I've slacked in teaching the kids at home because we were busy moving house and celebrating the Chinese New Year. Excuses! Excuses!
I must say that teaching the kids at home is really not easy at all. It requires a lot of commitment and "homework" on my part. (To become a teacher, first you have to learn and prepare yourself.) My kids are young. Only 3 and 5. Even then, I find it hard work! I really don't know how those who have older children and do home schooling do it.
Even with my young kids, I find that it takes up a lot of time and patience. A time must be set aside for their studies. Theres lots of distraction too. Take for example this morning, I was halfway teaching my girl her Malay language studies when my boy decided to have a poo. So I had to go and wash him up halfway then come back to continue with the teaching. Imagine that!
I have to have lots of discipline too. To sit down at the same time daily. (I'm bad at this. Usually we do our lessons whenever I'm free and thats really not such a good thing.) We should really sit down at the same time and same place everyday. I try to create as close to a "school" environment as possible so they will get used to the concept of school. I have to plan a syllabus and stick to it so that there is continuity in learning. Then I have to record down what I have thought less I forget! I also need to make sure that I teach several subjects, Maths, English and Malay languages, Arts and Crafts, Science, Moral Studies. I wish I could teach Chinese too but first I have to learn it myself!
Time, Commitment and Patience. Thats what you need to do home schooling, even for the very young pre-schoolers which I have at home. At least thats my experience. Hope other more experienced parents can share their homeschooling experiences too.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Home Schooling is not easy
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I am like you. Trying to stick to a schedule but end up teaching when I have free time. Even worse when the kids make you mad then you don't have the mood to teach too.
ReplyDeleteI've learned to NOT beat up myself so much when I feel like I don't prepare enough or teach like I should. Try to remind myself that their play time is also part of education. After that I try not to slack off too long :) Also learning doesn't have to be counted by the hours. Sometimes, their learning may only last 10 minutes. May seem too simple and too short, but it's still learning.
Thanks Lian,
ReplyDeleteThat helped to make me feel a bit better. :P