“Homeschool is cool!”
Sun.Star Davao, December 10, 2016
Intentional parenting is what motivates the growing
number of Dabawenyo parents who decide to homeschool their kids.
“More than the academics, we want to develop the
character of our child”, intimates Reginald Cua, an industrial engineer and
Rhoda Cua, a pharmacist. Both are also real estate brokers who committed to
homeschool their 13-year old son Gershon Josh for three years now.
Homeschooling is defined by the Department of Education
as “a home-based education which relies on the active participation of the
parent as a teacher to his child. This is a one-on-one tutorial type of
teaching”.
“Our son is able to learn what he wants and loves to
learn. Except for few subjects that are deemed necessary (English, Math and
Science), we are flexible as to what other areas he wants to explore”, explains
Rhoda.
For the Cuas, the best things about homeschooling include
getting to know your child better and being able to correct mistakes on the
spot.
Learning
is fun
On the other hand, Marty and Katherine Ponla, both registered
nurses, opted to homeschool because it allowed them to instill Christian values
to their two kids, Kirsty, 15 and Jesse, 13.
Aside from this, when they were still U.S.-based, Kirsty
and Jesse were assessed to be “high ability” or gifted kids. But, their regular
school then could not properly accommodate their giftedness.
“They didn't want to accelerate me or give me more
advanced subjects, so I unwittingly ended up becoming a troublemaker”, laughs
Kirsty.
“Because
homeschooling is very flexible, my brother and I were able to study whatever we
found interesting. We weren't limited to learning about things just through
books. We were able to utilize many different resources in many different formats.
In addition, being part of a homeschool support group allowed us to go on field
trips and take classes in group settings, while online resources gave us the
option to learn about whatever, whenever. Being able to use all of these, plus
regular school books, made sure that learning was never boring. I guess that's
what made us love learning - learning was fun!”, relates Kirsty.
Meanwhile, Dondi Alentajan, a businessman and his wife
Tara, a consultant, pursued homeschooling in 2009 after they observed how
remarkable the homeschooled children of their friends were.
"How
confident, talented, smart, and obedient these children are! We found these
homeschooled children to be so self-assured, with some of them exhibiting
talents way beyond their years. My wife and I thought then, "We want our
children to be the same!”, shares Dondi.
What
the Alentajans love most about homeschooling is that their children’s values
and self-esteem are kept intact. They have four kids, Kahil, Bu, Uno and Seia, who
are aged 14, 12, 8 years old and 8 months old, respectively. “With
homeschooling, we don't isolate our children but rather "insulate"
them. We build up their values so when they go out into the world, they can
better discern what is a good decision and what is not. They do not face peer
pressure at home to be who they should or shouldn't be, and therefore grow in a
nurturing environment that allows them to grow to be who they can be, within
the limits of good moral values”, they happily reveal.
“Yes,
you can homeschool”
The
Cuas, Ponlas and Alentajans were just some of the families who participated in
the recent “Yes, You Can Homeschool” conference at the NCCC Mall Activity Area.
The well-attended event was organized by the Lighthouse Homeschool Network
(LHN), a local organization of more than 30 homeschooling families in Davao
City, and Homeschool Global.
The homeschooling event aimed to increase awareness of
what homeschooling is and debunk the popular myths about homeschooling.
The conference was composed of three sections, namely:
The “Kidpreneur” Marketplace, The Science Fair; and The Homeschooling Symposium
by homeschooling advocates Edric Mendoza, the president of the Homeschoolers
Association of the Phil. Islands (HAPI), and Joy Tan-chi Mendoza of the popular
blog, teachwithjoy.com.
"One
of the highlights of the homeschooling conference for us were seeing our
children experience managing their own store and business on their own. My wife
and I were truly amazed how well our children did their roles, with our eldest
exhibiting excellent salesman skills, even selling out his display. On the
other hand, our 8-year old son enjoyed patiently waiting for customers and
properly executed a sales transaction including data recording and stock
replenishment. It was such an eye-opener for them and they have since continued
to pursue their business concepts”, says proud dad Dondi.
The
Cuas, on the other hand, appreciated the discussion about college preparation
during the homeschooling conference as they have a teenager who is preparing
for his college life. “The presence of the Mendozas likewise made an impact as
they are seasoned homeschoolers and it is heartwarming to see them share their
personal experiences on homeschooling”, discloses Reginald.
Kirsty, who has been homeschooled for most of
her student life, sums up her learning experience: “Homeschooling doesn't have
any limits - you can learn whatever you want to learn, wherever you want to
learn, whenever you want to learn. It doesn't dictate specific or rigid school
hours, but it also doesn't mean you can slack off. Homeschooling is definitely not
limited to staying at home and studying. It's an amazing experience that I'm
blessed to have had for the past 8 years of my life!”.
The “Yes, You Can Homeschool” event was
made possible through the support of Bounty
Fresh Chicken, Brainfit Studio, NCCC Mall Davao, Barbra Pearls Cosmetics, Luxe
Lab and VitaLab,
Ysha Marie and Lebosada Dental Clinic.
For inquiries about homeschooling,
you may contact Rhoda Cua at cellphone number (0918)9251355 or Kathie Ponla,
(0928)7207711.
Special thanks to Reginald Cua for the photos.
E-mail the author
at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment