Holiday or Not to Holiday
As a homeschooler, there is always that sense of insecurity that your child is not getting enough 'academic time'. We wake up at 6 +-,saunter to school around 8.30+- and end at 12.30+-. On good days, we do some work after zuhr and end at two.Thus, even though most kids are in the middle of their holidays right now, I try to do something 'educational' with the kids everyday.
If I could list down five insecurities as a homeschooler:
1. My kids are not 'covering syllabus'
2. My kids do not 'do homework' and hence there is that question of rigour
3. My kids don't do 'exams'; they are thus not 'exam smart'
4. My kids don't follow structured formats in their work; (go back to part 3.)
5. My kids don't follow a timetable but rather a rhythm in their days.
I do plan for what to cover for the year; but we have these little projects that become other projects or BIG projects. My kids are at different phases in their academic growth; one is advanced, one is a grade lower and one is on grade. Well, I guess I can say that at least that balances out.
In terms of practice, its the same; one devours work, one just says 'no' and the other is just fine with anything. One thing for certain they all have to pick up is exam skills; they tend to concentrate on their interests and don't follow formats or what teachers like to call templates or model answers.
However, I'm thinking I've got some years to go even for my eldest; I'll just make them suffer for the year they have to take PSLE and let go after that. Yes,it's painful but from what I hear even with all these changes they are trying to introduce to the local education system; we will always be exam oriented, eventually, even if they let you off in the non-critical years.
Now, maybe we should really go have that holiday, a real one...
If I could list down five insecurities as a homeschooler:
1. My kids are not 'covering syllabus'
2. My kids do not 'do homework' and hence there is that question of rigour
3. My kids don't do 'exams'; they are thus not 'exam smart'
4. My kids don't follow structured formats in their work; (go back to part 3.)
5. My kids don't follow a timetable but rather a rhythm in their days.
I do plan for what to cover for the year; but we have these little projects that become other projects or BIG projects. My kids are at different phases in their academic growth; one is advanced, one is a grade lower and one is on grade. Well, I guess I can say that at least that balances out.
In terms of practice, its the same; one devours work, one just says 'no' and the other is just fine with anything. One thing for certain they all have to pick up is exam skills; they tend to concentrate on their interests and don't follow formats or what teachers like to call templates or model answers.
However, I'm thinking I've got some years to go even for my eldest; I'll just make them suffer for the year they have to take PSLE and let go after that. Yes,it's painful but from what I hear even with all these changes they are trying to introduce to the local education system; we will always be exam oriented, eventually, even if they let you off in the non-critical years.
Now, maybe we should really go have that holiday, a real one...
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