Spanish homeschoolers

[nicfrombristol]

hello
we home school in the uk, but are thinking of spending some time in spain so the kids can improve their (basic!) spanish.

we're looking for some where with lots of home school kids (speaking spanish) so they can mix? can anyone recommend anywhere in spain with lots of home schoolers?

Thanks

Nicola

[Elei]

Hello Nicola,

We have just started homeschooling in Spain. You will not find a lot of homeschoolers in Spain because homeschooling is not permitted in Spain. It is still illegal. But (as mine) there are families homeschooling, some hiding, others getting out to get it legal. You will find most families in the big cities: Madrid or Barcelona for example. Most homeschooling families are in Catalonia.
Elei

[nicfrombristol]

thanks Elei
I guess it would be difficult to get in touch with existing homeschoolers then? No public accessible groups?
Nicola

[jinxyfred]

The Spanish constitution recognises the right of the parent to choose the form of education that their child receives. However most teachers, police officers, and local social service departments have their own ideas. I´ve yet to find anyone else homeschooling in my area.
We tend to keep our heads down until after 2pm when school lets out too. saves alot of hassle.

[Elei]

Hi Nicola,

Their are no public accessible groups.
You can have a look at ALE.
http://www.educacionlibre.org/
But you have to be a member before you can get into the group.
Hope you are lucky to find somebody.
What area were you thinking of?

Jinxyfred are you homeschooling in Spain as well?
It is not just teachers and police officers or Social Service departments with their own ideas. It is the Spanish Educacional Law that says litteraly that schooling is compulsury. So there is a gap between the Constitution and the Educacional Law.
We are trying to arrange that. Hope it doesn't take too many years.
Elei.

[jinxyfred]

Hi Elei,

Yep we´ve been teaching our 3 for a few years out here. We bowed to family pressure and tried school for a while and that is when we ran into trouble with the system.
Like I said, we tend to keep our heads down. I feel like a criminal. lol

[Matilda]

Hi everybody!

Here in Spain, homeschooling is regarded as something rare. When somebedoy talks about a mother who doesn't bring their children to school, everybody looks down, thinking she must be crazy or very rare.

When you go walking with your child, everytime you find someone, he/she will ask your child about the school, even if he/she doesn't know you at all. School is seeing as something much more than compulsory, it is like a sign of normality. The quality... that doesn't matter at all.

We had a TV program about homeschooling in Spain a few weeks ago. They said most people who decide homeschooling her kids, hides and doesn't talk about it. Only some foreigners dare.

The few examples of people homeschooling in Spain were: a yoga teacher in the montains, an evangelist family, a mother from Hungary who wanted her kids learn in her mother tongue,... There was not a single example of a "normal" spanish family proud of her dedication and living in the middle of the comunity. Why should they feel as criminals? It is totally a crazy place with a mediocre educational system. Those parents should be very proud!

In Catalonia, homeschooling is more and more common. Much more than in any other autonomous community.

Regards from Spain!

Matilda

[nicfrombristol]

thanks for all the info everyone

we were thinking to go to the north so we can avoid flying, but will go anywhere if we can find a nice bunch of people (speaking spanish!)

maybe i'll look on the WOOF (organic farm) websites...

good luck with everything
Nicola

[MrsCatHead]

I'm alarmed to hear that it is illegal to homeschool in Spain.

I've spoken with mothers on other websites and they are homeschooling. They are expats, so maybe that makes a difference. ???

We are moving from Czech Republic to Spain in the hopes that our child can meet other homeschoolers. It isn't illegal here but very very uncommon and highly regulated.

I'm disappointed to hear that we won't be part of a large homeschooling community in Spain...

[apmama]

hello
we home school in the uk, but are thinking of spending some time in spain so the kids can improve their (basic!) spanish.

we're looking for some where with lots of home school kids (speaking spanish) so they can mix? can anyone recommend anywhere in spain with lots of home schoolers?

Thanks

Nicola

Hi Nicola,
We homeschool in Norway, but spend time in Spain (Mallorca) with a homeschooling group every year. I came in contact with one of the families on a homeschool yahoo group and we decided to go visit. This year we are going back for the third time and we love it.

The group is 4-5 families, there is a mix of nationalities - spanish, american and now norwegian so there is opportunity for us to learn spanish and for them to practice their english. Anyway, the Island is beautyful - we are thinking of finding a way to divide our time between here and Mallorca. Also looking for more homeschoolers, there are very few in Norway. It is legal here but very rare.

[Gretchen Sukow]

My family will be moving to Mallorca for a year beginning in the summer. I have never homeschooled, but am considering it for the year we are in Spain. I am wondering if "apmama" or anyone else knows how I can get in contact with someone in the small homeschooling community of Mallorca. Any info is appreciated. Gretchen

[mika]

hello
we are moving to bacelona, and considering homeschooling for our 2 boys. I hope something has changed since those last posts...
Im looking for homeschooling families, or if anyone knows how I could contact them.(there must be some in Barcelona...)
thanks!

[Evelyn Kemp-Hart]

Hi, My family and I are new to Barcelona. We are settled in Castelldefels and I have only ever homeschooled my boys. We would love contact with any homeschoolers in the area... Are there any?
Evelyn

[kellidoscope]

I am a teacher in the U.S. and I am moving to Spain in September with my husband and kids. I will only be working part-time as an English teacher so I want to maybe homeschool my 13 year old. Is it still illegal for me even though I am an educator?

Also, Wikipedia cites an article under Homeschooling and Spain that claims that homeschooling is now legal Catalonia, can anyone verify that?

[apmama]

Hello everyone! We ended up moving to Mallorca and are now happily homeschooling here

We still think it's a great place to live, and I feel the homeschooling movement is growing- poco a poco. We would love to get in touch with more.