Home Schooling - Outsourcing
"We need not so much to instructed as to be reminded" Unknown
Know your material
It's peculiar because you think you know what something is - until you have to teach someone about it. For example a CD ROM - Yep, I know what it is, it's a thingummy that you stick in computer. Er yes - but what is it really? ... Hmmmm...
Trying to teach the girls about Easter (Sarah’s Curriculum) made it scarily obvious that while I had a vague idea about the concept I didn't know much about the finer points. I had to a fair amount of research before I could teach her - I hadn't anticipated this sort of thing at all! Sometimes you think you know things but reality your knowledge is pretty superficial.
Naturally teaching them the wrong info and then having to ‘un-teach’ does not score you many brownie points!
Outsourcing a subject
I am sad to say that I needed a fair amount of help with my maths so I could teach them. (Incredible that, as an adult what takes me ten or twenty minutes or so to grasp, was something I never clicked with in weeks and weeks and weeks of school. Reiterates the point earlier that children learn in their own time).
However, trying to teach a child about something you don’t understand is impossible so if you honestly can’t get to grips with it or feel you don’t want to confuse your child by trying, outsource. Ask a friend or a family member, or possibly a tutor to help them.
There are other options too.
Online Tutoring
There are a number of online tutoring services that will teach your child on a one to one basis. A growing industry in India hundreds of teachers are being recruited to teach online. e-tutors. The lessons take place through a variety of online media, VOLP (like Skype) instant messaging, electronic blackboard and email and web.
I have never used this and while I feel the idea has enormous merit it is not always viable for family travelling because of limited or complicated internet connection but it is something that I would seriously consider exploring on future trips now that the children are older and their school curriculum goes way beyond my skills.
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