Rural homeschooling in NZ: the Welch family

August 13, 2024 Sally Mangai

Meet the Welch family. They discovered during Covid lockdowns that homeschooling was a rewarding option they wanted to continue after those challenging times. For them, rural homeschooling in NZ has been transformative, bringing many benefits.

Hi Heather, can you tell us a bit about your family, the age of your child, and what prompted you to choose rural homeschooling in NZ?

Our daughter is now 11 and in Year 7. She has been homeschooled since Year 5. We live rurally and when she turned 3, we joined Te Ara Kōhungahunga (Early Childhood) Te Kura, a fantastic postal-based education program. As she reached school age, we enrolled her in a nearby primary school but noticed she needed extra learning support. We began using the Year 2 Start Right Homework Workbook and it reinforced our love for learning together at home. Lockdown confirmed our ability to homeschool, and by early 2022, we applied for and received our exemption. We extensively researched home education and connected with other homeschooling families and NCHENZ (National Council of Home Educators NZ). We’ve enjoyed rural homeschooling in NZ for two years and look forward to continuing.

Blending flexibility and structure

It sounds like home education has been the perfect fit for you! Can you tell us about the mix of flexibility and structure in your timetable?

Our mornings start with structured learning through workbooks, including Start Right Workbooks. Though we review her progress together, our daughter is an early riser and works independently. We also take a morning walk. After a snack and outdoor time, she engages in unit studies, projects, or educational games. Lunchtime is followed by art, music, sports, reading, and language learning, with Irish being her current favourite.

Recently, our daughter completed a beginners' archery course, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Her coach provided her with a training plan to build strength and practice. Together with her dad, she built an outdoor foam archery target we set up in our front paddock. On Saturdays, she has keyboard lessons, and on Sundays, she practices archery.

We follow a year-round learning schedule, viewing each day as an opportunity for growth. Sometimes our routine includes errands, grocery shopping, visiting family, or household chores, which we integrate as learning experiences. Living off the grid with solar power, we plan electricity-intensive activities on sunny days, especially in winter. We've also been able to travel around NZ as well as enjoy our local area thanks to homeschooling. She's been a lot healthier and is a lot happier, feels more supported and is more confident in herself! We're very happy with our decision to homeschool.

Delving deep

It's great to hear how the freedom in your schedule allows for a holistic approach to your daughter's learning. What other benefits do you experience while rural homeschooling in NZ?

She can learn at her own pace and in ways that suit her learning style, making home education a great option for her. She has the time to delve deep into her interests and shape her own learning journey. This was our biggest drawcard for wanting to homeschool.

We also own and manage a company from home, giving my daughter a unique opportunity to see how this works. She often joins me on business-related errands.

Using Start Right Workbooks

Your tailored approach to education is inspiring! In terms of resources, how do Start Right Workbooks fit into your routine?

Start Right Workbooks have been a great fit for our daughter’s learning style since we started using them in Year 2 for extra support. Their relevant NZ examples, appealing layout and thorough content make them enjoyable and effective, while also being affordable. We gradually added more workbooks, and by Year 5, we had nearly the entire set covering science, English, social studies and homework. They provide clear instructions and abundant practice opportunities, ensuring that learning is fun and relevant to the world around us. The workbooks excel at facilitating independent learning and serve as excellent reference points for expanding topics into projects and excursions.

Unexpectedly, the workbooks have also helped my daughter take initiative in her learning and track her progress. The satisfaction she feels from completing tasks and reaching her self-set milestones is fantastic, making the learning process even more rewarding!

Learner Feedback

We love hearing how well the workbooks have worked for you both! What feedback have you received from your daughter about using LearnWell Workbooks? Can you share a memorable learning moment or project facilitated by LearnWell Workbooks?

She enjoys using the workbooks and loves sharing her interests with us. A standout moment was when the Year 6 Start Right Science workbook prompted us to read One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin. This led to enjoyable conversations about sea travel and exploration. Inspired, she chose Darwin's Dragons as a summer reading reward, and we also explored On the Origin of Species, deepening her fascination with nature and Darwin’s discoveries.

The 'Extra for Experts' projects encourage creative thinking and applying critical skills. Questions throughout the workbooks are phrased in a way that prompts her to engage further and do additional research.

LearnWell workbooks have been a part of our journey for five years, and I see them continuing to be essential as we invest in the Year 8 range!

Homeschool hub

Thank you, Welch family, for sharing your insights and experiences about rural homeschooling in NZ with us! To wrap up our conversation, are there any other thoughts you would like to share?

I’m genuinely excited about the recent email update from LearnWell regarding the Homeschool Hub! The workbooks are already a fantastic resource, and the development of the Homeschool Hub feels like a meaningful recognition of homeschooling as a valid educational path in NZ. It’s a wonderful initiative that provides valuable support for families like ours. Thank you!

Note about the photos:
In the photo with the Year 7 Start Right Science Workbook, we got the brain model from Kmart along with their other great anatomical models, which have been fantastic hands-on tools to use in conjunction with the LearnWell workbooks! We have a homeschool cart beside her desk that holds workbooks and other resources. Her favourite subject is currently maths!

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