Our Associate Editor, Dr. Navodita, takes a look at various kinds of schooling, in India and abroad. An exclusive for Different Truths.

In India public school system has been looked up to as a near perfect one with English-medium education being very popular among the upwardly mobile classes. However, in the US there is substantial criticism of the American public school system and this criticism is not new. There have been apprehensions for a long time now about whether such education system can deliver values to children. The reforms in the public school system failed to ameliorate the concerns of some parents, who felt that the system was failing to educate their children with their philosophical and moral upbringing. Among some alternatives were magnet and charter schools, even voucher-based education and homeschooling. There are quite a few takers for these.

Homeschools Are an Option

We all are aware that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was homeschooled and yet he was a talented writer, composer, playwright, essayist and painter. He was an extremely talented person, who was also very well-groomed and kind, qualities appreciated by many.

We all are aware that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was homeschooled and yet he was a talented writer, composer, playwright, essayist and painter. He was an extremely talented person, who was also very well-groomed and kind

Does homeschooling then imbibe the right family values into a child, something the school may fail to deliver? Or does the school have its own philosophy of life that it tries to inculcate in a child, which may not be well-accepted by parents? Do parents truly need to research on the kind of values the school gives to its students so that the child will not be confused what values to follow and what sort of aims and ambitions to have and most importantly, what expectations to have from life itself? If the child is given multiple messages at an impressionable age, then he maybe lost about the person he stands for!

Community Schools

Most recently community schools are also becoming popular among a large part of Indian families, who want their children to imbibe good values, too. A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, youth development, family support, health and social services and community development leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities.

Gandhiji advocated close integration of the process of education with the life and work in the community.

Social institutions like Ashram, Gurukula, Pathasala, Vihara, Vidyapeeth, etc. existed and still do exist, which promote community education.  In community schools, besides education, the all-round cultural development of the person, and formation of integrated moral character were the aims and objectives of educational processes.  Gandhiji advocated close integration of the process of education with the life and work in the community. Other benefits of community schools are:

• Community schools are run by local communities. Therefore, the possibility of corruption gets reduced greatly.  The selection of teachers will be merit based and the teachers will be under continuous monitoring by the community. There is a high level of accountability which comes inherently along with the concept of community schools.
• The needs of the children are the highest priority in community schools because it is largely parents or neighbours or relatives of the children who will be running the school.
• Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities.  Students attend school consistently; students are actively involved in learning.
• Students live and learn in a safe, supportive, and stable environment, and communities are desirable places to live.
• The individual attention that the children get in these schools is incomparable with other regular municipal schools.
• Home-schooling also allows blossoming of a child’s creative side.
• Decentralisation of authority from Government and making the community responsible for their own development is considered as the hallmark of “people’s empowerment”.

Home Schools Abroad

While community schools maybe one option, in countries outside India it is gaining popularity as the kids are considered better groomed away from unsafe zones of ‘bullying’, ‘racism’ and other such ‘complexes’ which the child may develop at a young impressionable age.

Homeschooling is legal everywhere in the United States, but homeschooling laws vary from state to state. The three basic categories for homeschooling laws are: home education laws, private school laws, and equivalency laws. More importantly, your child will not become a social misfit.

Homeschooling is legal everywhere in the United States, but homeschooling laws vary from state to state. The three basic categories for homeschooling laws are: home education laws, private school laws, and equivalency laws. More importantly, your child will not become a social misfit. Children do not need to be socialised in a large group of same-age children to become well-adjusted socially. Quite the opposite. Most parents want their children to learn their social graces from adults – not other children. Homeschoolers have healthy relationships with people of all ages, including the new mother next door, the retired couple who loves to garden, their friends at ballet, 4-H and karate and, most importantly, their parents. This sort of learning doesn’t happen when a child goes to school. In a regular school learning, children pick up most of the habits from outside the home environment and society around them.

So next time you decide to send your child to school, you must think about what sort of grooming do you want the child to get. There is no right way or wrong, there are just more options for the younger generation to choose from. It’s their right to get the best! Hit the road and explore all your child can become and grow up to be as a contributing individual to the society!

Photos from the Internet