Homeschooling your child?

[yap_susan]

Never state the qualifications of the parents.

[zac's mum]

Hi, is this thread still alive?


What is your definition of homeschooling? Do you mean for P1 onwards?

I am looking for curriculum materials to teach my preschooler, cannot find any leh…

[yap_susan]

I am and have had done preschooler homescooling till K1. for my two children. I use montessori and kumon widely for the curriculum.

[elderflowertea]

Why do you all want to homeschool your children? Just let them go to school and learn and have fun! Can make friends too.

[zac's mum]

Hi yap_susan,


Mind sharing where did u buy the materials like Montessori and Kumon? I don't want to spend money enrolling for the lessons, I just want a peek at what the kids learn. Very frustrating becos I know if I can see proper lesson plans, I can easily teach my boy. But none out there

[cnimed]

elderflowertea:

Why do you all want to homeschool your children? Just let them go to school and learn and have fun! Can make friends too.

because sometimes the schools parents can get are not suitable for the children. And sometimes we parents can't stand the things that the teachers are (not) teaching and we can't bear to take it lying down. There are also children who have special needs - educational(dyslexic etc), physical (severe allergies, hearing/vision-impaired), emotional (anxiety disorders) etc. Sometimes a family relocates often and homeschooling provides more stability and better learning foundation for the children. The reasons are many and varied if people are willing to find out with an open mind and heart.

Can make friends everywhere. Just that parents /caregivers must make the effort to network, organise outings, and be sociable.

Can tailor curriculum and learning materials to the children's needs and learning styles. Again parents have to be hardworking and many spend a lot of time researching curriculum and looking for resources.

To homeschool successfully, a parent has to be hardworking, organised, and willing to go out of comfort zone to make it work. A parent also has to trust the child to an extent and try to hear the child's drumbeat. I know some parents homeschool because of their beliefs. But there are also many parents who homeschool because their children need that from them.

[cnimed]

zac's mum:

Hi yap_susan,


Mind sharing where did u buy the materials like Montessori and Kumon? I don't want to spend money enrolling for the lessons, I just want a peek at what the kids learn. Very frustrating becos I know if I can see proper lesson plans, I can easily teach my boy. But none out there

zac's mum,

there are homeschooling groups in Singapore for preschool, primary and teenagers. Just search homeschooling, Singapore.

There is also a lot of information on curriculums on the internet. Just do a search; most curriculums will give you a free sample for preview before purchase. Others are free by other homeschooling parents. NLB library also has books on homeschooling and curriculumd. Just search their catalogue. Failing all, go to Kinokuniya. They have it under education section.

[Mdm Koh]

I saw from a recent TV programme that Darren Lim and Evelyn Tan homeschool their three children. I wonder if they're on this forum too. They can give the parents here some good tips. http://www.divaasia.com/article/2282

[zac's mum]

deminc,


Thanks so much for your suggestions! Yes I agree with you that to homeschool our kids we need to be extra hardworking to locate resources & network. I will check out the various homeschooling groups to find more like-minded parents.

Just out of curiousity, how old is your child(ren) now? Do you think I’m right to assume that homeschooling gets easier at the Primary school stage becos the MOE curriculum & schools’ exam papers are readily available online?

[cnimed]

I have a child in primary school school and one in kindergarten. For us, homeschooling is according to the children’s needs and if the children adapt well to school and are happy to go, they go. If there are issues that cannot be resolved, we will explore other options.


The problem with primary school level is the gap between the curriculum and the actual tests, plus marking styles. Even school going children have that problem - just look at the threads on local education. You can only use moe material as a baseline guide.

It is important to know why you are homeschooling and your educational goals for your children. This may sound silly, but you need clear goals and priorities to develop your roadmap. For example, parents who homeschool for religious values can choose from curriculums tailored for that, together with MOE syllabus. Others have particular learning philosophies that they are following, there are also materials geared for these. Those with special needs children will get materials developed for these children and adapt certain moe materials. Those with high ability children can do a lot of enrichment and skip most moe materials, and just get the children to practice test taking skills occasionally.

All these presume that the children are cooperative and learn well with you. The truth is there will be good days and bad days. A primary school going child is more opinionated. Managing expectations all round, including those of friends and family, is part of the challenge.

Would I homeschool in the primary school years? If my child feels strongly about it, I will. It has to be as much his decision as it is mine, and it must be initiated by him. I’m just here to support him in finding his true calling and gaining the skills to fulfill them.