Homeschooled kids graduate with individuality, say parents
Homeschooling has given my children a lot of free time to think and be creative. There is no rush: When you give them the topic to learn or activity to do, they are ready to do it.” Rizwana Abdul Kader parent
There is freedom and space to teach what we want and when we want it to our children. I started homeschooling one of my children from age 2.” Hadia Nehme parent
dubai — A junior graduation ceremony held last week at the Dubai and Northern Emirates Homeschooling Association (Duneha) in Jumeirah was one with a difference.
A group of 20 homeschooled children took to the stage to celebrate the achievements of their journey. It was also a graduation event for children aged between two and seven years. In contrast to the usual assembly-style school graduation formalities, kids stood and sat when they wanted along with their parent-teachers.
Firaz, eight, has been homeschooled for over two years and opened the event by reading from the Holy Quran. Khadijah, at just age five, said she loves homeschooling “because I get to play with my sister every day”.
Dismissing the idea that homeschooling makes children unstructured, Supriya Narang — a mother who homeschools her kids — said: “Homeschooled children have more time to socialise than other children. For instance, unstructured activities outside, playdates, events and workshops help them integrate with children of many different age groups.”
Another homeschooling mum, Rizwana Abdul Kader, said: “Homeschooling has given my children a lot of free time to be creative. There is no rush: When you give them the topic to learn or activity to do, they are ready to do it.”
Yet another misconception about homeschooling is that it segregates children from the real world, says Rizwana. “But homeschooling has no set timings and therefore, the children are free to be out in the real world as often as possible.”
Hadia Nehme, another parent, said: “I started homeschooling one of my children from age two and integrated him into a group homeschooling playgroup. I could expose him from the start to different nationalities, faiths and activities. This teaches them a lot of life skills.”