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Homeschooling as a paradigm shift in learning.

- Saranya lyer

Once they are of school-going age, the rigmarole of the admission process, registering for the certain board, application forms and all the nitty-gritty of the formalities start. Shopping for school uniforms, school bags, bottles, and tiffin boxes are some of the items in the pile that children happily flaunt on the first day of school. With curiosity and a beam in their bright eyes, they walk inside the school premises leaving the aching hearts of their parents behind.

Ah, schools are where the mighty little seeds called children are planted to bloom with intelligence and creativity. This formal institution that sprouts knowledge and discipline has always been a corridor where children launch their feet to become well-integrated individuals. Starting from zero to making them he/sheroes is, of course, goes without saying, the ultimate target for schools. However, over some time, this standard format of learning has shifted to step backward and follow the age-old mode of learning called homeschooling.

Earlier, due to a lack of resources and scarcity of good institutions, children were homeschooled. Even if there were schools in the vicinity, the financial burden stopped parents from sending and they were forced to take up studies at home. Then, with changing lifestyles and increases in incomes, the approach to learning started changing and children were sent to study in a formal setup. The struggle in the hinterland continued, the poor and needy households felt challenged to afford this formal setup with no option other than homeschooling at their arm's length. But now, even the rich and elite are taking up homeschooling and touting it as the best option to teach their children. The sudden resurgence of it makes us ponder the benefits and approach of it.