After living in Canada for five years, I decided to home-school my children when we came back to Dubai. Although ‘quality of education' is a subjective matter, and its factors can only be covered in a lengthy discussion, I am not satisfied with the quality of most of the educational institutes in Dubai. In Canada, the standard and quality of education is very high and the teaching methods are varied and practical. Children are nurtured and taught to enjoy and savour the process, which leads to a lifetime of learning. My children, now 20, 16, and 12 years old have successfully completed five years of fully accredited home-schooling, and I am convinced that it is a great way to cater any curriculum to your child's learning style, along with giving them a learning opportunity that is bountiful and timeless.
What to do
If you decide to home-school there are various models that can be adopted and it is important to research thoroughly to find one that best suits your desired outcomes. Fully accredited home-schooling systems are readily available, fulfilling all university and higher education entrance requirements. You can opt for a highly structured system or one that is flexible and based on your child's needs, aptitude, interest and ability.
The privilege of running your own school, and deciding on an
approach to the subjects at hand is an exciting venture. People often ask, how can you be a teacher without any qualifications? The answer is that distance learning schools design their curriculum in such a manner that anyone can teach it — they break it down completely, allowing either the pupil to learn independently or allowing a home instructor to teach it. I prefer to read through the material prior to teaching it to my children. It's amazing how much I get to learn in the process.
Do children who are home-schooled lack social skills? A myth! I'm sure if you met my children you would not guess that they are home-schooled. Just like regular pupils, they are friendly, outgoing, playful and naughty! Living within an extended family, socialising with children in the neighbourhood, playing on regular sports team and participating in other extra curricular activities all account beautifully for the social aspect of my children's lives.
— The writer is a Gulf News reader from Dubai
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By Aarifa Sulaiman