Considering Homeschooling in Singapore

Here I pen some thoughts arising from today's Homeschoolers' Sports Day.

Sometimes, the lifestyle choices we make become so routine and ordinary. It is only when you are confronted with something different that you come to think and appreciate what you have. Much like taking for granted our 'Singaporean-ness' only to find it when you go overseas and encounter different cultures and societies.

Today, I met a young mom who is struggling with being torn between allowing her children (4, 3, and 1 yrs) to have a childhood where they can play and versus what our society's norm is: cram cram cram. She was telling me that her child's teacher was concerned that her child (who was 3) was not performing on par with others and that she should consider sending the child to a specialist to check. By all counts this child is normal, but in our crazy society, children need to perform even at the age of 3. Why the pressure to produce child prodigies? What ever happened to normal development? and what on earth is wrong with LATE development?? Children are all unique but yet they are measured by some arbitrary curve (it really depends on the baseline, doesn't it) and then held accountable to it as if it were sin to fall short. Poor kids.

So I looked around at the many happy, carefree children at the Sports Day today. They really have no idea how blessed they are to have parents who decided to go against the norm in our society and .....shelter them at home.

I've heard people ask (accusingly) why do you shelter your children? Like it's a bad thing to shelter your children??? Yes, there are many homeschooling families in Singapore who are bent on sheltering their children! Shelter from what? From pressures of keeping up with appearances, from being forced to learn things that are beyond their grasp, from producing results that were forced out of them through sheer grit and many tears, from keeping impossible schedules which require them to rise early and sleep late. The list runs long.

These are our tender young saplings and yet in our society, they are force fed all sorts of fertilisers, watered and sunned, in expectation that they will start producing fruits early. But their tender branches are not yet ready to bear that weight! No wonder so many shrivel up , or break, and never reach their full potential if only the grower was more patient in waiting!

Homeschooling parents really go through so many hurdles: constantly being questioned and doubted (especially grandparents who are worried they are ruining their children's future by not sending the kids to school), constantly seeking out the best education path which suits their children. Sure it's a lot easier to go by the system, all neatly packaged. All you need to do is obediently follow the rules.

What rebels these homeschool parents are! The audacity to go against society (dual income families, children to grow up institutionalised from infancy up) ....and even go against the good advice of elders to stick to the tried and tested paths (don't have so many children so you can pour more resources into their academic pursuits.) They are not afraid to be falsely accused of not doing enough just because their 3 year old can't identify their colours or read words yet because they know that probably by age 5 the child will be able to and without all the needless time wasting drilling. They would rather be exploring the zoo or reading a story book with their child than do that!

Many Singaporean parents are crying out, they don't want this pressure cooker system.  Most think within the box, the system needs to change, the system needs to change. The system is this complex behemoth of a creature, and 'change' always seems to come in the form of further regulation, which leads to more yardsticks to measure children with. In our "one -up" society (some call it 'kiasu') what was intended to be a short yard stick at the top level becomes a ridiculously long one by the time it reaches the ground level.

And you see, the system exists as a machine which churns out parts to fit into an even bigger machine. Feed the economy. I don't know if it can ever be anything else but.

Good news, Singaporean parent, you CAN escape from it and run to the shelter, the safe haven. But where is this shelter? The Home! How simple but strangely profound in our topsy-turvy society. It even borders on the offensive and distasteful.... It's too, too simplistic.

Home, where mommy cooks the meals and daddy earns the money, and the children are happy and curious, and have time to work and play and grow. Is that too idealistic? Is that such an impossible scenario in our fast paced society, Singapore 2012?

Yet, my friends, yet, homeschoolers are living breathing proof that it CAN be done! Singaporean children CAN have a happy, carefree childhood!  The homeschool life is one that is not dictated by the schedules of the school system. It does not revolve around the tests and exam dates. It does not revolve around keeping up with the syllabus. The homeschool runs on a pulse of it's own, that of family life and each family member's needs. How loving and personal!

I write because I feel sorry for all those who are struggling and think there is no way out. It's right there under your very nose. Home

Comments

[kim]

"Shelter from what? ... from being forced to learn things that are beyond their grasp, from producing results that were forced out of them through sheer grit and many tears..."

I can't agree more with you. The stress is tremendous for all the parties involved, even tutors and teachers. The fact is, regardless whether one is ready or not, he is expected to be able to solve challenging questions, and solve them fast, within a limited time. And it's so easy to have self-doubt when one can't perform up to expectations, his or/and others.

Seriously, this is just not right. I may not advocate homeschooling totally but I do hope that the system will change and focus more on the child's total well-being and development.

[MieVee @ MummysHomeschool.com]

Personally, I find that traditional schooling life emphasises too much on grades. Anything that's not tested or important for PSLE / O Levels etc gets ignored by children and parents. This includes areas like civic and moral education, music, art and physical education which are essential to total development.

And going to morning school leaves most students sleep deprived indeed. Rise by 6-7a.m. But how many young children get their 10-12 hours of sleep daily when they have a ton of homework / spelling / test revisions to do?

[Justin Tham]

So can secondary school students do home schooling too?

[Suwei]

Hi Justin,
Oh yes. In fact, it is easier with MOE to homeschool because the compulsory education act only applies to primary school students.

If a secondary school student drops out of school, MOE cannot keep that child in school by law.

Blessings,
Suwei

[Justin Tham]

Ok, let's just say you are a secondary school student and you would like to opt for homeschooling . Your reasons are that you dont like going to school and you find it's in a much better environment What do you do?

[Suwei]

Hi Justin!

I would:
- pray to God and ask Him for wisdom n guidance.
- do more research on homeschooling
- talk to my parents
- meet homeschooling families which have teenagers together with my parents to find out more
- pray some more.

All the best!

[RDH]

I am a single father with at 14 year old from the U.S. The option I am considering is home school. He tends to be able to learn from home than in school. When he came out here this summer, he studied in prep for the local shool. No issue with learning no issue with listening. Once he got into the school system, no progress.
I would like to meet up and talk to someone.