This topic is discussed not only by parents in Internet communities, it has become popular in the media.
At first I heard about it on Golos (Russian clon of Steemit), then when I came here I was pleasantly surprised there're fans of it among Steemians as well, for example Linda is a rather progressive Mom (@canadian-coconut).
In such a way I discovered homeschooling is rather popular abroad, in Europe, USA, Canada, but I could hardly find info about it in the territory of post-Soviet countries. But now the situation is changing! At last there were made some steps towards this new form of education!
In Moscow homeschooling is rather popular now, there're several organisations who can help parents to organize it. In regions it can be met still rarely..but I'm sure this trend will widely used soon!
Why Do Parents Decide to Homeschool?
At first when a kid is just 2-3 years (the age of kindergarten in Russia is from 2 years old) many parents aren't ready to give him to a stranger, and it's very logical! It's a very small baby to give the responsibility of him to people you don't know and can't trust at all!
AT the age of 5 many homeschool children show great differences from kindergarten children - they're more peaceful, better educated, better behaving and they have much better connection and relations with parents!!
When it's time to go to school, many parents who didn't take kids to kindergartens start to find alternative variants, and homeschooling is the best for it.
The education law in Russia that allows to have different forms of education was issued in 1992.
There are at least three forms of education that look like homeschooling
.• Home education is not really homeschooling. It was organized specially for sick kids who can't go to school.
• Family education is when the child is educated by his parents. The family and the school have a contract regulating their relationship. Children come to school for some activities or for tests and exams in every subject. The district pays the family some money! Of course this type isn't popular because authorities don't want to pay extra money to parents, and they do all the best not to let families choose it.
• Externship. The relationship between the school and the family are almost the same like in family education, but children can move ahead faster and finish education earlier. The family is not paid any money in this case, and this type is chosen as a rule!
By the way, as practice shows, homeschooling really gives children much more possibilities:
- more free time
- love to education
- no boring rules and curriculum
- free choice what to study and when
- more freedom to develop their own interests
- they can study MUCH faster than at school
- they can get MUCH more qualitative education that in public schools where teachers don't have time for every student, and they aren't much interested in their knowledges but in covering school programme in time
Whatever form of education a student chooses, he takes regular final exams and gets a regular secondary school diploma.
The classical model of the educational process has exhausted itself, it is necessary to change not only the content of education, it will be necessary to change the forms and methods of instruction. This becomes obvious not only for parents, this is already understood by the students themselves. All this makes inevitable increase in the number of supporters of home schooling, and the emergence of practical experience of parents gives them confidence.
Today about 10% children in Russia have external education (about 100 000). That's why this type of education is called "elite" one. But it doesn't mean only rich people can have it, it means the quality of education is really much much better!
The attitude of the country towards this trend is ambiguous, but in all cases the state's steps toward home education are made thanks to the active position of the parents.
In the US home schooling became legal less than 20 years ago. Now the associations of home-parent parents have become a social force, which can not be neglected. At home, there are more than 2 000 000 children, and each year their number increases by an average of 10%. The United States organized investigations of school pupils and domestic children, which showed the advantages of home schooling.
However, such favorable conditions do not exist everywhere. In some European countries, home schooling is still virtually banned. In Russia as we can see it's not banned but still not very popular BUT the situation is changing from year to year!
Active position of parents and a great desire to go against nonperfect system and bring up healthy and clever children will make homeschooling a new epoch in the world education.
Interesting article and very actual topic.
The best example of homeschooling would be in my opinion the one we find in the movie "Captain Fantastic" with Viggo Mortensen. Have you seen it?
And the worst... the real story that came up last week in US: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/17/parents-tortured-13-children-no-oversight-california-home-school
no, i haven't, but I will search what it is)
the article is shock.. even Russian mass-media wrote about it. craziness.
I guess that even homeschooling needs a little bit of supervision once in a while...
Hey@taliakerch! I agree, homeschooling is what parents need to do with their young children to ensure they retain a healthy and positive self-esteem. As a lecturer myself teaching in further and higher education I saw first hand the sub-standards and disinterest in what or how students learn. Qualifying as a teacher does not mean you are an educated teacher, I found some teachers knew very little about their subjects and are unable to articulate knowledge in ways students could relate.
So for parents choosing to homeschool their kids, don't let an education system dictate your children's wants and needs. Mainstream education has declined and I can't see it getting any better. Peace.
right you are
im home-schooled and tbh without the headaches and favoritism i've been better off actually it led me to learning about investing,steemit etc.
nice example, thank you!
Homeschooling can be very good in certain scenarios, I would just encourage any home schooled children to still engage in social activities to grow their emotional intelligence as well. One benefit from attending conventional schools is the large number of students present so the student can make friends and learn to engage with larger group of individuals.....
he can do it without school too
Agreed, as long as the child is well balanced, both formal education and social skills, he can become successful...
Nice article. I agree with you on the most of your ideas.
One specific question comes to mind when I read this. How about the social capability of the child? How does a child learn to get along with other people? In school they are obliged to do this, just because they can’t avoid it. When you are 23 and you have to go out and work with other people, you will have to learn how go talk to someone without having everything your way.
homwschooling doesn't mean a child ALWAYS stays at home and doesn't go out!
they communicate with friends, visit some activities, go in for sport with children of the same age - they do all the same but education is taken at home.
They get enough of social contacts in their free time, like all other children, they are not in a desert island if they don't visit public school)
I didn’t mean to offend you by asking this question I had when I read your post. You are right that extra activities are good for that, but then again, not all kids do extra activities. When they go to school they are 5 days out of 7 in direct contact for multiple hours. And after that you can still do activities like you propose.
Once again, I support your vision, I just don’t know how to go around the social aspect, wich you definitely lose some how.
I am not offended, it's ok)
it's very bad if kids only go to school, spend all tim long there and then tired return home, make hometasks and go to bed having no time to rest, have hobbies or just walk and go in for sports. That's the one of the main problems of public education.
And I must admit most children, having such stupid curriculum, hate education, schools, teachers and finally they pass exams and forget everything they knew! Flash memory works only, because they have no interest and passion in knowledges
Absolutely true!! 😉
and I didn't lose social aspect, it's not my 1st post about it, that's why I can't repeat the same all the time-)
Now I get your frustration about it! Lol
Like I said, I agree and willing to follow your vision. Good luck and I will keep upvoting you
https://steemit.com/blog/@smartlip/a-great-idea-for-a-blogging-web-site-is-no-longer-enough