Homeschooling

What is homeschooling?

Schooling and Beyond...

So what is homeschooling? Home – School – A place where the parents become the teachers… A place where learning starts to happen… ideally, kids as babies and toddlers learn a lot more at home, then we introduce kids to an institution called the school and then – they start getting trained.

But if you ask me, ‘where does learning happen?’ – I would say at home!

School trains you to be on time, to do homework, to do class work, to socialise, and to behave. But at home we learn that when I throw the tumbler into a bucket of water – the water splashes (the eureka theory), we learn that when mom/dad forgets to turn the gas off -the milk/sugar boils n boils and eventually turns black which is a carbon (chemistry), at home, we learn the power of electricity, we learn about cleanliness and hygiene in daily chores (EVS/environmental studies), at home we learn that when a clock stops ticking, its batteries need to be changed; at home, we learn that to clean a mirror instead of cloth a newspaper works better. Home is where we start speaking – we learn our mother tongue and also pick up a couple of more languages, home is the place where we eat healthy food and discover the power of healthy food. The list is never-ending.

Then if we learn so many things at home (along with live-experiments) then why do we need schools?

Coz now we don’t have time for our own kids!

In this super-busy competitive world, if we can devote some time to our kids, we can definitely homeschool our kids.

In the olden days, kids used to learn at the gurukul – what was gurukul? A kind of school – where all manner of knowledge was imparted to the kids – right from yog-vidya, to astrology and astronomy, from languages to maths and science and environment everything – but it was not tagged under ‘subject’. Kids would learn about wielding the bow and arrow – as a sport, under physics and as an ancient art.

Wasn’t it interesting?

Today we learn the laws of physics and appear for a 100 marks paper not knowing its application in real life! How does that make us knowledgeable?

I’m not against exams! Nor am I against schools. I’m against the methodologies.

If a kid is never taught the application of knowledge – he will never understand the basics thoroughly and all she/he will need to do is “rutta” (by-heart)

Is mugging up answers a way to excellence?

For me, by-heart is – when you enjoy it, when you know the subject in detail, in-depth, and along with it you know its application, the implementation – that’s knowledge and that’s learning!

I wanna teach my son to find his own answers and not give him ready answers to mug up.

I want my son to read up on all subjects …

Knowledge has no boundaries and hence our learning cannot be confined to a 100-mark paper.

Imagine studying about astronomy at a planetarium or learning about Science at the science centre and learning about the environment in the woods or on a trek or maybe when you go camping or how about learning about history in museums … wouldn’t it make studies or the process of learning more interesting?

Competitions are important (exams are just a part of it). When I homeschool my son – I want him to give exams, and I want him to compete. But I don’t want to compare with anyone. I want to examine him to check his knowledge. I don’t want to examine him to see if he is better off than anybody else.

He is brilliant! I know that! I know that because – every child born is brilliant. It is how we shape them. If we tell a fish to climb a tree-he will never be able to. Every child has her or his own liking… we need to explore that first.

At the same time, we need to expose them to the possible things in nature, expose them to this universe – then the knowledge will just double up that too in light speed.

To infinity and beyond …

That’s our motto!

Gather knowledge! Apply it! Examine it! Compete! and EXCEL!

#TheHomeschoolDiary

Hakuna Matata!

Amrutha Langs

Here’s trying to answer some FAQs before you dive in :

(Kindly note: homeschooling is not for everyone - not demoting just trying to be real - don't just dive in because you hate something and like the other... One needs to do a lot of research and prepare oneself before one starts to homeschool... Also one needs to understand the strengths, weaknesses and limits of oneself before taking this decision)

What can you do in order to start homeschooling :

Primarily babies and toddlers and children learn from parents, grandparents, neighbours, friends, extended family - basically their surroundings...

The actual "studies" don't really begin at such young age... What starts is getting hold of your surroundings, understanding it and learning from it.

•Homeschooling is a journey which you start with your family... Where children instead of "only solving worksheets" are an integral part of growing and learning together...

Simple activities like peeling garlic or folding dried clothes to reading stories with parents or grandparents or learning via Montessori methods or Waldorf methods or any other method you choose that you think is fit for your child and your family.

•Homeschooling is not just one specific method

It could be very academically driven if that's what suits you and your family

Or it could be very sporty, arty, crafty whatever you like

•Basically you will need to figure out your needs, wants, strengths and weaknesses, and then decide on your very own exclusive method of homeschooling.

•How does my child appear for board exams :

Options available are NIOS, IGCSE (there's also SSC board for which you need to submit certain documents and there's a procedure)

Resources and Curriculum :

There are abundant available!!! It's an ocean, you need to be wise and curate your own curriculum

•Communities, Groups:

There are many homeschooling groups on Facebook, WhatsApp

There are co-ops, and parental support groups like one we run (I along with other homeschooling parents)