Are you Homeschooling in India?
This article is for you where we provide inch-on-inch detail about it.
With the cultural shift in Indian education, many parents from urban cities like Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad are opting for homeschooling. If you’re a parent in India considering homeschooling your child, you’re likely wondering where to start.
This blog post will outline the basics of homeschooling in India, from curriculum to legality. We will cover the four basic points
The Curriculum and Board options for homeschooling in India
As a parent, if you have decided to homeschool your child there are tons of things which you have to decide and prepare to get started. This guide will help you prepare from registration to how successfully you can homeschool your child.
Homeschooling toddlers or pre-primary children don’t need any formal registration or particular curriculum but when it comes to the child from 6 years of age certain things need to be aligned.
The very first question which must be popping up in your head is; which curriculum and board to follow? Though there are some national and international options available for curriculum, many parents choose to customise curriculum by picking the best fit for their child.
The most popular approaches to formal curriculum are:
- Montessori
- Waldorf
- Unschooling
But the most popular choice amongst homeschool parents is a tailor-made traditional school model which includes simple approaches to tutoring their child according to the available school curriculum.
Accreditation in Education Board
The most popular and well-suited board among homeschoolers in India is NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling). But in recent times some urban parents have more inclination toward the international model and therefore opted for Cambridge IGCSE Homeschooling.
Related: Pros and Cons of Homeschooling.
In 2019, the Maharashtra govt. has come forward to benefit home education students by launching the ‘Open SSC board’ especially recognising students from classes 5th – 12th.
Best Resources for homeschooling in India
Once an informed decision about boards and curriculum for homeschooling is made the second challenge appears to be a proper resource kit.
Even if you have decided to follow a curriculum based out of a traditional school setting following CBSE, IGCSE or any other board proper resourcing is a must, as every parent can’t teach all the subjects after 5th grade, it needs a subject matter expert’s intervention.
One may choose to outsource a tutor or may take online help available.
Following are the best online resources for homeschooling to help your child go along
- Virtual Labs – CSIR JIGYASA
- Online free tutorials -youtube, khan academy
- Resources/Worksheets/tests/planners – Pinterest, homeschool.com
- Social Science- Google Earth
- Recording/analysing/reporting – Home Schooler Helper
Support groups for Homeschooling in India
An alternate way of schooling may be fulfilling the academic needs of your child but teaching at home sometimes needs more creative ways to deal with practical issues and you ought to discuss it with like-minded parents.
Support groups are the best way to aid that help and guidance. In the past homeschooling wasn’t a popular choice but as gradually modern parents are grasping it internet support groups are the next thing to find better solutions.
Below are a few support groups present in India:
- Arohi Homeschool – based in Bengaluru
- FFE Mumbai Homeschoolers group – based in Mumbai
- India Group of Homeschoolers & Alternative Education – Facebook group
- Swashikshan – Indian Association of Homeschoolers
- Pune Homeschoolers
- Cascade Family Learning Society – A Society for Home-Schooled Children in Chennai, India
Many other small Facebook communities are present to connect, share and network.
Online schools as helping aid homeschoolers
Homeschooling is different from online schooling but there’s a crossing of paths between these two.
Parents need not take the entire responsibility to teach, coach, create curriculum, give tests and evaluate; they can choose to follow a guided system by enrolling on online homeschooling.
Some of the below online schools are ready to partner with and help homeschoolers in terms of recognition and accreditation.
- 21k School
- K8 school
- Wolsey Hall Oxford
- Cyboard online school
- Bridgeway Academy
- Grihashiksha
Conclusion
Homeschooling in India can be done with a variety of curricula and boards, and there are many resources and support groups available to help you get started. Online schools are also an option for homeschooling in India.
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