DE-SCHOOLING, A CONTRADICTION

DE-SCHOOLING, A CONTRADICTIONshortage of time to spent for the kids speaks
  By Mr.Harekrushna Beheraabout the good option to send child to school.
The author is a teacher in social science,can be- The time in summer and winter holidays, when
contacted through                children stay at home, it becomes very boring
  E-mail-   days and a period of headache for the parents. Is
Just few days back I saw an English news paperit not a burden for the parents to stop children to
highlighting de-school concept through an articlego school and learn at home?
‘Learning @ home is fun’. The article- There is a danger even in sparing the internet
speaks about the fact that more and morefor the use of the child as it can be very easily
parents in Bangalore, Mumbai and Pune those whomisused. Better option is a teacher but not a
are opting for Home Schooling. Children aremachine to train the child. Help of a machine can
provided all such learning equipments or tutors atbe taken by a teacher but a teacher cannot be
home for studies and children are getting enoughreplaced by a machine.
time to share in other activities and hobbies.- It is true that in this internet age a child can be
According to them, there is no need to sendavailed with computer both at home and school
children to school. At home they can be trainedfor global knowledge. But totally surrendering child
with a flexible scheduled time table which canto the computer is foolishness.
prepare the child well. And that can help them in- There is a difference in learning from a personal
thorough research in any topic and understandingtutor and in the class room. Learning in the class
a concept very well. And on reaching class 10, theroom is really a fun. Children enjoy each other.
child can take the board exam privately byThe change must be in the teaching style or
registering with the National Institute of Opencurriculum of the school but not de-schooling.
Schooling or International General Certificate of- Many children have confessed openly the boring
Secondary Education. The degree is acceptableteaching that parents often assigned a personal
across the world.tutor at home to teach. Child is over burdened
The news paper also speaks about whatwith a personal teacher rather he is comfortable
psychologists speak. They speak, “Consideringin a group.
the system our schools are following, home- At home, providing personal coaching to child by
schooling is a good option. A school is crammed-a tutor should be more vigilant. Leaving everything
be it in curricular or extra- curricular activities. In ato the home tutor and to be careless may have
family, it’s a more relaxed environment andinviting physical and emotional harassment to the
therefore more conducive for learning”kids. Thus group learning at classroom is the best
But as a teacher I can say, schools can’t belearning.
replaced by learning at home. A child at schoolBetter, it’s the children say more about the
now a day’s is more beneficial than a childjoy at school or home. Children come to school
can get in home learning.for enjoying- not only in class room learning but
- School provides one platform where childrenwith their friends. A child learns more from his
share each other and learn each other in theirpeer groups rather than teacher. The same
peer group. 90% of learning of the studentsenvironment cannot be given at home. Scholl has
takes place while sharing with their friends. Andbeen providing a very comfortable learning
learning and sharing at home by using computersenvironment since time immemorial. It is
or other equipments or taking the help of parentsspeechless to say about complete learning without
who are not of same age is more burdensomeschool. Machines and other equipments can add
work.the teachers in teaching but not meant for
- Busy life of parents and relatives shows thereplacing them.