Stepping out of the System? A Grounded Theory on how Parents Consider Becoming Home or Alternative Educators

Adamson, Carrie (2020) Stepping out of the System? A Grounded Theory on how Parents Consider Becoming Home or Alternative Educators. Doctoral thesis (PhD), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

This qualitative thesis explores the decision-making processes of UK home and alternative educators. During all stages of the design, data gathering and analysis of findings, the study followed the principles of constructivist Grounded Theory. Twenty-one parents participated in semi-structured interviews. Some were current home and alternative educators, and others were undecided or had changed their minds about home educating. The core process of the grounded theory constructed is entitled ‘Stepping out of the System?’ The participants’ journeys are presented with the aid of a metaphor: a landscape comprised of furrowed grooves of differing depths with space between where they may carve out their own path. The grooves represent educational settings, groups, or their family home. Some are well trodden and easy to access whereas others are difficult to enter or are in hard-to-reach locations. The core process of the theory is composed of three main categories depicting stages of the journey. Firstly, attitudinal direction relates to parents having opinions of school that developed before they began to consider how to educate their child. Attitudes are affect-laden and guide the process of information gathering. The surveying the landscape stage involves both formal research and informal methods such as hearing the views of others and acting on their own feelings. Social media and online sources are strong influences. The final stage, negotiating obstacles, involves finding practical solutions to barriers they may encounter. These include support from family members, work, and relocation. The strength of pre-existing attitudes seems to determine whether the parents overcome the obstacles faced. Finally, concepts from Reddy, Bourdieu and Gee are drawn upon to explore properties of the alternative spaces that the participants found or created such as comfort, shared opinions, and unwritten rules. This research contributes to knowledge by demonstrating that not all home and alternative educators have anti-school attitudes, and many wish to tunnel between different types of provision with the intention that their child will enter into ‘the system’ at some point in the future. Recommendations include encouraging policymakers to listen to the reasons for home and alternative educators not wishing to engage with their local schools and perhaps encouraging flexi-schooling for those who feel that full-time school is not best suited to their child.