Homeschooling Gifted Learners: An Australian Experience

Homeschooling has been a growing movement worldwide since the 1970s and a research topic for the last 30 years in Australia. Despite this body of knowledge, no studies have focused specifically on gifted homeschooling in this country. Using a qualitative approach, 10 mothers of 10 gifted children we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAustralasian journal of gifted education Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 23 - 48
Main Authors Conejeros-Solar, Maria Leonor, Smith, Susen R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented 01.06.2021
Subjects
Academically Gifted
Barriers
Foreign Countries
Home Schooling
Influences
Mothers
Motivation
Australia
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Summary:Homeschooling has been a growing movement worldwide since the 1970s and a research topic for the last 30 years in Australia. Despite this body of knowledge, no studies have focused specifically on gifted homeschooling in this country. Using a qualitative approach, 10 mothers of 10 gifted children were interviewed; data were analysed using qualitative content analysis methodology. Five major themes emerged: (1) homeschooling motivations, (2) giftedness challenges, (3) homeschooling provision, (4) facilitators for homeschooling, and (5) barriers to homeschooling. In the findings, it was suggested that homeschooling is chosen for the majority of families as a healing process from a school system that has damaged them emotionally and cognitively. Families of gifted children value the freedom and flexibility of the homeschooling option to encourage their gifted children's abilities and interests. The outcomes of this study present a clearer understanding of the decisional and implementation processes of home schooling carried out by families of gifted learners and its effect on their lives.
ISSN:1323-9686
DOI:10.21505/AJGE.2021.0003