Independent Homeschooling: Different but not deficient

At the hospital with my family one afternoon for my husband’s prescription, I saw a familiar lady seated on the bench outside the doctor’s clinic. Recognizing me as well, she began to converse with me as my son and I sat beside her while my husband stood nearby.

She asked my son’s age and if he was already enrolled in school. I told her that he was 5 and that, no, he was not enrolled but would continue to be independently homeschooled. Offhandedly, she commented, “Oh, but you should also let him experience a normal childhood.” I was taken aback by her unsolicited advice. She quickly assumed that he was missing out on an important aspect of his childhood by not attending a regular school. I also kind of felt that she parent-shamed me.

In this day and age, when many parents have growing concerns about safety, we should be more open to options for providing education for our children.

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My husband and I may be a bit too cautious, but I feel at peace with our decision to have our son go through independent homeschooling until he is ready to enter elementary level. Amid the troubling school-related crimes that have shocked the country recently, we want to be able to closely supervise our son.

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We are pleased with his academic development in this setting. At 5, he can add numbers up to the thousands, subtract, multiply, and divide small numbers, and read an analog clock. He has memorized the solar system, geometric shapes beyond the basics, and primary and tertiary colors. He can read in English and Filipino and explain natural disasters in simple terms. His logical and critical thinking are commendable.

As for socialization, we are not worried that our son is missing out because, as I told the lady at the hospital, he is exposed to many people and has many friends among our fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses, whom we meet twice a week for Christian meetings and other special gatherings as well. He can comfortably converse even with adults who marvel at his expressiveness.

When our son turns 6 in December, we will have him take the Department of Education’s Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT). The PEPT is not an acceleration test but a test to determine the appropriate grade level for entry into formal school. So, it is for homeschoolers, independent learners, out-of-school youth, adults who did not complete basic education, and students who want to validate learning acquired through nonformal or informal means.

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If he passes it, he will be eligible for first grade next June, skipping nursery and kindergarten. But chances are, we will still choose a parent-led homeschooling program affiliated with an educational institution.

I’m happy that, as a couple, we were able to help with our son’s development without sending him to nursery and kindergarten, sparing us the paranoia that has been compounded by recent school tragedies. No place in this world is 100 percent safe, especially when a natural disaster strikes, but you have more control over the safety measures set up at your own home.

As per our experience, independent homeschooling is effective. It may not be for everyone, but this is what suits our family for now, and other families, too. As our son grows older, we may consider sending him to a regular school.

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Independent homeschooling has its merits and deserves recognition. It should not be dismissed as educational neglect. It may be different, but it’s not deficient.

Ruvy Ann Almonte-Sison,

[email protected]

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