It’s a typical weekday morning at the Reddy’s home. Her husband has left for the day and her older son is already at school. Except, in this case the school is at their dining table, and the timetable is all set for the day.
Sachin will learn the names of different fruits and vegetables displayed in their kitchen, help his mom in some household chores, and music appreciation with his father.
This is the world of Homeschooling
Home schooling is basically home education, where the children are being educated at home or any other place. Home schooling can be done by the parents, Online teacher or Tutors.
Though we had certainly believed that the future will be volatile and uncertain, we were certainly not ready to be overwhelmed by an unseen deadly virus. The coronavirus pandemic has forced educators, parents and students to think critically, problem solve, be creative, collaborate, communicate and be adaptive.
Indian parents are becoming aware of Home Schooling as a feasible option for their children. Parents are free to send their children to school but teach them at home. If the parents have the means and wish too, they can, as stated by the government. Many parents decided to Home school their children versus sending them to mainstream schools to keep them away from the academic pressures they face. With the help of social media, we get to know of unfortunate news of children like murder, rape, pre-teen suicides, which leaves parents disturbed. And thus, the thought of homeschooling comes to mind. It allows the child to grow and blossom freely without the peer pressure of academics as well.
Homeschooling is also looked at as an option for children whose parents are on the move, cause of their demanding jobs and the requirement to change cities every couple of years. This can be a stop- gap arrangement for them till they are able to find a good school for their children in the new city.
The curriculum can be tailored as per the child’s requirements, and thus help work on the child’s strong areas. As such there are no set ways to home schooling. Parents can opt for extra- curricular activities, drama, sports, language classes, home tutors etc. Every homeschooling situation is unique, and one can take the help of online resources for various things like career guidance and counselling for students , soft skills improvement centres .For some parents working on their social skills, creative skills are utmost important by exposing them to various activities and meeting their peers. Parents can seek Education Experts online to get more guidance on home schooling and various other academic related queries.
It’s no wonder that more parents are considering other options and homeschooling seems to be on top of that list.
There are also free audio stories for kids on Apps available which are free to download on IOS and Android phones which parents can make use of for storytelling.
The following information on various educational boards, permit private candidates to qualify without having to go through the turmoil of regular school
NIOS: National Institute of Open Schooling (India) offers 2 programs for different age groups
OBE: Open Basic education Program for students from age 6 to 14
- Student can register for 5 years
- Students can study at their pace & ability
- Students can choose any combination of subjects
- Students need to study 5 subjects
- Can take the exam in Hindi, English or any Indian Regional Language
- No upper age limits
SENIOR SECONDARY: Grades 11& 12
- All out-of-school learners regardless of reason for not enrolling in school.
- Home schooled children in India who need a certificate for admission into any stream of their choice after the tenth standard
MSBSHSE: Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education (India)
- Students may appear as private candidates
- Offers both vocational & study subjects
- It offers a wide range of languages Indian regional & international
CAMBRIDGE:
· Cambridge Secondary 2 (IGCSE/O level): 14 – 16 years
· Cambridge Advanced (AS/A level): 16 – 19 years
Home schooled students may take these assessments privately, at Secondary Level, at a fee
The A Level program is self- paced, and students can take a minimum of 3 subjects to qualify
