Skellig Lesson 11: Home vs School - PowerPoint

In Lesson Eleven of the Skellig unit, students are invited to engage in a thought-provoking debate on the topic of 'Home vs School'. The objective is to prepare for and participate in a discussion exploring the concept of homeschooling. Students begin by reflecting on the family motto of a character named Mina from David Almond's novel 'Skellig'. They contemplate the meaning behind the motto and consider Mina and her mother's views on education. This sets the stage for a deeper investigation into the nature of homeschooling, its potential benefits, and its possible drawbacks.

The lesson continues with an examination of various statements about homeschooling, where students must categorize each point as either an advantage or disadvantage. These points cover aspects such as personalized support, lack of team sports, freedom from structured timetables, social challenges, parental expertise, safety from bullying, and the availability of specialist equipment. Following this analysis, students are assigned roles in a group debate, representing different perspectives on education, including a parent who homeschools, the homeschooled child, a secondary school teacher, and a pupil who enjoys traditional schooling. The debate focuses on the statement 'Homeschooling provides children with a better education than school', encouraging students to articulate and defend their positions. The lesson concludes with volunteers presenting their debates and a recap of the arguments presented for and against homeschooling.