2020 has truly been a roller coaster of a year. For schools, disruptions started with a volcanic eruption, then the trickling of the news about COVID-19 in February. Before the school year officially ended in March, schools had to abruptly stop because of the rise of full blown cases reported in the metro.
Students have been in lockdown since and by the time June rolled in, the government had officially decided not to have face-to-face classes until a vaccine was out in the market. What did this mean for SY 2020-2021? Students for the time being will be kept at home for learning. There are questions to the length of time schools will be physically closed, plus the fact online distance learning has not yet reached mainstream education most especially in the early grades. Families are now in a quandary as to what to choose for their child’s education.
At-home learning can mean 2 things: Homeschooling which is mainly when the parent becomes the primary teacher and administrator of their child’s education or online distance learning where the teacher still assumes the role of instructor and follows the curriculum set by the school. She/he interacts with the students through online sessions.
There are 3 similarities to these at-home learning modules. These are: delivery, pacing and assessments. In terms of delivery, content can be delivered digitally or in printed form for students and families. For pacing, both encourage having the child work at his own pace thereby promoting independent learning. Assessments for homeschooling academies and established schools must also follow the Department of Education’s guidelines.
What are the differences? The biggest difference is the parent’s role in at-home learning. Homeschooling calls for the parent to be the teacher who plans and implements the lessons and carries out assessments to see if the lessons are understood by their child. In online distance learning, the teacher still carries out his role although virtually. There is a teacher-student relationship that is maintained. The parent in this case acts as a manager at home, making sure that the child follows through with school work and gives the teacher feedback on this.
Class schedules are also different. Since the parent is the primary instructor for homeschooling, the schedule can be set according to his or her preference. Online distance learning on the other hand has a set schedule given by the school where students are expected to more or less follow. A set schedule is in place for school routine and also so that the teacher can monitor the class during live sessions.
There is also a difference when it comes to socialization. Homeschooling is typically one-on-one learning where socialization is planned by the parent through meet-ups with other homeschooling families. For online distance learning, socialization is still facilitated through activities set by the teacher in class where students meet up virtually for class work.
The availability of support and assistance will also be different for these two modules. Support in homeschooling depends on the program one gets from a homeschooling academy. On the other hand, assistance for online distance learning is provided by the school through the teacher whom the parents and students can get in touch with.
There is also a contrast in terms of the duration of schooling. Homeschooling usually calls for a lifestyle change and is long-term. Families decide to go that route maybe because of their values and religious beliefs and the incentive of less social pressure for their child. Online distance learning on the other hand is short-term. Classes in school will resume as soon as the government allows it.
Families need to think long and hard as to what will work for them as they consider their goals, resources, and schedule. At the end of the day, what is important is they continue their child’s schooling as it creates a sense of normalcy which is necessary for their child given the uncertainty of the times. What children and families want right now is to look forward to better times ahead. With that said, learning in whatever form is optimism defined.
For families considering distance learning, Goodstart Preschool can support your child’s early education through our Holistic Online Preschool Education (H.O.P.E.) Program. We hope to partner with your family in giving your child a “good start” during these unprecedented times. For inquiries, please feel free to contact us.