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Monday, November 24, 2008
8 Things I learned About Home Schooling in the Philippines
I'm seriously considering to home school Aidan in 2009. I would like to be one out of the 4,000+ Homeschoolers in the Philippines.
We attended the 2nd Philippine Homeschool Conference led by The Masters Academy Home School Program last Saturday. My quest for finding the best education for my sons (initiated by this post: Reedley International School), led me to conclude that Homeschooling is the best education that I can give the next generation of Filipino Leaders. Let me share with you some of my learnings and insights about homeschooling:
1. There are four (4) kinds of education in the country today: Traditional Education ( like Xavier, ICA, Ateneo and De La Salle); Progressive School (Explorations/ Keys, Raya School, Multiple Intelligences, Makati Gospel, Waldorf School), International Schools (Beacon, International School, Brent, Chinese International School, and Reedley IS), and Homeschool.
2. There are three (3) types of Homeschool: a. Independent (not affiliated with any program but gets the best from available modules), b. Local Homeschool Program (most popular would be The Masters Academy with bias on Christian teachings, and Catholic Filipino Academy with bias on Catholic teachings by Bo Sanchez), and c. US Based (like Calvert Home School Program).
3. Homeschooling is a privilege and a blessing. Not everyone can afford to homeschool because one of the parents needs to be full time in the Home School Program. Homeschooling is one of the opportunities I wanted to pursue when I decided to change career.
4. There are three (3) major reasons for Home Schooling: a. To give the best education at home, b. For Religious Reasons, and c. Because of poor learning environment at traditional schools. It would be wrong to do it solely for the purpose of cost savings.
5. Homeschooling is bringing a customized educational experience at home. This is the best definition of homeschooling and it aims to enhance the natural gifts of your child with academics as a foundation.
6. Here are successful case studies of Home-schooled kids, check out: Christopher Paolini who wrote Eragon, Tim Tebow who is the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, and locally, Paul and Carolyn Tan-Chi of Ateneo UAAP Basketball fame.
7 Three (3) Success Factors for a Home School program -- a. An Obedient Environment, b. a Nurturing Mother, and c. Parents as role models for the kids as demonstrated by the Holy Family:
" Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (See Luke 2: 51-52)
8. The no. 1 critical element for Home Schooling -- Jesus Christ needs to be at the center of the Home School Program to be successful.
Live an Awesome Life,
Text and Photos by by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.
Blog: www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Mobile: +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627)
Email: anton@diaz.ph
November 24, 2008 in 08. Personal Family Posts | Permalink
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With all the craziness going on in schools today- both here and abroad- home schooling is really starting to become an attractive option. I have yet to have my own children, but I know what parents now are going through, especially with their teenagers. The main issue for me about home-schooling is: by removing kids from what is deemed to be the "normal" learning environment, would they be lacking in certain areas, such as social skills and learning to cope with stress from external factors? Just wondering...
Posted by: chinkee | Nov 24, 2008 9:49:52 AM
Social Skills is easy to address because you can actually have a more diverse extra curricular activities tailor fitted to the interest of your child. For example, for Aidan I already envision of going Camping every week to different destinations in Luzon. Also, there are already organized play groups like Kids Ahoy, Art Classes, and other options available.
I have a different perspective on stress. It is stressful if you are not aligned to your core identity and talents. Finding where you are good at and what you are destined to do is the key to living a "stress"-free life.
Posted by: anton | Nov 24, 2008 9:59:55 AM
hi anton, i'm interested in homeschooling my son but he's already a highschool freshman. is it still possible? thanks :)
Posted by: minnie | Nov 24, 2008 11:10:56 AM
hi anton, i'm interested in homeschooling my son but he's already a highschool freshman. is it still possible? thanks :)
Posted by: minnie | Nov 24, 2008 11:12:52 AM
I had the pleasure to meet a homeschooled family 10 years ago when my daughter and I visited her friend in San Francisco. I had no idea what homeschooling was. My daughter's friend had a large family, 8 siblings in all. Imagine such a large family in the US. They are also Catholic. I was really impressed with their setup. The mom who worked at home showed me the schedule of each of her children. Each had a study nook. They also get the chance to socialize with other homeschooled kids. The kids are really smart. I talked to each one of them. Homeschooling is a very workable solution.
Ten years after, I had the pleasure again of meeting the homeschooled family. They are wonderful and loving kids, working their way through college.
I am confident you can go do this for Aidan. If such a large family can do it in the US, how much more your family!
Posted by: noemi | Nov 24, 2008 12:47:37 PM
@ Minnie -- Yes it is definitely possible and I met parents who home-schooled their kid when they were in Highschool. It is not too late.
@ Noemi - Thanks for the encouragement, and I'm excited but at the same time scared of this new endeavor.
Posted by: anton | Nov 24, 2008 3:00:41 PM
Hi Anton,
Where may I get information regarding homeschooling? My daughter is extremely intelligent that I notice her getting bored at school because of lack of challenge. I've tried La Salle and Miriam by the way. Any information will be so appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by: Jana | Nov 24, 2008 3:14:52 PM
i've been interested in homeschooling my daughter too, ever since i was awakened by Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad on how poor the educational system is. 2 years ago, we've contemplated on whether to send her to school or just enroll her in a homeschool program, one of which was Bo Sanchez'. unfortunately though, with our family situation, it did not seem feasible at the time. and so we opted for the what we seemed the next best thing, enrolling her in a Montessori way school which would set up a foundation not only in academics but in everyday life as well. while scouting for preschools, a lot of them focused on english and math and none of personal development like social graces, household responsibilities, and other practical life stuff, hence we chose the Montessori way to expose her to the stuff the real world is based on. foundations that will not only make her intelligent, but street smart more importantly. i'm still hoping the day comes that we can afford to homeschool her unless the educational system undergoes a radical change, which as they say is "suntok sa buwan".
Posted by: entrepgirl | Nov 24, 2008 3:55:43 PM
Thats in CCF! =) Hope you find a good school for your boys.
Posted by: bexie | Nov 24, 2008 4:05:32 PM
Hi Anton, it was a pleasure to meet you at the conference last Saturday! We only wish we had more time to talk but no matter there'll be a next time we'r sure. We hope to meet and play with your family soon! We would like to invite you & your readers to our Dec 6th Bookfest & Christmas Gift-giving event at our new playhouse location in Cubao/New Manila area so you can meet other parents and kid-lovers in our Kids Ahoy community. Let's explore all possibilities in raising a truly global Filipino child together :=)
By the way, since my son is back in homeschool (after 2 years of being in a regular school) and if it were up to us (which is the case) he'll be homeschooled throughout high school.
Posted by: KidsAhoy! | Nov 24, 2008 4:07:32 PM
my brother was home-schooled for 4 years (grades 1 to 4, I believe) by my Mom. We live in Davao City but previously held residence in Manila and although there are a number of progressive schools here, my mom has observed that the teachers still tend to veer towards traditional education because that's how they were trained as educators. My mom has been a longtime proponent of home schooling and finally decided to try home schooling my brother. Her curriculum, while patterned according to the basic curriculum in schools, had more flexibility to it. She used local textbooks but supplemented them with US-printed books like What Your Fifth Grader Needs to Know, the I Wonder Why books plus those books you find in secondhand bookshops about Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther, etc. So that is one advantage because the child can learn beyond what is written in textbooks. An example: my brother became interested in abraham lincoln because there was a passage about him in one of his textbooks so my mother encouraged him to learn more about Abraham Lincoln by buying him a book about the man and he learned that abraham lincoln, apart from being a very intelligent man, overcome a lot of hardship in life and was a man of great faith. Since then, Lincoln has become one of my brother's role models. So you know, that kind of deeper learning is possible in home school. My mom placed him back to mainstream education in grade 5 so that he could get accustomed to a classroom set-up in preparation for high school but my mom made sure to place him in a progressive school where the teachers make use of US-based teaching modules (they were called paces) so the student can learn at his own pace. It is not much different from home-schooling except it is done in a classroom environment but the child's learning progress is still closely monitored by the teacher. The transition was good for my brother because the change wasn't too drastic academicwise so he only had to adjust socially and he was able to do so after several months, albeit awkwardly at first. Right now, he's a first year high school student and is performing excellently academicwise and socialwise. In terms of academics, one thing very notable is his writing style because he writes very mature for his age and he has good grasp of the english language. I think this is because home schooling is english-based as is progressive education ( although they have already developed curriculums that are more Filipino-based) so the child is gets accustomed to using english as the main language for communication. One other thing home school has given him, I think, is independence. He can do things on his own and he doesn't give in much to peer pressure. Lastly, I have observed, that home schooling is very effective in instilling values to a child. My mother made sure to allot time for doing chores apart from doing schoolwork so while he learns that abraham lincoln is hard working in the morning, he gets to practice the value of hard work by doing gardening in the afternoon. So there. I think the main advantage of home schooling is that the child's is closely supervised and you can tailor the learning style to fit the personality of the child. I think home schooling is a great option for your kid because I've seen firsthand how effective it is in training a child. God bless!
Posted by: Katherine Tan | Nov 24, 2008 4:52:01 PM
Hi Anton!
I was there, with my wife, and my son.
My wife is homeschooling my son under the umbrella of the Catholic Filipino Academy.
Homeschooling is IT...in educating the present-day generation. Unfortunately, it is not for everybody. At least one parent should be full time at home.
You beat me into writing a post. I'm gonna post something about it soon.
Marvin
Posted by: Marvin | Nov 24, 2008 5:28:12 PM
As much as I enjoyed reading items #1-#6 of this article, I would consider #7 and #8 as opinion versus fact.
I am sure that there have been many successful home schooled students who come from other than a Christian background. Values can be shared and learned in many different ways, whether Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim or Secular.
Leo
Posted by: Leo | Nov 24, 2008 7:30:15 PM
Hi Anton!
Here's my take on this event:
http://www.sidmacatol.com/2008/11/24/what-every-daddy-ought-to-know-about-spanking/
I hope you take time to read it.
I invite others to read it too.
If you're a loving Daddy, it's for you.
Marvin
Posted by: Marvin | Nov 24, 2008 11:20:40 PM
Reasons #7 and #8 are more of a matter of preference, I think. If the home-schooling materials heavily focus on Jesus Christ, than it makes sense that the family using these materials should be strongly Christian. If the resources are not heavily doctrinal, then I don't see why families with other faiths cannot successfully adapt.
Personally, I am very much for the progressive method--I just love the whole thematic and experiential approach which works very well with my own and my kids' style of learning.
I believe that parents are a child's primary teacher. However, not all parents make good teachers. And not all parents who are good teachers teach all subjects well. So, I also believe that kids should have 3rd party quality teachers, also for different perspectives.
This is not to say the other methods you mentioned are less superior. If one asks, what's the best country to visit--Japan, France or Hong Kong? It depends on what he's looking to get out from the experience, really.
It's the same with schooling methods--a matter of preference, what makes sense to the parent. But we as parents need to be clear first on our idea of what or how the school should teach our kids, so that options can be sifted thru easily. That means doing a LOT of leg and homework! This you seem to have achieved clearly, Anton :)
Of course, quality of school counts but if the child can't get into his parents' school of choice, then parents would just have to find ways to provide what is lacking.
I've come to realize that whatever schooling method used, what is really, really crucial is for us to have a strong family unit (a concept not exclusive to Christianity). We should cultivate a very strong bond of love, open communication and love for learning in the home environment FROM THE VERY START (kids at their youngest years)--a rule that has so far guided me well. This is something that should not be delegated to the yaya or the tutor.
After all, our job is to guide our children so they grow up into happy, responsible, independent individuals whose potentials are harnessed. Achieving this would be our greatest gift to them.
Posted by: fulltimemom | Nov 25, 2008 12:27:41 AM
P.S. By the way, I want to share my opinion on your categorization of the education methods:
1. Among traditional schools, Xavier is actually regarded by many as being the most 'progressive' in this category but it doesn't have the Individualized Instruction (I.I.) it used to have many years back. Poveda actually seems to come out more progressive than Xavier because they give different work for advanced kids even in kindergarten, and kids are grouped according to reading ability and given material suitable to their level--a feature all progressive schools have (and traditional schools should have!). Xavier Nursery and Prep as far as I know does not, even if you ask for it and the teacher knows the child is advanced.
2. Progressive -- Waldorf would be I think the most "right wing" here as the use of computer, TV is discouraged, and their teaching philosophy has a lot to do with nature, going back to basics. Montessori is a method employing a lot of manipulatives and emphasis on self-discipline and learning at your own pace (opposite of traditional where everyone is given the same new lesson every week at the same time). Keys I would say is in the middle, they embrace technology, encourage use of manipulatives, and all subjects are tied to a theme. Some progressive preschools employ the use of a lot of worksheets like Young Learner's Collaborative (YLC), some almost none like Explorations. This gets more confusing as one visits more and more schools :) Another feature of progressive schools is they include a lengthy narrative report on your child's performance with the 'report card'.
3. International schools -- can lean towards traditional or progressive in their manner of teaching. Chinese Int'l School is traditional in the sense that each subject has its own curriculum and uses published workbooks per subject, similar to what traditional schools do. It is very similar to the program in Brent and many US schools. Other international schools would be more progressive since their subjects are taught around the theme.
Note: The terms "traditional" and "progressive" may not bear any meaning or have the same meaning in the US education context. I tried asking a few US friends, and it seems that what is "progressive" for us is "traditional" to them because this is how their schools have been teaching. Food for thought.
Posted by: fulltimemom | Nov 25, 2008 1:16:06 AM
Hi, Anton!
Homeschooling may be an attractive option but it all depends on your child's temperament. If he is a phlegmatic, he will not like homeschooling. I have met several moms who used to homeschool their children and decided to put them in traditional schools later on because of their children's response.
I suggest you read the Catholic book "The Temperament God Gave You". :)
Cheers!
Posted by: Suzette | Nov 25, 2008 3:21:12 AM
Hi Anton. Thanks for sharing what you learned at the homeschool conference. I am an American Filipino mother and home-educator of five. I've been homeschooling for fourteen years so trust me when I say that I know all of the nuts and bolts of homeschooling.
It's easy to have great ideals about home education and your first year will be very much about trial and error. It is NOT easy, at least for those who have more than two kids. Most Americans that I know who homeschool found no other option because of the moral and academic crisis in American schools, both public and private. I have attended both parochial and private schools here in the States and I studied three years of high school in Baguio City so I knew what most schools were like when I decided that homeschooling was the only way to go.
I highly recommend reading old books on Montessori and incorporating the method into your own curriculum. The primary years are the most crucial years for holistic development. The child needs to develop all his senses and his soul as well as his intellect.
You have to know your child and yourself. Homeschooling here in the U.S is very popular but it is also under attack by the local and federal governments and agencies. My husband and I actually went to court this year to defend our parental rights. So you need to know the local laws.
Many colleges now in the U.S. take pride in accepting homeschooled students. But many don't. You should find out if Filipino colleges and high schools accept homeschooled students because of accreditation. This will affect your choice of curriculum. My friend's children had to repeat grades because their local public high schools in NY would not accept their homeschool curriculum.
When you decide to homeschool, you should not say to yourself that you will homeschool them until they reach college. You have to take it one year at a time. For example, I had to send my oldest two daughters to a Catholic boarding school because I developed an illness. That school is one of the few schools in the U.S. who welcome homeschooled children and provide the best classical education in the world. My girls are thriving there.
I am now moving to the Philippines and I will be placing my three children in a really good school that has more of a homeschool environment and small classes. I'm burnt out from homeschooling and I'm not alone. I don't want to discourage you but I do want to tell you the ups and downs of homeschooling.
Homeschooling requires a lot of discipline and a lot of local support. When you lack the support, it is easy for both parent and child to experience discouragement. For example: you will be criticized by your relatives and friends who find homeschooling to be unorthodox. If the Filipino government frowns on homeschooling, then there will be uphill battles for acceptance. I belong to Homeschool Legal Defense which is an association of lawyers who fight for the rights of Americans to homeschool their children throughout the country.
My advice is to use a fool-proof curriculum for the first year and see how your son will do. The next year you can begin to customize your son's curriculum according to his needs.
My next advice is: Don't homeschool in a bubble. Many homeschoolers hijack their children's education by sticking to how they want to homeschool instead of being open to supplemental help. Some students learn more effectively from someone they are not related to. So hiring a tutor for certain subjects is a good way to balance homeschooling.
Lastly, if you are going to homeschool, you should do it now because children have an easier time adjusting when they are young than when they are older and are attached to their schools and friends. In light of our Catholic Faith, God has ordained it so that the parents are truly the primary educators of their children. I will pray for your success in homeschooling. God bless and take care.
Posted by: Zorayda | Nov 25, 2008 6:05:01 AM
Hi! It's great that you're considering homeschool for your son. I've heard so much about it. And you're right, cost-saving should not be the prime reason for it. Otherwise, you won't get the full benefits of homeschooling. And until our education system improves, homeschooling is truly one of the better, if not the best, option.
Posted by: shalum | Nov 25, 2008 8:03:34 AM
Hi Anton!
It's really great that you and Rache are considering homeschooling your sons. I haven't formally homeschooled my daughter but we plan to do so by next year, at least for her formative years under Bo Sanchez's CFA. God bless!
Posted by: Tricia | Nov 25, 2008 2:34:19 PM
Hi Anton,
My niece is on homeschooling program too! She's using a US based curriculum from Christian Liberty Academy. Her mom submits her tests/worksheets quarterly. Books, curriculum, and report cards arrive yearly via UPS. She's on 3rd grade now, and is doing well.
She also attends Chinese language school 3x a week. =)
Posted by: Honey | Nov 25, 2008 2:48:31 PM
Hi anton, in answer to your question about Montessori way books, I believe there is or are. I'm not sure though if it's available here in Manila. I-emailed you some websites for resources.
There are a lot of other sources on the internet, but basically the Montessori way of learning deals not only with the academic aspect of a child's education but more importantly on the practical life as well.
You'll know the school uses the Montessori way when you see the materials inside the classroom. They're usually wooden in nature, may be blocks, cylinders, geometric shapes and puzzles which develop the child's mind where an ordinary lecture cannot. They set aside time to learn about tying shoelaces, buttoning, zipping, hooking up, velcro-ing clothes, kitchen activites, gardening activities, going to the bathroom on your own and washing hands before eating (hygiene), cleaning up after eating (household chores), sharing materials with classmates (socializing) and other basic but important stuff. Things that need to be instilled while a child is young in order to prepare him for the real world, for the real world is not all about lectures.
It still has the academic side like Math, Language, Sensorial (hot and cold, long and short, loud and soft) and Cultural Arts (parts of the trees, plants, animals, geography like the learning about the continents). If you want your child to have more training for Language and Math, you can try the Kumon method as a supplement learning experience. It's not tutorial in nature, but rather, it acts as a complementary education to a regular (traditional or montessori) school. Though, more on the academic side, it's similar to Montessori in the sense that it does not generalize children by associating their work to their age or grade level, instead it gauges the child's individual capacity and presents worksheets suited to their present abilities. Gradually though, as a result of their method (one of which is repetition), the child gains self-confidence and eventually surpasses the level of comprehension when compared to their current grade level curriculum. It also instills discipline and independent learning. My child is now enrolled in both a Montessori school and Kumon center, and so far I'm very happy with the results. You might want to check out my post months ago about Kumon.
http://entrepgirl.blogspot.com/2008/06/reviews-kumon-as-integral-part-of_23.html
Posted by: entrepgirl | Nov 25, 2008 8:31:17 PM
Oh and about the comment made by suzette about your child's temperament, you can also try reading "Spirit-Controlled Temperament" by Tim LaHaye (famous co-author of the best-selling Christian fiction, Left Behind series). You can also try reading "Personality Plus" and "Personality Plus for Parents: Understanding What Makes Your Child Tick" both by Florence Littauer. :)
Posted by: entrepgirl | Nov 25, 2008 8:37:37 PM
wow, interesting post!
as a product of a "traditional" education, i say from my own experience that being in a school with classmates, teachers and many other different types of people (both children and adults) can have a significant contribution to one's learning. i would say that much creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, adjustment and adaptation, long- and short-term thinking, public speaking, social skills and many others were developed from being in a so-called "traditional" school environment and really engaging with others on a daily basis.
for example, i learned so much from being in school-organized activities like being in a choir or a theatre production (for all the homeschooling parents out there, my curiosity has been peaked! what's the homeschool equivalent for these kinds of things?), and developed passions for performing, arts and music that i have (and make a living out of!) to this very day.
besides your family is quite "non-traditional" enough outside of school hours. even that can do a lot for a kid already. hehe :-)
Posted by: currystrumpet | Nov 26, 2008 10:17:42 AM
I agree with Fulltimemom and Currystrumpet, as well as Zorayda. I've been hearing a lot about homeschooling, and do know people who do it, but to be frank, I am far from convinced -- mostly because of the social aspect, or lack thereof. At most, I would only homeschool in the early years. Especially if your child is not one of many siblings, or if he's very introverted (I know Aidan is not), just putting them in a few special classes (art, playgroups, etc.) is not enough for them to really develop the real-world skills of dealing with many different kinds of people. Seeing a few other kids once a week or so is very different from having to cooperate with them every day -- in activities that range from school group work, to playtime, to sharing food, to choosing barkadas, etc. Even the negative elements of socializing -- intrigue, backbiting, fights, etc., are necessary for a child to experience, to build character and the ability to withstand stress. Of course, no one wants their child to be bullied or teased; but if the kid has never gone through it, how will they know what to do when they enter university, or go to work -- where the level of negativity is far worse?
I really like some aspects of homeschooling, like those mentioned by Katherine Tan. But I think that going to a regular school (and note that I don't mean traditional schools, as I'm not a fan of those, either) does not preclude supplementing their education with other lessons, whether through books, classes, or life experiences.
Whatever you choose to do, I wish you all the luck, Anton! I know that Rache and you will only do what you truly believe is best for your precious children. :-)
Posted by: Katrina | Nov 26, 2008 2:53:11 PM
