Home Schooling
Definition: Homeschooling is a progressive movement in which the parent chooses to educate the child at home rather send them to a traditional school there are various reason attached to this like, no progress within the traditional school structure, dissatisfaction with present educational options
Homeschooling began way back during the 1970 in the US, suggestion by few authors and researchers suggested homeschooling as another educational option as on date about 2.5 million children in the US are being homeschooled adding an increase of about 15% every year
For children to love homeschooling there are to be equal participation from the parents in terms of liking their company, their foolishness, their passion, their energy and the physical presence. Should enjoy their talks, their questioning and equally be ready to answer those questions. A home-schooling atmosphere gives a natural setting where parents can provide individual way of instructing in tune with the interest of the child, his learning ability and style. Mr. Ken Robinson in his book “The Element” writes- “The key to transformation is not to standardize education, but to personalize education, to build achievement on identifying the talents each individual possesses and create an environment where the child learns and discover their true passion.
Home schooling provides natural setting in which parent can deliver individualized method of instruction that matches the child’s interest ability and style of learning. It’s also important to look at the approaches that one need to follow to execute the plan, listed are few approaches:
The Approach: There are various approaches that one can evaluate between, one is to get the child out of the traditional school and begin educating them at home without any board, so that one don’t have to stick to any board or curriculum and can chose which board is best as they approach 10th examination, such approach is suitable for child who are in junior or middle schools. The other approach would be to get into schools where one can enroll as a private student, here the parent can teach the child having to follow the curriculum of the school including appearing for exams.
Legal aspect: Presently there is no formal body to regulate or govern home schooling in India, but parents are at their discretion to take a step forward if they desire to home school their child. There has been lots of development and announcement by the government to promote home schooling, the recent one being Open SSC Board in Maharashtra.
Few Advantages and Disadvantages of Home Schooling:
Advantages:
- Can determine the curriculum and schooling schedule
- Show them that education is fun and not to stress much.
- Help enhance strong bonding with their children and can adapt best teaching – learning method suiting the child.
- It lets one protect the child from negative influences that may encounter outside the home.
- Provide the child with personal interaction which they can’t get from school classroom
- Help build good relationship with spouse as they homeschool them together.
- Can spend more time with the children enhancing the bonding.
Disadvantages:
- It becomes difficult to manage the children whole day particularly when they misbehave.
- Keep answering to the question about the reason for home schooling the child to the society
- Learn to restrain anger and to remain cool at all times even though the child struggle to learn.
- Ample of time needs to be spent to ascertain the best curriculum for the child.
- More efforts are required to find friends and playmates.
- Be touch with like parents to seek guidance on homeschooling and seeking tips and idea’s on solving problems.
- Large amount of money needs to be spent on learning materials.
- At times, it causes financial restrain as one of the parents has to opt for a part time job or no work at all.
- Opportunities are restricted in terms of participation in team sports, competitions and similar extra-curricular activities.
However, there are many more advantages and similarly disadvantages associated with Homeschooling, the mentioned information provides one with an idea on what to expect as a home schooling as a parent.
Homeschooling at one point will be very stressful and simultaneously rewarding, it’s not meant for every parent, especially those are unprepared and not willing to make commitment to be an effective teacher.
Its imperative that a decision are taken based the circumstances and situations which may help to attend the end goal and the purpose and would depend on each individual and family to decide.