WeeklySA_AdminTHE PUPIL: Matric student Minenhle Monoametsi describes how she coped with three years of homeschooling…
Weekly SA Mirror (WS) spoke to this learner to share her experience with home-schooling.
WS: What prompted you to opt for homeschooling while other children were attending normal schooling?
Monoametsi: Well, there were many factors.First, my school was too far. Secondly, my father lost his job and he needed to look for a that would be more affordable and convenient for a time being.Thirdly, it was difficult to find space at a normal school during the course of the year. Then homeschooling became the only available option.
WS: How did you find the transition from regular schooling to home-schooling, being a young high school pupil?
MM: At first, my daily routine stayed the same, and I did not need to sacrifice or change a lot. But as time progressed, I realised that I needed to be more organised and serious. I needed to set a timetable according to the level of my subjects. For example,I devoted most of my time to subjects like maths because they required more attention and less on subjects like English, because I was already excelling in them. I sought external help for the more difficult subjects.
WS: How did you cope with subjects that proved to be difficult?
MM: I would go to the library and look for different kinds of textbooks. I would visit You-tube channels like Mindset and sometimes ask for help from family members.
WS: Didn’t data to do school work present a challenge for you, and how did you work around it?
MM: Resources were not so much a challenge because I would visit the library to access their wifi.I would also get assistance from family when I needed it. But there were some days when I was notable to watch Mindset because You-tube would consume a lot of data.
WS: Based on your experience, what advice would you give to other children experiencing home-schooling for the first time?
MM: They must keep in mind that they need to be disciplined. And I would advise parents to continuously check whether kids are coping, and to occasionally take them to the library or tutor.
WS: In a nutshell, how would you describe your home-schooling experience?
MM: It’s a strange thing to experience, rather.It comes with a lot of freedom and responsibilities.There is a lot of time management skills and discipline needed to learn as well. When I was at a home-schooling facility in Tree Hill, in Centurion, fortunately there were facilitators. But I noticed that some learners were wasting away their free time, because they were in a centre, not school. We were a bit independent and not forced to do school work.However, I can say I am happy to be in a normal school again, because the environment promotes a lot of academic competition, pressure and work.
