1 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: Good grades. I'm going to say optional formal training. Being 2 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: certified definitely helps. Today a conversation that has inspired well, 3 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: we've been inspired by one of our kids based on 4 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: some educational decisions that we've made that honestly have been 5 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: really hard but seem to be bearing fruit. I'll do 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: better tomorrow. Welcome to the Happy Families Podcast for another Friday, 7 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: Real Parenting Solutions every day on Australia's most downloaded parenting podcast, 8 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: we are Justin and Kylie Coulson. Every Friday, we unpack 9 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: the week that was. We look at what's working and 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: what's not working in our parenting in the hope that 11 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: it's going to help you in your parenting to be 12 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: more intentional, to get things more right, to help the 13 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: family to function better. Today, it's all about education, because Kylie, 14 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: you're going to kick it off with a win. 15 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 2: Having been in the homeschooling system now for a couple 16 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 2: of years, I've been intrigued and blown away with the 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 2: kinds of conversations that I'm having with parents, more so 18 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 2: who are still in traditional schooling systems and feeling really disillusioned. 19 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 2: One of the biggest challenges that students are having outside 20 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: of bullying, and I guess the emotional challenges is the 21 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 2: fact that they feel like school is just this rudimentary 22 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: list of things that they have to tick off, but 23 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 2: none of it makes sense to them because they are 24 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 2: looking at it going when am I ever going to 25 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 2: use this in the real world, How is this ever 26 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 2: going to be beneficial to me as a beautician or 27 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: as a pilot, or they just can't see the life value. 28 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: I had a conversation with a school principal just in 29 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: the last few days who literally said, our school system 30 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: is completely outdated, completely outdated, and it is not fit 31 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: her purpose. His words, not mine, but certainly our experience 32 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: with homeschooling it's just been revolutionary. I love that we homeschool. 33 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: It's really hard. It changes your life completely, but I'm 34 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: so glad that we are doing it. But that's not 35 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: really what today's I'll Do Better Tomorrow is about. This 36 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: is not an advertisement for homeschool and it's not. 37 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 2: An advertisement for alternative schooling either, but our experience has 38 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 2: been a really positive one. A few months ago, I 39 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 2: was in the car driving behind a bus that was 40 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 2: advertising Industry School. I had no idea what industry school was, 41 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 2: but I thought, you know what, I need to look 42 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 2: this up, because Lily had at that point decided that 43 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 2: she really wanted some kind of formalized schooling, but we 44 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:43,679 Speaker 2: knew that we didn't want to send her back into 45 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 2: traditional school system. 46 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: Lily's our fifth daughter. She was in grade nine last year, 47 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: going into grade ten this year. 48 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: So when I looked up what industry school was, I 49 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 2: kind of had an idea that we were looking at 50 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 2: trade school, and I was very nervous about what that meant. 51 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: But as I looked more into it, I was blown 52 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 2: away at the exposure that the kids got to different 53 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 2: kinds of industry based learning that would not fall under 54 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 2: your traditional plumbers, builders, mechanics, maybe it engineering, that kind 55 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 2: of stuff. But what I loved even more was the 56 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 2: acknowledgment that their year twelve certificate was their highest priority. 57 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 2: I think previously to this kind of format, trade school 58 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 2: has always been about you finish your ten at high school, 59 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 2: then you go off to trade school year eleven and 60 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 2: twelve and you get yourself an apprenticeship or traineeship, and 61 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: it's really about learning on the job. But any formalized 62 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 2: education is lost, it no longer exists. So what I 63 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 2: loved was the mix of these two ideas of acknowledging 64 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 2: that for some kids, traditional schooling just doesn't work. They 65 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: love hands on approach, but it shouldn't come at the 66 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: expense of an education that not only is worthy, but 67 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 2: pertinent to their life experience. So we decided to give 68 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 2: it a go. We had a look at all of 69 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: the different options. So you could do hairdressing, you could 70 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 2: do beautician work, you could work with horses, which was 71 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 2: a huge plus for our year ten daughter, and there 72 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 2: was just so much opportunity there. So we went along. 73 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 2: We had an interview with the principal and I just, oh, 74 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 2: my goodness, I wish. I wish that every school student 75 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 2: could have access to the format and the ethos that 76 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 2: this school is offering our child. What I love is 77 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 2: we have five weeks of education block each term. We 78 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 2: have five weeks of industry block each term. What does 79 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 2: industry block look like? When we first signed up, I 80 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: didn't really understand a lot, and I thought that what 81 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 2: was going to happen was five weeks of every term. 82 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 2: Lily was going to get to spend time with horses. 83 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: That's what I thought. She was also going to get 84 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 2: signed up to do a traineeship, and she was going 85 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 2: to start getting paid to do that while she was 86 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 2: at school. That's what I thought was going to happen. 87 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 2: But essentially, what I discovered over the last few weeks 88 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: of term is the acknowledgment that while she is part 89 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 2: of Industry Block, these next two years, year ten and 90 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 2: eleven are all about exposure to different kinds of trades 91 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 2: and industry options. Up until now, Lily's had a very 92 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 2: narrow concept of what it is she wants to do, 93 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 2: and she is adamant that she knows what she doesn't 94 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 2: want to do. But what Industry School has done is 95 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 2: exposed her to lots of different options. And the conversations 96 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 2: we are now having are, Hey, Mom, I wonder what 97 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 2: it would look like to work in aviation. Where the 98 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 2: heck did that come from? Another day, I'm thinking about 99 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 2: doing some work experience at the local police station. Do 100 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 2: you think they'll let me. Here's a kid who for 101 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 2: the last few years has been adamant she wants to 102 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 2: be a beautician. She loves all things beauty here and makeup, 103 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: and we've been really happy to encourage her to go 104 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 2: down that road. But what I love, love, love, love 105 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 2: love is this acknowledgment that that's great if that's what 106 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 2: you want to do, But let's just have a look 107 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 2: at what ours is out there, because unless you actually 108 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 2: have some hands on practical experience with it, you have 109 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 2: no idea if it's what you want to do or 110 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 2: not want to do. And the conversations we're now having 111 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 2: with this kid is just blowing my mind because she's 112 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 2: actually excited about options instead of boxing herself in and 113 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: saying this is it, this is all I want to 114 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 2: do with my life after the break. 115 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: I'm going to pick up on that because my I'll 116 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: do better tomorrow is very much associated with what you've 117 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: been talking about. And I really want to address the 118 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: elephant in the room when it comes to the way 119 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: we are approach alternative school in it. Okay, so, Kylie, 120 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: you've just shared this great story about Lily. She's been 121 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: at the industry school. There are campuses in Southeast Queensland 122 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: in all the major centers, but trade and technical vocational 123 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: schools are all over the country, industry connected schools. If 124 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: you've got a child who hates school, alternative approaches, this 125 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: is the thing. If you look for an alternative approach 126 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: you feel like maybe you're a failure. You feel like 127 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: maybe your child's a failure. I had this conversation with 128 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: a principal of one of these schools just in the 129 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: last few days, and he said he asks the kids 130 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: as they sit down in class for the first time 131 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: in grades ten, eleven, and twelve, how do you feel 132 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: that you're here? And he said, overwhelming them, they just say, 133 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm failing. I feel like I've failed school. 134 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm a failure as a person because 135 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: I'm not in the mainstream of schooling. And yet so 136 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: much mainstream schooling, as you said, doesn't feel purposeful. It 137 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 1: doesn't feel like it works for our kids. It just 138 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: feels like we're following this standardized path. And what's fascinating 139 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: is when I talk to parents about this, they say, oh, totally, totally, 140 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: totally get that school is all of these things that 141 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: are not ideal, But there's an unwillingness to step outside 142 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: of the mainstream with your own child. We still go 143 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: with the conservative approach. Why because that's what we've always done. 144 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 2: We also need the validation that our kids are on 145 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: the right path and aligned with everybody else right, you know, 146 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 2: as a homeschool mum. I have no idea where my 147 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 2: kids actually sit on the continuum of learning. Am I 148 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 2: screwing them up? Like? Have I taught them everything? Or 149 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 2: are they're massive gaps if they were to go back 150 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 2: into the school sets. I don't know. 151 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: Here's the thing, though, I love the fact that our 152 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: daughter Lily left school at the end of your eight 153 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 1: She left with a term to get and for nearly 154 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 1: a year and a half she was homeschooled. You're eight 155 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,559 Speaker 1: year nine. This is not the first couple of years 156 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: of school where you can probably just teach the kids 157 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: to read and write and do some basic addition and 158 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: subtraction and you're there. You're eight year nine maths and 159 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: science and all those things. She's gone back to school 160 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: in year ten and she's absolutely nailing it. But she's 161 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: also really happy to be there. And I think this 162 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: is the main point that I want to highlight here. 163 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: If you've got a child who really hates school, they 164 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: need to know that life is still going to be 165 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: much more successful if they just push through to the end. 166 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: They just need to be in an environment that is 167 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: supportive of them. And you've got things like vocational industry 168 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: connected schools. You've got school based apprentices apprenticeships, I should say, 169 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 1: there's distance education, there's online school. There are flexible learning centers. 170 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: There's a group called edmund Rice Education in Australia. They 171 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: run these flexible learning centers that are specifically designed for 172 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: students who have disengaged from mainstream education. There's Steiner and 173 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: Montessori and other all termed of philosophies. There's busy school, 174 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: there's homeschooling, there's tape community college programs. There are so 175 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: many flexible ways for kids to do school if they're 176 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: not doing well in the mainstream environment, and it doesn't 177 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: mean that they've failed or that you've failed. It's that 178 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: we're using, to quote Scott Galloway, medieval institutions to train 179 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: our children to live in an era where we have 180 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: god like technology and they don't match up. They simply don't. 181 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 2: It is an acknowledgement that each of our children is 182 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 2: individual and we have a different way of doing things 183 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 2: and learning. 184 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: This is what the school principle said to me. He said, 185 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: every school, every school gives lip service to the fact 186 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: that they treat each child as an individual. No, they're 187 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: a number and that's what he said. He said, But 188 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: they don't. They don't because if that individual child is 189 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: not able to conform to the mainstream school expectation, then 190 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: they just don't fit. And there's only a limited amount 191 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: that most schools will do before they say you just 192 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: don't belong here. This is not working out. These alternative 193 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: schools are not supposed to be dumping grounds for kids 194 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: that don't fit. As parents, if we can adjust our 195 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: view of schooling and be a little bit radical, our 196 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 1: children are going to actually enjoy themselves so much more. 197 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: Here's the biggest thing for us. We've got this daughter 198 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: who is now at the industry school. No, this is 199 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: not a paid advertisement. We're not doing anything that they 200 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: don't know where doing this podcast because we're talking about 201 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 1: our daughter, not the school. But she's gone back to 202 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: school in grade ten. Their ethos is if it won't 203 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: fly in the workplace, it doesn't fly at school. So 204 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: there's Are they perfect with a no bullying policy or anything? No, 205 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: of course, no school is, but my goodness, they are 206 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: responsive to issues more than that though. She's getting exposure, 207 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: as you've said, massive exposure to so much opportunity in 208 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: so many industries her eyes are wide, but also the 209 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: schooling expectation is different. She will finish it twelve. She's 210 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 1: not going to do an atar path. Oh but guess 211 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 1: what when you go to these schools, they're so flexible 212 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:10,199 Speaker 1: that you can still study early university programming, which means 213 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: that you can get into university without the atar and 214 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: without having to go through all the stress and drama 215 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: and headache and awfulness of what so much so many 216 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: of our experience at school. So you're oly better tomorrow 217 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: links in with mine because you're saying we've had this win. 218 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: Our daughter's experiencing range and breadth because we've stepped out 219 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: of the mainstream school system. We've gone with an industry 220 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: focused school and it's had an impact. Mine is. I 221 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: had a conversation with a school principle of one of 222 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: these schools, and it's been such a refreshing way to 223 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: see that people are thinking of disrupting education. 224 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 2: You know what else? 225 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: He said, The biggest stumbling block is parents because they 226 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: don't want to think what have I done? Why is 227 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 1: my child not doing well? And how does it reflect 228 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 1: on me? He said, if we can get past the 229 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: pride and the status that's associated with going to this 230 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: school versus that school. We can do so much. You 231 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: know what, As he said, fifty percent of the kids 232 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: in this year's intake in his school are coming from 233 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 1: independent schools. That is, these are parents who have been 234 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: paying for a private school for their kids and it's 235 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 1: not working out, and they've said, we've got to do 236 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: something else, and for whatever reason, the state school system 237 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 1: is just another version of private school from their perspective. 238 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: So they've gone to an industry focused, a vocational focused school, 239 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: and gone, all of a sudden, our kids are so happy. 240 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: Last quek comment, I couldn't find the office, and so 241 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: I looked across and I saw a boy grade eleven. 242 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: I said, hey, can you please help me to find 243 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:44,439 Speaker 1: the office? This kid was one of those independent school 244 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: students who'd swapped. He'd gone into this new school in 245 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: grade eleven because he hated school. I said to him, 246 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: how's it going now? He said, I just love it. 247 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:56,839 Speaker 1: I love the learning, I love being at school. I'm 248 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: excited to finish year eleven, year twelve. I've already got 249 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: my I on a couple of different apprenticeships that I 250 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: can do, and I feel like my future makes sense. 251 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: I just was like, Oh my goodness, why why, why, why, why? 252 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: Why are we doing this to our kids. Why are 253 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: we pushing them so hard into systems that don't work 254 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: for them? And you know what, as an electrician, he'll 255 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: be fully qualified by the age of twenty one. He's 256 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: going to be making more money than university graduates for 257 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: at least five, six, seven years, if not more, because 258 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: we've got a skills shortage and this kid's going to 259 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: fly anyway. My old do better tomorrow is let go 260 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: of the pride if your child. If you've got a 261 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: high school kid or even a younger kid who's struggling 262 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: at school and it just doesn't feel like they belong. 263 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: There are so many alternatives, and I know it's meant 264 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: to be an older better tomorrow. 265 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 2: It is. 266 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: We've done two different alternatives, an industry school for our 267 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: daughter and homeschooling, and our children are better and happier 268 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: and more confident because of it. 269 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 2: I think about a conversation you and I had a 270 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 2: number of weeks ago on the pod about the acknowledgment 271 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 2: that I would rather my kids hang out with other 272 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: ADA adults as they totally life totally and what I 273 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 2: love about This model is my child is surrounded by 274 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 2: other industry based adults who they can learn and glean from, 275 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 2: and the exposure is enormous because they are not just 276 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 2: with a classroom teacher who either they gel with or 277 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 2: not gel with. They are being invited into other spaces 278 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 2: where they get to learn and just understand the world 279 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 2: through different perspectives. It's amazing. 280 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: This was not the podcast I thought we were going 281 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: to record, but I love with a conversation where the 282 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 1: take home message at school is important. Education matters, but 283 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: there are so many different ways that you can do 284 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: it and your children will benefit. So long as you 285 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: value education, it doesn't have to be the standard way. 286 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to recommend a book dark Horse. Dark Horse 287 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: by Todd Rose. It's just popped into my head and 288 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 1: I think that it really highlights the different ways that 289 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: people can find joy, success and meaning in life. Let's 290 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: wrap it up. The Happy Family's podcast US is produced 291 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 1: by Justin Ruland from Bridge Media. If you would like 292 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: more information and resources about making your family happier, visit 293 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: us at Happy families dot com dot au and have 294 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: a great weekend.