near London, and want to work with a group of other young people to change the law, we are looking for you!
Some things the campaign group might do are: meeting people in the government, thinking of ways to publicise the campaign, writing to newspapers to explain about why they think the law should change.
If you become a representative you will work to tell other young people about us, for instance by putting up posters, giving out leaflets and asking people to join the alliance.
Joining the Alliance:
If you join, we will let you know what we are doing and how you can help.
We treat all young people with respect and listen to what you say. We will pay for travel expenses and we organise training if you need it.
To find out more, see our website:
www.childrenareunbeatable.org.uk/children
Children’s Campaign Co-ordinator,
Elinor: phone/text: 07504 738 741
elinor@childrenareunbeatable.org.uk
GERMANY
“The Neubronner Storyâ€
The Neubronner’s case was first mentioned in the previous issue of HEJ and generated more than a little interest. A fuller background to the problems have been obtained and are included as follows. The Neubronners run a a small press family publishing business in Germany and are currently translating The Teenage Liberation Handbook into German for the first time.
The Neubronner’s story begins in a way that is personally familiar to many home educators. Their elder son, Moritz, began school along with his age mates. For two years his parents, Tilman and Dagmar, watched their son struggle mentally, emotionally, and physically with his new lifestyle. His enthusiasm for life and learning drained gradually away and finally his health began to suffer. Try as they might to find a solution for his unhappiness within the system, Tilman and Dagmar felt as defeated as Moritz clearly was. When their younger son Thomas began school, it looked frighteningly as if he were about to repeat his brother’s negative experiences. Within days, he was telling his parents that he would prefer to stay at home, complaining that school “smelled funnyâ€.
At the end of 2005, the family decided that they could struggle on no longer. Moritz and Thomas could not be asked to continue enduring a life style so detrimental to their well being and their parents removed them from school. In giving up one battle, the Neubronners took on another. There can be few newcomers to home educators who do not feel some degree of trepidation at the task before them, but in Germany, where the Neubronners come from, an extra deep breath is required. There of course, home education is a criminal activity which the authorities are determined to rout out no matter what might be the cost to such zeal.
In the initial legal action taken against them, the Neubronners argued that school was making their children ill. The court found that this was not a sufficient reason to keep them at home and when Thomas and Moritz subsequently failed to turn up at school, a fine of 1500 Euros was levied. This, the Neubronners declined to pay. Whilst the legal machine ground into action, Moritz and Thomas were savouring life at home. About once a month two teachers from the school at which they were still registered, came to their house to monitor their progress. The boys undertook written tests and received encouraging reports but their parents noticed their learning growing much more significantly than this. Dagmar likens the whole process of natural learning to that of a growing plant; an organic process in which her sons’ minds do not simply develop but in which they thrive and flourish. The Neubronners’ enthusiasm for and joy in home education is palpable.
Their fines have been raised within the last few weeks to 4500 Euros and baliffs have visited their home in a fruitless search to impound property that might release the sum. The Neubronners are determined not to pay, they are also determined not to follow the route of several other German home educators who, with their backs against the wall, have decided to move to more liberal countries. It will take a good deal of courage to stick to this line if prison sentences and child protection orders ensue, as they have in other cases.
Whilst the Neubronners motivation may not be hard for fellow home educators to fathom, the thought processes behind the German authorities’ actions is a tougher call.
Yes, compulsory school attendance is the law since Hitler made it so, but on what grounds is it so stringently upheld? The arguments against fostering religious extremism or the creation of the bogey man “parallel†societies clearly do not apply to the middle class, mainstream Neubronners. Nor can arguments about the children’s educational progress hold any sway; by the school’s own measures they are doing well.
The bulldozer reactions of the authorities look much more like a crass show of strength – do it our way or else – than a considered approach to child welfare. The Neubronners are doing well at generating interest and publicity around their cause with newspaper reports and TV appearances. Disseminating news about their case both at home and abroad will help turn the spotlight onto the authority’s next move. Let us all hope that it is to recognise that in the Neubronners they have finally met their match so that, at long last, a sensible and public debate about educational alternatives can take place on German soil.
Write to the Education Secretary for Bremen at the following address: Senatorin fuer Bildung and Wissenschaft, Rembertiring 8-12,D-28195 Bremen, Germany.
There is a protest letter written in German that could be sent to Angela Merkel. The letter can be downloaded at: http://www.diefreilerner.eu/ and send to: Bundeskanzleramt, Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel, Willy-Brandt-Strase 1, 10557 Berlin
“He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.â€
Albert Einstein(Largely home educated)
Health and Safety Warning – Plaster of Paris
Many home educators use plaster of Paris, possibly unaware of the dangers involved.
As plaster of Paris sets, the chemical process generates heat. If there is a large body of plaster, the temperature can rise in the centre of the body to over 150 degrees centigrade. Earlier last year, a young girl in a school lost three fingers to severe burns while making a cast of her hand. Extreme care should be exercised when using the plaster and body parts should never be immersed in a body of plaster.
“Single Sex Classesâ€
It is often said that putting children into single sex classes will improve performance by removing the distraction of children of the opposite sex. This was attempted by a Pembrokeshire head teacher as part of a well designed controlled study.
The outcome was that it made no difference in measurable performance at all, though the girls classes were deemed to be more compliant and well behaved while the boys classes were “nightmarish†to teach until the teaching material was adapted to them. Ultimately the girls still outperformed the boys and in much the same proportions for the school as before the experiment.
It seems likely that single sex classes are not the issue needed to address the gender gap in achievement, but rather it is something about the curriculum boys are expected to follow and the lack of personalised education.
Link:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/4081197.stm
“Computer Gamesâ€
Many parents consider computer games to be a waste of time and may severely limit their children’s access and time spent playing them. However, there have been several interesting articles recently about computer games. One was about Shaun Clark, from the UK(AKA online as ‘Apolloo’) who took the gold medal and nearly £6000 in prize money for winning the Command & Conquer 3 tournament at the week-long festival of video gaming held in Seattle. In total, nearly half a million dollars were handed out in prize money for a series of tournaments held during the festival.
Another was that MI5 were targeting online game players for a career in the security services, offering ‘good all round employment packages’ and interesting foreign business trips.
Perhaps more persuasive was an article in The Times Educational Supplement which reported a small scale experiment where children played a computer game at the beginning of each day. The result of which was better social interaction and dramatic improvements in maths skills.
The game in question was “More Brain Training from Dr Kawashimaâ€.
Most intriguingly the improvement was more marked for children who had previously been ‘behind’ prior to the experiment. Moreover the effects seemed to last. The class which took part have now been using consoles for some time and have since moved up a grade, remaining more cohesive as a group, working together better than teachers hitherto experienced.
The use of consuls appears to have improved socialisation and ability beyond anyone’s expectations and further, more comprehensive experiments are planned.
BLOGS with content relevant to home educators:
aspiehomeducation.blogspot.com
wheretruthgrows.blogspot.com
daretoknowblog.blogspot.com
hsblog.org
henireland.org/blog
gfoh.blogspot.com
sometimesitspeaceful.blogspot.com
anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com
cypruslife.blogspot.com
byothermeans.co.uk
eclecticlearnings.blogspot.com/
tworedboots.co.uk/blog/
ellesfuntimes.blogspot.com
Learning Unlimited
A support network for continental Europe
www.learning-inlimited.org
Free Range Education
www.free-range-education.co.uk
Choice In Education
Alternative Education newletter
www.choiceineducation.org.uk
PO Box 20284, London, NW1 3AA
0208 969 8935
info@choiceineducation.org.uk
Personalised Education Now
Promotes learner-managed learning
c.person.ed.gn.apc.org
113 Arundel Drive, Bramcote,
Nottingham, NG9 3FQ
Tel/Fax: 0115 925 7261
Further Education/Home Ed Updates & Relevant Articles:
http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/educationhome_ed_articles_update.htm
http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/educationhome_ed_update.htm
http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/educationhome_ed_articles_update_1.htm
“Education:Â The Needs of Autistic/AS Students(Exam Preparation, Stress/Free Guide to Remaining Calm)”
http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/education__the_needs_of_autisticas_studentsexam_preparati.htm
“Pets Can Help College Students Cope With Stress & Loneliness”:
http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/pets_can_help_college_students_cope_with_stress__loneliness.htm
Guardian Article on New Report:Â “Why Don’t You Understand?: The Difficulties of Teaching Autistic Children”:
http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/guardian_article__why_dont_you_understand__the_difficul.htm
“Study: 6 Out Of Every 10 University Students Present “Mathematical Anxiety” Or Fear Of This Subject”:
http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/study_6_out_of_every_10_university_students_present_mathem.htm
Research Shows Women Attracted To Men In Red
What could be as alluring as a lady in red? A gentleman in red, according to a multicultural study published Aug. 2 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Simply wearing the color red or being bordered by the rosy hue makes a man more attractive and sexually desirable to women, according to a series of studies by researchers at the University of Rochester and other institutions. And women are unaware of this arousing effect.
The cherry color’s charm ultimately lies in its ability to make men appear more powerful, says lead author Andrew Elliot, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester. “We found that women view men in red as higher in status, more likely to make money and more likely to climb the social ladder. And it’s this high-status judgment that leads to the attraction,” Elliot says.
Why does red signal rank? The authors see both culture and biology at work. In human societies across the globe, red traditionally has been part of the regalia of the rich and powerful. Ancient China, Japan and sub-Saharan Africa all used the vibrant tint to convey prosperity and elevated status, and Ancient Rome’s most powerful citizens were literally called “the ones who wear red.” Even today, the authors note, businessmen wear a red tie to indicate confidence, and celebrities and dignitaries are feted by “rolling out the red carpet.”
Along with this learned association between red and status, the authors point to the biological roots of human behavior. In non-human primates, like mandrills and gelada baboons, red is an indicator of male dominance and is expressed most intensely in alpha males. Females of these species mate more often with alpha males, who in turn provide protection and resources.
“When women see red it triggers something deep and probably biologically engrained,” explains Elliot. “We say in our culture that men act like animals in the sexual realm. It looks like women may be acting like animals as well in the same sort of way.”
To quantify the red effect, the paper analyzed responses from 288 female and 25 male undergraduates to photographs of men in seven different experiments. Participants were all self-identified as heterosexual or bisexual. In one color presentation, participants looked at a man’s photo framed by a border of either red or white and answered a series of questions, such as: “How attractive do you think this person is?”
Other experiments contrasted red with gray, green, or blue. Colors were precisely equated in lightness and intensity so that test results could not be attributed to differences other than hue.
In several experiments, the shirt of the man in the photographs was digitally colored either red or another color. Participants rated the pictured man’s status and attractiveness, and reported on their willingness to date, kiss, and engage in other sexual activity with the person. They also rated the man’s general likability, kindess, and extraversion.
The researchers found that the red effect was limited to status and romance: red made the man seem more powerful, attractive, and sexually desirable, but did not make the man seem more likable, kind, or sociable. The effect was consistent across cultures: undergraduates in the United States, England, Germany, and China all found men more attractive when wearing or bordered by red.
And the effect was limited to women. When males were asked to rate the attractiveness of a pictured male, color made no difference in their responses.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/196642.php
Published on April 8, 2010
Have you ever dated someone who kept you guessing – hot one day and cold the next, telling you they just want to be friends while treating you like they’re in love with you, or telling you they’re in love with you but keeping you at a distance? Have you ever been the waffling one? Are people who give mixed messages about their level of interest or commitment manipulative game players? Undoubtedly some are.
Sometimes mixed signals are selfish attempts to have one’s cake and eat it too and other times they are painful (and sometimes unconscious) efforts to avoid perceived vulnerabilities associated with love and commitment – and without it. To the observer it can be hard to tell the difference between the conniving and the conflicted – and it usually ends badly either way if you’re the partner.
The clients I work with often give mixed signals to dating partners because they have contradictory (and distorted) beliefs and values about love and commitment that pull them in opposite directions rather than becoming integrated and balanced. Some common values polarities they struggle with are:
• Connection——Independence
• Control——-Spontaneity
• Other-Approval——Self-Approval
• Novelty——Stability
• Excitement——Peace
• Freedom——Responsibility
• Immediate Gratification——Long-term Satisfaction
Read in Full: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/love-in-limbo/201004/conniving-or-conflicted
Unequal Love Across The Color Line
When looking for love, black women and Asian men have something big in common.
Published on August 13, 2010
Stories about black women, marriage and interracial relationships have always generated controversy, strong opinions and stereotyped assumptions. Just this week Dr Laura took a call from a black female caller married to a white man who wanted to know how to handle ignorant and racist remarks from his family and neighbors. Schlessinger said “If you’re that hypersensitive about color and don’t have a sense of humor don’t marry out of your race”.
The other day I got a comment from “Brenda†about my High-Achieving Black Women and Marriage: Not Choosing Or Not Chosen? piece in which I supported openness to interracial partners.  She said: “was this whole article to help you rationalize why some young stud couldnt be bothered with you?†Wow, not only is she waaaaaaay off, but her comment reminded me of the darts that are also aimed at Asian men when they wonder if they’re being sidelined in love. Black women and Asian men have some things in common in this arena so today I want to dig deeper into interracial relationships and the interesting ground that black women and Asian men share.
Interracial Marriage
The Pew Research organization recently published a report on interracial marriages (Marrying Out) using data from the 2008 U.S. Census Current Population Survey and one striking statistic jumped out at me. Interracial marriages in general have been rising exponentially since state bans on them were lifted in 1967 – but they haven’t been rising at all evenly. A breakdown by race (self-identified) and gender turns up one glaring difference. Black women and Asian men are far less likely to marry interracially or inter-ethnically than Black men or Asian women.
Read in Full:Â http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/love-in-limbo/201008/unequal-love-across-the-color-line
Why Your Wife Hates Sex and What You Can Do About It
Getting inside your wife’s head
Published on August 19, 2010
It’s 11:15 pm. You’re lying next to your wife after a long day for both of you. You catch a whiff of her freshly washed hair and suddenly your mind jumps to how nice it would be to get her naked. You know she’s wearing those not-tonight flannel pajamas, but you slide your hand over her closer breast anyhow as you press your hips against her. She suddenly gets very still and quiet. You can almost feel her skin crawl as you try to caress her. She says, sounding somewhat annoyed, “Honey, I’m tired.” So you stop, shut down again. You wait till she falls asleep and masturbate, trying not to move the bed too much. It’s been two weeks and you can’t so much as touch your wife. What is up with that? Why can’t she just have sex with you – maybe even just a quickie – when you need it so much?
You’re right. It’s not fair. But there is so much hope – your sex life doesn’t have to be this way! Here are some psychological insights and strategies for you as a capable and vital man to consider for improving your sex life with your wife or long-term lover. The more you can get inside the head of your wife, the better your sex life is going to be. For starters, here are some of the key reasons why she doesn’t want sex (for now!):
1. She is too tired. Women typically do about 7 times more housework and childcare than their husbands do even when they both have full-time jobs. Add to that the fact that women need more sleep than men do, and you have a recipe for her wanting sleep more than sex when both your heads hit the pillow.
2. She resents or is angry at you. In any romantic relationship, both men and women need about five times as many positive events than negative ones to say that they are satisfied with the relationship. The difference for women, however, is that they tend to ruminate over negative events more than do men. In other words, when bad things happen in a marriage, like when a husband tells his wife that she shouldn’t have dessert, she mentally ties that insult to its grander meanings like thinking that she married the wrong man. Because women ruminate more, wives are much more likely to come to bed resenting their husbands. And all the proper timing and sex tricks in the world are not going to make the sex good for an angry or resentful spouse.
3. She does not have the freedom to choose when and how much sex she will have. This stirs in her something called psychological reactance, which refers to the desire to restore a sense of freedom when it has been taken away. Back in the sixties, psychologists discovered that virtually everyone experiences reactance. It’s what happens when your neighbors tell you that you can’t paint your house red or let your dog run around without a leash. You immediately feel like telling them to go to hell to get a feeling of independence again. It’s the same for your wife — all your pressure for sex makes her push you away. But this situation can be turned around to the point of making her beg for it, as I will explain in my next post.
Now here are some of the key steps that you can consider doing for better sex with your wife (Remember, good sex leads to more good sex!):
Read More …Â http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight/201008/why-your-wife-hates-sex-and-what-you-can-do-about-it
Marriage Lowers Stress Hormones
By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 18, 2010
Researchers have long asserted that marriage helps to improve an individual’s health. Now, a new study explains how a long-term relationship can foster health benefits.
University of Chicago professor and lead author Dario Maestripieri discovered unmarried people in a committed, romantic relationship show the same reduced responses to stress as do married people.
“These results suggest that single and unpaired individuals are more responsive to psychological stress than married individuals, a finding consistent with a growing body of evidence showing that marriage and social support can buffer against stress.â€
His findings are published in the current issue of the journal Stress.
A team of researchers from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University studied 500 masters degree students. About 40 percent of the men and 53 percent of the women were married or in relationships.
The group included 348 men with a mean age of 29 and 153 women with a mean age of 27.
The students were asked to play a series of computer games that tested economic behaviors, and saliva samples were taken before and after to measure hormone levels and changes.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/08/19/marriage-lowers-stress-hormones/17027.html
24/7 Work Schedule Challenges Marriage
By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 19, 2010
As our world grows in complexity and pace, taking care of business requires around the clock staffing.
David Maume, a University of Cincinnati professor of sociology, says working the late shift places new demands on men and women, affecting the family as well as the marriage.
“Although much research has examined the marital effects of women’s work, relatively few studies have focused on the effects of working late shifts on marital dynamics,†writes Maume.
“This study updates and extends the rather limited and dated research on the link between schedule diversity and marital quality.â€
Overall, the study found that men felt that working the late shift negatively affected the quality of their marriages. However, the majority of women felt that rotating work schedules strained their marriages.
“When women work rotating schedules, they find it more difficult to get everything done at home and engage with family members, and it is this disruptive effect on family life which strains women’s marriages rather than the times they work,†explains Maume.
He adds that in that regard, the new study backs previous research that demonstrates that “to a greater degree than men, women’s work schedules disrupt their ability to care for and nurture other family members, and women’s marriages suffer as a result.â€
“As the inter-relationship between work and family life becomes more complex in the face of changing expectations for gender roles, it is increasingly important that researchers understand how emergent 24/7 work schedules affect the well-being of workers and their families,†concludes Maume.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/08/20/247-work-schedule-challenges-marriage/17101.html
Study To Address How Women Decide To Have Casual Sex, Communicate With Partners And Their Feelings About Sexuality
Article Date: 15 Aug 2010 – 0:00 PDT
Discussing women’s sexuality is generally a social taboo, but UQ School of Psychology researcher Claire Moran is out to change the public’s perception, and give women more confidence in their sexual choices.
To complete her PhD research, Ms Moran is asking women who have had non-relationship sex, with three or more casual partners in the past 12 months, who wish to participate in her study to contact her at c.moran1@uq.edu.au.
Ms Moran’s rationale for the study is to gain an understanding of how women negotiate sexual safety and pleasure within casual sexual encounters.
“I believe if we can have a better understanding of these women’s sexuality, we can better promote their sexual health and emotional well being,” Ms Moran said.
The interviews follow her first study of women’s sexuality, which focused on representations of women’s sexuality in women’s lifestyle magazines.
In the magazine analysis, Ms Moran said she found women were almost always presented as being in a relationship, or looking for one, with the possibility that women might enjoy being single or having casual sex not being entertained.
“I was concerned with the message this was sending to women, that women need relationships and that sex should be on a man’s terms, while the lack of information on negotiating sexual safety was alarming,” Ms Moran said.
The current study will address how women decide to have casual sex, how women communicate with their partners and how they feel women’s sexuality is reflected in the media, Ms Moran said.
“The magazines suggest that all women are always looking for a relationship and use sex as a means to secure a relationship,” Ms Moran said.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/197704.php
Looking for Love Can Shorten Life
By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 10, 2010
Searching for a partner when the odds are against you may shorten your life, says a new Harvard study. To be precise, researchers believe that ratios between males and females affect human longevity.
Men who reach sexual maturity in a context in which they far outnumber women live, on average, three months less than men whose competition for a mate isn’t as difficult.
The steeper the gender ratio (also known as the operational sex ratio), the sharper the decline in lifespan.
“At first blush, a quarter of a year may not seem like much, but it is comparable to the effects of, say, taking a daily aspirin, or engaging in moderate exercise,†says Nicholas Christakis, senior author on the study and professor of medicine and medical sociology at Harvard Medical School.
“A 65-year-old man is typically expected to live another 15.4 years. Removing three months from this block of time is significant.â€
These results are published in the August issue of the journal Demography.
An association between gender ratios and longevity had been established through studies of animals before, but never in humans.
To search for a link in people, Christakis collaborated with researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the University of Wisconsin and Northwestern University. The researchers looked at two distinct datasets.
First, they examined information from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, a long-term project involving individuals who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/08/10/looking-for-love-can-shorten-life/16633.html
By Michael Seamark and James Slack
Last updated at 10:59 AM on 31st July 2009
British computer expert Gary McKinnon today lost his latest High Court bid to avoid extradition to America where he faces trial for hacking into U.S. military networks.
His lawyers argued that extraditing the 43-year-old, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, would lead to 'disastrous consequences' for his health, including possible psychosis and suicide.
But today Lord Justice Stanley Burnton and Mr Justice Wilkie, sitting in London, dismissed his claim for judicial review.
Mr McKinnon, from Wood Green, north London, asked the court to overturn decisions of successive Home Secretaries allowing his extradition to go ahead.
He also challenged a refusal by Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), to put him on trial in the UK on charges of computer misuse. UK trial would allow him to avoid extradition.
Lord Justice Burnton said: 'For the reasons set out in the judgment the claims against the secretary of state and DPP are dismissed.'
In a 41-page ruling, the judges said extradition was 'a lawful and proportionate response to his offending'.
Whether or not Mr McKinnon can appeal further will be decided at a later date.
Lord Justice Burnton said it was a matter that should be dealt with 'as expeditiously as possible', probably in September.
His mother, Janis Sharp, said outside court: 'We are heartbroken. If the law says it's fair to destroy someone's life in this way then it's a bad law.'
She added: 'Our hope still lies with the Government. What more evidence do Gordon Brown and Alan Johnson need to understand what extraditing Gary would do to him, let alone us?
'Gary would not survive and I would never see my son again. All to oblige the Americans?
'If Gary's was such a dreadful crime, he should have been prosecuted and sentenced here years ago.
'Instead he's been left tortured by fear for seven years. Compassion can and must now prevail.'
She made an impassioned appeal to Barack Obama to halt attempts to extradite her son.
His lawyers today sent a letter to the U.S. president signed by 40 British MPs asking him to step in and 'bring this shameful episode to an end'.
She said: 'Stand by us and make this world a better place, a more compassionate place.
'Obama wouldn't have this. He doesn't want the first guy extradited for computer misuse to be a guy with Asperger's, a UFO guy. He wouldn't want this.
'I'm just praying, please hear us, Obama, because I know you would do the right thing.
'I know you would have the strength to stand up and not have this.'
Lawyers for Mr McKinnon, who was told the decision yesterday, described him as an 'UFO eccentric' who had been searching for evidence of extra-terrestrial life, and described the idea that he was a danger to U.S. national security as 'a complete fantasy'.
Karen Todner, Mr McKinnon's solicitor, said: 'This ruling is hugely disappointing. But we shall not stop here.
'Alan Johnson still has the power to act. We have 28 days to review the judgment and will continue to explore every legal avenue until we achieve a just and proper result.
'The Government promised “ample protection” of individuals' rights, but we have yet to see this in practice.
'Extradition without effective safeguards is a denial of justice for every UK citizen.'
If sent to the U.S., Mr McKinnon is likely to receive a substantial prison sentence of up to 12 years, possibly served in a Supermax prison used for high risk inmates, and is unlikely to be repatriated to serve his sentence.
The U.S. authorities said Mr McKinnon was responsible for the 'biggest military hack of all time' that had been highly damaging and involved 97 government computers belonging to organisations including the U.S. Navy and Nasa.
A large campaign involving family, politicians, civil rights groups, sympathetic media and celebrities has supported the hacker's long battle against extradition.
His mother, Janis Sharp, has expressed fears that he could face a 60-year sentence in a tough U.S. jail and she would never see him again.
She said last night: 'My biggest fear is that if it goes against Gary there would be a plane waiting for him tomorrow night.
'If we lose, our solicitor will ask for the statutory 28 days to appeal but if they refuse… that's what terrifies me and Gary.
'But whatever the decision – the fight goes on.
'If it goes against us I may cry, but I will never give up, not in a million years. He has to stay here.'
She pleaded again for Alan Johnson to heed the advice of leading barristers that the Home Secretary has the power to intervene and prevent the extradition of Gary, who has Asperger's Syndrome.
Mr McKinnon was not in court today to hear the judgment.
But the National Autistic Society, which has supported him, said it was 'extremely disappointed at the decision'.
Amanda Batten, the charity's head of policy and campaigns, said outside the High Court: 'We are angry that Gary is still in this position.
'This legal case has been going on for seven years. We are involved in supporting his case because we think that in the light of his Asperger's Syndrome that extradition should not go ahead.
'We will continue campaigning and do all we can to support Gary to stay in the UK.'
Mr Johnson's own terror adviser, Lord Carlile, and eminent human rights lawyers have warned against sending him across the Atlantic under a controversial U.S./UK treaty ostensibly introduced to combat terrorism.
The Home Secretary snubbed a plea by Gary's mother for a face-to-face meeting but Mrs Sharp said: 'Mr Johnson can, and must intervene. It's an absolute.
'He's ignoring the best legal advice in the land, even his own adviser on terror is saying “don't send Gary.” It just seems ridiculous.'
Support for Gary has poured in after the Daily Mail launched its 'Affront to British Justice' campaign – with tens of thousands of readers petitioning the Home Secretary to use his discretion and intervene – and ministers will be braced for a public backlash if he loses the High Court appeals.
A raft of leading politicians, including Tory leader David Cameron and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, along with many high-profile celebrities are backing the fight to stop his extradition on 'cyber-terrorism' charges.
Gordon Brown offered a glimmer of hope for Gary last week when he said he was 'sympathetic' to the 43-year-old computer hacker's plight.
Actress and environmental campaigner Trudie Styler, wife of pop star Sting, who was present in court, said afterwards: 'My heart goes out to Gary, Janis and all those who have fought so hard.
'Reason and common sense dictate that Gary's extradition would be abhorrent.
'We cannot let this be the end of the road. It is quite clear that Gary is a deeply vulnerable man, ill-equipped to cope with the trauma of extradition.
'I am determined to continue to press government to intervene in this blatant travesty of justice.'
Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: 'This is very disappointing news. People are right to be extremely concerned about our extradition arrangements.
To Read Article in Full: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1203365/Decision-extradition-case-Aspergers-Syndrome-hacker-Gary-McKinnon.html?ITO=1490
Hacker McKinnon's Mum's Fury At The Government(Video)
Computer hacker Gary McKinnon has lost his appeal against extradition to the US after admitting accessing Nasa computers. Outside court his mother Janice said the decision was an outrage.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Hacker-Gary-McKinnon-Extradition-Ruling-Mother-Janice-Fury-At-Government/Video/200907415350496?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content_Region_1&lid=VIDEO_15350496_Hacker_Gary_McKinnon_Extradition_Ruling%2C_Mother_Janice_Fury_At_Government
Gary McKinnon ruling: 'UK Extradition laws(Video)
Shami Chakrabarti(Director, Liberty) hopes a plea from Gary McKinnon's mother to Barack Obama is successful, but says UK extradition laws must be changed. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090731/video/vwl-gary-mckinnon-ruling-uk-extradition-15af341.html
I might never see him again: Mother of Gary McKinnon pleads for mercy from Obama after hacker loses extradition fight
Last updated at 3:52 PM on 31st July 2009
The mother of computer hacker Gary McKinnon made an impassioned appeal to US president Barack Obama today after her son failed in his latest High Court bid to avoid extradition to America.
The 43-year-old, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome (AS), is wanted for trial on charges of hacking into US military networks.
His mother, Janis Sharp, has expressed fears that he could face a 60-year sentence in a tough US jail and would be at real risk of suicide because of his medical condition. She also fears she would never see him again.
But today Lord Justice Stanley Burnton and Mr Justice Wilkie, sitting in London, dismissed his claim for judicial review.
The Daily Mail has led a high-profile campaign to prevent Mr McKinnon's extradition which has received widespread backing from politicians, celebrities and civil liberties campaigners.
Janis Sharp, with Sting's wife Trudie Styler (left), outside the High Court. She has vowed to take her son's case to the European Court
Mr McKinnon, from Wood Green, North London, asked the court to overturn decisions of successive Home Secretaries allowing his extradition to go ahead.
He also challenged a refusal by Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), to put him on trial in the UK on charges of computer misuse. UK trial would allow him to avoid extradition.
Lord Justice Burnton said: 'For the reasons set out in the judgment the claims against the secretary of state and DPP are dismissed.'
NAS angry and disappointed at Gary McKinnon outcome
Journalists: download our latest media release about Gary McKinnon's case in 'Related resources' at the bottom of this page.
Today, the National Autistic Society expressed great disappointment at the High Court decision that Gary McKinnon, a man with Asperger syndrome accused of hacking into US Government computer systems, should be extradited to the US. The ruling follows two judicial reviews where it was argued that his Asperger syndrome had not been given due consideration by those deciding on his case.
Mark Lever, chief executive of the NAS said:
“We are so disappointed for Gary and his family and so angry he is still in this position. The threat of extradition has been hanging over him for seven long years and sadly the nightmare continues. The NAS has campaigned hard for his extradition to be reconsidered in the light of his diagnosis of Asperger syndrome. We will continue to do whatever we can to keep him here in the UK and will support him in his appeal to the Supreme Court.
“People with Asperger syndrome are often far more vulnerable than initial appearances would suggest, frequently isolated, often bullied and sadly many experience severe mental health problems if they do not get the right support. We are extremely disappointed that the High Court has decided to continue with Gary's extradition despite these concerns.”
The ruling today comes after two Judicial Review hearings examined whether the Home Secretary had been right in deciding to extradite Gary following his diagnosis with Asperger syndrome, and whether the Director for Public Prosecutions should have allowed him to stand trial in the UK. The NAS supplied evidence about Asperger syndrome during the judicial review process, urging that his condition be taken into consideration.
The National Autistic Society has been campaigning to stop Gary's extradition since his diagnosis and has written to both the Home Secretary and the Attorney General. Thousands of NAS supporters have also voiced their support, writing to their MPs and signing a petition which was delivered to Downing Street by Garys mother earlier this month.
Gary may now have the opportunity to appeal to the House of Lords. The NAS will continue to campaign for his extradition to be stopped.
Background to Gary McKinnon's case
Gary McKinnon was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome in August 2008 and stands accused of allegedly hacking into US Defense computer systems. As a result of Gary's late diagnosis, his Asperger syndrome was not taken into account in any legal proceedings prior to August 2008.
We have continued to express our concern that Gary's diagnosis be taken into consideration and took action by writing to both the Home Secretary when his diagnosis first came to light last year, and the Attorney General.
Asperger syndrome is a form of autism, a condition that affects the way a person communicates with and relates to others and the world around them. It is not uncommon for people with Asperger syndrome to develop single-minded, obsessional interests, and to be unaware of the effect their actions have on others.
The decision on Friday 31 July follows two judicial reviews of Gary's case. The first, heard on 9th June 2009, looked at the Home Secretary's decision to extradite Gary following his diagnosis. We submitted evidence during this judicial review explaining the nature of Asperger syndrome and the fact that diagnosis in adults is often late, as in Mr. McKinnon's case. This included information explaining that people with Asperger syndrome may be particularly vulnerable because of their difficulties with social awareness and communication, and may be susceptible to additional mental health problems as a result of their disability.
Earlier this year, over 4,000 supporters took part in our campaigner action to email the Attorney General asking that Gary be allowed to stand trial in the UK. His appeal to the Crown Prosecution Service was turned down in February 2009 and this decision was the subject of a second judicial review, heard on 14th July 2009.
You can read more about Asperger syndrome, and access information for criminal justice professionals on our website:
More about Gary McKinnon's case:
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| NAS delivers Gary McKinnon petition to 10 Downing Street |
 On 3 July, we delivered a petition to 10 Downing Street calling on the Prime Minister to prevent the extradition of Gary McKinnon. Signed by 4,388 NAS supporters, it was delivered by Gary's mum, Janis Sharp, and Trudie Styler, one of several celebrities supporting Gary's case. |
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Related resources
Relevant documents for downloading
http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2378&a=18512
Now show some guts, Mr Johnson: Judges say Home Secretary CAN order Gary McKinnon to be tried here
By Michael Seamark and James Slack
Last updated at 12:43 AM on 01st August 2009
Alan Johnson is under huge pressure to 'pluck up the courage' to save Gary McKinnon after judges warned he might kill himself if extradited.
They ruled they could not stop the Government from sending him to the U.S., where the vulnerable Asperger's sufferer faces up to 60 years behind bars.
But the two High Court judges declared in a pointed statement that, if extradited, 'his mental health will suffer and there are risks of worse, including suicide'.
'This sorry saga': Gary McKinnon and his mother Janis Sharp
Crucially, the judges also said the 43-year-old computer hacker could be prosecuted in London – a process which would automatically halt extradition.
Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: 'The succession of government ministers who have let this sorry saga drag on for seven long years should bow their heads in shame.
'It is time for Alan Johnson to pluck up the courage and ensure that Gary McKinnon is tried in a British court. Nothing else will do.'
Tory leader David Cameron said: 'Gary McKinnon is a vulnerable young man and I see no compassion in sending him thousands of miles away from his home and loved ones to face trial. If he has questions to answer, there is a clear argument to be made that he should answer them in a British court.'
Read Article in Full: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1203568/Now-guts-Mr-Johnson-Judges-say-Home-Secretary-CAN-order-Gary-McKinnon-tried-here.html?ITO=1490
Cameron calls for rethink after hacker fails to halt extradition
Judges back removal of Briton who broke into US military networks
By John Aston and Sam Marsden
Published: 01/08/2009
David Cameron yesterday joined the growing call for a review of extradition laws after computer hacker Gary McKinnon, originally from Glasgow, failed in his bid to avoid removal to the US.
The 43-year-old, who now lives in Wood Green, London, suffers from Asperger’s syndrome (AS), and is wanted for trial on charges of hacking into US military networks.
Campaigners seeking to block his extradition say his only crime is being a “UFO eccentric” who searched for evidence of extraterrestrials.
They claim he acted through “naivety” as a result of AS – a form of autism which leads to obsessive behaviour – and should not be considered a criminal.
We'll take Gary's fight to UK Supreme Court
Published Date: 01 August 2009
By MARTYN McLAUGHLIN
THE Scottish computer hacker who has lost his latest legal challenge to avoid extradition to the US is likely to make one final appeal to the newly formed UK Supreme Court.
Lord Justice Stanley Burnton and Mr Justice Wilkie yesterday ruled Gary McKinnon's extradition was a “lawful and proportionate response” to his offences as part of a judicial review….
….Numerous high-profile supporters of Mr McKinnon's case, including Terry Waite, the human rights campaigner and former hostage, expressed anger at the decision.
“No nation under the sun ought to convict an individual whose behaviour is occasioned by illness,” Mr Waite said.
Trudie Styler, the wife of rock star Sting, described the court's decision as the “death of common sense”.
Mr McKinnon's solicitor, Karen Todner, said she would lodge an appeal against the High Court's ruling within 28 days and, if possible, take it to the Supreme Court and even to Europe. She added that they would “explore every legal avenue until we achieve a just and proper result”.
Gary McKinnon: Pentagon hacker's worst nightmare comes true
The autistic UFO conspiracy theorist has been extradited, charged with the biggest US military hack of all time. 'I sit up all night thinking about jail,' he says
Jon Ronson
The Guardian, Saturday 1 August 2009
For the past seven years, in bedsits in Crouch End and Bounds Green, north London, the Pentagon hacker and UFO buff Gary McKinnon has – according to his family and friends – been suffering one long anxiety attack. He's prone to regular fits of fainting and thoughts of suicide. He's written that he can't look himself in his eyes when he's shaving in case the sight of himself sets the spiral off. He jumps out of his skin if someone touches him by surprise. I've met him sporadically during these years and can vouch that he's a chainsmoking, terrified shell.
“I'm walking down the road and I find I can't control my own legs,” he has told me. “And I'm sitting up all night thinking about jail. About male rape. An American jail. I'm only a little nerd … My life is like walking through a world you know is probably going to end.”
And yesterday, at 10am, it did. The high court ruled that extradition to America was “a lawful and proportionate response to Gary McKinnon's offending”. It is unlikely that anything will stop it now. How did he become, in the eyes of US prosecutors, the man who committed “the biggest US military hack of all time”? And does he deserve his fate?
Read Article in Full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/01/gary-mckinnon-extradition-nightmare
Friday, 31 July 2009
In quotes: Hacker judgement
The failure of computer hacker Gary McKinnon's latest High Court bid against extradition to the US has provoked widespread reaction.
ALAN JOHNSON, HOME SECRETARY
It would be illegal for me to stop the extradition of Gary McKinnon, which the court ruling has made clear.
Mr McKinnon is accused of serious crimes and the US has a lawful right to seek his extradition, as we do when we wish to prosecute people who break our laws.
My predecessor has already sought and received clear assurances from the US that Mr McKinnon's health and welfare needs would be met, should he be extradited.
DAVID CAMERON, CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER
I am deeply saddened and disappointed with this decision. Gary McKinnon is a vulnerable young man and I see no compassion in sending him thousands of miles away from his home and loved ones to face trial.
If he has questions to answer, there is a clear argument to be made that he should answer them in a British court.
This case raises serious questions about the workings of the Extradition Act, which should be reviewed.
Read Article in Full: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8178321.stm
Cabinet split over McKinnon extradition
Welsh secretary Peter Hain backs McKinnon's calls to be tried in the UK
Phil Muncaster
V3.co.uk, 03 Aug 2009
In a new twist to the long-running campaign for Nasa hacker Gary McKinnon to be tried in the UK, Welsh secretary Peter Hain today dramatically broke ranks with the government and backed the calls.
Hain is quoted in a Daily Mail report as saying that it would be better for McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, to be tried in “a British context”, given that he committed the offences while on British soil.
“I have a lot of sympathy with Gary McKinnon and his mum, who is a very brave woman fighting for his rights,” Hain is reported as saying. “He has Asperger's syndrome which does tend to produce the kind of behaviour that is very compulsive.”
Read Article in Full: http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2247169/cabinet-splits-mckinnon
Political support builds for Nasa hacker
Tom Espiner ZDNet.co.uk
Published: 03 Aug 2009 17:41 BST
Amid a surge in political support for Gary McKinnon, the deputy prime minister has said the government will press for a British prison stay for the self-confessed hacker.
Harriet Harman told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday that the UK would seek for McKinnon to be repatriated if he is found guilty of hacking military networks by a US court.
“If he is found guilty, then obviously straight away we will seek for him to serve any prison sentence — if he is sentenced to prison — back in this country,” said Harman.
Read Article in Full: http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39703964,00.htm
Minister lends support to hacker
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has suggested that British computer hacker Gary McKinnon should face trial in the UK rather than be extradited to the US.
He told the Daily Mail the offence was committed “on British soil” and should be “assessed in a British context”.
Mr McKinnon's mother Janis Sharp said Mr Hain's words were “refreshing”, but the Lib Dems called on the government to do more to prevent the extradition.
Read Article in Full: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8181830.stm
How Gary McKinnon became a cause celebre
BBC News
British computer hacker Gary McKinnon's fight against extradition to the US has drawn support from a large and diverse range of influential people. How did his case become such a cause celebre?
It has to be one of the most unlikely partnerships in the history of popular music – one is a toned and tanned boy band singer, the other a brooding and balding lead guitarist from one of the rock giants of the 1970s.
But it's not music that has brought Boyzone's Keith Duffy and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour together – it's the case of computer hacker Gary McKinnon.
Mr McKinnon has become Britain's best-known conspiracy theorist, or, as London Mayor Boris Johnson put it – he's a “classic British nut job” who believes in “little green men”.
Gary McKinnon has Asperger's Syndrome
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The American authorities see it differently. The 43-year-old is a wanted man in the US, where he has been accused of “the biggest military computer hack of all time”. For the past five years he has been fighting an extradition request from the American authorities which want to try him on US soil.
If convicted there he faces up to 60 years in prison.
Along the way he has amassed a legion of supporters, as diverse in their make up as they are distinguished in their own fields of achievement. They include novelist Nick Hornby, film critic Barry Norman, Emma Noble, the ex-glamour model and former daughter-in-law of John Major, Sting, his film producer wife Trudie Styler and actress Julie Christie.
Politicians of all hues have also leapt on Mr McKinnon's case. And pop stars Chrissie Hynde and Sir Bob Geldof have teamed up with Gilmour to record a song of support.
In the past six weeks his cause has been further bolstered by a high-profile campaign in the Daily Mail newspaper.
But how did Mr McKinnon's fight become such a rallying cause for this disparate group of supporters?
Mr McKinnon does not deny he hacked into Pentagon systems, but claims he was searching for evidence of a UFO cover-up. His story started back in 2002 and the media have, periodically, followed the twists and turns of his legal battles (see graph, below).
There was also a spike in coverage when he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome – a form of autism – last year, but the campaign to stop his extradition has gathered pace, passion and people in the last six months.
While a PR agency has taken on some of the work, Mr McKinnon's campaign has won support for a variety of reasons.
Read Full Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8181100.stm
Fight goes on for hacker despite extradition ruling
Charlotte Newton
GARY McKinnon's parents are preparing to take their legal fight to the House of Lords to stop their son being extradited to the US, the Ham&High has learned.
Wilson Sharp and his wife Janis have until September 14 to prepare a case on why Mr McKinnon – who has Asperger's syndrome – should be allowed to appeal to the Supreme Court, the new name for the judicial functions of the House of Lords.
They plan to use the European Convention on Human Rights to argue for Mr McKinnon's right to humane treatment and say family life would be breached if he were extradited and tried in the US.
Mr Sharp spoke out after his stepson lost his latest bid at the High Court on Friday to avoid extradition on charges of hacking into US security and defence computer networks. “Gary is in a very bad state mentally,” Mr Sharp said. “He's been okay up until now but Friday's decision was a step too far. He's extremely anxious, he's not talking.”
Read Article in Full: http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/content/camden/hamhigh/news/story.aspx?brand=NorthLondon24&category=Newshamhigh&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newshamhigh&itemid=WeED06%20Aug%202009%2010%3A40%3A58%3A820
Autism Campaigners Appeal To President Obama On Gary McKinnon
Article Date: 06 Aug 2009 – 14:00 PDT
Autism campaigners Ivan Corea of the UK Autism Foundation and Kevin Healey Chairman of the Staffordshire Adults Autistic Society (who has Asperger's Syndrome) have issued a joint appeal on Gary McKinnon to President Barack Obama at the White House.
They have also launched a new online petition in support of Gary McKinnon who hacked into 97 America military computers at the Pentagon and Nasa between 2001 and 2002.
Read Article in Full: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160039.php
Computer hacker case attracting worldwide support
5:02pm Friday 7th August 2009
THE FATE of computer hacker Gary McKinnon, who looks set to face trial in the US, has led to a surge in support and sympathy from around the globe.
“Gary McKinnon has admitted that he has done wrong by hacking into US computers and all we are asking is for Gary to be tried in the UK.
“President Obama, with the stroke of his pen, can change things for Gary McKinnon.”
Mr McKinnon has won backing from politicians, such as Ilford North MP Lee Scott, David Cameron, Peter Hain and Boris Johnson. The online petition, which asks for Gary to be tried in the UK, has the full support of Mrs Janice Sharp, the mother of Gary McKinnon, who has been protesting on her son's behalf.
Organisers are hoping that thousands will sign as Mr McKinnon's lawyers are given 28 days to appeal against the High Court decision to allow the extradition to go ahead.
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/4535799.Computer_hacker_case_attracting_worldwide_support/
Sign the petition at http://signup4garymckinnon.yolasite.com/
Hacker with Asperger's syndrome gets reduced sentence
Ian Grant
11 Aug 2009
Asperger's syndrome saved a Los Angeles hacker from a longer prison sentence, it was reported today, bringing scant hope to self-confessed British hacker Gary McKinnon (pictured), who faces extradition to the US on hacking charges.
Viachelav Berkovich, an illegal Russian immigrant and Asperger's sufferer, received a 55-month sentence for his part in a man-in-the-middle attack on a shipment trucking website, according to a report in Wired.
This was five months less than the minimum recommended by the probation office and prosecutors, and 23 months less than the federal minimum. His co-defendant received 70 months for masterminding the scheme.
“The court tried to make a fair sentence [It] gave us some of what we asked for and did accept that Mr Berkovich suffered from Asperger's, but at the same time felt that this was serious and that a substantial prison sentence was called for to deter others,” Kiana Sloan-Hillier, Berkovich's defence attorney, told Wired.
Read Article In Full: http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/08/11/237281/hacker-with-aspergers-syndrome-gets-reduced-sentence.htm
Hacking Autism – Gary McKinnon
Posted on August 21st, 2009
Gary McKinnon, could face extradition from Britain to the United States where he would stand trial for hacking into US government computers and could face a sentence of sixty years (Charged with 7 counts, proposed sentence Ten Years Per Count)
Gary has recently been diagnosed as suffering from Lifetime Aspergers Syndrome, which is why his family, friends and supporters around the world are arguing that Gary should be allowed to stay in the U.K and face the courts in the country where the offence, if offence there was, was committed.
Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, a world renowned expert on Aspergers and Autism feels strongly that Gary should absolutely not be extradited to the U.S.
Read in Full: http://www.bloggernews.net/121967
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