...yes, we are choosing the road less traveled. Where it will lead us and how it will turn out will be all dependent on us... and by God's grace!
Homeschooling is foreign to most Filipinos. When I opened the idea, we were swamped by so many questions:
* Is it allowed here?
* Why? is she failing?
* How about socialization skills?
Baka maging anti-social or worst, loner.
* What kind of education will she get?
* etc, etc
Let me try to answer as best as I can...
Is it allowed here?
Yes. Apparently, there are several schools offering distance educations for several years now. In fact, the University of the Philippines already has Open University for college students! Surprise!
Homeschools in the Philippines
Why? Is she failing?
To borrow a popular local lingo:
"Pagnag ho-homeschool, bagsak na agad? Di ba pwedeng talented muna?" or better yet "genius muna" and our traditional school can not support his/her needs?
Apparently, comments like these are born out of ignorance. So let me enlighten the uninformed...
There are so many reasons why families homeschool. Most Filipino families do so because: (not in any particular order)
* They find the Philippine curriculum inadequate
* One-on-one education is far better than generalized education
* They want to take charge of their kids education and values formation
* Child with special health concerns
* Kids with special needs (sadly, our traditional school do not and could not support them)
* Kids with special talents (i.e. sports, arts)
* Families that travel a lot
Of course, DEPED also has a special program for children of the less privileged who wants to finish college. But I will not delve into that anymore.
How about socialization skills?
The most feared "effect" by the uninformed.
And this is not true. In fact, as per observation, most of those who are homeschooled can carry a conversation with an adult, like an adult.
Most homeschoolers are part of a support group. Where group activities can be conducted for a chance for kids to meet fellow homeschoolers and do activities together.
And if your kid is into other activities i.e. sports, music, art, dance, theater, etc., being anti-social will be far from being true.
In the case of Gia, she is going into homeschool at 13years old. Has been to a traditional school where she had a lot of socialization. And, she is into ballet, where she has to interact with her teachers and fellow ballet students.
So this is the least of my fears...
What kind of education will she get?
A lot and far better based on what I observed and what I have seen and read.
What and how the child learns will be dependent on how good and patient the parent-teacher or tutor will be. Of course, the curriculum adopted is an important factor too.
Most of the homeschools here in the Philippines are DEPED accredited. If you prefer to use your own curriculum, there are some schools that lets you do so as long as it satisfies DEPED's guidelines.
And, the most important part is, they will not be limited to the classroom in their learning! The world becomes their classroom!
Lifepac uses a lot of experiments, field trips to neighborhood parks, places, and activities outside of the classroom. Making learning a lot of FUN!
With that, let me share Robert Frost's popular Poem:
Looking forward to a school year of so much learning for both Gia and myself!
* chalk
