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Happy 2017!
I was just talking to a few parents over the last week about the concept of homeschooling by Malaysian standards. Some strange observations were noted. I decided that it was a worthy share.
Firstly, in Malaysia, no homeschool resembles a home!! Why is that? When parents come to see our provision and I explain why it resembles a home they start to realise that its true - a homeschool should resemble a home and not a school! The layout and feel should match closely to the home. The routines should be similar - put away things, eating together, helping one another, playing together irrespective of age, sharing, and flexibility in learning methods.
Second, the number of students in a homeschool was also observed. How many parents have 25 kids these days? Typically, homeschool is education taking place in the comfort of the home - clean, cool, calming and safe environment. So, when you have 25 students in one small space, and desks and chairs arranged like a classroom, a white board on the wall, and lectures taking place, that is NOT a homeschool!! That is an illegal school!
So it baffles me, when parents and friends are shocked when I say we never have more than 8 - 9 students at any one time. Typically, we have less. Is that not a more a realistic number than 15- 20? Another scary aspect of "homeschools" in the Klang Valley is that, because they are simply "illegal schools", they also tend to NOT hire qualified people to teach your children. Another issue is the safety factor. How safe is it to have 20 kids in one room and have 5 rooms of them in 2000sq ft? Are provisions made to have fire extinguishers and ensure that in the event of an emergency, all learners can exit safely? Also, is there space for learners to play? An integral part of childhood is play. There is a pile of research to support this stance. most homeschools stick kids in classrooms for hours on end without allowing movement and play besides the once a week activity. It simply is a compromised type of educational provision.
Thirdly, when parents say want to know if we have exams for our students, I am also shocked. When one homeschools their kids, typically, one of the big reasons is that they prefer a non traditionals, highly academic type system. The focus is more on the learning part rather than the number of As obtained. Many homeschoolers have gone on to be successful in life and completed tertiary education at the top of their classes. This is mainly because, they have always been taught to enjoy the learning process rather than to learn to meet a pre determined syllabus. How many of us really remember what we learnt in Year 5 history or Year 12 Chemistry, or Year 10 Geography? Sure, we need to know a bit of everything, but is it not better to allow the learner to focus on areas of high interest and be excellent in it rather than be "a jack of all trades and a master of none?"
Folks, identify what it is you are really looking for educationally, for your children, before jumping in on any one style of education. There is nothing wrong in wanting to homeschool your child, but being aware of the reality of the situation is important.
I was just talking to a few parents over the last week about the concept of homeschooling by Malaysian standards. Some strange observations were noted. I decided that it was a worthy share.
Firstly, in Malaysia, no homeschool resembles a home!! Why is that? When parents come to see our provision and I explain why it resembles a home they start to realise that its true - a homeschool should resemble a home and not a school! The layout and feel should match closely to the home. The routines should be similar - put away things, eating together, helping one another, playing together irrespective of age, sharing, and flexibility in learning methods.
Second, the number of students in a homeschool was also observed. How many parents have 25 kids these days? Typically, homeschool is education taking place in the comfort of the home - clean, cool, calming and safe environment. So, when you have 25 students in one small space, and desks and chairs arranged like a classroom, a white board on the wall, and lectures taking place, that is NOT a homeschool!! That is an illegal school!
So it baffles me, when parents and friends are shocked when I say we never have more than 8 - 9 students at any one time. Typically, we have less. Is that not a more a realistic number than 15- 20? Another scary aspect of "homeschools" in the Klang Valley is that, because they are simply "illegal schools", they also tend to NOT hire qualified people to teach your children. Another issue is the safety factor. How safe is it to have 20 kids in one room and have 5 rooms of them in 2000sq ft? Are provisions made to have fire extinguishers and ensure that in the event of an emergency, all learners can exit safely? Also, is there space for learners to play? An integral part of childhood is play. There is a pile of research to support this stance. most homeschools stick kids in classrooms for hours on end without allowing movement and play besides the once a week activity. It simply is a compromised type of educational provision.
Thirdly, when parents say want to know if we have exams for our students, I am also shocked. When one homeschools their kids, typically, one of the big reasons is that they prefer a non traditionals, highly academic type system. The focus is more on the learning part rather than the number of As obtained. Many homeschoolers have gone on to be successful in life and completed tertiary education at the top of their classes. This is mainly because, they have always been taught to enjoy the learning process rather than to learn to meet a pre determined syllabus. How many of us really remember what we learnt in Year 5 history or Year 12 Chemistry, or Year 10 Geography? Sure, we need to know a bit of everything, but is it not better to allow the learner to focus on areas of high interest and be excellent in it rather than be "a jack of all trades and a master of none?"
Folks, identify what it is you are really looking for educationally, for your children, before jumping in on any one style of education. There is nothing wrong in wanting to homeschool your child, but being aware of the reality of the situation is important.
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