The Benefits of Homeschooling your Child

“Hey! How was school today? Did you have fun? Learn something new?” You ask your child these questions as soon as they come home from school.

“Eh! It was okay! The usual!” and that’s the response you get!

If you are a concerned parent, you want to know about your child’s learning style and experiences. Unfortunately, in a typical school structure, you don’t get this information until the parent-teacher meeting. Even then, you only get a third-person perspective on how your child behaves in school.

Homeschooling is the answer to all the problems mentioned above – a child’s disinterest in learning, parents’ ignorance of the child’s education, and the need for daily updates. It is an alternative form of education where the child studies at home using open resources and materials. In homeschooling, the child and the guardians together decide the academic and extra-curricular activities. The decision is solely based on the child’s interests and future goals.

Is Homeschooling allowed in India?

Given the benefits of homeschooling, more and more parents are turning to this alternative style of education . Hence, the government has set up formal bodies to ensure structured learning. NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) is the government body that offers qualifying exams equivalent to board exams. Students can register with the open board to sit for the examination, and all national and international organizations accept the results.

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an international organization that offers reputable certificates for students’ learning levels. Students can take multiple exams, progressing from the preliminary to the advanced level.

Top 4 Homeschooling Advantages

1. Learning support

Because of the large class size, kids do not get adequate support and attention from the teacher in a regular school setup. Homeschooling caters to your child’s individual learning style keeping in mind the child’s strengths and weaknesses. It adopts a teaching methodology that suits their needs. The child also gets a lot of emotional support in homeschooling while learning from the comforts of home.

2. Increased participation

Absenteeism is on the rise among Indian kids. A leading reason students are absent from classes is a lack of engagement . In a survey of over 23,000 students, it was found that 48% of the students do not enjoy going to school . Even in class, they do not participate because of fear of ridicule. Homeschooling removes unfavorable factors such as peer pressure, bullying, hesitation, etc., from the child’s learning style leading to better participation.

3. Global Exposure

In homeschooling, the children get their pick from a wide array of subjects from all over the internet. The online education frees them from geographical boundaries. This exposure to international faculty adds to their experiences, helping them grow. Homeschooling also makes it possible for the kids to make friends internationally as they participate in the same program. Online education frees

4. Flexibility

Homeschooling is not bound by the constraints of a six-hour time limit in the day. This feature gives the child ample flexibility to manage their time as they deem fit. It is also helpful for parents to schedule their travel without worrying about school holidays.

Will homeschooling actually work?

There are a lot of concerns that deter parents from choosing this style of education. Let’s look at some of the prevalent misconceptions regarding homeschooling .

1. Many people believe that in homeschooling, the entire burden falls on the parents – that they have to teach the kids every skill and subject. However, a lot of help is available online and offline regarding resources and materials. Online education platforms offer different courses to help your child study regular subjects, and the child can be enrolled in other programs for extra-curricular subjects.
2. Against common notions, a child learns to develop their routine while homeschooling. They learn self-discipline on their own. Instead of following rules made for a large number of students, they understand the importance of rules set for them and the necessity to follow them.

Homeschooling is a revolutionary idea that has given a much-needed fresh perspective to the idea of education. With the advent of technology, homeschooling has become easier to access by parents and students alike. Like the rest of the world, India is also seeing an increasing number of parents turning to homeschooling. Online platforms like 21K School has made it easier for the parents to structure their child’s learning at home. Visit their website to gain a better perspective on what online courses can help children in their homeschooling journey.