Home Schooling

[guyjoules]

Hi all,

We live in Chiang Mai for 4 months now.

We unschool our 4 y/o daugther and are searching for other unschooling families who live here or near-by for group play, field trips, etc. We also have a 16 months y/o.

If you are such, we would love to hear from you.

Please past it on to your friends.

Guy.

zero 855224606 or guyjoules at gmail.com

[hellodolly]

You might want to consider changing the topic to

home schooling

Ask the mods to do it as it will probably get more attention.

[DowntownAl]

You might want to consider changing the topic to

home schooling

Ask the mods to do it as it will probably get more attention.

Agreed. I've not heard of "unschooling" before. But curiosity got me so I peeked.

[65Craig]

Actually the term "unschooling" is correct... It's very popular (not with me though) where I'm from: Berkeley, California.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling

[daoyai]

I believe many TV members are unschooled.

.

[onthedarkside]

Topic title edited

[g00dgirl]

Hi, nice to hear from an unschooling family in Chiang Mai. I live in Phuket and have started to connect with some families, Thai and expats alike who are home- or unschooling.

In Chiang Mai, if I were you I would make contact with the Montessori schools / pre-schools to find some other families who have alternative ideas about education. Even if you are not considering to use a Montessori school, just for the sake of meeting some people and maybe somebody knows other families who homeschool or unschool.

There are also several facebook groups for homeschoolers and unschoolers in Thailand.

My son is only 3 1/2 so for now we are unschooling, considering that all other kids his age here in Phuket have either started in a Thai school or in an international pre-school.

I just take him to activities for children like clubs that allow flexible attendance and that allow parents to stay or otherwise just go outside to meet friends and play freely.

My tendency is somewhere between unschooling and homeschooling while he is young and I do not completely rule out school for later if he really wants to go. When my son has specific interests I would consider to hire private tutors, pay for specific lessons or make use of other offers.

[PoodMaiDai]

Will your children need to take a government issued test later on so they can get a diploma showing they have completed grade school?

How does this work exactly so they have the proper documents to further their education at a university or even get a job?

Thank you.

[benjaminterrett]

Will your children need to take a government issued test later on so they can get a diploma showing they have completed grade school?

How does this work exactly so they have the proper documents to further their education at a university or even get a job?

Thank you.

This I would like to know too. How would this work for university applications?

We have recently moved to Chiang Mai and my twelve year old has joined the Turkish school, Wichai Wittaya. The school is not terrible by Thai standards, and he has made friends there already, but I am concerned that as he gets older all of this This school style rote learning and memorisation becomes increasingly pointless.

I would like him to have an education that encourages creativity and independence, but I simply can't afford an international school education at this point. I feel bad that I am putting him through an education that I myself would be unhappy to receive. Maybe unschooling or homeschooling is the answer? I have plenty of time, just not the money for the international schools.

Is anyone out there currently doing this with a child of similar age? AND, most importantly, how is this going to impact on university options? Do homeschooled/unschooled kids have any university options?

[hellodolly]

The one thing I see wrong with home schooling is it limits there social life and can have disastrous affects in their later life.

I don't know what the requirements are for them to enter a collage but it would throw them into a whole new world one they may not be capable of dealing with.

I know of two families who home schooled back where I came from and in both case they were done so for religious purposes. Good or bad I don't know. It did seem to limit there outlook on life.

Here in Thailand with the school system being what it is and the cost for an international school I can understand the desire to home school.

If one chooses to go that way I would urge them to get there children out and meet as many different kinds of kids as they can. Maybe join scouting I have heard it is big here in Thailand.

Edited October 6, 2012 by hellodolly

[Awk]

Will your children need to take a government issued test later on so they can get a diploma showing they have completed grade school?

How does this work exactly so they have the proper documents to further their education at a university or even get a job?

Thank you.

This I would like to know too. How would this work for university applications?

We have recently moved to Chiang Mai and my twelve year old has joined the Turkish school, Wichai Wittaya. The school is not terrible by Thai standards, and he has made friends there already, but I am concerned that as he gets older all of this This school style rote learning and memorisation becomes increasingly pointless.

I would like him to have an education that encourages creativity and independence, but I simply can't afford an international school education at this point. I feel bad that I am putting him through an education that I myself would be unhappy to receive. Maybe unschooling or homeschooling is the answer? I have plenty of time, just not the money for the international schools.

Is anyone out there currently doing this with a child of similar age? AND, most importantly, how is this going to impact on university options? Do homeschooled/unschooled kids have any university options?

Can't you unschool him through his M.Sc.?

[Rancid]

I would have thought that home schooling would be a huge undertaking if to be done really well, if you are up for it then good on you and your huge comitment. Think Barbara Striesand is right in that there are social interaction losses to overcome.

[PoodMaiDai]

I would have thought that home schooling would be a huge undertaking if to be done really well, if you are up for it then good on you and your huge comitment. Think Barbara Striesand is right in that there are social interaction losses to overcome.

This is an interesting video to watch. She brings up the question of social interaction. The answer surprised me.

[Fishenough]

This is an interesting video to watch. She brings up the question of social interaction. The answer surprised me.

That is a interesting video, yet you have to admit that every so often someone comes forward and tells us that the way we have been raising our kids wrong and need to.....She stated "My kids go to bed when they want and eat when ever they want", no nothing can go wrong there. I can fault many of her statements - my kids almost never get sick, well they did mingle in a public school; but do agree with many. What if her kids want the social interaction of a large school as a 16 year old?

My son was unschooled for 4 years, and 1 year of international school, and I do agree that unschooling does have many benefits for children. Simple things like my son could exceed the requirements of his curriculum with only 3 hours of responsibly focused work. Also there was a freedom to travel for extend periods and still easily complete school. But many like myself believe that things change when a student is a teen and experiences all the good teen issues and the normal separation issues. I grew up in a remote island community, that in the 60's and 70's was a strong new age (hippies) alternate lifestyle people made up the majority of the small population. Many talked, and practiced, many things she states in that video. And I got tell you that the boys, named Dove, Cedar, Willow, etc, of course turned into 'toughs' in there late teens, jail etc etc.

Ok, back in track.... Chiang Mai has the Monday homeschooling coop that welcomes all families, and just FYI, the majority are here in Chiang Mai for religious reasons. Many other activities are organized through this group alone. The recommendation of Scouts is good, they met once a month and camp once a month - which is something that not enough kids get to do in Thailand. The boys in scouts Chiang Mai are from all over the world also. Grace and CIS offer resources, academics options, sport camps/clubs, and of course the facilities necessary for different activities. Just for some ideas I've listed our involvement, but there of course there are other options.

Cheers

[hellodolly]

This is an interesting video to watch. She brings up the question of social interaction. The answer surprised me.

That is a interesting video, yet you have to admit that every so often someone comes forward and tells us that the way we have been raising our kids wrong and need to.....She stated "My kids go to bed when they want and eat when ever they want", no nothing can go wrong there. I can fault many of her statements - my kids almost never get sick, well they did mingle in a public school; but do agree with many. What if her kids want the social interaction of a large school as a 16 year old?

My son was unschooled for 4 years, and 1 year of international school, and I do agree that unschooling does have many benefits for children. Simple things like my son could exceed the requirements of his curriculum with only 3 hours of responsibly focused work. Also there was a freedom to travel for extend periods and still easily complete school. But many like myself believe that things change when a student is a teen and experiences all the good teen issues and the normal separation issues. I grew up in a remote island community, that in the 60's and 70's was a strong new age (hippies) alternate lifestyle people made up the majority of the small population. Many talked, and practiced, many things she states in that video. And I got tell you that the boys, named Dove, Cedar, Willow, etc, of course turned into 'toughs' in there late teens, jail etc etc.

Ok, back in track.... Chiang Mai has the Monday homeschooling coop that welcomes all families, and just FYI, the majority are here in Chiang Mai for religious reasons. Many other activities are organized through this group alone. The recommendation of Scouts is good, they met once a month and camp once a month - which is something that not enough kids get to do in Thailand. The boys in scouts Chiang Mai are from all over the world also. Grace and CIS offer resources, academics options, sport camps/clubs, and of course the facilities necessary for different activities. Just for some ideas I've listed our involvement, but there of course there are other options.

Cheers

Have not seen the video but I like many of your points. I had my wife quit working when we got together to allow us the freedom you get with home schooling. Like you say though at a later age teens when kids are constantly testing how will it work out.

Valid Pro's and Con's on the subject.

On the Con side I would wonder about the ability in later life for the home schooled to increase their ability to create immunity to different diseases. I am no where near a expert on the subject but I have heard that it is in the coming of contact that is ever present in the schools where the young develop the ability to fight off sickness in later life. That is of course to a greater degree than those who were kept in more sterile conditions.

[benjaminterrett]

My son is half Thai and as I mentioned previously, is attending the Turkish school (Wichai Wittaya). I see from their website that Lanna International School is offering a part scholarship for a student "currently attending a Thai school". This may be another affordable option for us instead of homeschooling.

Do you think that the Turkish school will qualify under their conditions of being a "Thai school"?

Does anyone know any more about this scholarship, OR, any others? Do all of the international schools offer scholarships, but are just not advertising them at the moment?

THANK YOU in advance for any helpful replies