In the past, moderators from some district offices used the first meeting with home-educating families as more of a “meet-and-greet” session than a full meeting.
The intention was to get to know the family and children, why they were home educating, as well as to help them understand the requirements and check that they have a sense of direction.
Some moderators would then return for a second, more formal meeting later in the first year of a family’s home education journey.
Due to the influx of new home educators in recent years, this is now no longer the case.
HEWA (Home Education WA) recently met with the Department of Education who confirmed that most families will only have one moderator meeting in their first year and this meeting will usually be a formal meeting.
Families are expected to show:
- that they have an educational program that covers the required learning areas
- how their child is making progress through the WA curriculum
- evidence of their child’s educational progress
Don’t stress!! This isn’t as hard as it sounds.
We just want to let people know that their first meeting is not likely to be a cruisy chit-chat so that you can be prepared. Preparation is the key!
Here are some ways that you can understand the moderators’ expectations:
1. Read this post that explains all about what a curriculum means. It may not be what you think it is.
2. Read through the Home Ed Info pages on HEWA’s website:
Have a good look at these pages:
- Your Rights & Responsibilities
- Moderator Meetings
- Understanding the WA Curriculum
- Planning & Reporting
3. Watch our Understanding the Curriculum, Planning & Reporting workshop. (Workshops are half-price for HEWA members.)
This workshop goes through exactly how to meet the Education Department’s requirements. It’s extremely useful when you’re starting out, lacking confidence, or confused about what to do for your moderator meeting.
4. Join HEWA. We are WA’s peak body for home education. We are a not-for-profit, volunteer-run community organisation dedicated to supporting home educators.
Membership starts from just $30/year and there are lots of great benefits.
Anyone is welcome to email us with questions, but members can access extra support and mentoring about moderator meetings, dealing with moderator difficulties, or other home education concerns.
Contact us at: admin@hbln.org.au
Remember, you can:
- deschool your children when you start home education.
- use whatever approach to education you choose
- use a wide range of resources – you don’t have to choose a paid program/content provider.
But you do need to be prepared for your first moderator meeting!
Our website, workshop, and mentoring can help you attend your first moderator meeting feeling confident and prepared.
Please reach out if you need support.