Homeschooling in Mumbai
Homeschooling is a growing trend in India and Mumbai is no exception. In recent years, homeschooling has seen a steady rise in popularity across the country, with parents opting for this alternative education option to provide their children with the best possible learning environment.
In addition to being a cost-effective way of educating your child, homeschooling also provides students with an opportunity to be part of a community where they can learn about topics that interest them.
The benefits of homeschooling have encouraged many parents to choose this route over traditional schooling, which often results in higher academic performance and greater socialisation opportunities.
Types of homeschooling in Mumbai:
Homeschooling in Mumbai can be done through two different means: private and public.
Private Homeschooling:
This is quite a common form of homeschooling as it encompasses the learning process that happens in several classrooms across metro cities. Children are enrolled by their parents or guardians into academic classes at grammar schools or local middle schools, which provide tuition for subjects such as Maths, Science , Social studies, Language and so on. Kids are usually enrolled in these classes for 5 days a week from Monday to Friday depending upon the school’s schedule of sessions.
Public homeschooling:
This entails teaching children at home with private tutors and teachers paid for by their parents or guardians, as well as through state-sponsored schools, which can be run on your own or in collaboration with other families or individuals interested in educating children outside of traditional institutions/schools.
Home Tuition:
Public-Private Schooling with Home Tutors and Teachers
This option is quite popular in urban India as well and involves parents obtaining qualified teachers/tutors from institutions like leading schools, coaching centres, or the University of Mumbai for session durations ranging between 25 minutes to 2 hours once a week.
Another extremely useful way of homeschooling involves the involvement of experienced tutors who teach children using their parents’ facilities, which can be rented out on a long-term basis at negligible costs (depending upon the locality and the respective landlords’ interest in renting to parents). Most of Mumbai’s leading schools, like Shreyas, SNDT, etc., now provide such facilities for a monthly one-time fee. It is very convenient because both parties can see progress or “take regular breaks” at their own convenience, thus keeping kids well engaged in learning without any disturbance.
Some private schools have also started offering homeschooling options as well. We highly recommend parents learn about such places from their neighbours and fellow parents’ group members or members of the respective school’s governing body or board.
Parents can also learn approaches other than those mentioned above in order to reach a level where they can educate their own children independently.
Below are a few of the most important steps to follow.
1.Choosing a curriculum for your child
Homeschooling has the potential to be a fantastic learning experience for children. Parents can be inspired by the educational setups of foreign students and teachers, as well as specific subjects in schools that are extremely useful for imparting knowledge.However, there is no one-size-fits-all curriculum for homeschooled kids who want to teach themselves what they need instead of relying on traditional education techniques. They need some creative thinking skills as well as a subject-specific approach to choose the curriculum.
The most popular curriculum for homeschooling parents in Mumbai is the Charlotte Mason method. This approach uses literature, history, and geography to educate children on various subjects.
Another popular preferred curriculum is the Waldorf School Curriculum. This school offers a variety of learning opportunities, including the ability to learn through play, art, and nature. Waldorf schools also focus on individual development and self-expression with a strong emphasis on creativity and spiritual well-being.
2.How Much Should You Teach Your Child?
After choosing their desired curriculum, parents need to take into account their child’s age and intellectual capacity when calculating how much time will be spent on them. For kids aged 7–10 years old, we recommend teaching at least an hour of daily tasks that are essential for everyday functioning in school (for example: spelling or grammar exercises at home). Next, you should calculate how much time is set aside for each of your child’s subjects and estimate their workload so that you can plan out his/her school days.
3.Join homeschooling groups and communities.
There are many homeschooling groups on Facebook and most of the members are happy to help and provide guidance to new homeschooling parents. Some groups also organise in-person meetings for homeschooling parents and children to meet and exchange ideas and share their journey.
Do make a point of joining these groups and actively participating in discussions and other activities.
Below is a list of some of the popular homeschooling groups.
All in all, it is important to have a proper understanding of your child’s strengths and weaknesses so that you can properly plan his/her school life. It is also important to understand the best age at which your child should start learning, what subjects he/she should learn and how much time he/she needs for each subject. Further, you should keep in mind the personality of your child and his/her likes and dislikes, hobbies etc. before making a final decision on what kind of education he is likely to prefer as it would not only help him become more interested but also save you money by purchasing less textbooks, school accessories etc.
