Is homeschooling a viable recourse from the culture of rote pervading our education system? Swati Hora explores how useful can this option of alternative education be to our ‘institutionalised’ children…
Around six months back, nine-year-old Pranav was given by his parents the option to train in the three R's at home and instead, school in music formally at a reputed institute. Music was Pranav’s life. The family experimented with the idea in the Dusshera break and having seen it work, withdrew Pranav from his school. Bangalore-based Sandhya –Pranav’s mother – reasoned, “I was a kindergarten teacher at a school. My husband (Vinod) is a part-time professor in Pharmacology. Our son was doing very well in all subjects and activities at the school he went to, yet, we chose to homeschool him. The primary reason was his inclination to music which we didn't want reduced to an after-school hobby that one grows weary of, next to the pursuit of school projects and studies. Moreover, we felt that in some subjects his potential was higher and most schools fail to deliver what is promised. Even if the intentions (of the school) are good, at the end of the day, it depends on how the teacher is. At home now, we have been doing a mix of textbook and practical learning and things have been progressing quite well. In fact, Pranav has developed a keen interest in animation too.”
Listening to Pranav’s story, and the fact of more than two million homeschooled children (in the US alone), one feels the compelling need to introspect on the ideal nature of education. To grow within the somewhat restricted orb of an academic institution, or let flow in the structureless world of experiences? Maybe, a blend of both. At least, that seems to be the wish of an increasing number of parents around the world who, for varied reasons, have lent themselves to the onus of educating their children at home. Leaving her IT career behind, Chetana Anoop Keni took up a year’s diploma course to learn teaching techniques for homeschooling her child. “In spite of being extremely creative and being deeply interested in science and math, he was distracted in school. I realised that he did not do well with repetitive tasks and did not identify with the teaching style.”
Chetana homeschooled her son for three years using recommended methods to help improve his creativity and intelligence and show him the direction towards independent learning. A resident of Bangalore, Chetana now counsels parents about homeschooling since the number of parents opting for it as an alternative form of education is growing by the day, though “often for the wrong reasons.” After two years of working as an independent special educator for helping children with learning difficulties, gifted children and homeschoolers, Chetana realises homeschooling is not for everyone. “There are children who are very social and love to go to school. If the teaching standard of the school is low, parents should change the school, change the learning styles, use multiple intelligence techniques, take help from others etc., but not keep the child home,” she asserts.
Around six months back, nine-year-old Pranav was given by his parents the option to train in the three R's at home and instead, school in music formally at a reputed institute. Music was Pranav’s life. The family experimented with the idea in the Dusshera break and having seen it work, withdrew Pranav from his school. Bangalore-based Sandhya –Pranav’s mother – reasoned, “I was a kindergarten teacher at a school. My husband (Vinod) is a part-time professor in Pharmacology. Our son was doing very well in all subjects and activities at the school he went to, yet, we chose to homeschool him. The primary reason was his inclination to music which we didn't want reduced to an after-school hobby that one grows weary of, next to the pursuit of school projects and studies. Moreover, we felt that in some subjects his potential was higher and most schools fail to deliver what is promised. Even if the intentions (of the school) are good, at the end of the day, it depends on how the teacher is. At home now, we have been doing a mix of textbook and practical learning and things have been progressing quite well. In fact, Pranav has developed a keen interest in animation too.”
Listening to Pranav’s story, and the fact of more than two million homeschooled children (in the US alone), one feels the compelling need to introspect on the ideal nature of education. To grow within the somewhat restricted orb of an academic institution, or let flow in the structureless world of experiences? Maybe, a blend of both. At least, that seems to be the wish of an increasing number of parents around the world who, for varied reasons, have lent themselves to the onus of educating their children at home. Leaving her IT career behind, Chetana Anoop Keni took up a year’s diploma course to learn teaching techniques for homeschooling her child. “In spite of being extremely creative and being deeply interested in science and math, he was distracted in school. I realised that he did not do well with repetitive tasks and did not identify with the teaching style.”
Chetana homeschooled her son for three years using recommended methods to help improve his creativity and intelligence and show him the direction towards independent learning. A resident of Bangalore, Chetana now counsels parents about homeschooling since the number of parents opting for it as an alternative form of education is growing by the day, though “often for the wrong reasons.” After two years of working as an independent special educator for helping children with learning difficulties, gifted children and homeschoolers, Chetana realises homeschooling is not for everyone. “There are children who are very social and love to go to school. If the teaching standard of the school is low, parents should change the school, change the learning styles, use multiple intelligence techniques, take help from others etc., but not keep the child home,” she asserts.
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