BENEFITS OF HOME SCHOOLING

WHAT IS HOME SCHOOLING?

‘Home schooling’ or learning at home, is the new disruptive mode of academics in the internet era that is more efficient in delivering holistic education compared to traditional schooling, while saving the crucial resources of money and time.

This trend, catching up with the educated in India, is a method of learning where parents teach children all-academic topics at home without sending them to school, thereby students being imparted formal education informally.

The model offers a judicious mix of academics and extra-curriculars that leads to an all-round development of the learners. Subjects that require higher technical knowledge or lab infrastructure, or different interest courses, which are not available at students’ residences, scholars are enrolled for specific classes outside.

SCHOOLING IN INTERNET ERA

The concept of study and learning have undergone a sea change with evolving technology driven possibilities, creating newer modes of knowledge transmission. Since in earlier days, books and teachers were the sole custodian of subject matters, the age-old system of blackboard, teacher and the four-walled classroom were necessary. But today, free content is available online through recorded videos, which makes learning easy and accessible sitting at home.

With such an environment of open-source study materials, some of which are paid too with the facility of interreacting with live mentors, learning through digital media from anywhere creates more prudent opportunities for students. Hence, ‘home-schooling’ is the future!

WHY AVOID TRADITIONAL SCHOOLING?

Have we not abandoned traditional ways of working in different spheres of our lives – from banking, ticketing, correspondence, social life, business applications and in different other areas because of technology enabled possibilities?

Thus, with changing times, embracing home schooling as an alternative to blackboard classes in the traditional system makes immense sense because of the wide array of advantages it brings.

DO SCHOOLS MOULD A CAREER?

While every parent aspires to get their child admitted to the town’s most well-known private school, but what they don’t realize is an institute of repute doesn’t guarantee the kid would come out with flying colours and perform extremely well in his career.

Rather, a successful career depends primarily on how students develop themselves throughout their lives. The crucial learnings come during college days and after entering the professional world with age, maturity and experience. Moreover, it is higher education, degrees from premier global universities in a multi-cultural environment that really help in entering more rewarding specialized careers. Thus, school education, although it creates a base for students has a lesser role in aiding career development and growth in comparison to advanced studies.

It would be equally wrong to assume that a premier school will groom your child on all fronts to make him a genius. Although some top institutions have a focus of holistic development, which inculcates multi-disciplinary skills and interests, but its impact is limited because of large number of students in a class.

WHY FORCED EDUCATION MUST GO?

Parents’ focus only on academics and the child’s ability to score high marks is surely a wrong strategy that must go. The entire emphasis should be less on books, studies and curriculum. Rather a child should be given the freedom of a bird to fly in open air. And schools take away that freedom.

No child wishes to study but everyone loves to play games. And forcing a young mind to learn without his willingness is the gravest error of our system. Can one ever absorb anything unless they take it from their heart? Thus. education and learning should be made a thrilling game and not a boring exercise, where learners enjoy every moment of their engagement, without ever realizing that they are pursuing any academic knowledge.

Interest based and curiosity generating methods should be applied for students to learn through inquisitive and innovative thinking that make education a child’s play. Home schooling enables such out of the box possibilities.

SELECTING THE SCHOOL

COST

We recommend home schooling primarily because of the cost factor. In our opinion, incurring expenditure where the returns are not worthwhile is a wastage of resources and must be avoided. Thus, private schools, which are highly expensive but does not ensure a prosperous career for students should not be opted for.

As professional progress is centred around higher studies, it is important to accumulate savings, which can fund education after schooling in India or at a top global destination. Home schooling will ensure a fund crunch like situation does not arise that would deter any bright or aspiring student from pursuing university degrees, which require considerable amounts of money.

TIME

Time is the most crucial factor for all of us, because diving deep into diverse knowledge requires long stretched periods of learning. The biggest advantage of home schooling is with sufficient time at your disposal, you can design the child’s learning programmes the way he develops the best.

Buy Time - The Secret of Success

Whereas every moment has to be prudently utilized to maximize progress, in the traditional schooling system, the child loses crucial time commuting to the institution as also spending non-learning hours. Moreover, the workload of school curriculum hardly has any spare moments left for children to pursue extra-curricular activities.

EXTRA-CURRICULARS

Home schooling enables focusing widely on extra-curriculars, which hold the key for academic success and holistic development leading to building a defining profile for future career accomplishments.

Contrary to popular perceptions, the real growth of a child comes from activities outside of books and curriculum. Learning diversified skills such as music, dance, acting, art, crafts, sports to debates and social skills creates an integrated multi-disciplinary vision, which elevates one’s thinking.

When an individual becomes multi-talented, it brings great confidence and an aura surrounding him. This conviction, “Yes, I can”, empowers one to get passionately involved in their pursuits and excel in whatever they do.

As a result, imagination and thinking widens, and with higher consciousness students can grasp the subjects better, as also can remember study matters with photogenic memory rather than learn things by heart and forget most of it within a few days.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SCHOOL

After analyzing the different options for parents above, home schooling is our recommended choice.

Still those parents who are not comfortable with home schooling, and are in favour of formal education for their children, we suggest admission to government schools where the low fees help in saving considerable money, which can be suitably utilized for higher education.

At the same time, those who are averse to sending their children to government schools, which are perceived to be of inferior quality as also are not open to homeschooling should choose a school near their residence, where charges are the least of the lot. This is to minimize wastage of time and money.

We agree with the view held by apologists of the schooling system that friendship, camaraderie and human bonding, which are an essential part of mental growth of a child is missed in home schooling. But this deficiency is overcome through coaching and extra-curricular classes, where children can build friendship with peers at these centres.

Thus, the real aim should not be to get the child admitted at your town’s most well-known school but choosing the most judicious option where your hopes for future would materialize.

LEGAL VAILIDITY OF HOME SCHOOLING

The obvious question that arises is the legal validity of academics for these children who don’t attend a formal school.

While there is no law in favour of home schooling, the learners’ knowledge is certified through authorized organizations and degrees granted if they appear for certain specific examinations. And these marksheets would make them eligible to attend college and universities for higher studies as also entitle them to enter the formal job sector later for established private and government services.

EXAM - NIOS

In India, HRD Ministry under Government of India has established NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) that conducts examinations for students of grade X and grade XII equivalent. Once homeschoolers pass this exam, it would be considered at par with other board exams in India, and that would open the doors for higher studies in India and abroad, even to the premier engineering and medical schools. One has to be a minimum of 15 years of age, while there is no upper age limit. Those willing to appear for grade XII exams should have a valid Xth board exam pass certificate.

NIOS conducts the exams twice a year – March-April and in October-November and students have to register themselves through the website of NIOS about 4-6 months ahead once registration opens. All Indian states have exam centres usually at Kendriya Vidyalayas in multiple districts, which examinees can choose according to their convenience.

EXAM - IGCSE

Home schooled students in India can also take IGSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) as private candidates through authorized schools in India. It is developed by University of Cambridge International Examinations and exams are held twice a year in June and November at authorized schools worldwide and results are declared in August and January respectively.

IGCSE is preferable for those planning to pursue higher studies abroad because it is a globally accepted validation, and the world’s most popular international qualification for 14-16 year olds for 10th grade. Its 11th and 12th grade qualifications with two classifications of AS and A level.

However, IGCSE has lower acceptance among Indian education institutes compared to NIOS degrees because the latter is authorized by Government of India, and the costs involved for IGCSE are much higher than NIOS exams. Thus, most Indians willing to continue studies in India prefer NIOS.