Home Schooling.

Home Schooling is catching up fast in many cities in India. The reasons are many, among them, exorbitant increase in the fee structure of Schools in general, and availability of international certificate courses like IGCSE, NOISE, and others, that offer freedom of selection of subjects. Above all the distance the child have to travel daily swimming in the heavy traffic in the city like Bangalore. Most of the International Schools find difficult to have good teaching staff, which forces parents to put their Children in private tuition, paying heavy fees on hourly basis.
I am writing about this to get

Dear Sir...I have seen many home schooled students here..believe me its not worth it..they become social misfits.

Its run here by many christian organizations too and children do not have proper physical activity..emphasis is only studying and most have poor social skills.


A school is meant to be more than just studying...its for physical activity..social interaction..mingling with all walks of lives and for diversity of thought.

Also only a real school can offer a true regiment of any kind.

I send my son to a government school cos here out government schools are good but many opt for private schools these days.

Reason I didnt want a private school is becos private school student all come from a higher socio economic home..so no diversity if you ask me.

I want my son to grow up all rounded having friends from every socio economic group so he learns to value a human being from any walk of life.

This exposure one will never get in a home school.

hi

home school is concept in USA too....here public schools are sometimes better than many private schools....my son and daughter had

public school......some county public schools are best in the world...

The problems currently faced in India are unique for the ever growing population in Big Cities. The schools have grown beyond their capacity to manage educating the "crowded" classes. They could not get trained teaching staff. The changing curriculum is a worrying factor. The Government intervention at every level is resented both by the Management and parents.

Thus there is a demand for the new concept called " home schooling", at least in big cities. Above all commuting long distances to and fro in heavy traffic on bad roads is a tiresome experience in big cities.

These are some of the reasons for parents to give a new thought on home schooling in India.

I understand these difficulties are not faced by children outside India.

Brahmanyan
Bangalore.

It is really not about better schools / worse schools. As Renukaji said, social development is hampered in home schooling.

Brahmanyan said:

The problems currently faced in India are unique for the ever growing population in Big Cities. The schools have grown beyond their capacity to manage educating the "crowded" classes. They could not get trained teaching staff. The changing curriculum is a worrying factor. The Government intervention at every level is resented both by the Management and parents.

Thus there is a demand for the new concept called " home schooling", at least in big cities. Above all commuting long distances to and fro in heavy traffic on bad roads is a tiresome experience in big cities.

These are some of the reasons for parents to give a new thought on home schooling in India.

I understand these difficulties are not faced by children outside India.

Brahmanyan
Bangalore.

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Sir..its the same..traffic jam etc.
Here schools start at 7.30am and kids leave house even before 6am to beat the traffic jam.

But believe me..home schooled children turn out totally dsyfunctional eventually.

Not worth it.

Ancients too had Gurukulam concept...not home school.
Being in a classroom of students itself is 1/4 of learning process..as the saying goes..1/4 of knowledge is from teacher..1/4 from self effort
..1/4 from co students and 1/4 in the course of time.

renuka said:

Sir..its the same..traffic jam etc.
Here schools start at 7.30am and kids leave house even before 6am to beat the traffic jam.

But believe me..home schooled children turn out totally dsyfunctional eventually.

Not worth it.

Ancients too had Gurukulam concept...not home school.
Being in a classroom of students itself is 1/4 of learning process..as the saying goes..1/4 of knowledge is from teacher..1/4 from self effort
..1/4 from co students and 1/4 in the course of time.

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Doctor,

The points raised by you are correct. But comparing Singapore with Bangalore is not correct. With the population of 9.3 million the infrastructure of metropolitan city of Bangalore is bursting in the seams. Roads are clogged with vehicles of all types. The conditions of roads are awfully bad. My grand daughter (14) has to catch her school bus at 7.30 am and she returns home at 4.30pm. She attends her Bharatnatyam and Carnatic music classes for four days a week and attends her oil painting one day. These are in addition to home work to be finished every day ! She studies IGCSE (Cambridge). By the time she returns from school, I find her tired and fully sapped of her energy.. This is the same with most of the children studying in "Iinternational" schools in Bangalore..
That is the reason for starting this subject of home schooling.
Brahmanyan
Bangalore.

Home schooling might look good for Grand parents. It is nightmare for mothers.
If the mother is well trained and has the help she might help the child be educated.
I agree with Renukaji and Biswaji, the child misses out in social skills.
I used to coach a girls soccer team, generally, the home schooled child has difficulty interacting with other kids. One of the child even told me that coming out to play a team sport was the only avenue for her to play with other kids for the entire week.
Then if the child performs badly in academic tests, the parent and child can blame themselves.

She attends her Bharatnatyam and Carnatic music classes for four days a week and attends her oil painting one day.

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May be the parents are putting more pressure on the child!!!!!

Brahmanyan said:

Doctor,

The points raised by you are correct. But comparing Singapore with Bangalore is not correct. With the population of 9.3 million the infrastructure of metropolitan city of Bangalore is bursting in the seams. Roads are clogged with vehicles of all types. The conditions of roads are awfully bad. My grand daughter (14) has to catch her school bus at 7.30 am and she returns home at 4.30pm. She attends her Bharatnatyam and Carnatic music classes for four days a week and attends her oil painting one day. These are in addition to home work to be finished every day ! She studies IGCSE (Cambridge). By the time she returns from school, I find her tired and fully sapped of her energy.. This is the same with most of the children studying in "Iinternational" schools in Bangalore..
That is the reason for starting this subject of home schooling.
Brahmanyan
Bangalore.

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Dear Sir..
Its the same here..children have homework..tuition..piano classes..dance..swimming.

Schools have extra classes..compulsory school activities and they are tired too.

For my son since its his O levels this year..i temporary stopped his piano lessons to let him have more rest time.

Btw sir..the bharatanatyam and carnatic music classes of 4 times a week seems excessive...why so many times?

May be get it down to twice a week to let her have some rest time.

Also a parent who is not a teacher no matter how intelligent can not be a teacher to their own child becos we are layman in the field of teaching.

A traffic jam in any country is similar.
Cars just dont move if stuck in a jam.

Also sir....when deciding for a granchild...its risky.
Best is let the parents of the child decide cos you take the role of God here..that is if everything goes right you would be praised but anything goes wrong you might be blamed.

Also what does your grandaughter say?
Wont she miss her friends?

hi

home school lacks social skills and community....even its same as only girls/boys schools....co education is best....its my

opinion.....sharing and caring required in schools...may accademically home school may be good..but for all round development

is must....like modern concept of working culture..ITS CALLED WORK FROM HOME....OFFICE WORK AND WORK FROM HOME

ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE...

renuka said:

Dear Sir..
Its the same here..children have homework..tuition..piano classes..dance..swimming.

Schools have extra classes..compulsory school activities and they are tired too.

For my son since its his O levels this year..i temporary stopped his piano lessons to let him have more rest time.

Btw sir..the bharatanatyam and carnatic music classes of 4 times a week seems excessive...why so many times?

May be get it down to twice a week to let her have some rest time.

Also a parent who is not a teacher no matter how intelligent can not be a teacher to their own child becos we are layman in the field of teaching.

A traffic jam in any country is similar.
Cars just dont move if stuck in a jam.

Also sir....when deciding for a granchild...its risky.
Best is let the parents of the child decide cos you take the role of God here..that is if everything goes right you would be praised but anything goes wrong you might be blamed.

Also what does your grandaughter say?
Wont she miss her friends?

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Doctor,

Thanks for the detailed reply. At the outset I wish to tell that I do not take any decision in the matter of my grand daughters. I am quite aware of my limitations and age difference. I belong to a generation which followed traditions and studied under the Lord Macaulay's curriculum of education, which is extinct now.
Well, I am with you in Bharatnatyam training, but the Child enjoys her classes and she is undergoing training for the past seven years. She is a senior student of her Guru.
Many of my relatIves are in the field of education, as teachers and professors. Though I do not involve myself in taking decision, I listen their views in the changing circumstances. Quite interesting indeed.
The idea of starting this subject in our forum is to get feed back from the parents in our country and outside in this fast changing world.
With Best wishes,
Brahmanyan
Bangalore.

Brahmanyanji,
It is a good topic.
You might have spent a lot of time thinking before starting this topic.
WE are casual visitors to the topic and give our opinion based on our personal experience. So please do not think we are attacking your POV.

A relative of mine an excellent teacher sends her kids to school for gifted children. In USA we have such programs. She tutors her student from home. The kids either through SKYPE or in person learn from her.

prasad1 said:

Brahmanyanji,
It is a good topic.
You might have spent a lot of time thinking before starting this topic.
WE are casual visitors to the topic and give our opinion based on our personal experience. So please do not think we are attacking your POV.

A relative of mine an excellent teacher sends her kids to school for gifted children. In USA we have such programs. She tutors her student from home. The kids either through SKYPE or in person learn from her.

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Dear Sri Prasad,
Thanks for your rejoinder. Distance education through SKYPE is catching up in India also. In Bangalore private tuition is a big business. Coaching centres or tutorials are cropping up every corner of the city. They give full page advertisement in leading newspapers.
They charge exorbitant fees. Still they are crowded ! This is in spite of attending regular Schools. When I watch these developments I wonder what is happening in the education field in our Country ?
Brahmanyan
Bangalore.

Some of my observations:
Childhood is becoming very complicated.
Growing up we had a very large family, with one wage earner. So in a way, we were not rich then, but it did not seem to matter. We were happy playing Marbles, tennis ball cricket and soccer. All relatively cheap entertainment. We did not have summer schools and camps.
The Music teacher came home to teach. similarly, the Sanskrit or veda teacher came home. We could not afford tutors.
We had one radio, and one bike in the house.

Our book bags were very light compared to the bags carried by kids today. WE went to local school, generally we walked.


Today:
The world is very complicated.
Most of the Indian parents have too much money. They want to provide their children with as much advantage as possible. Private schools are popular and expensive. 20 years ago, One school charged Rs 5lacks fee. And there was waiting period and recommendations were needed.
There are too many must have gadgets, computers, cell phones, etc.
In the house, there are TVs to distract.

Yes, it is a different world from our childhood days.

So long the child, parents agree for home schooling and have plenty of resources, it is a viable alternative (one has to watch out for the drawbacks others have alluded to - they can be overcome).
I have seen many home schooled students and many of them prosper in our math circle I volunteer and in the university I teach.. They are as normal as other students.


Study circle, sport circle, and cultural circle can be formed from like minded students .
Please watch this video Hackschooling makes me happy | Logan LaPlante (a teenager) if you have not seen before https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h11u3vtcpaY

This is a TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson on Schools killing creativity. https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity

I have been teaching for the last 43 years (all in a technical university - 5 in India and the rest in abroad). I have also been associated (as a volunteer) with math enrichment circle for the last 16 years (mostly for middle school and high school students). Teaching/learning has to be done mostly by students and parents (Parents have to spend time to learn with patience and teach with patience - It is hard but it is doable. ) - When outsourcing education to coaching classes etc, one has to really watch out who the teachers are and how many students are there.

If one is mathematically interested, here are some websites one can look (to check whether they are interested) https://mathigon.org/ and https://parallel.org.uk/

Good Luck with whatever your grandchildren decide to do

Brahmanyan said:

Dear Sri Prasad,
Thanks for your rejoinder. Distance education through SKYPE is catching up in India also. In Bangalore private tuition is a big business. Coaching centres or tutorials are cropping up every corner of the city. They give full page advertisement in leading newspapers.
They charge exorbitant fees. Still they are crowded ! This is in spite of attending regular Schools. When I watch these developments I wonder what is happening in the education field in our Country ?
Brahmanyan
Bangalore.

Click to expand...

hi

now a days ..education is best money making business....i think ...NO GST FOR THIS BUSINESS...LOL