Whenever I come across an attempt to promote #homeschooling in India, I feel compelled to discourage it as a responsible citizen and a conventional educator. Since this video is no different, here is another 'homeschool-bashing' #thread.
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https://twitter.com/SamrajSanjana/status/1558132374822473728
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@SamrajSanjana & @aramanujaa are great tweeple to follow. I am merely voicing my disagreement with the idea of #homeschooling in India here, and it has nothing against them, personally. They are amazing people, from what I know about them so far.
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@SamrajSanjana & @aramanujaa are great tweeple to follow. I am merely voicing my disagreement with the idea of #homeschooling in India here, and it has nothing against them, personally. They are amazing people, from what I know about them so far.
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#Clarification
My 'resistance' to #homeschooling in India is not the mere fear of a 'traditional' teacher about a new and revolutionary education movement. Like many of you, I loved the idea of the possibility of #homeschooling in India when I first heard about it.
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My 'resistance' to #homeschooling in India is not the mere fear of a 'traditional' teacher about a new and revolutionary education movement. Like many of you, I loved the idea of the possibility of #homeschooling in India when I first heard about it.
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Seven years ago, I heard about #homeschooling in India for the first time from @ArunElassery of @Asli_Shiksha, when we met around a school improvement project in Kottayam. When he mentioned #homeschooling during one of our conversations, I remember, I was all ears.
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As I listened to him talking about #homeschooling, I was excited about its revolutionary possibilities. If my parents were to opt for homeschooling, I would not have had such an excruciatingly bad schooling experience.
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When you #homeschool, you can learn what you want to when you want to. No pressure, no expectations - why would that not sound like an oasis to someone who consistently failed, from Grade 1 to Grade 10, to meet the expectations of his teachers and parents?
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To the naïve and hopeful novice educator in me, #homeschooling sounded like the only solution against the stubborn, unimaginative, and unbearably traditional institutionalized schooling in India. Since schools won't change, let us try #homeschooling, I thought!
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I decided that I must learn more about #homeschooling so that I can be part of making it a mass movement in India, revolutionizing education. India needed it.
I started digging up the research on #homeschooling and listening to #homeschool enthusiasts.
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I started digging up the research on #homeschooling and listening to #homeschool enthusiasts.
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Almost seven years after my first tryst with the idea of #homeschooling, today, I am better informed and cringing about the potential harm #homeschooling can cause to India's fragile democratic and social fabric.
Can I clarify?
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Can I clarify?
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Now that you are here, I want to clarify a few myths #homeschool enthusiasts propagate to justify their side of the story!
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The #SocialSkills Myth
Homeschoolers accuse us of spreading misinformation when we tell them schools are an undeniably significant socialization factor. The accusation stems from the misconception that socialization is only about developing social skills. It is not!
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Homeschoolers accuse us of spreading misinformation when we tell them schools are an undeniably significant socialization factor. The accusation stems from the misconception that socialization is only about developing social skills. It is not!
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The #SocialSkills Myth
Socialization is the process of learning to coexist in a society. Social skills are only a part of it, and you acquire them at home and in school. You do not need to go to school to learn social skills, I am sure.
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Socialization is the process of learning to coexist in a society. Social skills are only a part of it, and you acquire them at home and in school. You do not need to go to school to learn social skills, I am sure.
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The #SocialSkills Myth
When parents use good quality face-to-face motherese, they lay the foundations for your social skills. To cultivate the roots and shoots of your social skills from that foundation, you get sufficient time and space at home and on the streets.
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When parents use good quality face-to-face motherese, they lay the foundations for your social skills. To cultivate the roots and shoots of your social skills from that foundation, you get sufficient time and space at home and on the streets.
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The #SocialSkills Myth
However, good social skills do not ensure great socialization. What does that mean?
To answer this, we must look at the four pillars of education, as described by the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century
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However, good social skills do not ensure great socialization. What does that mean?
To answer this, we must look at the four pillars of education, as described by the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century
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The #SocialSkills Myth
Which are the four pillars of education?
One: Learning to know
Two: Learning to do
Three: Learning to live together
Four: Learning to be
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Which are the four pillars of education?
One: Learning to know
Two: Learning to do
Three: Learning to live together
Four: Learning to be
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The #SocialSkills Myth
'Learning-to-live-together' is a critical component of socialization, apart from social skills. Unfortunately, homeschooled kids miss out on it.
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'Learning-to-live-together' is a critical component of socialization, apart from social skills. Unfortunately, homeschooled kids miss out on it.
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The #SocialSkills Myth
In NPE 1968, the Indian government explicitly mentioned its intention to promote 'common schools' to ensure that our children learn to live equally together and overcome the shackles placed on them by a caste-based society.
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In NPE 1968, the Indian government explicitly mentioned its intention to promote 'common schools' to ensure that our children learn to live equally together and overcome the shackles placed on them by a caste-based society.
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The #SocialSkills Myth
Indian #Homeschooling Enthusiasts are not only denying children the opportunity to learn to live together, but they are also intentionally or unintentionally working towards enabling the caste system back in India.
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Indian #Homeschooling Enthusiasts are not only denying children the opportunity to learn to live together, but they are also intentionally or unintentionally working towards enabling the caste system back in India.
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The #SocialSkills Myth
The last time we had mass #homeschooling in India and no common schools, and when parents used to teach children instead of sending them to school, we ensured that the caste system persisted. Common schools were India's antidote to caste.
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The last time we had mass #homeschooling in India and no common schools, and when parents used to teach children instead of sending them to school, we ensured that the caste system persisted. Common schools were India's antidote to caste.
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The #Freedom & #Flexibility Myth
Most people recommend #homeschooling because, unlike traditional schools, it gives children the freedom and flexibility to work on their talents instead of spending time learning five to six subjects that they may not like.
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Most people recommend #homeschooling because, unlike traditional schools, it gives children the freedom and flexibility to work on their talents instead of spending time learning five to six subjects that they may not like.
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The #Freedom & #Flexibility Myth
First, we teach foundational literacy, numeracy, science, and social science across grades for a reason. They equip children to decide what they want to work on and specialize in, in ten years.
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First, we teach foundational literacy, numeracy, science, and social science across grades for a reason. They equip children to decide what they want to work on and specialize in, in ten years.
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The #Freedom & #Flexibility Myth
Second, gone are the days schools kill talent. I do not know why this stereotype persists, despite explicit attempts to make learning art integrated, project-based, and interdisciplinary in schools.
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Second, gone are the days schools kill talent. I do not know why this stereotype persists, despite explicit attempts to make learning art integrated, project-based, and interdisciplinary in schools.
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The #Freedom & #Flexibility Myth
Third, homeschooling curtails freedom and flexibility at a much more sinister level than killing talents.
We must look at why parents opt for homeschooling to understand this.
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Third, homeschooling curtails freedom and flexibility at a much more sinister level than killing talents.
We must look at why parents opt for homeschooling to understand this.
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The #Freedom & #Flexibility Myth
There are two kinds of homeschooling parents: a) ideologues and b) pedagogues.
What does that mean?
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There are two kinds of homeschooling parents: a) ideologues and b) pedagogues.
What does that mean?
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The #Freedom & #Flexibility Myth
Ideologues opt for homeschooling to ensure that their children do not follow any other faith (religion) than the one they follow.
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Ideologues opt for homeschooling to ensure that their children do not follow any other faith (religion) than the one they follow.
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The #Freedom & #Flexibility Myth
Pedagogues opt for homeschooling as they cannot accept the pedagogical approaches promoted in schools.
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Pedagogues opt for homeschooling as they cannot accept the pedagogical approaches promoted in schools.
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The #Freedom & #Flexibility Myth
Research tells us that most Ideologues among homeschooling parents are Pedagogues and vice versa. In other words, they do homeschooling to curtail their children's freedom to decide what they want to believe.
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Research tells us that most Ideologues among homeschooling parents are Pedagogues and vice versa. In other words, they do homeschooling to curtail their children's freedom to decide what they want to believe.
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The #Accessibility Myth
Low stake promoters of Homeschooling in India (with explicit business interests!) argue that #homeschooling is not the luxury of the elite anymore.
The justification they give is funny!
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Low stake promoters of Homeschooling in India (with explicit business interests!) argue that #homeschooling is not the luxury of the elite anymore.
The justification they give is funny!
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The #Accessibility Myth
They say there are Open Learning Resources available online. All that parents need to do is to download those and give them to their children.
Remember, the very same people blame schools for overloading children with information.
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They say there are Open Learning Resources available online. All that parents need to do is to download those and give them to their children.
Remember, the very same people blame schools for overloading children with information.
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The #Accessibility Myth
Research tells us that 33% of homeschooling parents make $75,000/year, 26% make $50,001 to $75,000/year, 24% make $25,001 to $50,000/year and less than 16% make $25,000/year.
Convert that to INR to understand the accessibility myth.
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Research tells us that 33% of homeschooling parents make $75,000/year, 26% make $50,001 to $75,000/year, 24% make $25,001 to $50,000/year and less than 16% make $25,000/year.
Convert that to INR to understand the accessibility myth.
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The #Accessibility Myth
By the way, it is interesting that the 16% I mentioned above eventually give up on homeschooling and move their children to traditional common schools, as parents need to find work.
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By the way, it is interesting that the 16% I mentioned above eventually give up on homeschooling and move their children to traditional common schools, as parents need to find work.
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The #Achievement Myth
Homeschool Enthusiasts keep talking about the research on student achievement, which establishes that Homeschoolers do better than Common Schoolers on standardized tests.
What is the truth?
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Homeschool Enthusiasts keep talking about the research on student achievement, which establishes that Homeschoolers do better than Common Schoolers on standardized tests.
What is the truth?
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The #Achievement Myth
Well, it is partly true and partly a misconception.
The first research dates to 1999, when Rudner administered academic achievement tests to
20,760 homeschoolers.
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Well, it is partly true and partly a misconception.
The first research dates to 1999, when Rudner administered academic achievement tests to
20,760 homeschoolers.
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The #Achievement Myth
What the Homeschool Enthusiasts miss out on is that Rudner makes it clear in his paper - these 20,760 homeschoolers are not an exact cross-section of society.
Do you understand what that means?
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What the Homeschool Enthusiasts miss out on is that Rudner makes it clear in his paper - these 20,760 homeschoolers are not an exact cross-section of society.
Do you understand what that means?
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The #Achievement Myth
The second research dates to 2006. Here Clemente finds a significant difference in the average SAT scores of homeschoolers and common-schoolers. Again, he could not establish homeschooling caused this difference.
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The second research dates to 2006. Here Clemente finds a significant difference in the average SAT scores of homeschoolers and common-schoolers. Again, he could not establish homeschooling caused this difference.
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The #Teacher Myth
Homeschool Enthusiasts claim that parents can teach better than teachers.
They miss out on very crucial facts about teaching when they say this:
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Homeschool Enthusiasts claim that parents can teach better than teachers.
They miss out on very crucial facts about teaching when they say this:
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The #Teacher Myth
First, we did not invent common schools only because Industrial Age needed employees and had to mass educate them.
We have other reasons too!
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First, we did not invent common schools only because Industrial Age needed employees and had to mass educate them.
We have other reasons too!
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The #Teacher Myth
First, we invented schools because parents lacked the training to teach. Consider the research from educational psychology to cognitive science to understand what it means to train to teach.
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First, we invented schools because parents lacked the training to teach. Consider the research from educational psychology to cognitive science to understand what it means to train to teach.
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The #Teacher Myth
We have schools and teachers also because it is not psychologically healthy to spend 157680 hours continuously with your child, shifting from parent mode to teacher mode and back.
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We have schools and teachers also because it is not psychologically healthy to spend 157680 hours continuously with your child, shifting from parent mode to teacher mode and back.
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The #Teacher Myth
Also, consider this:
You can learn plumbing from a plumber. Not any random plumber, a plumber who knows to teach.
Now change the word plumbing into physics and plumber into a physicist. You get the picture!
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Also, consider this:
You can learn plumbing from a plumber. Not any random plumber, a plumber who knows to teach.
Now change the word plumbing into physics and plumber into a physicist. You get the picture!
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The #CelebrityHomeschoolers Myth
Homeschool Enthusiasts will throw a list of celebrity homeschoolers at you. Pay close attention to the list. What does it tell you?
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Homeschool Enthusiasts will throw a list of celebrity homeschoolers at you. Pay close attention to the list. What does it tell you?
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The #CelebrityHomeschoolers Myth
You cannot find a single 20th/21st Century Patent Holder on that list! Why?
Innovation in the 21st Century is not a single-individual game anymore. Collaboration is the key and schools are the catalysts.
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You cannot find a single 20th/21st Century Patent Holder on that list! Why?
Innovation in the 21st Century is not a single-individual game anymore. Collaboration is the key and schools are the catalysts.
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The #ParentChoice Myth
Eventually, Home School Enthusiasts throw their hands in the air and tell you: Parents have the freedom to choose how and where to school their children.
There are two issues with the Parent Choice Myth!
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Eventually, Home School Enthusiasts throw their hands in the air and tell you: Parents have the freedom to choose how and where to school their children.
There are two issues with the Parent Choice Myth!
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The #ParentChoice Myth
First, when a few countries banned everything other than public schools, do you know who went to court against that decision, arguing for the parent's right to choose?
The Church - the most anti-choice pro- establishment organization!
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First, when a few countries banned everything other than public schools, do you know who went to court against that decision, arguing for the parent's right to choose?
The Church - the most anti-choice pro- establishment organization!
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The #ParentChoice Myth
Two, in democratic countries, democratic accountability is more important than individual whims and fancies. Your right to choose, in other words, is not above India's educational goals and need for social cohesion and equality.
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Two, in democratic countries, democratic accountability is more important than individual whims and fancies. Your right to choose, in other words, is not above India's educational goals and need for social cohesion and equality.
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The #PandemicHomeschool Myth
Homeschool enthusiasts say it is easy to homeschool children in India because we did it during pandemic lockdown. Actually we didn't.
Did we?
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Homeschool enthusiasts say it is easy to homeschool children in India because we did it during pandemic lockdown. Actually we didn't.
Did we?
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The #PandemicHomeschool Myth
In fact, private schools across India went online to teach children during the pandemic. We did not homeschool them. The remaining children did not get enough attention, making us worry about the learning gaps caused by the lockdown.
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In fact, private schools across India went online to teach children during the pandemic. We did not homeschool them. The remaining children did not get enough attention, making us worry about the learning gaps caused by the lockdown.
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