Free Range Education (edited by Terri Dowty)

(Amazon UK link)

I have only 'met' Terri Dowty online, on one of the bigger forums about home education in the UK. When I heard that she was proposing to put together a book about home education, written from the perspectives of several different parents, I was delighted to be asked to contribute.

I was thus involved with 'Free Range Education' (known affectionately as FRed) almost from the beginning. So it was a great thrill, at last, to see it in print. I can't, of course, judge my own contribution, so this review is about the rest of the book.

About twenty British families write about home education, in an unstructured and very enthusiastic way. The overwhelming impression given by the book is that children educated at home, free from the restraints and curriculum requirements of school, are mature, well-spoken, well-rounded individuals with a wide variety of gifts and abilities.

Each family in the book is different, having chosen to home educate for various reasons. Each adopts a different style, depending very much on the needs of the children. We read about day-to-day life in families from all walks of life, with some briefer comments from some of the children themselves.

There are brief sections outlining the legalities of home education in the UK, and answering some of the frequently asked questions. But the main focus is the personal experiences which make this a very enjoyable and inspiring book. I loved reading it, and feel honoured to have been a part of it.

Highly recommended.