Home-schooling is often seen as an exception and a slightly quirky choice for educating your child. However, this perception is rapidly changing as families globally embrace this style of education, as there are many reasons why a family may consider educating their children at home. Here, we look at why families might choose to do this, examine some of the main benefits, look at some of the challenges involved and answer some of the questions we regularly get asked.

Why do families choose to home-school their children?

At Carfax Education, we have worked with many families who have chosen this education route, and each having reasons for doing so.

Some want the flexibility of not committing to term dates and school days. It can be an ideal solution for families who travel extensively or ex-pat families who cannot access their national curriculum. Others may have a child pursuing a passion, such as becoming a professional tennis player or training as a stage performer and need to fit the rest of their education around their other commitments.

Home schooling can be a perfect solution for students having to take time out for health reasons or those who find the challenges of a school environment too overwhelming or have special educational needs.

For some, it is a question of cost. With several children, school fees can be prohibitive and whilst home schooling is not always a cheaper option, it may provide other benefits.

Increasingly we are seeing families with young children wanting to reclaim some of their childhood with a more individualised approach and a fun and interactive way of learning in their surroundings. No school runs, no time spent in lessons that are not relevant for them later on, and an opportunity to spark their curiosity in different ways.

Want to know more about home-schooling, then speak to our expert consultancy team. Call Shelly now on +971 4 438 5276 or email enquiries.uae@carfax-education.com

What are the benefits of home-schooling?

There can be many advantages to choosing home schooling as an educational journey. Key amongst these is the flexibility it provides. Families are free to set their agenda. If your child is an early bird, they have completed most of the lessons in the peak concentration period, but working with a teenager, they may be better suited to a later start time.

For many, home schooling provides an opportunity to tailor the education to the childrens academic needs. If a child struggles with a topic, they may get left behind in class. However, with home-schooling and one to one tuition, a helping hand is readily available. It enables children to progress at their speed, meaning they can spend longer on some areas and speed through topics they grasp quickly. We often hear our home-schooling students say they have learnt more in an hour of one to one time than a week in a large school class!

Home-schooling also gives children a chance to access learning in several different ways. A science lesson can be outside or in a local museum, a geography lesson happening on the beach. Here children are empowered to find their best learning style; whether visual, kinaesthetic or oral, home-schooling can be tailored and delivered to how a child learns.

A further benefit is; the confidence it can give your child. In a classroom setting, children can avoid answering questions, although, in a one-to-one environment, they can voice their opinions and discuss them freely. And children who may feel uncomfortable or challenged by answering a question can often surprise themselves by getting it right, so gaining confidence in the process.

What are the challenges of Home Schooling?

Home tuition can essentially be a full-time job. A great deal of time and resources need to be invested into your childrens home-schooling as it can be very demanding on family life. Therefore many families choose to have some tutor support.

Time management is the key to success in home-schooling, with everyone having clear expectations of the time commitment involved to keep pace with the curriculum. While maintaining a strict routine can be challenging, it can sometimes be hard to manage in a busy home. Yet, it is important to maintain balance.

Home-schooling can be tough going, equally as is going to school, so children may require lots of encouragement and support to keep going when they are having a down day. It is significant to ensure home-schoolers do not become isolated from their peer group and continue to develop social skills. Parents need to make sure they still partake in sports, drama, or other activities that encourage them to mix with others. But beware of over-scheduling. Just because the child is not in school does not mean they have fewer academic activities to complete!

For more information about home-schooling and at home tuition, call us on +971 4 438 5276 or email enquiries.uae@carfax-education.com.

Frequently asked Questions

Will there be issues ahead when getting my child into higher education?

Home-schooling is perfectly normal. In most parts of the world, universities are happy to accept home-schoolers and value the independent learning skills they bring to studying. In Dubai, the KHDA recognise home-schooling, so there are no problems gaining admission to higher education institutes here.

Is home-schooling expensive?

With rising school fees, home-schooling can become a cost-effective and affordable method of education, especially when considering all other auxiliary costs. For a similar price, the educational value of home-schooling is more worthwhile as you are receiving a tailored, bespoke education focused solely on your child’s education journey.

Can my child still take public exams?

As long as they have covered the required curriculum, there is no problem for home-schoolers to be entered as private candidates for school-leaving exams such as IGCSEs and A-Levels. Many families choose to follow an accredited programme so that the children can re-enter the formal school system later if they wish to.

How does home-schooling work in Dubai?

Dubai offers both government-supported home-schooling and private home-schooling. The government-supported learning - is for children aged 7-12 years who have missed their early year’s education. It has no official classes and only provides books for children to work off. On the other hand, private home-schooling has become the most popular delivery in Dubai by far to date.

How does Private home-schooling work?

There are many delivery methods for home schooling. While some families choose to home-school their children, this takes a lot of dedication and must not looked at lightly. The more popular option is to join a tuition centre and receive home-schooling from trained tutors. The tutors come to your house to teach your child an approved curriculum at agreed times and set assignments which ensure your child gets the necessary specifications. These tutors are all trained and understand how to best tailor lessons to suit your child’s needs and wants and can be there to encourage them when the going gets tough!

Before setting out on the home-schooling journey, you should consider all the variables and factors involved. It is an incredibly personal decision and one which you need to make as a family. Whilst home-schooling is not always the correct choice for every child, for many, personalised learning can help them develop and grow.

Looking for home-schooling from top tier tutors? Contact Carfax Education now at +971 4 438 5276 or email us at enquiries.uae@carfax-education.com.

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