A common water cooler chat for parents who have school-going children is the steep school fees they\u2019re paying for their child\u2019s education. Apparently some \u2018elite\u2019 schools charge a fee that is close to the salary of a mid-level executive. But that doesn’t deter most parents from aspiring for such schools, because when it comes to their child\u2019s education, they want nothing but the best (at least what is perceived as \u2018the best\u2019). Most of these concerned parents were born around the 80\u2019s decade, and their school education ended near the end of millennium. Like their own parents did, these individuals will also work hard to afford their child with quality education, but the essential question is: how much of this \u2018quality\u2019 should depend on the fees?<\/p>\n
Whether it was 80\u2019s or even a generation before that, irrespective of the school you chose, the essential source of knowledge was pretty much the same \u2013 books prescribed as per curriculum. I don\u2019t intend to limit the scope of books (an invaluable knowledge source) to a mere subset of curriculum prescribed books but the fact is that these curriculum books (mine were NCERT books), have been prescription for most examination boards for decades, hence a diktat followed by the schools.<\/p>\n
Now circling back, let\u2019s rephrase the question: Are the parents of today\u2019s school going children, paying through nose, for the education that is essentially acquired through curriculum books? No matter how uncomfortable the answer is, this is the question that a parent needs to ask oneself in interest of one\u2019s child.<\/p>\n
The idealistic view is that school is a temple of knowledge \u2013 but is it the only one? Does a child growing in today\u2019s world have any significant advantage that the parents didn\u2019t have in their growing years? Yes of course, and that advantage can have a potentially disruptive impact on long held conventions of education \u2013 unsurprisingly it is penetration of technology and internet. Now few readers may roll their eyes \u2013 so the ponderous author assumes that the parents never check whether such \u2018expensive\u2019 schools are technologically adept or primitive? Well I\u2019m sure you must have evaluated your child\u2019s school with sincerity it deserves, but it is not the schools that I\u2019m driving at; it is the additional sources of learning, that today\u2019s children can have access to \u2013 the e-Education solutions. Today\u2019s e-Education solutions offer visual, intuitive ways to acquire the knowledge that much is harder to comprehend from the linear, static text of curriculum books. And it\u2019s not just e-Education solutions, internet offers enormous level of explanation on the same topic, so much so \u2013 one can confidently frame an opinion than just learning by rote which is offered in prescribed course books. If you\u2019re suddenly worried that your child may go overboard, and may be left puzzled during the exams \u2013 you have to trust human psychology is mostly psyched by what\u2019s not understood well. There may be initial hiccups, but at least the child will have the option to choose what\u2019s most suitable for his\/her understanding.<\/p>\n
Now if you have realized that you, as a parent, may not have given a serious thought to this \u2018outside school\u2019 source of knowledge – may have an epiphany that this advanced self-study is no substitute for school \u2013 let me clarify: I don\u2019t intend to admonish school education as primitive (many schools advocate e-Education). The human interaction aspect of school learning is irreplaceable. But without doubt I advocate the e-Education guided self-study as an essential supplement to your child\u2019s education. And the impact, as explained below, goes beyond the knowledge acquisition argument I\u2019ve made so far.
\nWhich school is most suitable for my child and my pocket?
\nSchool fees and related expenses (sometimes wrongly assumed as the only investment in a child\u2019s education) have multiple moving parts: the institution\u2019s reputation, the location, the affiliations so on so forth and the most controversial \u2013 the results. If a certain school claims X% of its students performed well academically (with definition of \u2018performing well\u2019 linked to some marks in board exams), can a parent safely assume that school with maximum value of \u2018X\u2019 is best for the child\u2019s learning needs? And you can\u2019t ignore the fact that some \u2018prestige\u2019 school may require significant commutation time that eats some crucial hours in your child\u2019s daily routine. If you choose a school that\u2019s easier on your pocket, and closer to your home, but meets the minimum quality criteria you envision for your child\u2019s school \u2013 you can re-direct these savings in money and your child\u2019s time in self-study that leverages e-Education solutions in comfort of home, and also potentially cut down tuition expenses if your child is having hard time catching up school.
\nLet the child learn for knowledge, rather than fear of judgment
\nWith due reverence to the teaching profession, school teachers today are thorough professionals and have the knowledge expertise, but they can\u2019t render customized training for each student\u2019s unique needs. A child\u2019s natural learning tendency may not be a perfect fit for the teaching style adopted by the teacher, and such child may incorrectly perceive oneself of not being as \u2018smart\u2019 as his peers. But e-Education solution can give the child the luxury to calibrate the course (with your help) to learn at his\/her own pace, without the social baggage of giving a perception of being a fast learner. With right learning methodology and a child\u2019s innate curiosity to learn, most children can transform themselves into not just fast, but thorough learners.
\nImage Credit: freedigitalphotos.net<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A common water cooler chat for parents who have school-going children is the steep school fees they\u2019re paying for their child\u2019s education. Apparently some \u2018elite\u2019 schools charge a fee that is close to the salary of a mid-level executive. But that doesn’t deter most parents from aspiring for such schools, because when it comes to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6196,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[151,360],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[4261],"yoast_head":"\n