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Exploring the Role of Parent/Educators in the Homeschool Environment “Tell me one thing:” Exploring the role of parent/educators in the homeschool environment by Karen E. Efford BA, Carleton University, 2011 Diploma, IET, University of Victoria, 2014 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction ã Karen E. Efford, 2016 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. ii Supervisory Committee “Tell me one thing:” Exploring the role of parent/educators in the homeschool environment by Karen E. Efford BA, Carleton University, 2011 Diploma, IET, University of Victoria, 2013 Supervisory Committee Dr. Monica Prendergast Department of Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor Dr. Jason Price Department of Curriculum and Instruction Departmental Member iii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Monica Prendergast Department of Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor Dr. Jason Price Department of Curriculum and Instruction Departmental Member Homeschooling can provide the opportunity for an inspiring educational journey facilitated by a parent/educator. Stepping away from social norms, and fostering strong relationships, influences and supports the negotiation of this dual role in this alternative learning environment. The line between parent and educator is often blurred and challenging to tease apart as parent/educators strive to support the unique learning interests and goals of their students. In this thesis I consider the negotiation between these roles by examining the lived experience of homeschool parent/educators through the themes of relationships, normalization and ‘We are teachers’. British Columbia, Canada (BC) is the context and influences analysis, findings and recommendations. The new BC Ministry of Education’s curriculum's “transformational” focus is used to support the position taken in this thesis that parent/educators are teachers in their own right. The author’s unique experience as a homeschool parent/educator herself provides the opportunity for a greater understanding into this under researched pedagogy. iv Table of Contents Supervisory Committee ......................................................................................................... ii Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................... v Dedication ................................................................................................................................. vi Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 Individualized Instruction ............................................................................................................. 6 New BC Curriculum .......................................................................................................................... 9 Literature Review ................................................................................................................. 11 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 20 Narrative Inquiry ............................................................................................................................ 20 Autoethnography ............................................................................................................................ 22 Methods/Procedures ..................................................................................................................... 24 Analysis .................................................................................................................................... 26 Summary of Participants/Themes ............................................................................................ 27 Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 29 Interpretation ........................................................................................................................ 30 My Story ............................................................................................................................................. 30 Power of Relationships ................................................................................................................. 31 Normalization .................................................................................................................................. 41 We are teachers. .............................................................................................................................. 49 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 58 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 65 Appendix A .............................................................................................................................. 71 Interview questions ....................................................................................................................... 71 Appendix B .............................................................................................................................. 72 v Acknowledgments I would like to thank my supervisor, Prof. Monica Prendergast, for her encouragement to tell my story. Her patience, guidance and advice have supported me throughout the years of this degree. I feel extremely lucky to have a supervisor who cared so much about my work. I am honoured to consider Monica as my mentor. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the participant’s for taking the time to share their stories with me and trusting me to treat them with respect. I would also like to thank my family for their love and patience. Their continued support has allowed me to complete this important chapter in my life. I would like to acknowledge my friend Holly Lee whose friendship, support and great kindness has been a gift. vi Dedication I would like to dedicate this thesis to my children. Jennika, whose friendship and wise words keep me grounded. Meaghan, whose strength and love of academics led to many wonderful, insightful conversations. Siobhan, whose incredible loyalty and freespirit is inspiring (fefa). And finally, Ian who is one of the kindest most loving humans I know. I am extremely proud of you all. Without you this magical journey would never have begun. “Tell me one thing.” 1 Introduction As seen through the life experiences of the participants, and myself this thesis focuses on the negotiation between the dual role of parent and teacher as a homeschool educator. Homeschooling can provide the opportunity for an inspiring educational journey facilitated by a parent/educator. As a parent/educator of seventeen years, my unique position provides the circumstances for a deeper understanding. Homeschooling is the process of educating one’s children with “home” as the base and a parent as the main teacher. In North America, homeschooling is a growing practice, moving away from traditional institutional education and chosen for a variety of reasons (McDowell, 2000; Van Pelt, 2003). Each homeschool educator negotiates the duality of the role of parent/teacher on a continuous, in the moment, basis for which improvisation is a necessity. The fluid, continuous, movement between these two roles can be directed by the student(s); the parent/educator; external events; and/or the activity; with the intention of maximizing the opportunity for learning. The unique relationship between the child/student and the parent/educator in a homeschool environment affords a level of trust built over time and experience that supports the exchange of ideas and the fluidity of roles. Through studying the combined role of educator and parent and how it may be successfully navigated, educational research can expand its definition of the role of educator from a more non-traditional perspective. Through the analysis of data gathered through semi-structured interviews and stories of homeschool educators, this thesis investigates choices these educators made regarding role negotiation, daily structure, which curriculum to use, and teaching methods. The study also examines how the layered 2 role of parent and educator manifests itself in daily life. My personal journey negotiating the roles of parent and educator led to the research questions: How do parents navigate the combined role of parent and educator in the homeschool environment? How might research into this dual role influence the study of more traditional classroom-based education? In what ways might homeschool parent/educators' knowledge and experience influence curricular and pedagogical practice in the current context of curriculum change? The stories of my participant homeschoolers and myself can potentially inform the practices of classroom teachers, teacher educators, policy makers, and
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