Homeschooling your child?

[schweppes]

2ppaamm:

I find the lost 'woman skills' so important. Cooking, baking, and sewing. Since they are 'lost' having them makes the kids feel special and 'able'. Everybody can study, not everybody knows how to cook and sew.

Sad but true. And because these skills are gradually lost, ppl will outsource.

[jermainet]

I think that it’s better to send your kids to a proper school, they can interact with other children rather than home schooling them (maybe not be as sufficient)

[cnimed]

There is no clear cut case. The decision depends on your child, family lifestyle and needs, and level of commitment. Successful Homeschooling takes sacrifices. It’s not a decision that families make on a whim. A decision to homeschool is also a commitment to give up a certain amount of income, and to devote that particular year to the child. Homeschooling parents have very little me time. School would have been the easier short term solution for many.

[2ppaamm]

ksi:

2ppaamm:

I find the lost 'woman skills' so important. Cooking, baking, and sewing. Since they are 'lost' having them makes the kids feel special and 'able'. Everybody can study, not everybody knows how to cook and sew. The reverse has come! My daughters love to learn these over studying anytime, and I think they are more important to learn than learning to be a human walking calculator.

When I was young, I only knew how to \"study\"(as in only manage school life mainly) and my traditional mum was deeply concerned that I could not do girly stuff. However, I learned how to do all the 'woman skills' naturally because of the \"study\", I could pick up cooking, baking, sewing, knitting, crocheting....etc... the science and common sense acquired allowed me to do that....at least good enough to run a household efficiently and run small parties with family and friends. So when these skills become easier to pick up, it can be therapeutic and I enjoy them thoroughly as well. It is nice to be able to knit vests for hubby and sweaters for kids. In the past, some of these may be regarded as required \"womanly skills\" but now they are all my hobbies... see the difference?

Yes, I see the difference! The other day, I was upset with my girls because their walk-in wardrobes were untidy, and I am quite a neat freak so I wanted them to neaten that up. So the next time I saw the wardrobe, it was not only neat but color coded. I was surprised and wondered how they managed to do that, because I don't even know how to do that. They had gone to youtube and learnt how to pack a walk-in properly. Education does enhances, and they stand on my shoulders when it comes to wardrobes packing!

During our days, housework and all these skills like clothes making, baking, cooking and homemaking were part of our duties at home, even if we do not do them day-in, day-out, at least I had to chip in even though we had a black and white maid. She made me do the mopping. Nowadays, our children had these tasks assigned to maids, maids who have much less 'authority' then my old maid. So these become much less second nature. Even sweeping the floor has to be taught to my girls! It was second nature to most girls my generation.

Also, during our days, our home econs classes were a little different. I was shocked that the teachers actually measured all the ingredients and prepared everything for the girls and they just throw them in. We had to learn how to measure properly and cook from scratch. Same for sewing, I cannot make up what my girls sew in home econs class, but I vividly remember I sewed skirts and blouses I could wear to parties when I was Sec 1.

I am also concerned from watching 'modern' women these days (even those with not that much education) who believe that just because they bring home a pay, it is not their task to cook a simple meal for the kids. My nephew and niece feed on McDonald's exclusively and their mum has never cooked in the 10+ years of marriage. It is ok for some families but I don't like that. As a mother, I want to do my part in imparting proper skills to my girls, so that when they leave this house, I have done my job. Even if they manage to get great maids and choose not to have these hobbies, I have done my duty as a mother. Yes, they are hobbies, but great skills to boot as well.

[raisintan]

Hi 2ppaamm,


So u used the CLASS homeschool system and subsequently enrolled ur kids in university?

[2ppaamm]

raisintan:

Hi 2ppaamm,


So u used the CLASS homeschool system and subsequently enrolled ur kids in university?

Hi!

I used CLASS only for preschool and subsequently for only the bible study. After Grade 1, I moved my 4 kids to Singapore schools. For my smallest child, I also follow the Singapore system and homeschool him. Whether they attend school or not, when they reached the level I feel comfortable, I move them into High School work, which is about Sec 3 level in Singapore. When they are done with High School, I enroll the kids in the universities.

A typical child in Singapore's system can start High School work (especially Math) when they are about P6.

[metz]

DesertWind:

I am beginning to think it is a good idea actually to escape the system and do home-schooling instead. Home-schooling used to be such an alien concept to me but given the current SG schooling environment, those who can't catch up risk getting \"labeled\" by psychologist. Now I can understand why some would choose to escape all the \"hype\" and \"noise\" of the school environment and do home-schooling. If this is indeed a doable alternative....

Just be prepared to receive visits from MYCS personnels if you are homeschooling your preschooler.

[metz]

DesertWind:

michyms:

[quote=\"DesertWind\"]I am beginning to think it is a good idea actually to escape the system and do home-schooling instead. Home-schooling used to be such an alien concept to me but given the current SG schooling environment, those who can't catch up risk getting \"labeled\" by psychologist. Now I can understand why some would choose to escape all the \"hype\" and \"noise\" of the school environment and do home-schooling. If this is indeed a doable alternative....

This is indeed a good option, to allow the kid to learn at his/her own pace. The only issue is that they still have to face the dreaded PSLE exams at the end of the day, but at least allows the parent the time and flexibility in choosing a method and pace to prepare the kid for it. It takes a dedicated and patient parent to be able to do it.

How far up the ladder can a parent go? All throughout the primary level? Already I am reading that a graduate parent could not even do a P4 Maths question. Or we are using a completely different methodoloy from what the school/PSLE wants. That's why my last comment \"If this is indeed a doable alternative...\".[/quote]
It is definitely a viable option. The number of homeschoolers are increasing each year and they homeschool their children all the way from preschool to secondary levels. Try learning more about them and what they do, you might get some interesting ideas to use on your child.

[corneyAmber]

For those interested in homeschooling, something to take note for the lines in red:


First batch of home-schoolers do well in PSLE- 2008 PSLE

By Dawn Tay

WHILE most children are enjoying the holidays, 12-year-old Simon Rocknathan is looking forward to school next year after collecting his Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results yesterday.

He was among the first batch of 31 home-schoolers who took the PSLE this year under the Compulsory Education Act. Pupils from madrasahs and San Yu Adventist School, a private institution, also took the exam for the first time.

Home-schoolers did fairly well - 92 per cent made the secondary- school grade, while 73 per cent qualified for the Express stream. This year, 97 per cent of the 49,856 pupils in national schools made it to secondary school, with 64 per cent qualifying for Express.

While parents of PSLE home-schoolers are happy, they have some questions which they hope the Ministry of Education (MOE) could address.

Simon's father, Mr George Rocknathan, 42, who owns education and consultancy firms, asked why there is \"a different benchmark for home-schoolers when they took the same exam\".

Two of the seven pupils who must re-sit their exam next year had grades that would have qualified them for secondary school.

But they did not meet the benchmark of a score of 191 set by MOE for home-schoolers.

Also, home-schoolers have to approach secondary schools directly for posting or they can go to MOE for assistance.

Occupational therapist Johnny Tan, 40, hopes that MOE could reconsider the rule.

He said: \"Even though we chose to home-school our children, we followed the stipulations set by MOE.\"

His home-schooled son, Jeremiah, took the PSLE this year.

Overall, parents are proud of their children?s achievements.

As Mr Rocknathan said: \"We hope home-schooling can be seen as a valid choice for parents if they want to change their child's learning environment.\"

Meanwhile, Simon is keeping his fingers crossed that with his respectable aggregate of 240, he will be able to join his peers in secondary school.

[DesertWind]

chamonix:

Just be prepared to receive visits from MYCS personnels if you are homeschooling your preschooler.

Thanks chamonix, ya I heard! My cousin is home-schooling her P2 boy and she said just pick up one of the school's past year exam paper, make her boy do, submit the paper to MOE to get it lodged and that's it. Only at PSLE will you get a cert. Trouble free it seems. But she is SAHM!