Homeschool Freak

I never thought I'd see a country that was more serious about early education than the U.S. (ok, maybe Japan:). In the states, many people put their children in preschool for fun and socializing but here people put their children in school starting around 2 or 3 to actually prepare them to be able to get into kindergarten. Children start kindergarten ("lower kindergarten") at age 4 and upper kindergarten at 5. Some elite international schools have quite rigourous acceptance standards for these little minds.

Ofcourse, everyone asks if Corban is in school. A little background info...we had decided a few years ago that when the kids were old enough to start school we would homeschool them. We had lots of friends homeschooling and had a "community" to learn from. It's well accepted in the states...

So when I tell people here we are homeschooling Corban they just give me this blank look. It's unheard of here....not on the radar at all. I'm really not even sure if it's legal but as one person told me "everything is legal in India" and I figure if Ghandi homeschooled his kids we're ok:) Not long into the conversation the other person is insisting that i start researching and looking into schools. (It's really hard to get into some of the elite private schools here and hard to know what schools actually provide a good education. You usually have to put your child on a waiting list and pay fees for admission ahead of time). When I explain to them that homeschooling is "normal" in the states and that everyone I talk to here tells me I need to be looking for a school (another words, you are telling me what everyone tells me and it's not working:), they still continue to insist that he needs to go to a school:)

Some of you may be saying, "well Colette that's what we think about you here in the states too:)" but for all my Hommies (short for Homeschool Mommies as my friend Desiree has termed it) out there know, it's worth it even if you do get some strange looks in the states, but imagine everyone giving you a blank stare, you-are-crazy-don't-you-care-about-your-child's-future-and-life look:D Really it just makes me want to do it even more:D We have actually thought about sending him to a school for the cultural experience while here,but I'm a rebel at heart and the flame is being fueled:D We'll let you know what happens....school starts in June here.

Education really is a huge deal here. We're learning some of the thinking behind it...that it's the only way for a child to be successful (i think this stems from centuries of the caste system). There are rigourous exams and homework starting in 1st grade. And we are learning that this country, although it seems like a "we" country (family/community), for those who can afford education it is very much an "I/me" country. Your child needs to be the best, they have to succeed, have to achieve the end goal-wealth. I guess it doesn't sound much different from the u.s.