Parenting – Homeschooling 101

Home education is becoming an attractive alternative for many. But, in order to succeed, it requires buy-in from a child as well as commitment and involvement from their parents

Ever since homeschooling became legal in 1996, over 100 000 children are registered, with the number steadily growing at a rate of 20% each year. This is according to www.sahomeschoolers.org. However, if you're thinking of homeschooling, it is important to understand how the system differs from a conventional classroom set-up as well as its pros and cons. To help shed some light on the benefits and pitfalls of homeschooling, TRUELOVE speaks to two moms who are using this emergent means of education for their kids. Together with her husband, Khathutshelo Thusi, a production

manager at one of SA's leading women’s lifestyle magazines, chose this route due to financial strain that arose from conventional schooling. “We were made aware that our son might have to repeat a year, and the thought of paying double the cost of a school year did not sit well with us,” she says, adding that they needed to take control and provide a more one-on-one approach for their kids. “The rising costs and additional expenses, like uniforms and transport, made it obvious that we needed to explore other options.”

RANDS VS SENSE

In South Africa, fees at private schools currently range from R50 000 to over R150 000 per child per year, while an average tuition at a government school is around R19 500–R38 000 per year before factoring in additional costs for stationery, sporting and extracurricular activities.

According to Old Mutual, a formal homeschooling curriculum approach is estimated at around R4 800 annually in primary school and R1 000 for an informal approach. In high school, it is estimated at R12 000 and R2 000 respectively.

Debbie Lemmer, secretary of the Gauteng Association of Homeschooling, says the home-based education option is not only modelled on an individual child-friendly approach, but is more cost-effective for parents buckling under the financial strain of traditional classrooms.

“You are able to adjust to your child's academic level and needs, and can then structure it around individual circumstances. You are able to give your child a quality education, and the costs are significantly less than sending them to school,” Lemmer shares from her experience as a trained teacher and homeschooler of many years. She adds that resources and help are available to help you get started, such as websites and Facebook groups. “To offer ongoing support to parents, various tutoring centres and service providers are also available.”

For Thusi, the experience has been satisfying and she is seeing an overall improvement in her children’s marks. “Although homeschooling or the curriculum and institution we chose isn’t necessarily more affordable, I believe that we receive the education’s worth.” She advises parents considering this route to go for the option that offers one-on-one interaction with teachers in a virtual set-up where there are only a few children per class.

WHAT ABOUT SINGLE MOMS?

Homeschooling, just like its traditional counterpart, demands a certain level of commitment from both the kids and parents to reap the academic rewards. The pressure of maintaining an all too important daily routine or schedule is often alleviated when there are two parents in a household. So, how would a single parent fare when taking on these responsibilities? Lulu Mthimkhulu, a marketing manager at Primedia Broadcasting in Gauteng and single mom of two, shares her experience. “Up until 2017, Anesu and Amahle lived with my ex-husband’s family in the Eastern Cape, and received a very intimate type of education at a cottage school. The entire arrangement was mutually beneficial as they got to spend time with their grandfather before he died, and I could focus on my highly demanding job and its frequent travel expectations,” Mthimkhulu says.

The kids moved back with her after their grandfather's death, and she had to explore schooling options that provided the same kind of intimacy as their previous one. “I found out about homeschooling through an acquaintance, and decided to give it a try. I was self-employed at that time, so the decision was even easier. My previous job demands meant that I couldn’t be the mom I wanted to be. The change in our circumstances gave me an opportunity to be more involved in their lives,” she admits.

She chose the Scienza homeschooling institution for her children's transition, and the process was quite easy. “The tutors are hands-on, and available online and telephonically. So, during lockdown, video classes took place from early in the morning. From 7:30am the teachers were available to start online classes and kick-start the first subject. They carried on with different subjects until 3pm while I do my work, Zoom meetings, e-mails and webinars,” Mthimkhulu shares.

SETTING UP A SCHEDULE

Thusi says there is less anxiety and stress in the overall education department within their household as their

children are old enough to cooperate when it comes to their schoolwork. “I think the timing for us to homeschool was perfect as I can’t imagine how it would've gone if they were still young. Homeschooling has taught them to be more independent and responsible about their schoolwork.” But, how do you set up a homeschool schedule that works? “The system we’ve set up, as well as what the institution we chose provides, are not too different from traditional schooling. My children are in class from 8am to 2pm,” Thusi shares.

She admits that her husband’s work flexibility allows him to be more hands-on. “I am still responsible for checking their progress as well as making sure that the homework is done, class lessons complete and assignments handed in on time,” she adds.

Mthimkhulu says her children's weekdays are just like a traditional school – except with much smaller classes. “While they can operate remotely, the responsibility is still primarily on the students and parents, but is also quite flexible.” She shares that her previous fear of her children being bullied has been taken care of because homeschooling helps keep them from becoming victims of this growing trend in traditional schools.

“I know that you can never safeguard your children completely, yet homeschooling has, in a way, helped me shield them from a lot of unnecessary drama that I wouldn’t be able to manage as a single parent.” She says their schooling system means her children concentrate better on schoolwork, and shegetstohangoutwiththemtomakeupforlosttime.

WHERE TO BEGIN

To make an informed decision, various websites are available online to guide homeschooling beginners. Join a lively Facebook group, ask questions and investigate before dashing out and buying massive amounts of books and learning aids.

Merise Williams, a educational psychologist based in KwaZulu-Natal, also warns that an unconducive environment, uncommitted parent and poor parent-child relationship may cause homeschooling to be ineffective.

“Homeschooling is not always the best fit for every family. The key is parental involvement that undeniably allows for greater academic performance,” she says.

Once you decide that homeschooling works for you and your kids, make use of the several support groups that are available on Facebook and WhatsApp. You can find a directory of all the support groups in the nine provinces on the SA Homeschoolers website.

Over and above the various guiding associations, most cities do have homeschool groups.

“All you need to do is search on Facebook, and you will immediately get referred to a group. There, you will get social-interaction opportunities, play dates, co-ops, sport events and loads of information about extramurals,” Williams adds.

It is crucial that you remain involved in your children's education to determine the type of support they need. When the schooling set-up is virtual, it is seldom necessary to hire a private tutor. But, if your child needs a more tailored approach, then a tutor can be beneficial. ■