Homeschooling: How is it working for parents, professionals and students

One of the first issues to consider is that homeschooling represents a major lifestyle change. Homeschooling is a progressive worldwide trend in which parents teach their children at home rather than sending them to traditional public or private schools. Families chose the home school for a variety of reasons, such as their dissatisfaction with the current schooling model, different religious or cultural philosophies and a belief that children are not progressing through the conventional school system. Homeschooling has now become a part of the modern learning concepts because it has made it easy for people to learn at their own pace.

Since the pandemic, homeschooling has got a different perspective altogether.  Going to schools and colleges has never been the same, since. The unprecedented time has resulted in schools shut all across the world. Globally, over 1.2 billion children are out of the classroom, in their homes right now. But this crisis shall not stop the flow of providing education to all. Schools, colleges, and institutes have started finding their way out of this. The lockdown has accelerated the adoption of digital technology or online learning which is widely helping the students learn and grow while being at home. To encourage smooth E-learning more Furtados School of Music has taken an initiative and is also pivoting towards online arts education with the launch of their platform FSM Buddy. Homeschooling has become the new normal and has widely been accepted across by students, professionals as well as parents. It is not only enabling e-learning activities for the students but has also given an opportunity to the working professionals to learn skills they always wanted to; Music, Art, Language and as the time is all their since the lockdown they can finally learn what they never got time for.

The lockdown has accelerated the adoption of digital technology or online learning which is widely helping the students learn and grow while being at home.

Changing role of a Teacher 

Homeschooling has lifted up the game even for teachers. Teaching has no more been confined to the classrooms due to which teachers have learned the basics of upgrading themselves on the path of digital learning. Every school and institution has upgraded itself by making a shift towards an All-inclusive, E-learning platform. Homeschooling has made its pace with the lives of teachers, parents and students. Now the subjects in focus are not just Maths or Science while learning from home, which concentrates on left brain stimulation. Institutions are also focusing on right-brain stimulation by having online craft classes, music classes, dance sessions, and other creative activities. When a teacher decides to homeschool, she will take on the duties and responsibilities of both a teacher and an administrator. She will need to implement lessons, coordinate activities with other parents, and make sure a child is compliant with local homeschool requirements.

Now the subjects in focus are not just Maths or Science while learning from home, which concentrates on left brain stimulation. Institutions are also focusing on right-brain stimulation by having online craft classes, music classes, dance sessions, and other creative activities.

As a result of homeschooling, pictorial learning has become the best way of learning and has made students actively participate in the process of learning through it. Presentations, Word Documents, Excel sheets and all the other basic learning’s of the computer have helped a student grow and is also now considered as a progressive addition to the academic learning as the students are also learning the basics of the computer and other functions which play a major role in the professional world. As we all know pictorial learning has always been the best way of learning, learning through pictures, videos, online material has resulted in students retaining 25 per cent to 60 per cent more material as compared to only 8 per cent to 10 per cent in a classroom. Homeschooling even gives the flexibility to learn at your own pace by re-reading, skipping, going back, and accelerating through concepts. Homeschooling system gives the flexibility to grab and mould the means of education and get the maximum amount of outcomes through it.

One can make the most through homeschooling by prioritising subjects, managing time, reducing on to the travel time making a student focus more on classes, pictorial learning helps in quick grasping, and online learning even helps in detailed complete study material and easily accessible notes which is a great help to the students who are usually shy in nature and are unable to clear their doubts in front of the whole class.

As a result of homeschooling, pictorial learning has become the best way of learning and has made students actively participate in the process of learning through it.

Homeschool Benefits

Benefits in the ways of mental health, social development, physical growth, special circumstances, ease while dealing with difference and stereotypes, prioritised sleeping and eating schedule has always been a bonus for kids learning from home. While parents are also free from the daily school schedule and are able to focus more on their child’s way of learning as the classes are being conducted in front of them while at home. This is possibly the best way to monitor a student’s growth in front of the teacher. 

As a parent, you only want what is best for your children. Homeschooling your child during such a time of crises of COVID19, what’s more, important is the health of a child and nothing is to be compromised when it comes to health. Fine health can create a wealth of learning opportunities while being at home that is not available with other school options. Every educational system offers great opportunities for children to learn new information and skills, as well as harness their own unique qualities and interests. Homeschooling is no different than public school, private school, unschooling, and other models and in the end has both its pros and cons.

About the author:

Dharini Upadhyaya is the CO-Founder and CO-CEO of Furtados School of Music

 

 

 

 

 

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha