Statistics from a recent survey seen by 500 families show that homeschooling is prevalent in households with 2 children with at least one child if not both being homeschooled regardless of the presence of medical conditions. About 81.5% expressing that they would still choose to homeschool again if presented with the choice once more.
In a broad view, Home School (HS) is nothing more than just another avenue of allowing children an opportunity to gain knowledge and be educated through unconventional ways.
Many reports demonstrate that homeschool students outpace their peers in standardized tests, writing, reading, and reasoning. Other studies show that they perform better in college, and serve their communities.
But not all homeschooling is the same.
Being responsible for their children’s learning journey, HS parents take on the leadership role, much like the ‘Academic Director’ in an educational institution. They will review, combine and complement different curriculum to cater to the child’s interest and pace. Specially crafted monthly schedules incorporate various forms of learning from individual exploration to group learning with other like-minded parents and their little ones.
Every child learns differently at different paces and mainstream schools cannot cater to the individual child’s needs.
While families recognize the benefits of home school for their children and the value of interpersonal relationship bonding amongst families, we do see families adopting the home schooling approach, not by choice rather due to medical conditions of oneself or their family member. After all, time is the only thing that money cannot buy, let alone any variation of achieving an education.
Quoting and unquoting our Patron and Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Tan Chuan Jin from a separate message:
“Public perception should be shaped by facts.”
However, this statement is very apt and applicable in all aspects of our lives. Have we been more objective or subjective today on homeschooling?
Understanding how important it is for HS families to constantly support each other emotionally and spiritually in this uphill and discriminated journey in Singapore, both Sandra and Annette encourages HS parents to persevere regardless of the social stigmatization they faced on daily basis.
Reflecting and couldn’t agree more with Sandra’s view, she asserted ‘If we are called to homeschool our children, go for it! Homeschooling is not just about doing academics at home. It is about parenting and life. The most important thing is not about how to homeschool but why we want to homeschool.’
While this article does not provide full information of resources on home school but it serves to shed some light on this area where it is overshadowed by the norm.
Credits: clubrainbow.org
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