Homeschooling as an Option.
HOMESCHOOLING AS AN OPTION
Homeschooling is an option to which many families resort, when they feel public school is failing their child or the support system in public school is not sufficient for their needs and circumstances. Many Muslim families also resort to this option for various reasons such as ….
- To protect their kids from cultural influence of Public Schools.
- The kids fall behind academically in regular schools.
- The kids are brilliant and parents want to move them fast.
- Homeschooling is cost effective.
- To facilitate other activities like hifdh, arts and sports.
- Advantage of flexible time schedule and unrestricted time management.
- Good acceptance rate into colleges and universities for higher studies.
- In countries like India and Pakistan it is usual practice for those who drop out from schools and later realize the need to rejoin the education system.
The advantage of allowing a child to learn at his/her own pace slower or faster, customize allocation of time as per their own convenience and priorities removes the unnecessary burden and anxiety for many kids as well as parents. But there is also unending debate about the disadvantage of this system with special allegation that kids are missing the opportunity to mingle with other cultures and loose the chances to learn, become more aware and tolerant towards them. Such kids are also accused of lacking confidence and smartness while dealing with others.
There are many private institutions and companies offering help for home schooling, these companies provide the curriculum and learning materials. In this case a parent or adult has to guide and coach the student. Sometime these companies provide a certified teacher as a guide to the students; this guide is available online or on phone for a fixed time during the week. Many parent quit their jobs to home school their kids.
There is also an option of 100% tuition free online homeschooling with the help of state government. Under certain schemes state government pay the cost to the company providing homeschooling, this make homeschooling totally free for the parents. This facility is available in many states. Under this arrangement the curriculum is delivered online and a state certified teacher assigned to the family, who guides the student. A parent or adult acts as teaching assistant. Every student is supplied books, guides, and other materials even scientific equipments. This model provides parents the opportunity to educate their children even with very limited resources and manage their time allocation to different section of study as per their choice.
Help for homeschooling and self studies is becoming available more and more with each passing day and extended to higher education as well. Free tutorials offered by Khan Academy, Myeducationkey and many others in higher education are latest trendsetting addition in this direction. There will be increasing learning towards studying or mastering the subject of one’s own choice at own pace and convenience with or without attending a traditional educational institute.
