The experiences of parents who [612319]

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The experiences of parents who
choose to homeschool their
children in Ireland: A
qualitative study

Bernadette O’Brien

Presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award
Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning
Submitted to Hibernia College

Dublin
2014

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Declaration

I declare that this thesis that I now submit for assessment on the programme of study
leading to the award of Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning has not been submitted
as an exercise for a degree at this or a ny other college. It is entirely my own work and
has not been taken from the work of others, save the extent that such work has been cited
and acknowledged within the text of my work.

I agree to deposit this thesis in Hibernia College's institutional re pository or allow the
library to do so on my behalf, subject to Irish Copyright Legislation and Hibernia
College Library conditions of use and acknowledgement.

Signed Dated 27/01/14

Student: [anonimizat]
_____________________________ ___________ ______________
Bernadette O’Brien MARY MCAULIFFE

Dublin January 2014

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Abstract

In Ireland, parents have been responsible for their children’s education since the Irish
Cons titution was ratified in 1937. Most parents send their children to scho ol to be
educated. However, the overall responsibility still remains with the parents, even when
their children are in school. Parents have always had the choice to educate their children
at home, although most people are oblivious to that fact, as it is not something that is
commonly known. This paper investigates the experiences of parents who choose to
homesch ool their children in Ireland. The main focus was on the general experience of
home education, the curriculum and structure of home education, and how home educators
are supported and challenged in their role as educators. This qualitative small -scale study
employed semi -structured interviews as a method which allowed for the collection of deep
and meaningful data . The findings highlight that homeschooling is a very positive
experience. H ome educators create their own curriculum while some follow a particular
programme as part of that curriculum. The main support for Irish parents who homeschool
their children is provided by the Home Education Network. The main challenges for home
educators in Ireland, as elsewhere, include high opportunity cost, the intense nature of
home education and the need to justify their decision to homeschool to family and friends.
The participants assert that sociali sation of the ir children is not an issue as there are ample
opportunities for the ir children to socialise. The data collected during this study points to
the fact that the research participants were confident in their decision to homeschool their
children. It is envisioned that the findings reported may have some contribution to make
to the Irish debate on home education.

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Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I would like to sincerely thank my supervisor Mary McAuliffe, an
expert in her field, who has supported me throughout the preparation of this thesis with
her overwhelming support, patience, knowledge and feedback. I wish to express my
gratitude to my critical friend Duncan McCarthy, for giving his time and using his
expertise to help me.
To my mother Kathleen, thank you for leading by example with your constant life -long
love of learning.
I thank my husband Seán, who has facilitated my learning in many ways by continuously
supporting and encouraging me throughout all of my studies. I thank fellow students on
the course for sharing their experiences. Lastly, I wish to acknowledge those who helped
by participating in the study.

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Acronyms
BERA – British Educational Research Association
CPD – Continuous Professional Development
CSO – Central Statistics Office
DES – Department of Education and Skills
HEN – Home Education Network
ILE – Innovative Learning Environments
INTO – Irish National Teachers Organisation
LEA – Local Education Authority
MATL – Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning
NCCA – National Council for Curriculum and Assessment
NEWB – National Education Welfare Board
NHERI – National Home Education Research Institute
OECD – Organisation for Economic Co -operation and Development
PE- Physical Education
PISA – Programme for Inte rnational Student Assessment
UK- United Kingdom
UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
WWW – World Wide Web

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Dedication

This thesis is dedicated to my family. To my husband Seán, thank you for always
supporting and encou raging me. To my children, Peter, Sarah and Con Óg, our journey
begins!

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Contents
1 Chapter 1 ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. ………….. 12
1.1 Introduction ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. … 12
1.2 Context and Rationale ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………. 12
1.3 Research Questions ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………….. 14
1.4 Outline of the study ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………….. 15
2 Chapter 2 – Review of the Literature ………………………….. ………………………….. … 16
2.1 Introduction ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. … 16
2.3 The legal status of home education in Ireland ………………………….. …………… 19
2.4 Home education literature from a national and international perspective ….. 21
2.4.1 The general experience of home education ………………………….. ………… 21
2.4.2 Parents’ motives for choosing to educate at home ………………………….. . 22
2.4.3 Structure and curricul um of home education ………………………….. ……… 24
2.4.4 Supports and challenges for homeschooling parents ……………………….. 26
2.4.5 Home education and socialisation ………………………….. ……………………. 28
3 Chapter 3 – Research Methodology ………………………….. ………………………….. ….. 30
3.1 Introduction ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. … 30
3.2 Aims of th e study ………………………….. ………………………….. …………………….. 31
3.3 Methodology ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. . 32
3.4 Limitations ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. …. 33
3.5 Data Collectio n ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………… 34
3.6 Sample ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. ……….. 35
3.7 Setting ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. ………… 37
3.8 Data Analysis ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. 37
3.9 Validity ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. ………. 38
3.10 Reliability ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. …… 39
3.11 Reflexivity ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. ….. 39
4 Chapter 4 – Findings and Analysis ………………………….. ………………………….. …… 42
4.2 Parents motives for choosing to educate at home ………………………….. ……… 44
4.2.1 Bullying in school ………………………….. ………………………….. ……………… 44
4.2.2 Limitations of school ………………………….. ………………………….. …………. 45
4.3 Structure and curriculum of home education ………………………….. ……………. 47
4.4 Supports for homeschooling parents ………………………….. ……………………….. 49
4.5 The challenges of home education ………………………….. ………………………….. 55

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4.6 Home education and socialisation ………………………….. ………………………….. . 56
4.7 Parental academic achievement and home education ………………………….. … 58
5 Chapter 5 – Conclusions and Recomm endations ………………………….. …………….. 61
5.1 Introduction ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. … 61
5.2 Conclusions ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. … 61
5.2.1 Positive experience of home education ………………………….. ……………… 61
5.2.2 Bullying in school ………………………….. ………………………….. ……………… 62
5.2.3 Limitations of mainstream education ………………………….. ………………… 62
5.2.4 Structure and curriculum of home education ………………………….. ……… 63
5.2.5 Supports for homeschooling parents ………………………….. …………………. 63
5.2.6 Home education and socialisation ………………………….. ……………………. 64
5.2.7 Parental educational achievement and home education ……………………. 64
5.3 Contribution of the research project ………………………….. ………………………… 64
5.3.1 Contribution to professional practice ………………………….. ………………… 64
5.3.2 Contribution to academic knowledge ………………………….. ……………….. 65
5.4 Recommendations for future research ………………………….. ……………………… 65
5.5 Limitations of the study ………………………….. ………………………….. …………….. 67
5.6 Evalua tion of sources ………………………….. ………………………….. ……………….. 67
5.7 Learning experience ………………………….. ………………………….. …………………. 68
5.8 Recommendations ………………………….. ………………………….. ……………………. 69
5.9 Concluding Comments ………………………….. ………………………….. ……………… 70
5.10 Closing Remarks ………………………….. ………………………….. ……………………… 71
6 References ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. ………… 72
7 Appendix ………………………….. ………………………….. ………………………….. ………….. 85

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1 Chapter 1
1.1 Introduction
I work as a primary school teacher, in a co -educational Catholic primary scho ol in East
Cork. During my years teaching the primary school curriculum , the concept of creative
learnin g as an effective way of acquiring knowledge, has arisen repeatedly. Creative
learning is based on learner empowerment and puts the child at the centre of the learning
experience (Ferrari, Cachia and Punie, 2009). Significantly, the Irish Primary School
Curriculum states that the child should be an active agent in his or her learning ( Ireland,
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment,1999), however, this is not always
possible in a class of thirty (Bennet et al, 1984; Eh renberg et al, 2001). The co ncept of
child -centred learning is consistently associa ted with homeschooling (Thomas, 1998;
Rothermel, 2002, Ray, 2011). During the course of my MA studies, I became interested
in homeschooling as an alternative form of education. This provided the cata lyst which
began my investigation into the experiences of parents who choose to homeschool their
children in Ir eland.

1.2 Context and Rationale
During the last two decades, homeschooling has become increasingly acceptable as a
valid form of education. Intern ationally, the number of children being educated at home
has increased significantly though there are no precise prevalence estimates (Lines,
1995; Petrie, Windrass & Thomas, 1999). This small -scale qualitative study is based
on semi -structured interview s with parents who homeschool their children in Ireland.
The experiences of these parents are investigated, data is analysed, and findings are
presented. Based on a review of the literature, there is no one definition for
homeschooling. In fact, the ped agogy used is unique to different families (Thomas,

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1998), but for the most part home education is when parents choose to take full
responsibility for their children’s education without sending them to school (Mountney,
2008). The Irish Constitution recog nises the role of a parent / guardian as the primary
educator of the child and has preserved in law that a parent / guardian may home educate
a child. Under the Education (Welfare) Act (2000) parents have a right to educate their
children outside of a rec ognised school, for example, in the home.

In recent years the number of parents choosing to homeschool their children in Ireland
has increased significantly. From 2004 to 2006, there were 225 homeschooled children
officially registered with the Nationa l Education Welfare Board (NEWB, 2012). The
latest account from the NEWB confirms that 859 children are officially registered with
the organisation (NEWB, 2013). The purpose of this qualitative study is to discover the
experiences of parents who choose t o hom eschool their children . There is a dearth of
empirical research about home education in Ireland. It appears that information on this
topic needs to be highlighted and communicated within the education sector and with
the general public. It is the r esearcher’s hope that as a result of this research, supports
will be put in place to disseminate more information on the subject of homeschooling
as a valid form of education.

This research into home education was also prompted by an interest in differe nt forms
of learning. The impetus to investigate home education originated with the study of
Dewey (1938) and the subject of inquiry -based learning. ‘Inquiry is the controlled or
directed transformation of an indeterminate situation into one that is so de terminate in
its constituent distinctions and relations as to convert the elements of the original
situation into a unified whole’ (Dewey, 1938, p.108). It is observed that parents who

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educate their children at home adopt an inquiry -based style of learnin g (Moore and
Moore, 1994; Ray 2011). According to Christa Johnson (2011), figuring out how
information gets and stays in the child’s brain is a distinctive feature of homeschooling.

Thomas (1998, p.3), argues that ‘Even though children cannot be taught individually in
school, the belief that somehow they should be will not go away’. The impossible task
of seeking to personalise teaching in the classroom is intensified by large class sizes,
the subject of which is a subsequent rationale for this study. The average class size at
primary level in Ireland is the second highest in the E uropean Union as stated by the
Central Statistics Office (CSO, 2010). These increases to class size in Ireland make
attempts at individualised teaching practically unachieva ble. From a teacher’s
perspective, I was frustrated with large class sizes, and the resulting lack of emphasis
on child centred education, despite what the curriculum aspires to, and this led me to
consider homeschooling as a possible viable alternative.

1.3 Research Questions
The research question that informs this piece of research is
'What are the experiences of parents who choose to homeschool their children in
Ireland?'

A number of sub -questions are addressed in the study. These include the following:
 Why do Irish parents choose to homeschool their children?
 What curriculum – if any – do they follow?
 What supports do they access?
 What are the challenges they encounter?

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 How do parents address the social aspect of home education?
 How might parental educ ational achievement affect the decision to
homeschool?
 It is anticipated that this small piece of research will investigate the common
assumption that homeschooling is practiced by an unconventional group of
people.

1.4 Outline of the study
This minor thes is is set out over five chapters. In Chapter 2, the literature pertinent to
this research study will be examined and presented. Here the reader will acquire a
knowledge of the background to education. The legal status on homeschooling in
Ireland will b e discussed and research from both an Irish and international perspective
will be presented.

The third chapter will identify the methodologies which were used to gather, analyse
and synthesise data. In Chapter 4, the findings of the data will be discusse d. The fifth
chapter will draw conclusions and make recommendations for the undertaking of further
research based on this study.

In this chapter, the researcher’s background was outlined. Secondly, the context and
rationale for the study was provided. Subsequently, the research questions were
identified and finally, the structure of the paper was outlined. The following chapter
will examine and discuss literature pertinent to the study.

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2 Chapter 2 – Review of the Literature
2.1 Introduction
With the objec tive of giving this study a theoretical framework, three broad themes are
explored. The themes are as follows:
1. A background to education in Ireland
2. The legal status of home education in Ireland
3. Home education literature from a national and international perspective.

Many theories have been proposed to explain homeschooling. It is important to realise
that an examination of the homeschooling literature presents the conclusion that the
concept is not quite as simple as it appears on the surface (Murphy , 2012). According
to Petrie, Windrass, and Thomas (1999, p. 6), 'Home education can be defined as the
full-time education of children in and around the home by their parents or guardians or
by tutors appointed by the parents or guardians'. Rothermel (20 02) explains that as
there is no universal concept of education, this definition is rather vague because the
term ‘full -time’ is not clarified. It implies that the employment of full -time tutors
qualifies as home education despite the fact that this is no t equal to parental
commitment. However, Petrie (1999) cited in Rothermel (2002) expands the definition
to state that home education is where ‘parents are committed to their children's
education and home educating’. The essence of this whole argument is that in general,
parents who choose to homeschool are clearly committed to their children’s education.
The following section will present a background to education in Ireland. Most
homeschooling families provide educational experiences outside as well as inside the
home. Some families organise homeschools like a standard school, with organised daily
activities. Others view all life as a chance for learning and use a very flexible schedule

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(Van Pelt, 2003; Thomas, 1998). Either way, it is an age -old tra ditional educational
practice (Ray, 2011).

2.2 A background to education in Ireland
During the eighteenth century, the Hedge Schools were the most vital force in popular
education in Ireland. The willingness of the people to make sacrifices for the education
of their children was very prevalent (Dowling, 1935). Continuously, throughout our
history, even in times of great political, economic and social difficulty, education has
always been held in high esteem (French, 2007). When the national system of prima ry
education was established in 1831, it rang the death -knell of the independent method of
education seen in the Hedge Schools (Dowling, 1935).

Towards the end of the 19th Century, there was an international call for a more child –
centred approach to educ ation (McAuliffe Ryng, 2005). According to Darling (1994),
child -centred education, which was the fruition of ideas developed by Rousseau and
Dewey is currently under pressure. Basically, Darling (1994) believes that it is
impossible for teachers to purs ue the interest s of twenty or thirty children. Thomas
(1998, p.3) refers to the notion of individualised teaching in the classroom as a ‘fruitless
preoccupation’.

In Ireland today, education is compulsory for children from the ages of six to sixteen.
The Irish education system is made up of: Early Childhood, Primary, Post Primary,
Further Education and Training and Higher Education Qualifications ( Ireland,
Departmen t of Education and Skills, 2004). Education is regarded as the key to
economic, social an d cultural development of society. It is through education that

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people find their place in the world, understand the world and pass on this understanding
to others ( Ireland, DES, 2011).

The issue of pupil -teacher ratio and class size is probably the mos t cantankerous and
genuinely borne educational concern among Irish teachers at all levels of the system
(Drudy and Lynch, 1993). Irish class sizes are the second highest in the E uropean
Union, marginally behind the UK (Irish National Teachers Organisation , INTO, 2013).
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data shows that countries
with high ‑performing education systems are generally prioritising the quality of
teachers over class size (O rganisation for Economic and Cultural Development , 2012).
However, it is not stated whether or not class size is already an issue in such countries.

Genera lly, smaller class sizes allow teachers to spend more time to motivate students
and less time in classroom management, therefore providing better instruction tailored
to the students’ individual needs, thus warranting a higher performance (Ames, 1992;
Ehre nberg et al, 2001; OCED, 2012). In this regard, class size may be regarded as a
measure of the quality of a school system (OECD, 2012). Drudy and Lynch (1993),
report the findings of OCED studies (1991, 1981) which state that a class is too big
when the teacher can no longer give individual attention to each pupil. For example, in
a class of thirty children the average time allowed for individual attention is less than
nine minutes. The question arises as to the amount of individual attention required. It
is perceived by home educators that a lack of individual attention is one of the main
limitations of the mainstream education system (Thomas, 1998). This section outlined
a brief background to education in Ireland. It explored the importance of chil d-centred

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education and examined how large class size can hinder this style of learning in schools.
The next section observes the legal status of home education in Ireland.

2.3 The legal status of home education in Ireland
An examination of the legal status on home education in Ireland is warranted as it has
been at the centre of many socio political debates in thi s country (Byrne -Doran, 2007).
The most explicit acknowledgement of parental rights in the 1937 Irish Constitution
relates to education’ (Daly, M., 2009). Home education is officially recognised by the
Constitution of Ireland (Article 42) but allows for ‘reasonable regulation’ (Education
(Welfare) Act, 2000). Article 42 of the Irish Constitution (Bunreacht na hEireann,
1937) identifies the family a s the primary educator of the child and outlines duties and
responsibilities for parents and the State in the education of children. Under the
Education (Welfare) Act, (2000), the N ational Education Welfare Board is charged with
ensuring that every child receives an education. As part of this remit, it must ensure the
registration of children who receive their education through home settings. This
requirement exists in order to support parents in their right to home educate and to
safeguard a child's rig ht to a minimum education (NEWB, 2012).

However, there is no definition of a ‘minimum education’ specified by the NEWB. The
Guidelines on the Assessment of Education in Pl aces Other than Schools (DES, 2003 )
presents a chapter entitled ‘Towards a Definit ion of a Certain Minimum Education’. It
provides broad characteristics of a certain minimum education and states that the
Minister may set out a ‘prescribed minimum education’. Noticeably, this contradicts
the fact that there is no recognised definition of the minimum standard.

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Recently, a couple who home educate their children were fined €2,000 in court for
failing to send their chi ldren to school (Lee , 2013). The couple intend to appeal this
ruling as they believe that because it is their constitutional right to home educate t heir
children, it is not compulsory for them to register with the NEWB ( Marion Finnucane
Show , 2013). This would indicate that the function of the NEWB in its role to assess
children educated by their parents contradicts Artic le 42 of the Irish Constituti on
therefore the legal status on this debate is currently unclear.

The Irish H ome Education Network was established in October 1998. The incentive for
setting up the network was due to the threat of new legislation to regulate home
education in Ireland. The legislation would have required homeschoolers to accept
home visits, where an education welfare officer would monitor instruction taking place,
inspect the premises, and carry out an onsite assessment of the child's intellectual,
emotional, and physi cal development (Home School Legal Defense Association, 2002).
In the final passage of the bill, the compulsory visits for all home educators was
removed.

The number of children registered for home -schooling has more than trebled to almost
700 i n just fi ve years (Murray , 2010). At present, there are approximately 859 children
officially registered with the NEWB, though this current figure does not represent all of
the children being homeschooled in Ireland (NEWB, 2013). Several parents choose not
to reg ister their children. It is estimated that double this number of children are currently
being home educated in Ireland (Byrne – Doran, 2007). Despite the increasing numbers
of children being educated at home, there is currently no mandatory requirement in

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place for the D epartment of Education and Skills to provide support to parents who
choose to educate their children at home.

This section looked at the legal status of home education in Ireland. Since writing this
piece, the functions of the former N EWB now rest with The Child and Family Agency
which was established by law on 1st January 2014 (NEWB, 2014) It remains to be seen
if this will influence relations with home educators. The following five section s
observes home education from a national an d international perspective.

2.4 Home education literature from a national and international perspective
Research overseas indicates that home education is a growing phenomenon (Princiotta,
Bielick, & Chapman, 2006). In Australia, home education has grown rapidly over the
past 25 years. Families are educating their children at home in all six states and two
territories in urban, suburban, regional, and remote parts of Australia (Home School
Legal Defense Association, 2013). Homeschooling is possibly the ‘f astest -growing
form of education’ in America (Economist, 2012). In 2007, the number of home –
schooled students was about 1.5 million compared to approximately 850,000 in 1999.
This represents a 74 percent relative increase over a n 8-year period (United St ates,
Department of Education , 2009). The most recent figure for home -educated students
in the United States is 2.04 million (Ray, 2011).

2.4.1 The general experience of home education
Home education helps to develop stronger relationships because of the tim e parents can
devote to their children (Mountney, 2008). The realisation that children make vast
intellectual progress at home in the early years of life influenced a number of parents in

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their decis ion to homeschool (Thomas, 1998; Rothermel 2002). Alber t (2003) asserts
that in general if a child whose confidence in her learning ability has not been damaged
by another’s judgements, she will grasp reading or maths as quickly and successfully
as she learned to walk, when she is interested. Rothermel (2002) observed children
running free, enjoying their life and feeling fulfilled: and not just the children, but the
parents also. Families asserted that home -education was a positive lifestyle choice that
brought to them a closeness that could not have been ho ped for from a more
conventional commitment to societal norms (Rothermel, 2002).

Lowe and Thomas (2002) believe that the concept of home education differs
fundamentally from the school model in a number of ways. They explain that the
experience of lea rning at home is not like learning at school. In school, there is little
informal learning, whereas at home informal learning is more common. At home,
marking written work is unnecessary because any difficulties are dealt with and
corrected as they occur . Moreover, children at home have ample time to read for
pleasure (Webb, 1990). They socialise with fewer peers but might mix with children
and adults of any age (Lowe and Thomas, 2002; Ray, 2004).

2.4.2 Parents’ motives for choosing to educate at home
Though education is compulsory in the UK for children between the ages of five and
sixteen, school i s not (Education Otherwise, 2012). Many families choose to educate
their children at home. There is no single 'right' way to educate a child at home
(Education Otherwise , 2012). Rothermel (2002) cites the main reasons for home –
educating as; developing a close family relationship and being together, having the
freedom and flexibility to do what we want, when we want, learning together and being

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able to let the children learn in their own style, developing naturally. Parents who opt
to educate at home from the beginning are normally well informed and are likely to be
influenced by some of the following: literature on home education, meeting other home
educating families, their own experience of school and the idea of education as an
extension of early learning at home (Lowe and Thomas, 2002).

Mayberry et al (1995), construe that the increase in home education is a response to
increasing criticism of mainstream education. For a number of parents, the distress
caused by bullying forces them to remove their children from school (Hopwood et al,
2007; Badman, 2009). Thomas (1998) argues that bullying is rampant in school, and
only recent research has indicated the adverse effects it can have on a child’s
psychological health. Some parents choose to homeschool because misbehaviour at
home is attributed to disruptive behaviour in school. (Lowe and Thomas 2002 ; Aiex,
1994).

Webb (1990) cites Grant (1983) who disco vered that out of 173 home -educators 74.5%
of parents had been concerned with the moral and social attitudes prevalent in schools;
36.42% of parents believed that they could educate their children as well as school; 34%
were motivated by a desire for an al ternative lifestyle, 31.7% of respondents’ children
had experienced difficulty in school and 15% were motivated by religious values.

In the US, similar reasons for choosing to homeschool were reported. These included
a desire to provide religious or mor al instruction (36%), concern about the school
environment (21%), and a dissatisfaction with academic instruction (17%). Other
reasons included family time, finances, travel, and distance which accounted for 14%

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(United States, Department of Education, 20 09). A non -traditional approach (7%), and
a child's health problems or special needs (6%) were the other motives for educating at
home ( United States, Department of Education , 2009).

2.4.3 Structure and curriculum of home education
The recurring theme of autono mous and informal learning emerges throughout the
related literature on homeschooling (Thomas, 1998; Rothermel, 2002, Ray; 2004).
Autonomous learning, where there is no structure whatsoever, happens when children
choose what they want to learn (Hopwood et al, 2007). Thomas (2012) makes reference
to real learning or street learning. For example when a child wants to know when the
next TV programme is on, time becomes important to her. Possibly, the best existing
source of knowledge about informal learnin g is home education. This is because many
home educating parents find that informal learning plays at least some part, and in some
instances a very major part, in their children’s in tellectual growth (Thomas, 1998;
2012).

Children who are home educated continue to learn through play after the school starting
age (Thomas, 1998). Learning informally through play is a key concept of the Aistear
framework ( Ireland, NCCA, 2009). Acknowledging play as vital in the role of early
child development, the Aistea r framework recognises the role of the adult to provide
children with the support, props, time and space to develop their play ( Ireland, NCCA,
2009, p.56). This role mirrors that of many home educators.

It is the role of the educator to celebrate creat ivity and to harness it by working on the
strengths of the child (British Dyslexia Association, 2013 ). Of course, play has no

25
boundaries and allows for endless creativity. A child’s play ‘develops over time and
is enhanced when given the right kinds of supports’ but it must be remembered that
learning through play can only be considered as such when the individual child is having
fun ( Ireland, NCCA, 2009, p.59).

Thomas (1998, p.10) accurately asserts that, ‘the mind of every individual is unique and
enormously complex’. Children learn through meaning and through association, but
most significantly, they learn at their own pace. Holt (1964) explains that when
children are provided with a rich and stimulating learning environment they learn what
they are ready to learn, when they are ready to learn it. Children do not need to be made
to learn about the world, or shown how. They want to, and they know how (Holt, 1964).
It appears that home educators trust that their children want to learn and this m ay play
a role in the success of the structure and curriculum of home education.

Homeschooling parents often discover that classroom approaches to teaching and
learning do not easily translate into the home (Albert, 2003). Parents educate in diverse
ways, typically using the home as a base. They take advantage of the resources within
the community, for example, libraries, galleries and sports centres. They interact with
other home educators and visit places of interest (Mountney, 2008).

Thomas (1998 ) examines in depth how children can acquire an education simply
through everyday experiences. The banking model of education which Freire (1970)
criticises, where the teacher feeds knowledge to the pupil appears to be non -existent in
the research on home education. However the problem -posing method, where the
teacher becomes both teacher and student is more reflective of the homeschooling

26
approach (Roberts, 2000). It appears that the informal structure of home education
helps to develop the child’s free dom to learn. Hederman (2012), asserts that child –
centred learning can be nurtured and directed by the educator, but it must find its roots
in the person being educated’. The current Irish Primary School Curriculum ( Ireland,
NCCA, 1999) which states the importance of child -centred education and celebrates the
uniqueness of the child corresponds with the approach adopted by home educators.
Significantly, what the PSC ( Ireland, NCCA, 1999) advocates is not always feasible in
the structure of the school da y since a large percentage of the teachers time is spent on
class management (Ehrenberg, et al, 2001).

Significantly, i t appears that Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework
(Ireland, NCCA, 2007) endeavours to fulfil the idea for education to wh ich Dewey
(1938) refers. This type of education would see the social dynamism needed to nurture
a vibrant society’s aims and means happening in schools (Dewey, 1938). Aistear seeks
to put learning through play and exploration, at the heart of learning fo r children under
six (Ireland, NCCA, 2007). Per Hargarrd (2013) reports that, the playful state of mind
offers a platform where children can test out new things. When children are facilitated
to learn in this way, they become more engaged in the learning process. It is this
engagement in learning that features predominantly in the pedagogical methods utilised
by homeschooling families. According to the Home Education Network (2013), most
families take inspiration from many educational philosophies and a dopt and develop
them to suit their own needs and beliefs.

2.4.4 Supports and challenges for homeschooling parents

27
The Home Education Network (HEN) is the main support for home educators in Ireland.
This is an ‘all -embracing organisation, welcoming all home educating families’ (HEN ,
2013 ). In the US support for home educators has increased in recent years. Cooper and
Sureau (2007), conclude that ‘Homeschool families have organised regional and
national associations, gained children’s access to after -school an d even during -school
classes and activities in local public schools, and increasingly gained entry to college’.

High opportunity cost is one of the main challenges for home educators (Hopwood et
al., 2007). Many home educators face major criticism from relatives, friends and
acquaintances (Thomas, 1998; Rothermel, 2002). Homeschooling requires a lot of time,
mental energy and often a loss of wages (Stevens, Lampmt and Wuthnow, 2003). There
is no evidence in the literature to suggest that any financial support is available to
parents who choose to homeschool their children. However, other non -fiscal varieties
of support exist for example, in Ireland there are facebook groups dedicated to home
education where parents can share information and provide su pport for each other.

The National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) supports homeschoolers by
publishing a research journal called the Home School Researcher (NHERI, 2013). The
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a US support organi sation
established to ‘defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the
education of their children’ (HSLDA, 2013); while the Home Education Association
(HEA) is a support group which aims to promote and support the practice of home
education in Australia (H ome Education Association , 2013 ). It appears there is little
research on the subject of supports and c hallenges for home educators. However, the
preceding organisations offer support in terms of information and communication.

28

2.4.5 Home education and socialisation
In general, society believes that children who do not go to school are denied a chance
to socialise and make friends (Thomas, 1998). Therefore, it is reasonable that the
primary criticism of home education is not so much con cern for academic progress but
instead the lack of social contact for the children. Home educated children recognisably
have less occasion to mix socially with other children of the same age. However,
according to Thomas (1998) this does not appear to in hibit their personal or social
development.

Education is seen as a central social institution in Ireland (Drudy and Lynch, 1993).
Whitaker (2013) emphasises that schools and teachers have an important role to play in
children’s social development and that teachers should not underestimate their
influential position in swaying children’s attitudes, opinions and beliefs. Generally,
home educators believe that their children benefit from socialising with people of all
ages. Greg Sherman (2010) states th at ‘we homeschool so that our children can receive
adequate instruction over learning how to interact constructively with people, younger,
the same and older than themselves’. Gatto (1990) insists that without children and old
people socialising together in daily life, a community has no future and no past.

Jackson (2007) confirms that the common public concerns about the social development
of children being home schooled were not supported by her research and states that this
result was also supported in a number of overseas studies (Holder 2001; Medlin, 2000;
Rothermel, 20 02; Shyers, 1992). Lowe and Thomas (2002) argue that no research study

29
has ever concluded that homeschooled children are socially deprived. According to
Rothermel (2002) home -educ ated children show good social skills.

In this chapter literature relevant to the research question was discussed, analysed and
synthesised. An extensive range of abstracts and articles were reviewed and selected for
analysis on the basis of quality and importance. The identification of important or
recurrent themes followed in the form of thematic synthesis. Findings were summarised
under thematic headings. The headings were: key definitions of homeschooling, the
social effect on children, methods of teaching, parental views, individual learning,
supports and challenges. The main themes arising from the literature were outlined and
discussed in the context of the experiences of home educators. While this chapter
reviewed the homeschooling literature, very little information exists which focuses on
the Irish experience of home education. Following an extensive literature review, a
small -scale qualitative study to investigate the perspective of Irish parents who
homeschool was designed. In the followi ng chapter the methodology used to conduct
this study will be discussed.

30
3 Chapter 3 – Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
Qualitative methods stand in stark contrast to the approaches of quantitative research
(Creswell, 2003). The qualitative research meth od investigates the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of
decision making, not just ‘what’, ‘where’ or ‘when’. Quantitative researchers
emphasise the transfer from theory to assumptions, to data and finally to conclusions.
However, qualitative researchers highlight movemen t directly from observations and
data, to descriptions and patterns, and in turn to the construction of theory (Johnson,
and Christensen, 2012).

A qualitative design was chosen for this study. This allowed the researcher to gain a
deeper understanding of the experiences of parents who opt to educate at home in
Ireland. Glesne (2006) states that qualitative methods attempt to understand a certain
type of social phenomena through the perspectives of the individuals involved. This
differs greatly from qua ntitative methods which are described as a way of acquiring
knowledge based on broad generalisations across greater populations (Szyjka, 2012).
Strauss and Corbin (1990) as cited in (Hoepfl, 1997) argue that qualitative methods, for
example semi -structur ed interviews can be used to better understand any phenomenon
about which little is yet known.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the experiences of parents who choose to
educate their children at home. In this chapter, the aims of the study a re outlined and
the chosen methodology is discussed. Subsequently, the process of data collection is
presented, followed by an outline of the limitations of the study. An illustration of the
sample and setting ensues, which is followed by an outline of t he data analysis .

31
Meanwhile issues imperative to a qualitative study such as validity, reliability and
reflexivity are examined. Finally, ethical considerations are examined.

3.2 Aims of the study
Originally, I merely considered the idea of investigating th e experiences of home
educators, as a research topic. Quickly, the spark ignited and I began to ruminate over
questions that could be asked. The research question chosen for this study is not subject
to numerical analysis as it involves highlighting the thoughts and ideas of parents who
choose to homeschool their children. Notably, the use of a questionnaire for a larger
sample of participants would unmistakably yield more data than the small number of
interviews conducted during this research process. However, the content would not be
as rich or as receptive to analysis (Dyer, 1995). The key question directing the analysis
of the literature was

‘What are the experiences of parents who choose to homeschool their children in
Ireland?’
The following s ub-questions were also addressed
• Why do Irish parents choose to homeschool their children?
• What curriculum – if any – do they follow?
• What supports do they access?
• What are the challenges they encounter?
• How do parents address the social aspect o f home education?
• How might parental educational achievement affect the decision to
homeschool?

32
This section focused on the aims of the study. The following section will outline the
methodology used for this piece of research.

3.3 Methodology
Qualitative m ethods are most appropriate for this piece of research as the interview
process acknowledges the significance of personal language as data (Newton, 2010).
Face -to-face interviewing may be appropriate where depth of meaning is important and
the research is primarily focused in gaining insight and understanding (Gillham, 2000;
Ritchie & Lewis 2003). For this study, semi -structured interviews were used to collect
data. As opposed to the structured interview, which is more controlled, the semi –
structured int erview allowed for flexibility in terms of the order in which the topics
were thought -out (Denscombe, 2010). Undoubtedly, one of the main advantages of
using the interview method is its flexibility, whereby responses can be explained and
elaborated (Bell, 2003).

When interviewing the respondent, an interviewer can delve deeper and follow up on
thoughts and philosophies. Providing the interviewee is at ease, this method of data
collection can explore motives and feelings. Certainly, this is distinct fr om any other
research technique. A reply made during an interview can be expanded upon or
simplified. In contrast to the written response in a questionnaire, the way in which an
answer is given, for example, the tone of voice or a facial expression, can provide
information that may otherwise be concealed (Bell, 2010). Furthermore, the interviewee
can expand on ideas and speak more extensively on the issues presented by the
researcher. In this case, since the answers were open -ended, there was a higher

33
possibility of those being interviewed elaborating on points of interest (Denscombe,
2010).

The interview is a managed verbal exchange (Gillham, 2000) and its effectiveness
greatly depends on the communication skills of the interviewer (Clough & Nutbrown,
2007). These skills include the ability to cle arly structure questions (Cohen, Manion
and Morrison, 2007); listen attentively (Clough & Nutbrown, 2007); pause, probe or
prompt appropriately (Ritchie & Lewis , 2003 ); and encourage the interviewee to talk
freely (Clough & Nutbrown, 2007). Interpersonal skills (Opie, 2004) such as the ability
to establish rapport, perhaps with humour and humility, are also important. It is
important to build a sense of trust prior to and during the interview process. This se ction
outlined the methodology used for this small -scale study. In the following section, the
limitations of the research are discussed.

3.4 Limitations
There are a number of limitations to this study including; time restraints, a small sample
and bias. It would be unrealistic to carry out a large scale qualitative study in the
allocated time frame, therefore a purposive sample was chosen for this research. Bias
is a constant limitation in this type of qualitative study, and it can occur in many ways
(O’Lea ry, 2004). Certainly, it is very easy for a sole interviewer to be restricted by bias.
For example, it can happen if the researcher selects only references which support
his/her point of view (Bell, 2003). Throughout the research process, the researcher
acknowledged the highly subjective nature of the interview and endeavoured to limit
researcher bias (Punch, 2009). The following section explores the data collection
process.

34
3.5 Data Collection
The research instrument used in this study w as a Topic Guide (See Appendix I ). Bell
(2010) states that the instrument is simply the tool to enable you to gather data, and it
is important to select the best tool for the job. A set of topics was listed and questions
were compiled for the researcher to explore with the r esearch participants. The
questions were asked under the following headings: Individual Experience, A Typical
Day, Challenges and Supports. In order to generate a type of data which was rich in
content, questions were open -ended to illicit elaborate resp onses. Primarily, the
designed topic guide was piloted. The researcher conducted a pre -test interview with a
colleague. This determined if the questions were understandable, and helped assess
whether or not the interview structure was effective.

The w ay in which the researcher conducts the interview can determine the quality of
the data collected (Bogdan & Taylor, 1975). In this case, the semi -structured interview
would gather information on the more ‘intangible aspects’ of what it is like to educate
at home (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2007, p. 97). The interviews were very
conversational in style. A schedule of open -ended questions was prepared for the semi –
structured interviews. This enabled the contents to be reordered, digressions and
expansion s made, new avenues included, and further probing undertaken (Cohen,
Manion and Morrision, 2007).

The semi -structured interviews were used as a method to collect data for the researcher
to interpret. The interviews lasted an average of one and a half h ours. In each case the
interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed. The interviews began with
pleasantries and the participant was informed that the interview was openly a meeting

35
intended to produce material that would be used for research purpos es (Denscombe,
2010). The interviewer explained the purpose of the study and the basis for it. All
interviewees were reassured that confidentiality and anonymity was guaranteed. They
were reminded that participation was voluntary and they could withdra w from the study
at any time. Twenty open -ended questions were asked during each interview. The
respondents were urged to speak frankly. Subsequently, the interviews were transcribed
and analysed for common themes. In order to review progress, a diary was kept of all
methods of research. Diaries or logbooks offered a ‘chronological record’ of events
(Sharp, Peters and Howard, 2002, p148). In brief, the data sources were the diary, the
interview transcripts and interpretive notes on the transcripts. T his section examined
methods of data collection. The following section observes the sample employed for
this small -scale study.

3.6 Sample
Initially, research was carried out on homeschooling in Ireland. Information was sought
from the Home Education Networ k (HEN). The researcher was informed of the HEN’s
Annual General Conference, which took place at Larch Hill in Dublin from the 15th –
18th August 2013. With the intention of meeting and conversing with home educators,
the researcher decided to attend the c onference. When the subject of research arose,
several families were interested and willing to assist in the study. Having attended the
conference in Dublin, the researcher was added to an online mailing list for the Cork
area. These emails give informa tion on homeschooling events in the different localities
in Cork. It was decidedly more convenient to meet local families. Consequently, the
researcher attended a homeschooling event in Cork city, and initiated contact with
various parents. At this poi nt the participants were identified. Later, these participants

36
were approached informally, by email and by telephone. Letters seeking consent and
outlining the purpose of the research were sent to the relevant participants invol ved in
the study (See Appe ndix II ).

A sample of five home educators were interviewed for this small -scale study. Indeed,
this sample could not generalised to all families who educate at home (Nisbit and Watt,
1984). While the sample was small and statistical analysis of the vari ables was not
feasible, ‘valid explanations that involve few variables are superior to those that involve
many’ (Sharp, Peters and Howard, 2002, p.119). Furthermore, the quality of the
interview helped to determine the validity of the explanations.

Three of the five participants live in the county of Cork and another two families lived
in Cork city. Participants ranged in age from mid -thirties to late -fifties and were of
middle socioeconomic status. It was a convenience sample. This type of sample rel ies
on data that is selected by those who provide it or those who observe it (Megan Price,
2013). In this case the information came from individuals who chose to share their
stories. One parent from each family was interviewed. Four out of five particip ants
were female, with one male participant. In Ireland, home education is a predominantly
female occupation. This is consistent with previous findings (Paterson, 1995, Thomas,
1998, Rothermel, 2002). This section observed the development of the researc h from
sourcing the sample to setting up the semi -structured interviews. The next section
reviews the different interview settings.

37
3.7 Setting
The interviewees were asked where they would like to be interviewed. It was important
to plan carefully as the s etting affects the quality of responses. Two respondents were
comfortable being interviewed at home. One interviewee chose to meet in a neutral
venue while two participants chose a telephone interview. Conducting face -to-face
interviews required conside rable time as it necessitated driving to different locations on
three separate days to conduct the interviews.

The first two locations were ideal from a recording perspective as the interviews took
place in the participants’ homes. However the third lo cation: a hotel, had background
noise. The background noise was picked up by the digital dictaphone. Later, the
interview was impossible to transcribe so the researcher contacted the respondent who
willingly agreed to answer the questions again. The fin al two interviews were
conducted by telephone which can be used productively in qualitative research (Sturges
and Hanrahan, 2012). This section reviewed the settings where the interviews took
place. The following section examines the process of data analy sis.

3.8 Data Analysis
An audit trail transpired when the interview was conducted and then transcribed, and
themes which emerged were identified. This type of data analysis is cyclical and acts
as a ‘safe guard’ in qualitative research. (Cohen, Manion and Mo rrison, 2007, p149).
Explanation and prediction in qualitative analysis involves the careful analysis of
documented and other material. A full description of the interview was given and this
was crucial whereupon the researcher used a type of discourse a nalysis which involved

38
a ‘careful reading and interpretation of textual material’ (Cohen, Manion and Morrison
(2007, p.390).

The transcripts were copied and pasted onto a worksheet with a question on the left and
the three answers pertaining to that que stion in columns on the right. Hard copies of
the transcripts were printed and common themes were colour coded. The information
in each column was assessed to identify more specific themes. The main themes were
identified and a new document was created to allow for greater precision. The literature
on homeschooling was examined to determine if some of the themes correlated with
any of the participants’ experiences, and everything relevant was incorporated into the
document. While the previous section outlined the data analysis, the following sections
will examine the relevance of validity, rel iability and reflexivity in qualitative research .

3.9 Validity
Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2007) maintain that validity is crucial for successful
reflective research. When findings are invalid, the research is worthless. Klenke
(2008) states that findings are valid to the degree that they resonate with the experiences
of those who have experienced the phenomenon in question, in this case,
homeschooling. Triangulati on is used as a strategy for the validation of the process and
results of empirical social research. (Flick, Kardorff and Steinke, 2004). It is used in
order to achieve objectivity and avoid subjectivity.

39
3.10 Reliability
The researcher applied a number of strategies to guarantee the validity and reliability of
this research. In order to safeguard against bias in the interpretive notes, the transcripts
were studied by a colleague. This ensured that the researchers’ views did not impact on
the findings. De spite attempts to prevent the occurrence of bias in this study, it must be
noted that bias presents itself in the opinions and perspectives of the participants
themselves (Klenke, 2008 ). Markedly, a realistic researcher assumes the existence of
multiple r ealities and endeavours to represent these effectively (Hoepfl, 1997).

3.11 Reflexivity
According to Roberts (2007), reflexivity or adaptability in research can mean several
different things. Ramazanoglu (2002) cited in Roberts (2007) states that reflexiv ity is
the recognition of the researchers’ own presence in the text, an awareness that a process
of persuasion is underway and an admission of the possible problems, which may arise.
Basically, the researcher becomes an integral part of the phenomenon bei ng investigated
(Denscombe, 2010). Likewise, the issue of reflexivity may proceed as a reliable
evaluation of the research experience and process. The researcher’s involvement
becomes a resource, rather than a limitation or source of subjectivity which i s to be
identified and questioned during the research process (Roberts, 2007). The rationale for
this research presented a risk for subjectivity to transpire, therefore the researcher
utilised this as a resource rather than a limitation to gather rich info rmation (Patton,
1990). The previous three sections examined the validity, reliability and reflexivity as
components of qualitative research. Finally the ethical considerations for conducting
this type of research are outlined.

40
3.12 Ethical Considerations
Throughout the research process, the researcher was respectful of the dignity and
privacy of the participants in this study and remained mindful of their rights as human
beings. This approach to research meets the requirements of the British Educational
Research Association (BERA, 2011). Ethical approval for this qualitative study was
sought from and granted by the Ethics Board at Hibernia College ( See appendix III).
Following this, a letter which sought consent was sent to the relevant participants
involve d in the study. The letter outlined the purpose of the research and provided an
assurance that confidentiality and anonymity was guaranteed. Prior to participating in
the study all participants were informed that they would be allocated a pseudonym for
the purposes of the study in order to protect their identities from those external to the
research (Wolcott, 1973).

The issue of anonymity is of great importance when conducting qualitative research due
to the manner in which data is obtained. Particip ants involved in this study were made
fully aware that the outcomes of the research will not be in any way harmful to them
(Hankel et al., 1982). This provides a safe and secure setting for participants to share
feelings, thoughts and experiences relevant to this study.
In this case, the particular research question required participants to talk on a personal
level about their way of life. Hence, pseudonyms were essential. Ultimately, care was
taken to consult and to establish guidelines and good practice during the course of the
study (Bell, 2003). The subject of anonymity was paramount due to the manner in
which the data was acquired. Participants were informed of their right to withdraw from
the interview process at any time. This section outlined th e ethical considerations for

41
this research. The following chapter discusses the findings and analysis of the data
generated in relation to the research question.

42
4 Chapter 4 – Findings and Analysis
For the purpose of this research, the following chapter will examine the main findings
in relation to the sections of the Literature Review. Hence, the first section of this
chapter will focus on the practice of home education and observe how it is a positive
experience for parents. The second section will ex amine parental motives for choosing
to educate at home. At this point, there will be a specific focus on bullying and the
limitations of school as motives for homeschooling. The following section will discuss
the structure and curriculum of home educatio n by highlighting the practises of
homeschooling families. Subsequent sections examine the supports for homeschooling
parents and the challenges they encounter. The chapter will then discuss the subject of
home education and the issue of socialisation, b y highlighting the misunderstandings
and misconceptions among the general public in this area. The final section of this
chapter will examine parental academic achievement and will illustrate how this may
be influential in assisting parents in their decis ion to homeschool.

4.1 Positive experience of home education
Similar to the observations of Rothermel (2002) the participants i n this study asserted
that home education was a positive lifestyle choice that brought to them a closeness that
could not have been hoped for from a more conventional commitment to societal norms.
It was obvious from the interviews that the majority of the participants shared similar
attitudes to home education (Transcript [T]2, Participant [P]1; P2, P3, P4, P5). I get to
spend time w ith the kids… we don’t have to do homework…the kids can regulate
themselves because we’re not rushing getting them up in the morning, getting everyone
ready, going somewhere …packing lunches and all of that (Transcript [T]2, Participant
[P]2). Another parent maintained that she didn’t really separate homeschooling from

43
life, or parenting (T 3, P1, P3, P4). The participants claimed that for the parent, they
get to see their child developing and growing, just like they saw their child’s first step
and he ard the first word (T4, P1, P2, P3, P4). Significantly, Albert (2003), asserts that
in general if a child whose confidence in her learning ability has not been damaged by
another’s judgements, she will grasp reading or mathematics as quickly and
successfu lly as she learned to walk, when she is interested. Notably, this attitude to
learning is resonated in the literature where home educators view education as a
continuum of early learning at home (Thomas, 1998).

One parent summed up the positives of ho meschooling his self -motivated daughter as
following her own way, not being bullied and spending more time together (T5, P5).
According to Mountney (2008), home education helps to develop stronger relationships
because of the time parents can devote to t heir children. If children sense that adults
are on their side, not just to give orders but to give respect; are ready to listen, are willing
for the children to have some control over their activities, are willing to compromise
rather than dictate; then in turn children become more willing to cooperate themselves.
They become more respectful and more willing to listen. They develop accountability
for their own education and observe adults as people who help them rather than
individuals to rebel against.

This section of the chapter has clearly highlighted a number of key issues in
homeschooling education. Firstly, the section observed how parents see home
education as a positive lifestyle choice that brings them closer together as a family,
secondly, h ome education is viewed by parents as a continuum of early learning and
finally, it is perceived that home education develops stronger relationships where

44
cooperation between children and adults is paramount. The next section will examine
parent al motives for homeschooling.

4.2 Parent al motives for choosing to educate at home
4.2.1 Bullying in school
Common reasons cited for opting to home educate include bullying (Hopwood et al,
2007; Badman, 2009). Four out of the five participants interviewed had children of
school going age. All of these parents had children who attended primary school at one
point. When parents were asked to share their motives for choosing to homeschool,
three out of four parents gave bullying in school as a preliminary reason. Bullying came
in the form of pupil to pupil which is often part of the fabric of everyday life (Middelton –
Moz and Zawadski, 2002) but also in the form of principal to pupils which is an abuse
of power strongly associated w ith bullying (O’Moore, 2010). According to Low e and
Thomas (2002), the distress caused by bullying triggers parents to remove their children
from school. Significantly, in this study, the participants’ contentment with their
present homeschooling experience surpassed any negative experiences caused b y
bullying in the past.

The participants were very direct in their communication about bullying. One parent
talked about the fear most parents have which prevents them from challenging the
authorities in schools. She evaluated a system where you don’t question, you don’t say
anything, if you’re unhappy, you just carry on (T5, P2). Thomas (1998) reports that
bullying is rampant in school, and only recent research has indicated the adverse effects
it can have on a child’s psychological health. In this study, one parent spoke about
respecting their daughter’s choice. He stated how she had some bad experiences in

45
school where from the age of five to eleven she was bullied persistently. He described
how his daughters bullying experiences didn’t emerge un til she finally asked to be taken
out of school. (T2, P5). Studies show that one in five primary school children are bullied
and a high proportion of children do not tell adults that they are being bullied at all
(O’Moore, 2010). Perhaps this is because many children hear adults admit to the fact
that bullying reflects regular behaviour, for example, that bullying is a normal part of
growing up (O’Moore and Minton, 2004). Such at titudes are criticised by Lowe and
Thomas (2000, p.155) ‘…there’s the questi on of unacceptable child -child interaction,
some aspects of which would be arrestable offences for adults.

While it is outside the remit of this small scale study to explore the issue of bullying,
the evidence elicited concludes that bullying remains an issue in mainstream education.
This is despite the fact that there are measures in place to prevent and reduce incidences
of bullying in schools, including the Action Plan on Bullying 2013 ( Ireland, DES,
2013). Clearly, several individual school polic ies are not working, therefore, further
work needs to be done in this area. Anti -bullying measures need to be strengthened,
and there needs to be recourse for children and parents who are affected by bullying.

4.2.2 Limitations of school
Mayberry et al (1995), construe that the increase in home education is a response to
increasing criticism of mainstream education. In this small -scale study, four out five
parents revealed that their children’s learning experience at school had been restrictive
and didn’t meet their specific needs. One participant described how her son wanted to
learn more than just one paragraph in his English reader. For might be a small paragraph
on the history of Anne Frank and he would want to learn more about the subject. He

46
wanted to read The Diary of Anne Frank, he wanted to learn about Germany, he wanted
to learn about Holland…he didn’t just want to learn one little paragraph (T5, P1). This
reflects the literature where parents had concerns with the limitations of mainstream
school and consequently chose to homescho ol their children (Thomas, 1998;
Rothermel, 2002). Another participant assessed her children’s different learning styles
and expressed how her son is not naturally a writer and that if he’d been at school he’d
be broken b y now (T7, P2). During the interview process, one participant whose son is
Autistic, described how the theoretical written work of conventional schooling did not
meet her boy’s individual needs (T6, T7, P4). When homeschooling a child with
Special Educat ional Needs, Lowe and Thomas (2002) state that the parent can match
the home education to the child’s rate of progress. This participant discovered this to
be the case when she tried home education for the first time.

The reasons for homeschooling repor ted in this study are comparable to those cited in
the literature. The usual reasons for withdrawing children from mainstream education
are due to negative experiences, for example, bullying and a restrictive curriculum. A
lack of individual attention a nd failure to deal adequately with learning difficulties are
also stated in the literature as reasons why parents choose to homeschool. Unusually,
some parents remove their children because they are too disruptive in school (Thomas,
1998). Whatever the r easons, according to the participants in this piece of research, the
decision to homeschool was not a frivolous one. This section examined the motives
parents have fo r choosing to homeschool. The motives indicated were bullying and the
restrictive nature of mainstream education. The next section focuses on the structure
and curriculum of home education.

47
4.3 Structure and curriculum of home education
When the participants in this study began homeschooling they started off with a
structure very much like prima ry school. However, after a time they realised they did
not need to have a similar structure, as learning at home is very different from learning
at school. One participant stated how she her family did not need the structure that is
needed at school. We gave it up very fast (T8, P1). Lowe and Thomas (2002) emphasise
that almost all families begin to see that autonomous or informal learning has an
important role to play in home education. Correspondingly, this appears to be the case
for the subjects in this study. The learning only appears to be informal when it is
compared to the formal structure of a school day. Most parents seem unable to explain
exactly what it is about less structured learning which they find appealing but they are
just drawn to i t (Thomas, 1998). Although the parents in this study do not have
organised lessons on a daily basis, nevertheless there appears to be a loose structure
(T8, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5). For example, one participant explained how they have several
different struc tures. Weekly we do certain activities like rock climbing, horse riding,
art class, dance class and piano lesson (T8, P4). She went on to describe fortnightly,
monthly and quarterly activities.

All five participants create their own curriculum but som e follow a particular
programme as part of that curriculum (T9, P1, P2, P4,). One participant explained how
she follows a Mathematics programme called Life of Fred Mathematics (See Appendix
IV) (T9, P1). The participants explained how they work on mathema tical topics as they
are needed for example telling the time, weighing and measuring, counting, estimating,
money, capacity and fractions are all covered in the daily routine. This method of
learning Maths is similar to observations made by Lowe and Thoma s (2002). The

48
participants stated their advocacy for learning life skills, the importance of cooking,
washing and self -care. They supported the development of independent skills for
example reading bus timetables, maps, working out change from shopping ( T2, P2, T9,
P4). One parent shared details of what she described as an excellent programme for
children with Autism. Due to his Autism we do RDI (Relationship Development
Intervention) therapy as part of his curriculum (T9, P4) (See Appendix V) and we
engage in subjects that interest him like music, animation and drawing (T9, P4).
Significantly, there were strong indications in the literature that parents in general have
a good understanding of the developmental needs of their children (Moore and Moore,
1994). The findings indicate that parents prioritise their children’s learning needs in this
way. According to Thomas (1998) the advantage of the homeschooling curriculum is
that parents are acutely aware if their children lose interest and stop paying at tention.

All of the parents indicated that home education allowed their children to follow their
interests. On e participant indicated that his daughter is passionate about writing and
how this will often provide the structure for her learning . For instance there was one
scene in her story where somebody was up in court for something. We were researching
about court procedures just to get that accurate so often the stories in a sense provide
the structure (T9, P5). Although informal learning does not conform to the way a
structur ed curriculum may be implemented, it does allow for incidental learning to
occur (Lowe and Thomas, 2002). However, it is more difficult to capture or measure
this type of learning as compared to a more structured style of education (Thomas,
1998).

49
A no teworthy finding of this study which is also resonated in the literature (Ray, 1999)
is that homeschooling does not merely happen in the home. It takes place in the
community, on fieldtrips, at the theatre and at different homeschooling events (T9, P1,
P2, P3; T8, P4) According to Mountney (2008 ), parents educate in diverse ways,
typically using the home as a base. This section examined the structure and curriculum
of home education. In summary, parents have a very loose structure in the way they
educate their children. They allow them to foll ow their interests and perform deep
research into topics they are interested in. Generally, parents are inclined to experiment
with different ways of working until they find the style of learning which suits an
individual child best. Moreover, they creat e their own curriculum but may follow a
particular programme as part of that curriculum. The next section outlines the supports
for homeschooling parents.

4.4 Supports for homeschooling parents
Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, the National Education Welfare Board
(NEWB) is charged with ensuring that every child receives an education and as part of
this remit it must ensure the registration of children who receive their education through
home settings. This requirement exists in order to support parent s in their right to home
educate and to protect a child's right to a minimum education.

Three of the five families in this study were inspected by the NEWB. Two of these
families had very positive experiences with one describing it as delightful and
enco uraging where the inspector seemed genuinely interested and impressed (T11, P1).
The Guidelines on the Assessment of Education in Places Other Than Recognised
Schools ( Ireland, DES, 2003) presents some of the distinctive qualities evident in home –

50
based ed ucation for example, the individual circumstances of each case. It states how
these qualities must be considered when assessing the educational provision that exists
or is proposed for a child ( Ireland, DES, 2003).

The guidelines give advice for inspect ors to review the qualifications of those providing
education, to observe the learning and teaching taking place and the learning
environment. Inspection of the planning of learning activities, written learning
activities, and the monitoring of work is als o advised. One participant found the
inspection experience to be condescending. It was quite patronising… the questions are
set up…well not for home education (T11, P2). It was perceived that the NEWB were
trying to fit home education into the model of school but the two are so different. It
appears there is little research to compare how other home educators have engaged with
the NEWB in the past.

The Irish Department of Education and Skills (2003) claims there is no definitive
description of the minimum standard of education. Instead there are guidelines which
provide a definition of the broad characteristics of the minimum standard under the title
‘Towards a Definition of a Certain Minimum Education’. One participant made the
decision not to register their child with the NEWB. He described the reasons for not
registering. His main concern is that his family are homeschooling in such a completely
unstructured way that he wondered how the NEWB would assess his daughter. He
pondered over the evidence they would seek that would prove she is being educate d.
He arg ued that the definition of a certain minimum edu cation is not clearly defined, so
how would they know what was expected before going through the process of
inspection . Taking an objective view of this, it’s as if the inspectors don’t have a

51
definition of what they ar e assessing us on so how can they assess us? For me it would
be a bit scary to go into a situation where we don’t know if we’re going to meet the
standard (T11, P5).

The same participant explain ed how other parents who voluntarily went through the
registration process found they had trouble getting approved by the NEWB and
therefore in his view, registering ‘ seemed like a bit of a risk ’ (T11, P5). He knows he
is educating his daughter to a very high standard, but he cannot face the risk of bringing
the NEWB to his home as he doesn’t know what type of assessment will take place.
This participant’s standpoint on the role of the NEWB is very different from the pledge
of support that the organisatio n provides in its statement on Education Outside of
Recognised Schools (NEWB, 2012). Thomas (1998) notes that when educational
professionals visit home educators their main concern, from their perspective, is
whether the parents are able to provide their children with an educational experience
equal to that at school. It appears that there needs to be more clarity for all involved in
home education, for the homeschooling parents but also for the inspectors working for
the Departments of Education.

It is important to realise that the main support home educators receive emanates from
within the Home Education Network (HEN) rather than the DES. The HEN is a
voluntary, non -profit support group for children and parents who choose to home
educate. Participant s emphasised the support from the network (T22, P1, P2, P3, P4,
P5) ‘ The network of friends we have, the Facebook page and the actual Home Education
Network are all fantastic. It’s even just great for resources (T22, P1).

52
All participants had family memb ers who were very supportive but also some family
members who were very sceptical (T20, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5). This was consistent with
the literature also (Simich, 1998; Moore and Moore, 1994). Many home educators face
major criticism from relatives, frie nds and acquaintances (Thomas, 1998; Rothermel,
2002). One participant stated how her family receive financial support from one set of
grandparents. They don’t really ask us any questions but they do help us out financially
(T20, P2). Another parent spo ke about the struggle her own parents have with
homeschooling but nevertheless they support her. She states the reality is the proof is
in the pudding . My daughter is quite intelligent as I think all children are if they are
just allowed to be. My Mom has i ssues with it (T20, P3). According to another
participant other home educating parents support by teaching, guiding, organising
events and opening their homes to groups’ (T21, P4).

The supports for parents who home educate vary internationally. The De partment of
Education and Training in Australia gives annual grants to parents of secondary age
students who are home educated (Australia, Department of Education, 2013). They are
also entitled to free swimming lessons. Increasingly, across the US supports are
available for home educators (Ray, 2 011).

Albert (2003) believes that homeschooling parents are unable to escape the reality of
their own school experiences and that these are at least part of the reason why they
choose a different path for their own children. When asked about the support they
would like to receive in an ideal world, the participants in this study were very both
philosophical and innovative in their responses. Freire's philosophies question the
schooling or ‘banking’ model of education. ‘Problem -posing education affirms men

53
and women as beings in the process of becoming’ (Freire, 1970, p.84). For Freire, when
people engage in a 'problem -posing' approach to learning they become active
participants. By employing this approach, people can link knowledge to action so that
they actively work to enrich the societies in which they live (Freire Institute, 2013 ). It
appears that the participants in this study adopt a number of these philosophies in their
approach to home education.

The participants agreed that home education in general would benefit from more
community support for example (T22, P2, P3, P5) One parent envisaged a centre used
by the community with library resources and tutors who have specialities where you
could have great spaces for actual resources that the c ommunity can access (T22, P2).
‘I have a bigger vision of my own that involves community in education. I think we
need to rethink school, we need to rethink learning…I want it to be more public. Home
education is not presented as an option…it’s for the f ringe, or someone who figures it
out’ (T22, P3).

All parents believed there should be some form of support for parents educate their
children at home. (T22, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5). They remarked that more support would
make people more inclined to register and would actually normalise home education
(T22, P1, P2,). In an ideal world homeschoolers would get an allowance like the Back
to School Allowance (T22, P1). One participant expressed that an acknowledgement of
the fact that homeschooling is a valid form of education would be nice (T17, P4). As
cited in the literature review, Ireland is one of many countries in Europe where
homeschooling is legal as a form of education, however, it is not recognised as an

54
education model under the current description of the Irish Education System (DES,
2004).

One parent called for more support from the state in certain areas of home education. I
would like the state to be more supportive, you know, really supportive instead of just
tolerating what we are doing (T22, P5). This participant revealed how he would like
for children to be allowed to go to mainstream school for certain subjects. ‘ I would like
school learning to be available on a kind o f drop -in basis for example…if my daughter
was doing the Leaving Certi ficate on a self -learning basis and for instan ce if she wants
to do Physics…that she can drop -in to the local school and be accepted for that
particular subject (T22, P5) .

The collaborative nature of homeschooling is obvious in this study and throughout the
literature. Of course, collaboration is b est fulfilled when people s ee themselves as a
community. ‘Leaders who succeed in building healthy, high performing cultures
capitalize on the sense of community to advance the aims of the enterprise’. (Albrecht,
2006, p.203). The participants in this s mall-scale study would like for there to be far
more people who are home educating (T22, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5). In the studies on
homeschooling, parents were acutely aware of the significance of social contact and
went to great lengths to compensate for any lack of it. Philosophies on home education
shared by the participants in this study are also echoed in the literature which states that
a fundamental shift in the way children are educated would require key changes both in
society and in attitudes to educ ation (Thomas, 1998, Ray 2011, Rothermel 2002). This
section outlined the main supports received by the participants in this study.
Surprisingly, these supports come from the Home Education Network but also from

55
family and friends. Shockingly, the statem ent of support for homeschoolers issued by
the NEWB is contradictory to how some of the participants feel about the organisation,
although two participants found the inspection process to be a pleasant experience. The
next section examines the challenges of home education.

4.5 The challenges of home education
Interviews with these home educating parents highlighted that a major drawback of
educating children at home is the high opportunity cost. Homeschooling requires a lot
of time, mental energy and often a loss of wages (Stevens, Lampmt and Wuthnow,
2003). According to a study by Hopwood et al, (2007), some of the home educators
they interviewed had sacrificed income to stay at home and educate their child. This
was true for some of the participants in th is study (T17, P1, P2, P3, P4). Thomas ( 1998 )
concludes that learning at home is intensive. One parent stated there’s no panacea…it’s
not the answer to me…it’s not the full answer…you’re seen as different…another
challenge is being at home with your kids twenty four hours a day (T17, P2). The
participants believed that one of the challenges of home educating in Ireland is trying
to explain to non -homeschoolers the reasons for educating at home (T17, P2, P3, P4).
You often feel you have to justify yourself (T17, P4)

Beverly Hernandez (2013) reports that educating at home can become overwhelming
and challenging at times, with demands on your schedule, family, and patience,
although she declares that every challenge is met with reward. One parent took the
view that the challenges she faces as a home educator are the same ones she faces as a
parent . I want what any parent wants; to provide the best opportunities for my
child…you know to help them to grow and think about who they are…’ (T17, P3).

56

Similarly, in this research, the financial demands that result from travelling to different
homeschooling events poses a challenge (T17, P1, P2, P4). The biggest negative is the
cost…as we tend to drive to home schooling events that can be scattered all over Cork
County so petrol bills have gone up dramatically (T17, P4). The participants
interviewed in this study did not put a precise financial cost on homeschooling but
conversations echoed certain aspects of the literature. According to Casey Slide (2010)
transpo rtation is noted as one of seven costs of homeschooling as there are often various
activities and field trips to consider. Further costs may include a loss of income,
curriculum fees, supplies and equipment, homeschool group fees, field trips and extra –
curricular activities. In this section of the chapter the challenges of homeschooling
were identified, with the cost of travel cited as the main drawback for the participants
in this study. The next section will examine home education and the subject of
socialisation.

4.6 Home education and socialisation
Jackson (2007) confirms that the common public concerns about the social development
of children being home schooled were not supported by her research and states that this
result was also supported in a numb er of overseas studies (Holder 2001; Medlin, 2000;
Rothermel, 2002; Shyers, 1992 ). Although this may be the case, the question of social
development continuously arises for many homeschoolers. Rather surprisingly, for the
parents in this study, concerns for social development were not an issue, as all families
were very involved in arranged network events. One parent argued that education …is
not As and Bs and Cs, it’s just not that simple (T24, P3). The participant added that
‘socialising in home educa tion is constant and they’re (the school system) trying to tell

57
us that socialising happens in education and in the learning environment in an
educational institution (T4, P3). Bowles and Gintis (1976) as cited in Drudy and Lynch
(1993) state that schools play a part in reproducing social outcomes that are far from
positive yet, education is seen as a central social institution in I reland (Drudy and
Lynch, 1993).

Rothermel (2002) observes that the question of social skills has appeared on the
'Frequently Asked Questions' pages of many home -education internet sites (e.g.
Education Otherwise, 2002) thus underlining the pertinence of this topic, for both non
home -educators and home -educators alike. Significantly, during this study, when asked
about her expe riences of homeschooling, the participants explained that they are often
questioned about their children’s social life (T24, P1, P2, P3). One participant described
the implications for socialisation for her son and his friend. Well they can’t socialise
together for another two hours until she gets her homework done, whereas my kids are
ready to play with everyone and socialise (T17, P1). Lowe and Thomas (2002) argue
that the existence of school is not necessary for learning social skills. In fact, the
original rationale for school was to form young people through discipline into a
compliant workforce which would obey authority. No research study has ever
concluded that homeschooled children are socially deprived (Lowe and Thomas, 2002).
The findings of this section reported how the participants recognised that socialisation
was a major query for non -homeschoolers. Interestingly, this was not an issue for the
homeschooling parents in this particular study. The following section examines
parental educatio nal achievement with regard to home education.

58
The interviewees recognised that socialisation of children is an area of concern for many
of their friends, family and associates who are not homeschoolers, though this was not
the case in their situation. T hese parents network with other homeschooling families
and encourage their children to get involved in organised activities. In Ireland,
education is seen as a central social institution (Drudy and Lynch, 1993) and the general
perception is that school is the place where children socialise. Children who attend
school clearly have more opportunities to mix socially with other children of similar
age. On the contrary, children in school have very little adult contact in comparison to
home educated children (Thomas, 1998). As noted in the Literature Review, Greg
Sherman (2010) emphasises one of his reasons for homeschooling; ‘…so that our
children can receive adequate instruction over learning how to interact constructively
with people, younger, the same an d older than themselves’.

4.7 Parental academic achievement and home education
Contradictory to observations in the literature that parents were naturally concerned
about whether they were doing the right thing by homeschooling their children
(Thomas, 1998, H opwood et al, 2007), the subjects of this study didn’t seem to have
this concern. Thomas (1998) reveals that families with post -school qualifications were
less wary about meeting inspectors or researchers on home education than parents who
had no post -school qualifications. This indicates that parents who have a higher
academic achievement may be more confident with their decision to homeschool. It is
impossible to state if higher levels of educational attainment are consistent with the
literature on home schooling. According to Lowe and Thomas (2002) home educators
can have all levels of qualifications from none at all to higher degrees. The participants
of the study were asked about the highest level of education they had reached. The

59
qualifications ra nged from Leaving Certificate level, which Murray (2002) describes as
the pinnacle of secondary school accomplishment in Ireland, to doctorate level. The
majority had achieved third level education. Careers included an Engineer, a nurse; a
former Lecture r in Research Methods, a Musician; a Teacher (with two Masters in
Education) and a College Lecturer. None of the five families were homeschooled
themselves. Three out of the nine parents were educated in Ireland but most of their
own parents (the childre n’s grandparents) were educated here.

The researcher deduced that the participants had considerable and wide -ranging
knowledge. This was evident in the participants’ conduct and conversational approach.
Moore and Moore (1994), claim that if they can r ead, write, count and speak clearly,
the educational level of the homeschooling parents does not seem to make much
difference in the performance of their students. Rothermel (2002) found that parents
who had left school early themselves often found that l earning in tandem with their
children provoked them to take further or higher education courses themselves. During
this small scale study, it was apparent that the participants were very confident in their
decision to homeschool their children.

Petrie (1992) as cited in Rothermel (2002) found that in general, Local Education
Authorities understood that parents chose to home -educate because they believed that
they could provide a better education for their children than a school could. During the
interv iews with the participants they stated that were aware of the emotional, social
academic development of their children (T6, P2, P3, P4, P5). One participant exclaimed
you know, the system doesn’t know better than your child, what’s good for them. It’s
illogical actually. Oh my gosh, all my learning and all my degrees are useless

60
compared to this! (T24, P3) . Thomas (1998) found that out of almost one third of the
families investigated, one parent was a qualified teacher although not necessarily the
perso n with the daily responsibility for home educating. This significant number may
indicate that homeschooling parents who work in the teaching profession have a more
exclusive understanding of what is required to learn successfully and this could be the
reason why these parents opt to homeschool their own children. The findings indicate
evidence that the participants were very confident in their decision to homeschool their
children. Given this result, the researcher deduced that the parents’ confidence in their
decision to homeschool may be owing to their education achievement.

The main findings of this research reveal that the experiences of parents who choose to
homeschool their children in Ireland are very positive. The researcher gained much
insight i nto the experiences of these parents, their thoughts, their motives, their doubts,
but also their strong convictions for what they are undertaking. The following chapter
will provide a brief summary of this study and draw conclusions on the findings and
analysis discussed in this chapter.

61
5 Chapter 5 – Conclusions and Recommendations
5.1 Introduction
This study set out to investigate the experiences of parents who choose to homeschool
their children in Ireland. Literature relevant to the study was sourced, ex amined and
reviewed. A qualitative research approach was chosen and semi -structured interviews
were conducted to yield rich, meaningful data. The data collected from the interviews
was analysed and discussed in the previous chapter. Based on these findi ngs, several
conclusions were reached. The main conclusions are drawn together and presented in
this chapter, along with a number of recommendations for further research on the
subject of homeschooling. Although this was a small -scale qualitative study, the
emergent findings have led to the following conclusions. Firstly, the main conclusion
is that homeschooling is a very positive experience. Secondly, the primary motives for
homeschooling are: bullying in school and the limitations of mainstream educat ion.
Meanwhile, the research draws the conclusion that home educators follow their own
curriculum and have a loose structure in the way they educate. Their main support
comes from the Home Education Network and the issue of socialisation is not a concern
for home educators. It may be deduced that parents’ confidence in their decision to
homeschool could be owing to their own academic achievement.

5.2 Conclusions
5.2.1 Positive experience of home education
The most significant finding of this research is that t he experiences of parents who
choose to homeschool their children in Ireland are very positive. As indicated by
Rothermel (2002 ), at the heart of homeschooling success was the close relationships
within families. According to the parents in this study, h omeschooling allows them to

62
spend more time with their children and set the goals for their learning. The participants
in this study asserted that homeschooling their children was a very positive experience.
However, parents feel that the Department of E ducation and Skills (DES) and the
National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) could promote homeschooling as a very
positive learning experience. This would ease the uncertainty for several parents who
may wish to consider educating their children at home.

5.2.2 Bullying in school
Three of the five families reported bullying in mainstream education as the reason they
chose to homeshool. As a result, these parents implemented changes in the way their
children were educated. As explained by one participant, homes chooling is not the
panacea. Similarly, it is certainly not the solution for children affected by bullying.
However, for certain parents who believe their child is in a psychologically unsafe
situation, the data suggests that homeschooling presents as an alternative. This
alternative may be short term or long term; for the child affected by bullying, whether
(s)he is the target or the perpetrator. A further conclusion indicates that the parents in
this study had the foresight to recognise the negative st ress caused by bullying as noted
by Field (1996).

5.2.3 Limitations of mainstream education
According to the participants in this study, the restrictive nature of mainstream
education compelled them to choose homeschooling as an alternative approach to
learni ng. These parents favoured a more informal learning experience for their families.
Recognisably, the perceived restrictive nature of mainstream education is owing to time
constraints and teacher -pupil ratios. The number of pupils in a class has the pot ential

63
to affect how much is learned , and large classes increase the restrictive nature of formal
schooling (Ehrenberg et al., 2001). As mentioned in the Literature Review, Ireland has
the second highest primary class sizes in the EU and higher classes m ean less individual
attention for pupils (INTO, 2013).

5.2.4 Structure and curriculum of home education
The homeschooling parents in this study have a very loose structure in the way they
educate their children. They allow their children to pursue their hobbie s and perform
meaningful studies into topics in which they are interested. They devise their own
curriculum but may follow a particular programme within this. A significant finding
of this study is that homeschooling does not merely happen in the home. As mentioned
in the previous chapter, parents educate in numerous ways, typically using the home as
a base. They utilise the resources within the community, they network with other home
educators and visit places of interest on a regular basis (Mountney, 2008). To conclude,
the perception of the general public is that homeschooled children only learn at home,
while according to this study, the reality sees homeschooling parents drawing on
society’s resources to provide learning experiences for their chil dren.

5.2.5 Supports for homeschooling parents
As revealed in the previous chapter the main support received by the participants in this
study come from the Home Education Network (HEN). Homeschooling families have
to achieve individual or collective goals by themselves with no government funding.
Support structures are put in place by the actual people who are homeschooling.

64
5.2.6 Home education and socialisation
The findings of this particular piece of research appear to reject the notion that social
development is an i ssue for childre n who are homeschooled. It may be useful for the
public in general if there was more awareness of the benefits and challenges of
homeschooling.

5.2.7 Parental educational achievement and home education
The data collected during this study poi nts to the fact that the participants were
confident in their decision to homeschool their children. Given this result, it may be
construed that the parents’ confidence in making this decision may be owing to their
own education achievement. To some exte nt this is reflected in the literature. As
indicated earlier, Thomas (1998) writes that families with post -school qualifications
were less wary about meeting inspectors or researchers on home education. Similarly,
this suggests that parents who have a hi gher educational achievement may be more
confident in their role as home educators. Parents who decide to educate their children
at home from the start are well informed about it (Lowe and Thomas, 2002). Well –
educated parents can research the options and resources for themselves. However high
educational attainment is not necessary in order to educate at home (Tizzard, Schofield
and Hewison, 1982; Webb 1990; Thomas, 1998).

5.3 Contribution of the research project
5.3.1 Contribution to professional practice
Althoug h this research project was a small scale study, nevertheless it may inform
anyone working in the education sector of the experiences of parents who choose to
homeschool their children in Ireland. As a primary school teacher, this study will

65
enhance my cu rrent practice and improve and strengthen my future interactions with
pupils and parents. I am more acutely aware of the role of the parent in the child’s
education, as a result of carrying out this particular piece of research. I am also more
knowledgea ble about the importance of the individual needs of each child. The findings
of this research highlight to the teacher the alternative options that are available to
parents. In general, parents are alert to their childrens’ individual needs. Ultimately,
the parent is the primary educator. This small scale study will inform both the
researcher and the reader of the importance of teacher -parent collaboration.

5.3.2 Contribution to academic knowledge
This research study provides an insight into the experiences of parents who choose to
homeschool their children in Ireland. It dispels the anecdotally reported view that
homeschooling is practiced by an unconventional group of people. On the contrary, it
disseminates the concept that homeschooling is a very valid form of education. This
small -scale study seeks to convey an alternative approach to learning. As Ainscow
(2007) accurately asserts the focus must not only be on practice; it must also address
and sometimes challenge the thinking behind existing ways o f working. The data
collected reveals a different pedagogy, more suited to learning at home, but one which
could be recommended to anybody interested in learning.

5.4 Recommendations for future research
This is a small -scale study, but it does reveal many interesting areas which are worthy
of future research. These could include the following:

66
 The experiences of children who are educated at home in Ireland.
An investigation into the experiences of the children who are
homeschooled would provide a more com plete view of the whole
family experience.
 The outcomes of home education. To determine the
effectiveness of homeschooling would require a longitudinal
study. This would involve repeated observations of the same
participants over time; for example, two decades.
 The effects of bullying in school as a motive for edu cating at
home. A study could investigate some of the more serious issues
around why parents remove their children from school to take
complete responsibility for their education.
 Relationsh ip similarities and differences in school -going
children and their parents contrasted with homeschooled children
and their parents. A comparison study could be performed
amongst homeschooling parents and parents who have similar
aged, school -going children , to observe similarities and
differences. Such experiences might, after all, be similar,
depending on the family circumstances.
 Informal learning and inquiry -based (child -centred) learning as
practicing methodologies of home education. This particular
research located the whole area of informal learning as
something which is very active in homeschooling families.
Further research could explore the benefits o f informal learning

67
both from a parent al perspective but also from the child’s
perspective.

5.5 Limitations of the study
The feasible sample size in this study may not be representative of all parents who
choose to homeschool their children in Ireland. The interviews in this study were
confined to parents in the Cork region only. Interviews from fam ilies across the country
might have provided more representative findings. The use of focus groups to obtain
several perspectives on this same topic may have provided richer data.

While the Topic Guide gathered rich and meaningful data to construct the ories, it may
not be wholly reliable when compared to quantitative methods, which are better at
looking at cause and effect or causality (Muijs, 2004). A multi -method approach may
be more useful as it would facilitate the quality and quantity of data nece ssary in order
to gain a comprehensive representation of homeschooling in Ireland. This would enable
conclusions to be drawn through reference to a wealth of sources, methods and theories
(Denzin, 1989).

Although the highly subjective nature of the int erview was acknowledged and
endeavours were made to limit researcher bias, the fact remains that researcher
subjectivity is often a limitation in qualitative research (Bell, 2003). Significantly, the
researcher is employed in the profession under examinat ion. Hence, personal and
professional history may influence interpretation of the results.

5.6 Evaluation of sources

68
An evaluation of sources used is helpful for the valuation process of the research. The
primary sources are the first -hand accounts which com e about during the research
process (Bell, 2010). Firstly, the semi -structured interviews collected primary data.
The collection of first hand data was useful since answers were given to the specific
questions detailed in the topic guide. Thus, relevan t data was gathered.

Much of the literature sources used in this paper were retrieved from the World Wide
Web (WWW). The value of the WWW is noted in its speed and its accessibility to an
extensive variety of reading materials. These can be sourced from fields, other than
Social Science. For example, in this study, research from other disciplines for example
the Humanities and Social Science were utilised. Nevertheless, occasion ally there are
drawbacks when utilising sources attained from the WWW. One might question the
legitimacy of the material presented. To offset this eventuality, alternative sources were
researched, where possible, to strengthen any arguments made. Strong and succinct
search terms were used to ensure related materials were loca ted. Articles used were
predominantly accessed through the Hibernia College online library and also through
Google Scholar. Efforts were made to guarantee these were relevant to the field of
research. Attempts were also made to fetch the most current an d informed results to
augment the findings of this study.

5.7 Learning experience
The process of conducting this piece of research improved the researcher’s overall
knowledge of the intricacies of academic writing. The study process allowed the
researcher to gain a better understanding of the experience of home education. While

69
there may have been expected and unexpected frustrations throughout the development
of the research, overall it was an extremely positive learning experience.

5.8 Recommendations
1. While i t is outside the remit of this small scale study to explore the issue of
bullying, the evidence elicited concludes that bullying remains an issue in
mainstream education. This is despite the fact that there are measures in place
to prevent and reduce in cidences of bullying in schools, including the Action
Plan on Bullying 2013 ( Ireland, DES, 2013). Clearly, several individual school
policies are not working, therefore, further work needs to be done in this area.
Anti-bullying measures need to be streng thened, and there needs to be recourse
for children and parents who are affected by bullying. Certainly the very concept
of removing children from school for this reason, and taking complete
accountability for their education, proposes a challenge to the a uthorities in how
the state runs its education system.
2. The Department of Education and Skills could benefit greatly from publicising
homeschooling as an alternative option for Irish families. To clarify, parents
who are discontented with the overstretched education system in place at present
may consider homeschooling as an alternative to mainstream schooling. This
could benefit the Department of Education and Skills as there would be reduced
class sizes with fewer capitation grants to be paid to mainstre am schools.
3. Learning at home is very different to learning at school (Thomas, 1998). Hence,
the term homeschooling can be misleading. While the title home education is
more suitable, it also, is misrepresentative of what homeschooling involves. As
a res earcher, I recommend that more information be provided to the public

70
generally, so that people will have a more comprehensive understanding of what
is involved in home education.
4. The support structures that are place to support home educators are set up by
parents themselves. It is recommended that the Department of Education and
Skills recognise this and put a fund in place for parents who choose to
homeschool their children in Ireland. This fund could be a percentage of the
money saved by reduced capita tion grants to schools as a result of children who
are homeschooled and not in mainstream education. This would assist with the
extra expenses homeschooling parents incur, for example, loss of income, travel
costs, network membership fees and the purchase of materials and resources.
5. It is recommended that the Department of Education and Skills disseminate the
findings of national and international studies on homeschooling through
parental periodicals and websites.
6. It is recommended that the H ome Educat ion Network could offer ongoing
courses to parents who may be considering homeschooling, to educate them in
where to access supports publicly, and to support them in their decision to
educate their children at home.

5.9 Concluding Comments
This study set out to investigate the expe riences of parents who choose to homeschool
their children in Ireland. The insights and practises of these parents were discussed and
examined. The parents int erviewed during this study demonstrated a clear commitment
to educating their children. Their experience of learning is very different to mainstream
education, as this educational experience is characterised by its lack of fixed structure
and the absence of a set curriculum. Moreover, the learning experiences are more

71
informal in nature and happen both inside and outside the home. Notably, the parents
had few reservations about their decision to homeschool their children, valuing the
freedom and flexibil ity that came with homeschooling.

The very concept of a parent taking ultimate accountability for the education of their
child over a service provided by the State may be difficult to comprehend. However,
the philosophies imparted by the participants in this study challenge the reader to
question the type of learning experience children share with adults. The belief that the
adult is teacher is replaced with the adult as facilitator, a role far more gratifying for
both parties involved in the learning ex perience.

The usefulness of this study rests, perhaps, in the conclusion that educating at home is
a very positive experience for several parents in Ireland. The study highlights
homeschooling as an alternative learning possibility in contemporary societ y. Overall,
home education is a form of learning which is associated with relatively high academic
achievement, healthy social, psychological, and emotional development, and success
into adulthood for those who were home educated (Sutton & Galloway, 2000 ; Ray,
2004).

5.10 Closing Remarks
I hope that this study may contribute to understanding the current state of
homeschooling in Ireland. Further dissemination of the research will be sought through
presentation at conferences and also through academic publica tions.

72

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at: http://www.nheri.org/ (Accessed: 20 November 2103) .

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7 Appendices
Appendix I – Topic Guide

Interview Schedule
Individual Experience
1. Were you homeschooled for any period and if so for how long?
2. What are the positives and negatives to homeschooling?
3. Were both parents educated in Ireland?
4. What is the highest level of education you have?
5. Why homeschool instead of sending your c hildren to the local primary
school?
A Typical Day
1. Do you have a structure to your day?
2. Do you follow any particular curriculum or do you create your own?
3. Do you take breaks similar to the standard school year, e.g. Halloween,
Christmas, Easter etc.?
4. Have you ever been inspected by the National Education Welfare Board or the
Department of Education?
5. If so what were your experiences?
6. What role does Information Communication Technology play in your
homeschooling e.g. TV, Computers, Touchscreen Technology, So cial
Networking?
7. Has the way you educate your children changed as technology develops?
8. Do you use tutors outside the home?
9. Are your children involved in local sports clubs?
Challenges
1. What are the challenges you face as a home educator?
2. Are there certai n times when it is more difficult to homeschool e.g. transitional
periods within the family, moving house, a new baby? What do you do?
3. How do you respond to people who know little about homeschooling; who
wonder why your children are not in mainstream edu cation?
Supports
1. Are your family/friends supportive?
2. What are the supports, if any; you receive from family/friends?
3. What other support do you receive?
4. How would you like to be supported in your role as a homeschool teacher?

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Appendix II – Letter of Consen t
12th September 2013
Dear Participant ,

I am currently engaged in a Masters of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL) with
Hibernia College, and I am about to commence the research project module. My
research is focusing on the experiences of parents who choose to homeschool their
children in Ireland and my aim is to collect data from such parents. As part of my
research, I will interview three parents who homeschool their children.
In order to comply with ethical guidelines I am seeking your consent as a participant.
You are free to participate in the research and you are also free to withdraw from the
research at any time. All of the data relating to this research will remain totally
confidential, and only pseudonyms will appear in my research repo rt.
I would be very grateful if you would participate in the study. You can do so by signing
the attached Consent Form and returning it to me.

If you have any queries please feel free to contact me by phone 0863977202.

Yours sincerely,

Bernadette O’ Brien

Consent Form

I give /do not give my consent to participate in the research project as outlined in the
letter dated 12th September 2013.
Name _______________________________ Date ________________

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Appendix III – Ethical Approval

MATL ETHICS REVIEW F ORM

Name
Bernadette O’Brien
Supervisor
Mary McAuliffe
How may you be
contacted?
bernadetteduffy2k@gmail.com
00353863977202
Provisional title of
project:
The experiences of parents who choose to ho meschool
their children in Ireland: A qualitative study

1. Project design:

a) What are the aims of your project and/or your research questions?
The purpose of this study is to highlight the experiences of those who educate their
children at home.

b) W hat is the design of your project?
A qualitative design is used to allow the researcher to gain a deeper understanding of
home -schooling in Ireland.

c) What data collection methods will be employed?
A diary will be kept for a chronological record of e vents and a semi -structured
interview will be used to gather information from participants.

2. Will your research involve human participants? If Yes (if no, go to question 3)
YES

a) Who are the participants (i.e. what sorts of people will be involved)?
The participants are parents who homeschool their children in Ireland.

b) How will they be selected?
The parents will be chosen from a list of people who are members of the Home
Education Network.

c) If participants are under the responsibility of others (such as parents, teachers or
medical
staff) how do you intend to obtain permission for the participants to take part in the
study? ( Attach letter or details of permission procedures.) N/A

88
d) How will you obtain the consent of participants? It is recomme nd that you use opt –
in
rather than opt -out procedures should be used wherever possible.
I will obtain the consent of participants by sending them a consent form (App. 1) .
The British Educational Research Association” takes voluntary informed consent to
be the condition in which participants understand and agree to their participation
without any duress, prior to the research getting underway”. (BERA, 2011)

e) Describe the process by which you will inform participants about what you are doing.
I will ema il potential participants to inform them of my research (App. 1)

f) Might participants experience discomfort or embarrassment as a result of your study?
No

If NOT, explain how you can be sure that no discomfort or embarrassment will arise?
As stated in the British Educational Research Guidelines “the confidential and
anonymous treatment of participants’ data is considered the norm for the conduct of
research”. Complete anonymity will be in place to avoid any discomfort or
embarrassment.

g) How will it be made clear to participants that they may withdraw consent to
participate at
any time?
The BERA guidelines states that participants have the “ Right to Withdraw” at any
time (BERA, 2011) and this will be indicated in the participants’ consent form.

h) Wi ll you provide participants with information about the findings of your study?
(This could be a brief summary of your findings in general; it is not the same as an
individual
debriefing.) YES

I will offer a summary of my findings to the participants. I will also offer the
participants the opportunity to read the study in full.

3. Are there particular features of the proposed work which may raise ethical concerns
or add to the complexity of et hical decision making? No

I confirm that the information given above is correct:

Signature: Date: 11/09/13

89
Appendix IV
Life of Fred Maths [Online]. Available at: http://lifeoffredmath.com/ (Accessed: 23
December 2013)

Appendix V
Relationship Development Intervention Therapy (RDI) [Online]. Available at:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/what -autism/tre atment/relationship -development -intervention –
rdi Accessed: 23 December 2013)