WELCOME TO MY NOTEBOOK - it’s nice that you came!
The notes in it are mostly about being a parent, home education, children’s learning in general, best of all family. And for light relief it’s seasoned with the odd whiff of the outdoors!
Please do flick through the pages and hopefully you’ll find something to inspire.
Here’s what you’ll find:
BLOG – this is my BLOG; ideas for PARENTING, HOME EDUCATION, FAMILY LIFE and other doings and thinkings. Read it for regular support, laughs, lifts and rambles away from it all.
MY BOOKS - check them out see if there’s something for you:
A FUNNY KIND OF EDUCATION – the real story of family life when you home educate. Watch a reading here.
LEARNING WITHOUT SCHOOL- a guide and support for parents wanting to home school. Read exerts from the books on this page.
WHO AM I? - a little bit about me and contact details.
ABOUT HOME EDUCATION - information about home education.
STORIES FROM A HOMESCHOOL LIFE - with ideas, tips and support.
THE MOST VALUABLE THING YOU WILL EVER DO - read it and see what it is!
A LETTER TO PARENTS ABOUT EDUCATION - here I have posted a letter to parents everywhere.
CUTTINGS - on this page you’ll find links to some of my writing in other places and coverage in newspapers etc.
HOME EDUCATION BLOGS AND INTERESTING WEBSITES - some other websites that might inspire you.
Enjoy, and please – if you find something you like, let me know. I love to hear.
Thanks for coming!
32 Comments
This is a wonderful post. I’m a new blogger and, when playing with my children, I often feel distracted and itching to pop back to my blog to see what’s going on. I keep telling myself to stop, but the added incentive of this post will help. In 20 years’ time, my blog will be dust, but my children will still be there….plus, hopefully, a lot of beautiful memories.
Thank you very much Nell for your insightful comment – so true! x
It’s lovely to meet you!
Thank you! Likewise!
Glad you came by. It gives me a chance to see what a great blog you have. Being an educator for so many years, I can appreciate what you are doing. Be well.
Thank you so much!
Fabulous Ross! It’s been wonderful having your friendship all these years and seeing what an amazing inspiration you are to so many people. Without you I couldn’t have home educated Luke and Rebecca for the year they wanted to come out of school.
Thank you so much – glad you liked the little film of me reading from ‘A Funny Kind Of Education’. You’ve been an inspiration to me too. x
Hi Ross,
Thank you for visiting my humble blog and for your kind comments about my daughter’s painting in the “House of Light” post. She was grinning happily when she read your words of praise.
I have been enjoying your blog as well. Having experienced the pleasure of learning at home throughout my own childhood and now facilitating my children’s home education I cannot imagine any other way being quite as enjoyable. We love it! Thanks for sharing your encouraging words with the rest of us.
Una-Melina
Aw! Thanks to you too for popping by. x
I am glad that you have shared this kind of article for the benefit of parents. You inspired me reading your article and I am impressed with everything about the book. Keep on inspiring everyone and encouragement is really the key of all.
___________________________
Educational Services For Children in Adelaide
Thank you very much!
Thank you for your writing. Love your book,has pride of place in our loo for inspirational comfort breaks!!
Aw! Thank you…I think!
Hope you enjoy the new one when it’s out just as much.
Hello Ross, I have replied to your email, in case you haven’t seen it.
Your support has meant so much x
That’s what true friends are for.
Lovely, inspiring blog Ross.
Thank you Sara and thanks for visiting. I thoroughly enjoy yours too!
Hi, have just discovered your page and it makes wonderful reading. Have just started on the HE path having taken my 11yr old son out of school in January. Its so nice to read things from you and others that makes you feel like ‘you are not the only one with these dilemmas’. Would love to talk to people local to me HP14. Again many thanks for your blog and I will keep following. Ami x
Thanks for leaving such a lovely comment Ami. Very best wishes on your home school journey. You might find it easier to link up with your local HEors through Facebook and Twitter. Or through the organisation Education Otherwise. I’m sure you’ll soon discover a whole community of others home educating. Enjoy. x
I dont know if you heard on the radio this morning but, on twitter, they’re requesting questions to ask Mr. Gove. The closing time is 11am and the hashtag is #askgove Just thought it might have been of interest!
Thanks so much for that Elle. Best wishes. x
http://rossmountney.wordpress.com
Hi Ross
Thanks for such a great website. I’ve a proposal for you – is there an email I can get you on? My email is mark@justfortheloveofit.org
I’d love to hear from you.
Mark
Thanks so much Sadie, it’s nice to hear from you! x
Just clicked on this by chance. I too remember the Diary of a Home Educating Nobody and enjoyed reading it very much.
I am so glad I have found your blog. I live in Scotland and just sent my oldest daughter off to her second year at school and my middle child off to her last year at nursery before she goes to school next August. I have just had 8 weeks of having them in the house, we continued to do the odd bit of school work during this time. I spent the last few days in tears knowing they were going back to school where someone else gets that time with them. To a school that isnot pushing my oldest enough and not giving the learning support my middle daughter needs. I myself want to be a teacher (this is my long term plan) and spent some time volunteering in a school. it was heartbreaking seeing some of the teaching methods used. My husband will not even discuss the idea of home educating and told me to “get a grip”. It has been great to read through your blogs (I will work my way through them all) and no that my view on parenting and education is shared by others. Right now i feel very alone as I know without the support of my husband this will never happen.
I am hoping just reading through your blogs gives me strenght. Many thanks, Sarah.
HI Sarah, Thanks so much for the compliments! And I wanted to tell you that I too felt like it was only me having these radical views about what goes on in school until I found the home educating community and there were all these others who thought the same. Actually, many parents with kids in school feel the same too, it’s often that they’re just too scared to challenge such a big institutional machine or consider another approach. Many, many children are not having their needs met by schools which is why home schooling is growing daily. Far from needing to ‘get a grip’ you are absolutely right to stick up for your daughter’s unmet needs. She deserves it! Very best of luck. And if you do get to the point where home schooling is a real option you may find my book helpful – but actually, people tell me that it’s also helpful even if you have kids in school! But they might just be trying to be nice! Thanks for posting.
Hi Ross, I’m so pleased to read your regular blog about home education. It is now our sixth year of home education and I can never forget that it was through reading your “diary of a home educating nobody” which gave me the courage to home educate. As if that is not enough, you then published ‘Learning Without School”, which is respected by anyone who is interested in education. Keep inspiring us please.
Thanks so much, Michelle, for taking the time to comment. It’s so nice to know that people get something from my writing. That’s what inspires me in return! Thank you!
Hi Ross
Can’t believe its taken me this long to realise that you have a blog! I’ve been an avid follower of your ‘Diary of a Home Educating Nobody’ in EO magazine ever since we started our home-ed adventure almost 6 years ago. Our boys (now 14 & 12) did start in the school system but when we withdrew them, family thought we were ‘mad’ & were convinced we’d ruined their lives. I can honestly say your Diary was the one thing that consistently helped me whenever I had doubts or low moments.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Joy x
such an encouraging comment – thank you so much Joy. x