Homeschool decoded
Homeschooling is a rarity today and children who are homeschooled at times arouse a lot of curiosity among their peers. But like all practices, this is also seen through coloured glasses even by those who are from the education community. Let us now bust a few myths about homeschooling.
Myth-1:
Homeschooled children are socially shy: This does not have to be so. If homeschooled children are socialized enough into extracurricular activities and team-building tasks like games, then their socialization is taken care of.
Some parents think that homeschooling makes them much more socialized than a traditional school setting. Says Hyderabad-based Meeta Kumar, “We have been homeschooling both our boys for almost 8 years now – one is 10 years old and the other is 12 years old. We are part of a meet-up group that has parents and their homeschooled children. So, we meet weekly to let out children socialize with each other. Our boys are also part of team sports. Basically, we believe that homeschooling allows my boys some social opportunities that they wouldn’t have if they were in a traditional school setting.” She adds, “My boys also take part in cleanliness drives in our apartment and work together with people of all ages. They get to do a lot of ‘real’ things as opposed to sitting in a classroom and attending lessons. As for etiquette lessons, I taught them early on to greet people and to maintain eye contact during a talk.”
Myth-2:
Mom is the instructor so there is no curriculum: Online material, textbooks, teacher guides and workbooks are easily available in the market. You can also choose a board that suits the child best. Furthermore, you can also bring a teacher on-board for help.
It is initially demanding for a parent to see through a whole day of the child’s study day at home but gradually, one can always get them used to being independent. They may study for a few hours at a stretch and you can come back home to iron out their areas of difficulty.
Myth-3:
Homeschooled kids waste a lot of time: Some families do let their kids waste their time in the guise of homeschooling. But this can’t be generalized. Deciding to keep homeschool children is quite a decision and this needs the families to forego their daily schedule to manage their children’s schooling. So, most families today understand that it’s a commitment.
Myth-4:
Families of homeschoolers are against TV or video games: Meeta Kumar volunteers to clear out this wrong notion. She quips, “We believe in limiting the time they spend on devices, but this has simply not been a big deal for us. We encourage our boys to use the internet for purposes of education like learning about fascinating science facts and for DIY exercises.” Families of homeschooled children only try to limit their use of the internet and technology, which most families do.
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