I’m a little different than most of the GGM writers – I’m Australian. I was born and raised in the north of Western Australia, where it is hot, remote and with unique scenery. Yet there is one thing in common I have with most of the writers at GGM – I homeschool! Always have, and, Lord-willing, always will.

I’ve collated a couple of questions I thought I might get asked if I were to mention homeschooling Down Under. What questions would you ask me?

Is homeschooling legal in Australia? Yes, it is. Although registration requirements differ in different states, the government supports parental choice, including the choice to provide registered home schooling to children. (Homeschooling Association of Australia).

For example, in all eight states and territories except Victoria, the parents need to submit a written application to the Board of Education, who will give, upon approval, a homeschooling licence for varying amounts of time. Occasionally we have a member from the Education Department come to our town and ‘check in on us’, to make sure that we are doing OK and receiving a full education. There is no such requirement on families in Victoria.
Is homeschooling in Australia any different than in America? Over the years, through media, books and online, I’ve noticed a few differences, but the principle – which is teaching your children at home – doesn’t change.

• In Australia, we don’t have a three month break, but rather, two weeks every ten weeks, and six weeks over Christmas and January. This school practice is often held by homeschoolers as well.
• The concept of homeschooling was accepted a lot earlier in America than in Australia. Only thirty years ago Australians would freak out at the thought of homeschooling their kids, while homeschooling was ‘happening’ at the same time in the USA. Now many people homeschool in Australia and it is easily accepted.

How many people homeschool exactly? Although a strict record is not really kept, roughly 15,000 kids homeschool in Australia.

What resources are available in Australia? Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot of homeschool resources produced by Australians in Australia, so we use either our own ideas or American curriculum and books, which can be brought in Australia or overseas. This is changing as mums start to publish what they have taught their children.

How do you ‘do’ homeschool in Australia? As in America, there are different styles for homeschooling – Charlotte Mason, Unschooling, Discipleship or traditional. One way of education outside of regular school system that is unique to Australia is a long distance-education program, called School of the Air, which is performed via radio and textbooks and usually an option for families on remote Cattle Stations. Nowadays, parents take on homeschooling themselves, regardless of whether they live in the outback or not.
Did you choose to homeschool because the school system is bad in Australia? Our family doesn’t believe there is anything wrong with the school system in Australia itself. Nearly eleven years back, Mum and Dad decided that they wanted to be the main influence in our kids’ lives, not school teachers. Although we have loved every minute of it, for us, it doesn’t mean that we frown upon anyone who chooses to send their child to school. Though this was our reason for homeschooling, there would be many reasons why families choose to homeschool in Australia.
Do you have to take exams and tests? No, you move on at your pace and level, without the pressure of preparing for a test.

Can homeschool students get into University (College)? There are many options for entry into University in Australia. One way that our family is looking into is a Uni course via external education rather than to actually go to Uni. Open University offers entrance to university without exams and tests that ‘standardize’ you, as my brother calls it.

So there you have it! We can homeschool in Australia!

“A place for everything and everything in it’s place.”

I love organizing and getting things into their places, sometimes it’s hard when you live in small space, but there are a lot of ways you can be organized when you’re limited to a small area. Here are some tips I have used in my little room.

You can use a pencil box or a pencil can. But, be sure that whatever you are using will prevent your utensils from rolling away. You can color coordinate and pre-sharpen all of your pencils and color pencils for an added ease. You can also purchase pens in multiple different color inks and fun designs.

You can purchase different notepads for different subjects and color coordinate your utensils to match each pad. Keep them in bins or folder organizers. Sticky notes are also a good way to jot down reminders, just make sure you don’t lose them.

Paperclips are a great tool to use to save your place in a book. Or to keep your sticky notes together.

Ribbons are another great way to store your pens if the pens have that little clip attached to it. Find a cute ribbon. Cut to the needed length and tack each end to a cork board, then hang your pens across it.

It might be staplers, a hole puncher, tape dispenser or a pencil sharpener. If there is no room on your desktop for these things, you can place them in a drawer until you need them or you can purchase a small shelf specifically for that purpose.

If your desk is on the small side, like mine, and there is no room for big bulky folders, you can place the folders on a separate shelf or in a drawer.

If you are the kind of person who likes lots of space in your work area, you can put everything in bins, drawers, or another separate shelf.

You can also decorate your desk to suit your personality. You can tack up inspirational quotes, pictures of your friends, or some random doodles.