Homeschooling

In my last column I expressed that we removed our son from his previous school as it was no longer serving his needs. This decision was made at the end of the Easter term and our estimation was that things were so bad we would move him even if we were unable to get him into another school for the final term. As anticipated, the school we earmarked was unable to take him for the summer term and my husband and I made the quick decision therefore to have him homeschooled for the term. We were already in the process of hiring a new shadow/teaching assistant to assist him at school so we used the opportunity to hire someone who had the skillset to manage a homeschool programme.

In many cases parents who can afford to do so stay home and homeschool their children themselves. This was not an option for us. Homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular in Jamaica and it stands as an option for almost any child with varying abilities. But in this context it serves as an excellent option for children with special needs. This is so, owing to the poor educational offering for children with special needs in Jamaica with not enough programmes offering a specialised approach.

The Education Act of 1980 states in Part III that, “It shall be the duty of the parent of every child of compulsory school age residing in a compulsory education area to cause him to receive full-time education suitable to his age and ability, and satisfactory to the Educational Board for the area, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.”

Under the “or otherwise” phrase in the law, families can legally homeschool in Jamaica. The Ministry of Education must be aware and have input in the homeschooling programme. Contact with the ministry is your first step if you are considering this option and they will guide your process.

The main benefit of homeschooling is very simply that a child can have a tailored learning plan. The one-to-one student/teacher ratio allows for specific and continuous focus on your child’s educational targets. This setting fosters greater flexibility as the methodology can be in any format that will achieve the learning of concepts. I have seen my son’s tutor with him on the floor using his toys to teach him various concepts from classification, addition and subtraction to comprehension. This kind of approach is less likely to be found in the traditional classroom.

The focus in the at-home programme is on learning the concepts and less about grades and class placement. This allows your child to go at his pace. It provides a space were even greater concepts can be explored which is limited in the classroom where the teacher has several students to manage, all the while adhering to a stricter curriculum. Some parents attest that this option is also less expensive especially if there is more than one child in the home as the investment is on learning resources only. This is especially true if the parent is the teacher.

On the other hand, even though homeschooling has the advantage of having a very tailored academic thrust, there are disadvantages. There is more to school than academics. In the traditional school setting there are extracurricular activities and social groups that aid tremendously in your child’s development. Just the simple everyday interaction with peers forms a critical component to the social development of an individual.

Some homeschooling parents make up for this by enrolling children in different additional activities such as swimming, music and play dates. School, however, would give more of an opportunity to do more of these activities in one place as it can be hectic hustling your child from activity to activity. Some parents attest to a homeschooling being a better alternative when there are several children in the home and not necessarily ideal for an only child.

In summary, the decision to homeschool is a welcomed option to a growing number of parents with children with special needs as the current school system is one that is not offering the environment to foster an academic programme that will see these children actualising their full potential. It is not a wholesale recommendation but is really determined by the uniqueness of each child.

For our son, we homeschooled for a term and as such cannot fully speak to all the pros and cons within such a short period. We did actualise benefits as he started to move faster in learning concepts and was more focused However, sending him back out to school for the summer proved he is not a prime candidate for homeschooling as he craves and relishes social interaction with his peers. He was excited to be back in school and as such he will be back in school this coming September.

There are several factors to consider if you are considering this option:

1. The first step is to assess the child and his needs

2. Then challenge yourself to determine if the traditional school setting is really not meeting your child needs

3. Consider who would do the homeschooling and whether they are equipped to manage such a programme;

4. Consider whether the home environment is conducive to schooling

4. And consider whether this change in social interaction will affect your child.

There is additional resource information online regarding homeschooling in Jamaica that will highlight other considerations.

Sara, mom to six year old Amari, is an advocate for children with developmental delays. Amari was born three months early at one pound, and was hospitalised for three and a half months after birth. Check this space every few weeks as Sara tackles the issue of children with special needs. E-mail her at francis.m.sara@gmail.com.

Amari with his tutor/shadow Aunty Carlene.