Weighing the Pros and Cons

 Here are no. 1 and no. 2 attempting primary school exam papers. I need to submit to MOE some marks by dec (for no. 1 who is supposed to be in Pri 2.)

Had a conversation a couple of nights ago with a parent who found the concept of homeschooling intriguing. I mentioned that this year is the first batch of homeschoolers who took the PSLE exam, (results come out on Thursday!!!) many of whom had never been in an exam hall before and had to be prepped about proper exam hall behaviour like no walking about, no talking, no looking around, etc.

(I noticed the other day at the Marina Barrage also, when we were out with the Heritage Learning Centre, that my kids haven't been properly initiated into the practice of getting into a line with other children, and walking as a group. :OP Also buying food on their own in the school canteen, etc. etc. But it's ok, not frightfully essential for the childhood development, you think?)

So, as the conversation went, we started weighing the pros and cons of schooling at home. Here are some considerations that we sort of covered:

COST: Homeschooling is more expensive than public school education.

Yes, imported curriculum are more expensive than local books (which you can use in homeschooling.) There are no edusave funds to draw on for enrichment courses or overseas field trips that the school kids enjoy. All this on a single income.

No, when you minus all the tuition fees that you save on because your child doesn't need to catch up with the school to pass exams. Ezy link for transport is now available to homeschoolers. Many educational tools and resources are available for free: public library, internet, etc...
There are creative ways to increase family income whilst working from home (and count as education as well): home family businesses, older kids working part time or taking on free lance work. 

WHAT CERT?

In public school system, kids will follow the general route to university, PSLE, O Levels, A Levels (which this parent I was speaking to says has no currency internationally, only in the commonwealth nations, but not much anywhere else...), University.

Homeschooling, wide open after PSLE. For parents to go and explore and pursue.

SCHOOL TEACHER'S VERSUS PARENT'S ACADEMIC COMPETENCY:

School teachers theoretically are specialists in the subjects that they teach. And different subjects are taught by different teachers.

Whereas a homeschooling parent will probably be able to be competent in one or two subjects to a certain depth.

However, do read this very interesting article written by a fellow homeschooling mother in the States. She is a high school drop out with a teenage daughter pursuing advanced Chemistry, her passion.

SCHOOL TEACHER'S VERSUS PARENT'S LEVEL OF COMMITMENT TO THE CHILD:

As was observed in that night's conversation, teachers don't even know the names of all the children they teach. What more each individual child's talents, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, character, etc.?

Parents on the other hand have a vested interest in their child's education and whole person development, not just academic. And Parents tend to know their children inside out when they are the ones who have spent the most time (24/ 7) with their children and are the best to guide and nurture their child's talents, help them in their weak spots.

CHILDREN'S CHILDHOOD (MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH):

Often, public schooled children have to keep up with school in the morning, remedial classes and other extra after-school activities in the afternoon, tuition and homework at night. Remediation and tuition is more necessary because often what is tested is beyond what the child can grasp. Also, clarifications often cannot be done on the spot as the class size is too big. Self efficacy and self esteem also tends to be affected negatively when the child struggles with work that is too difficult for them.

Homeschooled children's written work is limited to sit down time during school time. Doubts can be clarified on the spot, saving time on unlearning and re-learning. Children can have the rest of the day and night to pursue their interests, learn other things, work on projects, research, play, play, play, etc... Children are happier and have less stress.

CHILD'S CHARACTER TRAINING

As a homeschooling parent, I face almost daily, struggles with my children's attitude towards work that they don't enjoy (like Chinese for no. 1. or keeping toys for no. 3). There will be those who wonder why have to struggle so hard when they can be sent to school or after school care- out of sight, out of mind.

Well, I guess it's different philosophies of life at play here.
As a Christian parent, I believe in training my children to be the best vessels they can be, fit for the Master's use and that that job cannot be "sub-conned" to an external agency.

Anyway, if you do, the root problem with the child's character will still be there and will grow and come back in bigger and uglier ways than if it were dealt with decisively and effectively in the early years. That's what I believe.

SOCIAL INTERACTION WITH PEERS AND OTHERS

Well, this aspect didn't come up in that night's conversation, but it is frequently asked question: homeschoolers lack social interaction with kids their age and thus will not know how to work with or get along with others in a group.

Yes, I have seen some homeschoolers who tend to be rigid with their ideas, leaving the rest of the group behind because they are very confident their way is correct.
Especially in the teenage years, homeschoolers really love being with peers their age but are not able to during most school days.

No, most of the homeschoolers I have met (99.9%) are interesting conversationalists who can engage an adult in a conversation, yet at the same time show sensitivity towards children who are younger than themselves (because they have siblings at home they are with all day), and, of course, enjoy the company of their peers.

Working in a group, homeschooling parents, on their own initiative, have organized outdoor activity groups like scouts or for us, the GO! Cadets, to give the homeschoolers a platform to learn to work as a group and develop leadership and followership.

This is unlike most of the public schooled kids I know and had taught previously, who tend to hang out mostly with only people their age most of the school day and are thus familiar and bound by the rules of behaviour of that social set (ie, peers who are as childish as themselves) and are unfamiliar with other social sets (people who are older, people who are younger) 

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Anyway, do keep the conversation going. Dear reader, if you have any thing to add, subtract, or you have qns about homeschooling or christian parenting, do write, ok? :O)