Homeschooling your child?

[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!

[metz]

The unfair benchmark caused a great deal of unhappiness among the homeschoolers at that time. One way to get around it is to enroll the child back to school at upper primary.

[michyms]

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!

I think the basic requirement for homeschooling is that one parent must be a Stay at home parent, and also have a basic degree, if I am not wrong? Yes, its not easy, but I think do-able if the parent is willing to get down to the ground and learn the nitty-gritty of how heuristic and model maths. Even parents with kids in the school system has to do so, or else how to coach the kids (unless outsource so completely to tutors and do not worry about their homework at all!)

[metz]

michyms:

DesertWind:

[quote=\"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!

I think the basic requirement for homeschooling is that one parent must be a Stay at home parent, and also have a basic degree, if I am not wrong? Yes, its not easy, but I think do-able if the parent is willing to get down to the ground and learn the nitty-gritty of how heuristic and model maths. Even parents with kids in the school system has to do so, or else how to coach the kids (unless outsource so completely to tutors and do not worry about their homework at all!)[/quote]Homeschooling means schooling the children, especially those in elementary level, ourselves. So, it makes sense that at least one parent should stay home. However, MOE is not so strict on this. Last I know, some homeschoolers do hold part-time jobs. As for requiring a basic degree, i'm not so sure of this.

In a way, homeschoolers are doing what most parents are doing, teaching and coaching their children minus the stress from schools and exams.

[corneyAmber]

chamonix:

The unfair benchmark caused a great deal of unhappiness among the homeschoolers at that time. One way to get around it is to enroll the child back to school at upper primary.

That is one way but is it difficult to return to school after applying for homeschooling? Will the child be assessed again or asked to drop level if the assessment result is not ideal? :?