Alternative education in the UK is under attack. Home educators are under suspicion. Small schools are shut down by VAT on fees. Part time learning groups set up by parents are treated as illegal schools. Our kids need alternative ways to learn. School isn’t always the right thing. Who is listening?

Anni wasn’t happy at school. She was crying in the evenings and saying she had tummy aches in the morning. Her dad went into school for a meeting. 1/

Is your teenager coming out of school and not sure what to do? Here's the advice of a home educated 17-year-old. "It can be hard if you've just come out of school to know what you're interested in, because you might think “All school stuff is boring. I'm not interested in any of that”. /1

When I talk about the effect on children of behavioural practices which are used in some schools, I’m often told that these are trivial. Here's why I disagree. open.substack.com/pub/naomicfi...

This is a raw, hard-hitting video about the reality for many children and parents. It shows that the ‘SEND crisis’ isn’t just about children. It’s about families whose lives are completely overturned by the lack of understanding & provision for their children. www.theguardian.com/education/vi...

I don't know if it could help but @drnaomifisher.bsky.social has a few courses around gelping teenagers, particularly around accepting a different path that isn't school and to heal from burnout.

@drnaomifisher.bsky.social is characteristically insightful: "If you harshly control young people's behavior & make them focus on nothing except exam results, they're probably going to get better exam results. The question for me is: is that worth it?" drjamesmannion.substack.com/p/commuter-m...

New episode of the Rethinking Education podcast is out now! Hosts @rethinkingjames.bsky.social & @realdavidc.bsky.social speak with @warwickmansell.bsky.social‬ & @drnaomifisher.bsky.social‬ about the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill currently making its way through parliament:

I've read some of what @drnaomifisher.bsky.social says about motivation and between that and what I see with my son in school (and in the past with me): you're not going to enjoy something that you're *made* to do, you have to be scored on and is made into a chore.

My autism courses for parents are HALF PRICE just until Sunday. Pre-recorded, short and packed full of useful information. Please share the code EASTER with any parents who might want to know. courses.naomifisher.co.uk

Please give this a watch. The issues are similar in Scotland sadly.

My autism courses for parents are HALF PRICE just until Sunday. Pre-recorded, short and packed full of useful information. Please share the code EASTER with any parents who might want to know. courses.naomifisher.co.uk

We need to help them out. Making home less fun improves nothing. It needs to stop. 9/

This is a raw, hard-hitting video about the reality for many children and parents. It shows that the ‘SEND crisis’ isn’t just about children. It’s about families whose lives are completely overturned by the lack of understanding & provision for their children. www.theguardian.com/education/vi...

Our new book is OUT NOW. It's an illustrated guide for professionals and it covers how to make schools fit for children, what happens when school goes wrong&working with children outside the school system.Informed by research, professional expertise and lived experience. @elizafricker.bsky.social.

Just ordered this book, looking forward to reading it. @drnaomifisher.bsky.social @elizafricker.bsky.social #edpsychs

Anni wasn’t happy at school. She was crying in the evenings and saying she had tummy aches in the morning. Her dad went into school for a meeting. 1/

Is your teenager coming out of school and not sure what to do? Here's the advice of a home educated 17-year-old. "It can be hard if you've just come out of school to know what you're interested in, because you might think “All school stuff is boring. I'm not interested in any of that”. /1

Our new book is OUT NOW. It's an illustrated guide for professionals and it covers how to make schools fit for children, what happens when school goes wrong&working with children outside the school system.Informed by research, professional expertise and lived experience. @elizafricker.bsky.social.

Highly recommend Changing Our Minds by @drnaomifisher.bsky.social For all parents looking to support their child’s education, especially in these turbulent times. Honestly just great strategies for parenting individual humans and managing yourself as well.

Came across @drnaomifisher.bsky.social book which has really helped me with one of my year 1 cases - thank you 👏🏼. My take away are focusing on how the child experiences the world, meeting them where they are at & what needs to change in their environment #edpsychs

Delighted to be hosting the launch event for the new title from Abigail Fisher, @drnaomifisher.bsky.social and @elizafricker.bsky.social - What Can We Do When School's Not Working? Please join us for this free online event: Wed 16th April 12 - 1pm www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launc...

Excellent thread on classroom norms.

Extract from When the Naughty Step Makes Things Worse: Parenting for Children (and Adults) Who Need Something Different by @drnaomifisher.bsky.social and Eliza Fricker

Currently reading 'When the naughty step makes things worse' by @drnaomifisher.bsky.social and @elizafricker.bsky.social and it is just so illuminating. We stumbled across one or two methods by accident/desperation but this book is just so helpful and also is a hug, telling us that it's OK.

Looking forward to reading 'What Can We Do When School’s Not Working?' @drnaomifisher.bsky.social the book launch webinar was filled with powerful & thought-provoking discussion about autonomy, play & belonging. It inspired me to write a blog www.playscotland.org/reflecting-o... #ScotEduSky #EduSky

Join myself and @drnaomifisher.bsky.social next week for our webinar Now What? Not Fine in School where we will be talking (professional and parent) about what it is like as the parent when your child is not okay at school.

We’re all equal as long as you meet the standardised targets.. Image from A Different Way to Learn by @drnaomifisher.bsky.social

Still 99p on Kindle!

The diagnostic process can be confusing for parents. It's hard to know what to think and feel. You wait for years, and then - what? That's what we're talking about on Thurs. Now What? Diagnosis. @elizafricker.bsky.social and I. It’s recorded. Please share. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/now-what-d...

The detentions will continue until you get better at Maths? It's hard to follow the logic here. Unless this headteacher sees being academically capable as a matter of choice, there is no reason at all to think that detentions for mistakes will improve learning. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Teenager’s Guide to Burnout, the self help guide for teenagers by myself and @elizafricker.bsky.social is 99p on kindle for a limited time! Please share if you know parents who might want to know. amzn.eu/d/f4OvPmc

Join @drnaomifisher.bsky.social and myself for our new webinar Now What? Diagnosis where we will be focusing on the parents experience of diagnosis for their child and sharing both the professional and lived experience.

We immerse our children in school, and in doing so we miss the point. Because school is a means to an end, not an end in itself. That end is learning, and school is not the only way to learn. Words : @drnaomifisher.bsky.social Image: @elizafricker.bsky.social

"Por qué, en vez de tener altas expectativas (todo el rato todo el tiempo) con los estudiantes, no empezamos a tener altas expectativas del sistema educativo?" La siempre brillante @drnaomifisher.bsky.social naomicfisher.substack.com/p/our-educat...

Words : @drnaomifisher.bsky.social Images: @elizafricker.bsky.social

Cakes Without Recipes open.substack.com/pub/naomicfi...

Why do politicians think that the way to improve education is to have a dig at parents? Who are they trying to impress? You won’t improve education by shaming and blaming parents. It’s likely to have the opposite effect. Are they really so out of touch? www.theguardian.com/education/20...

The detentions will continue until you get better at Maths? It's hard to follow the logic here. Unless this headteacher sees being academically capable as a matter of choice, there is no reason at all to think that detentions for mistakes will improve learning. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Why do politicians think that the way to improve education is to have a dig at parents? Who are they trying to impress? You won’t improve education by shaming and blaming parents. It’s likely to have the opposite effect. Are they really so out of touch? www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Really pleased that my book A Different Way to Learn has just been released on audio. Illustrated by @elizafricker.bsky.social, this is a deep dive into how neurodivergent children learn outside school. Packed with interviews and real life experiences.

The Teenager’s Guide to Burnout, the self help guide for teenagers by myself and @elizafricker.bsky.social is 99p on kindle for a limited time! Please share if you know parents who might want to know. amzn.eu/d/f4OvPmc

Cakes Without Recipes open.substack.com/pub/naomicfi...

I have two online EMDR refresher days coming up. If you're an EMDR trained therapist but you need some help to get going, coming and join us.

I've just seen that my first book, Changing Our Minds is on special offer - £3.99 on Kindle. It hasn't been that cheap for a while. It's about how children learn, and why many of the assumptions we all make about school and education might not be justified. Please share. amzn.eu/d/hwVXXLd

I'm just going through my slides for tomorrow's webinar. It's about change. What happens when the world HAS to change - or when parents need to make changes? How can we help demand avoidant children with change - because change is part of life? www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/helping-yo...

Really pleased that my book A Different Way to Learn has just been released on audio. Illustrated by @elizafricker.bsky.social, this is a deep dive into how neurodivergent children learn outside school. Packed with interviews and real life experiences.

I'm just going through my slides for tomorrow's webinar. It's about change. What happens when the world HAS to change - or when parents need to make changes? How can we help demand avoidant children with change - because change is part of life? www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/helping-yo...

I have two online EMDR refresher days coming up. If you're an EMDR trained therapist but you need some help to get going, coming and join us.

New webinar coming up with @elizafricker.bsky.social. Now What: At Home. It's for parents when their child has stopped going to school, and who don't know what happens next. Next Thursday lunchtime, it's recorded if you can't make the time. Please share. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/now-what-a...