Home Educating Our Autistic Spectrum Children: Past, Present and Futures [Paperback]

Terri Dowty (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1843100371 | ISBN-13: 978-1843100379 | Publication Date: November 13, 2008 | Edition: 1

Mainstream educational provision for children on the autistic spectrum can be inadequate or inappropriate. An increasing number of parents dissatisfied with the education system are looking elsewhere for an approach that will suit their children's needs. In "Home Educating Our Autistic Spectrum Children", parents who have chosen to home educate their children with autism or Asperger's syndrome candidly relate their experiences: how they reached the decision to educate at home, how they set about the task, and how it has affected their lives. Following these personal accounts, the final chapters offer practical advice on getting started with home education, legal advice from an expert in education law, and contact details of support organisations

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Terri Dowty is a musician and writer who lives in London and home educates her two sons. Her previous writings include Free Range Education: How Home Education Works. Kitt Cowlishaw obtained her degree in Linguistics from the University of Michigan. She was the creator of the first Computing for the Terrified course, which she launched at Oxford University in 1985 while on secondment to Somerville College as the IBM Visiting Fellow in Information Technology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley; 1 edition (November 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843100371
• ISBN-13: 978-1843100379
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #673,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Was Looking For, June 12, 2006

By 

Eric's Momma - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Educating Our Autistic Spectrum Children: Past, Present and Futures (Paperback)

This book had varied stories of several family's experiences with the school district, or not, and their adventures in homeschooling. It definitely strengthened my resolve to homeschool.
My complaint is that, from the title, I thought this would cover all parts of the spectrum more fully. Nine out of the eleven stories, if I counted right, were about children with Asperger's! These children usually did fairly well in the school district but better at home, which is not our situation. I was looking for more information on homeschooling children with autism, with more limited capabilites.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Things can get very bad indeed, December 12, 2004

By 

Georgina (Adelaide, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Educating Our Autistic Spectrum Children: Past, Present and Futures (Paperback)

This book really brings home how bad things can be for ASD children at school. You will be amazed what some of them suffered before they were withdrawn and homeschooled. If you are thinking of homeschooling an ASD child then this is essential reading (along with Lise Pyles book). It gives a number of different summaries from different families.

I was very taken with the parent who said that she used to concentrate all her energy on getting what she was entitled to from the dept of education but once she got it she realised that it wasnt anything like enough and that homeschooling had much more to offer her child.

Inspiring reading and if your child is suffering at school there is no better place to start if considering homeschooling.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, April 27, 2006

By 

Toutseul - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Educating Our Autistic Spectrum Children: Past, Present and Futures (Paperback)

This is the best book I've found about homeschooling my special needs child. The best because we learn not only why but also how twelve different families homeschool their special needs child - twelve different children and twelve different approaches and ways of homeschooling. The book does indeed demonstrate that "paths are made by walking" and that everyone has their own path which they discover on their journey.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a child with autism or Asperger's syndrome who is experiencing difficulties in school, as well as to anyone who is already homeschooling to see how others are doing it.