A Different School Of Thought

Home-schooling is a scary concept to the uninitiated. But it can also be a great thing for our kids, as Evelyn Tan shares in her familys experiences with home-schooling.

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Freedom for your child to study what catches their interest, and for them to grow up enjoying the process of learning. Being able to play a larger role in your child’s life and education, to give them more intimate guidance in their formative years. These concepts sound oh-so-appealing to most of us.

And yet, when you attach them to the idea of “homeschooling”, it becomes something alien, avoided, and uncertain. Something we balk at. After all, we can’t possibly be more qualified than MOE-certified teachers. Our kids will not have as many opportunities to interact with their peers, and this will surely make integration into mainstream society an issue when they are older. Worse still, will our child be able to make it into a local university?

It is hard to dispel the nagging fears that plague the mind when the idea of home-schooling is brought up. This, despite research that indicates children who were homeschooled grow up to be happier, well-rounded adults armed with all the tools needed to succeed.

The idea of home-schooling remains something difficult for many Singaporeans to stomach. With an established education system in place, there is little reason for many to start down this path of uncertainty. But there are those who have made the decision to home-school their children. Myriad reasons exist for these parents, and with them, several styles of home-schooling that these parents employ. But like all parents, everything boils down to wanting the best for their children.