international school

Pros and cons for homeschooling for expat parents

/ Health & Lifestyle / By

As an expat parent, you can immerse your children in new ideas, languages and cultures by residing overseas. Despite that, expat families may come across certain education-related problems. Examples of these challenges are:  

  • What schooling options are available in my new country of residence? 
  • Are these choices affordable?  
  • Is there a possibility that my family and I will have to relocate again soon? 
  • Are there certain qualifications or exams I want to make sure my child takes? 

Occasionally, homeschooling is disregarded as a choice that comes with many problems that expat families encounter, and rules and regulations for home education will differ from location to location.  

Consequently, it is vital to set up what the general rules are in your country of residence. Visiting country-specific websites and communities can help. This can assist you by either providing you with links to government regulations or by helping you connect with parents who are already homeschooling in your country and who may therefore be able to answer questions or point you towards important resources.  

We’re going to take you through some of the upsides and downsides of home schooling your child or children. 

Additionally, we have provided a list of informative websites for further reading at the end of this post.  

Upsides  

  1. Family bonds can be strengthened as you share views and ideas.
  2. You’ll have more control over the curriculum and teaching methods.
  3. 3. No travel time is necessary, as learning takes place in the home. The time gained may allow your child to pursue outside hobbies and interests, and to allow you to explore your new surroundings together.
  4. 4. The home environment is often less noisy and tense than the school environment, so you may find your child’s concentration improves at home
  5. 5. You may be more aware than a new school of your child’s capabilities; homeschooling allows learning to be paced more accurately to match these capabilities.
  6. If you’re likely to be moving around a lot, homeschooling may be a source of stability for your child. It also means he or she can enjoy a smooth, continuous education, wherever you are in the world.

Downsides 

  1. Your child needs to be comfortable with being schooled at home for it to work effectively. If the thought seems alienating, it’s likely not a good fit.
  2. Effective homeschooling requires high levels of concentration and motivation from both children and parents, so you and your child must be committed, disciplined, and comfortable with independence.
  3. What many expat parents are really concerned about is that they will be ultimately responsible for their child’s education. Working with a distance learning provider is one way of reducing this stress (although it may increase your costs somewhat). A good institution will share the responsibility with you, providing access to tutors and education experts. 

You can also utilise online communities for support, and finding other parents nearby who are homeschooling may alleviate some of the pressure you feel. 

  1. You’ll need to find ways to provide a social life for your child.

Takeaway 

Whether you’ve had a taste for homeschooling during the COVID-19 lockdown or are considering an alternative educational route, it’s worth knowing the pros and cons for homeschooling that we have outlined above, as they can help you decide whether or not you want to try homeschooling for your child or children.  

Even though homeschooling has been an alternative form of education for some time, it has recently become more accessible than ever, and many consider it to be the best way to education when you live overseas. 

Useful links to homeschooling organisations and resources:Â