Customised home-schooling is better than common curriculum for 40 kids, say some urban couples
Customised home-schooling is better than common curriculum for 40 kids, say some urban couples
Actor Irrfan Khan plans to home-school his kids so that they are able to enjoy extracurricular activities. FYI spoke to parents who defy formal education norms and alternative education experts to find out if it's wise for parents to play teachers
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Seven year-old Viveka Sah doesn't have to spend her weekday mornings burying her nose in brown-paper covered exercise books. She starts the day listening to music, and learning how to play the flute. She learns about the Hibiscus flower not from a page in a textbook but during the frequent walks she takes in the garden housed in her building complex in Chembur.
Once their mind was made up, Hema wasted no time. She got certified as a Waldorf teacher (the Waldorf approach emphasises the role of imagination, developing a thought process that includes creative and analytic components. The goal of this educational approach is to provide young people a basis on which to develop into free, moral and integrated individuals) and now uses her skills to educate both her kids. "Let me give you an example," she says. "Right now, Viveka is learning about weather.
She listens to music that's inspired by raags pertaining to the monsoon and various different seasons. She is taught about methods used to measure weather, so, that covers Math." Those who get a panic attack at the indiscipline home-schooling could perpetuate in an environment free of periods dedicated to each subject, need to understand that this system is deliberately "loose on the edges".
"We try and fit one hour of study in the morning, but it's not a hard and fast rule. The aim of home-schooling is to teach a child without pinning him down," Hema explains. She's is far from worried about criticism over denying her kids the company of their peers. "At school, my children would only meet children their own age. Now, my kids socialise with people older and younger to them. Viveka goes for badminton classes, where she has a whole bunch of friends. A school is not the only avenue to strike friendships."
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Grocery shopping teaches life skills
Stockbroker Ashraf and his wife, Nikhat Mohamedy, have undertaken the challenging task of home-schooling all of their four children. "In a school, there is a set curriculum that doesn't take an individual child's ability into account. One size doesn't fit all. Customised education is a better option," say the Mohammad Ali Road residents. Their kids Yusuf (12), Suleiman (11), Khadija (9) and Sumaiya (7), follow the "play-way concept", learning through games.
Right now, they are learning English and Arabic through an extensive collection of books the Mohamedys have accumulated. The couples lets them handle daily tasks that they believe equip them with vital skills. "They go grocery shopping alone. We let them handle money and discover its importance. They have been cheated many times, but they are getting smarter," laughs Ashraf, adding, "We want them to have a childhood. It's that simple."
It's about overall growth
Housewife Nahid Khan is convinced that her 13 year-old daughter Sana,u00a0 is a child prodigy. "My daughter learned to cook before she could learn to read. She can cook like a dream," says the proud mother, who believes home-schooling helps her children follow their passions, while formal schooling would have tied them down to a rigid curriculum. "We want them to travel the world, learn through their experiences. That's true learning, and it ensures overall growth."
Home-schooling could lead to overprotection
"Formal schooling is not just about excelling at academics, but exposing your child to a new world. At school, a child develops qualities by interacting with his peers. He learns to wait for his turn for every activity, and teaches him the art of being patient.
He is taught to deal with individuals who have varied personalities, and work in a team for projects and sport activities. Home-schooling could over-protect the child by exposing him to select individuals," says Mumbai-based psychologist Anjali Chhabria. Parents should be careful about certain areas of concern like loneliness, emotional disturbance, anxiety and depression. Former Sociology professor Nandini Sardesai agrees. "It is not a feasible idea since it doesn't aid the child in developing skills of social interaction."
You must register with NIOS
It is legal for parents to teach children at home in India. While some states have provisions that make it compulsory for parents to send children to school, these are not enforced strictly. The National Institute of Open Schooling is a government body established to facilitate study outside the school system. Homeschoolers can directly use NIOS to take exams for class X and XII. They are only required to register with the body a year before they wish to take the exam. Certificates issued by NIOS carry the same recognition as other Boards, and are valid for taking subsequent competitive exams.
Students can also explore appearing for CBSE and ICSE Boards directly at X and XII levels as private candidates. Each state has its own requirements for this provision. "All they have to do is fill out Form No. 17, and sit for the external exams," says VK Wankhede, deputy director of education, Mumbai Region.
These students can also contact the British Council, which conducts examinations for the General Certificate of Education (GCE), an internationally-recognised system at the O and A levels. Study circles help prepare students with course material, tests and guidance.
Home-schoolers can log on https://www.alternativeducationinindia.net/ that offers contact groups across Indian cities. The Home Schooling Legal Defence Association (HSLDA) links to https://www.youcanhomeschool.org/, with tips for getting started. It also hosts an online curricula market where homeschoolers can trade course materials and books. https://www.holtgws.com/ is an introduction to home-schooling through the works of pioneering reformer John Holt, with links to books, resources and private consultations.
To home-school or not?
Young urban couples stand divided
MUMBAI
We don't have time
Both of us will be working parents, so, we won't have the time to home-school our kids.
This sort of arrangement needs time and patience, which we can't afford.
Manisha Mudera, 30, HR professional Sujit Sapkal, 31, Director of advertising firm
Child will grow dependent
I won't do it. It's essential for kids to interact with their peers for a stable upbringing. Your child might turn dull and dislike playing outdoors with other children if you over-protect him/her. Going to school teaches them to handle their own affairs.
Kejal, 27, Homemaker and Siddhartha Khiraiya, 28, Banking professionalu00a0 have a 2 year-old daughter, Tanishaa
PUNE
Schooling disciplines kids
A formal school has the advantage of trained teachers who are qualified, and able to instill discipline in a child. Our daughter gains confidence through her interaction with other kids, which is vital.
Seema, 34, Business school employeeu00a0 and Vijay Kasbe, 39, BPO manager have a 7 year-old daughter, Mithila
DELHI
School learning is holistic
I understand what goes into formal education, and think a standardised system is more holistic since it lets a child grow with others, compare and challenge, and figure how the world works. Values, however, can be imparted at home.
Sukhmeet Kaur, 28, Primary school teacher and mother of 3 year-old Dashmita
I'll have to let go of my job
I'd prefer it if my child spent a few hours at school to get a taste of what's it's like to interact with kids from varied backgrounds. To teach a child, you need tenacity and expertise. Home-schooling will force at least one parent to abandon their career and let of go of additional income.
Manuja Shroff, 20, Media professional, mother of toddler
BANGALORE
Kids are social animals too
I don't like the idea. Kids need to be a part of society. Home-schooled kids will be unable to develop the emotional intelligence like kids who acquire formal education do.
Monica Bakhle, 35, HR Manager
Formal schooling tests just your memory, say education experts
Abhijit Padte teaches Mathematics at Mumbai's Raheja College, and is a propagator of home-schooling. The professor who did a PhD on the Jiddu Krishnamurthy's philosophy of education (Krishnamurthy's concern for humanity found expression in the founding of schools where children were not only nurtured for academic excellence but also helped to explore the fundamental questions of life), believes there is too much pressure on a child to perform in a formal school.
"There is an over emphasis on developing memory power. And it's all about how well you do in an exam. Subjects like music and dance are sidelined. These days, kids only think about which subject will get them a well-paying job. It's all employment-oriented," says Padte. The professor says clubbing 40 kids in a class and applying a common curriculum on all doesn't work.
Vandana Lulla is principal at Poddar International School, Mumbai which follows the International Baccalaureate curriculum. She has concerns that home-schoolingu00a0 could end up isolating the child, robbing him of social skills. "Kids need to work with other children, get exposed to the ups and downs of life. If one child fights with another, he has to know to use his brains and decide how he is going to solve the problem."
Home-schoolers will need good grades to get into top colleges
Before admitting a student, we have to get their forms and details approved by the university. He/she needs basic qualification before being admitted, including clearing the standard 10 board exams with good grades. If a home-schooled child has the required qualifications and talent, why wouldn't we admit him?
Manju Nichani, Principal, KC College, Mumbai
If a child has gone to a formal school, we needn't worry about his overall development. Home schooling is a well-laid set-up internationally, but that's not the case in India. First, we need to examine this pattern of study and pass a law accordingly, so that fair treatment can be meted out to all kids who are home-schooled.u00a0
Kavita Rege, Principal, Sathaye College, Mumbai
Parents should avoid home schooling unless they are dealing with a child who harbours a disability. Moreover, it is an expensive and anti-social way of educating a child. The home-schooled child might be brilliant but he won't be able to pursue further studies unless he has given the standard 10 and 12 board exams. You need qualification proof in the form of a marksheet for admission into any college.u00a0
Frazer Mascarenhas, Principal, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
Inputs by Soumya Mukerji, Shree Lahiri, Aanchal Kurmi, Namita Gupta
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