Is home schooling the future of education?

Since the Corona virus is going to be with us for many years to come, many parents are really uncomfortable about the traditional way of schooling, despite reported cases declining. They are flirting with the option of home schooling their children than taking them to school, especially in the future. According to educational psychologist Megan Clerk, many parents are uncertain about the health, employment, education and financial futures of their families due to the virus. “Many parents are seeking alternate ways to keep their children close to ensure their physical and emotional wellbeing,” she says.

Think carefully

There is a lot to consider if you want to home school your children. As a parent if you go this route, you need to be aware that there are two options. You can either enrol your child at an institution or you can drive the process yourself as a parent. Whatever the case, there are considerations that you have to confront when it comes to home schooling. It is not as simple as it sounds, therefore this decision needs to be well-advised, carefully thought out and well-informed.

It can be hard work

Home schooling may be appealing because it limits the risk of contracting and spreading Covid-19 but it is a huge responsibility that requires time from you.As a working parent, this may place huge pressure on you and needs you to be both physically and psychologically able to take it on.“You’ll need to have the time available to fully commit to your child’s educational needs. If time is an issue, it’s likely to worsen anxiety levels which in most families, is an already-present reality. If you want to maximise your child’s emotional, cognitive and academic functioning, you need to ensure you’re in the right space,” educational psychologist Emma Stewart warns.

The benefits

There are other disadvantages to consider for both you and your child. You’ll need to adjust your lifestyle, work hard and confront that participation in extra-curricular activities is not as easy as in the traditional school environment. On the bright side, Megan outlines the general pros of home schooling your child as:

• Limited exposure to peer pressure, bullying, and competition, which can promote better self-esteem.
• Your child will be able to learn at their own pace.
• There’s more time to address areas of difficulty in learning.
• With no time spent in traffic you’ll both get more rest and more time available to engage in learning tasks.

Weighing your options

Megan shares the pros and cons of parent-driven or Institution-based so that you can weigh what will best work for you?

Parent-driven

Pros:

• Promotes and enhances time-management and problem-solving skills.
• Encourages self-motivation, discipline, and responsibility.
• The independent nature of learning prepares children well for university studies.

Cons:

• At least one parent will need to be at home, which can make working from home more challenging or may present financial pressures as one of you may not be able to work
• Less resources available for support and learning from peers
• You may not be equipped to teach content
• It can lead to conflict with your child
• You’ll have limited opportunities to engage in your own activities and self-care

Home schooling through an institution

Pros:

• Education is structured and taught by a qualified teacher
• The online classroom setting exposes your child to other learners
• Your child will be guided on activities of learning

Cons:

• Some home schooling institutions are not accredited. This will result in your child not qualifying for further studies. That’s why you need to do thorough research on all home schooling programmes as well as institutions before making a final decision
• It can work out to be more expensive than government schools.

Bear in mind

Now that you are aware of your options, there are also requirements from the department of education. If you want to teach your child at home, you have to apply to the head of your Provincial Education Department to register them for Home Education and to ensure that the lessons fall within the scope of the correct phase of education which can be found on the Department of Basic Education’s website www.education.gov.za”.

You also need to keep the following records

• Record of attendance
• Portfolio of your child’s work
• Up-to-date records of your child’s progress
• Portfolio of the educational support given to your child
• Evidence of the continuous assessment of your child’s work
• Evidence of the assessment and/or examination at the end of each year
• Evidence at the end of grades 3, 6 and 9 that shows whether your child has achieved the outcomes for these grades.