Homeschooling in India is a concept that has existed for several centuries. Our forefathers encouraged the Guru-Shishya system where each student would get undivided attention from the Guru. Homeschooling allows students to learn as per their learning pace, get doubts cleared without any hesitation and make full use of the time they have on their hands. However, it has its downsides too. With time, homeschooling could make students asocial or shy kids who’d rather stay in the comfort of their home than step out. The only real argument against this education system is that homeschooled kids may turn out to be socially awkward, etc. but compared to the psychological damage of certain types of student interaction – like bullying and peer pressure – many argue that homeschooling is much better.
I have been considering homeschooling for my kids, Anoop and Tanvi, who are 6 and 2 years old respectively. Homeschooling would mean spending a considerable amount of time with each of our kids on a daily basis. My wife and I are still in talks about homeschooling our kids. Nevertheless, I thought I could let other parents know what homeschooling is all about and if it is suitable for your kids.
What is homeschooling?
Homeschooling in India basically means that the parents take up the entire responsibility of schooling, educating, and readying the child for the real world. There is no hard and fast rule as to how this should be done. In my opinion, it can be a combination of traditional classroom teaching, using video lectures (that kids these days use anyway!), creative material, and help from subject experts. The curriculum and timetable for the child is decided by the parents and can be tweaked as per the child’s strengths and weaknesses. Parents will be including not only academics but also practical lessons like say, vegetable farming or cooking.
The flexibility that homeschooling has to offer has both, pros and cons. Take a look at these before you decide to homeschool your child.
Pros of homeschooling
- All children want to learn, it’s the teacher’s responsibility to nurture this desire by directing the interest in the right direction. Children wish to learn different things at different times, and through different means – could be reading, writing, listening, watching, or kinesthetically experiencing situations which teach them lessons. This way the learning is directed around the child’s level of interest, rather than a fixed schedule. Learning anything this way will not only teach the child a topic but spark interest and a sense of curiosity in the child to explore the subject further and ask his/her own questions.
- A child may be weak in one subject but strong in another. So, parents can accordingly pick material for the kids.
- No matter how small the number of students is in a school (assuming it won’t go below 25), no child can get undivided attention. At home, on the other hand, this is possible.
- Since parents will have to worry about classroom discipline since there will be only one child, parents can step out to a park, museum, library or even a cafe for teaching their child.
- Homeschooled children will not be exposed to any kind of emotional torture, abuse or bullying by other students. The home will be a safe environment for them.
- Since there are no exams or tight schedules, homeschooling is stress-free.
- Parents can be more open to their child’s innovative ideas and changes in schedules more than teachers at school.
- Learning can be made fun through creative learning ideas.
- Children can be introduced to practical learning such as fixing a light bulb or changing the car tyre – skills that all of us should have.
- The constant interaction with children will help parents find their child’s hidden talents.
- Homeschooling will be a great way to save the money spent on school fees too.
Cons of homeschooling
- Homeschoolers usually meet up with other homeschoolers in the city from time to time. Those who don’t attend such meetups tend to lack the much-needed social skills and end up becoming introverted in college or at workplaces. But to be fair, many of those that attend regular schools also develop social anxieties and introverted nature later in life, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
- Parents will have to really put in all their time in teaching their child. If there are two or three children, things would get harder especially if either or both parents need to balance their work lives too.
- Parents might be experts in specific subjects but not all of them. Not all parents will be able to provide the kind of education schools provide especially when the child moves up to higher grades.
- Children will miss out on the many experiences school learning has to offer such as making friends, creating bonds, going on trips, being part of group activities, taking part in annual day and sports day events, etc. As long as there is community support, however, this isn’t a problem, as community activities provide a similar platform to build confidence.
- While homeschooling will save parents money spent on school fees, they may have to quit their jobs or take up part-time jobs that may affect the family’s financial stability.
- Friends and family members may criticise homeschooling since it may be a new concept to them. If done in front of the child, it may cause disinterest in studies and affect his or her learning.
Homeschooling has its pros and cons. If you are able to manage work or have enough time on your hands to teach your kids, you can do so – but only if you are sure you can handle all subjects of all grades. Make no mistake – homeschooling is a full-time job. It’s the best way to bond with your child while also imparting a high-quality education, but it will take 90% of your time.
So what do you think of homeschooling in India? Do you homeschool your kids or do you know anyone who does? I would love to discuss this in the comments section below.
