Home Schooling in Vietnam

While the idea of parents taking their children out of school and committing to educating them privately may seem, to many, like strange behavior, the concept of homeschooling is certainly not a new one; it used to be people’s only option in order to ensure that their children were receiving an education. In recent times, however, more and more parents have chosen to challenge the traditional view that children go to school in the mornings and return home in the afternoons. Many parents have taken their children out of ‘mainstream’ education for a variety of reasons and have, in many cases, been highly successful in doing so. There are, currently, around two million homeschooled families in the United States alone and, for many modern families, homeschooling is, by far, the most flexible and diverse educational option available.

Families choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons, including dissatisfaction with the educational options that are already available, different religious points of view or educational philosophies, and the belief that their children are not progressing within the traditional school structure. Particularly within the international community, people are looking at homeschooling as a temporary measure when the parents move to a new country or city on a temporary basis, with a view to resuming ‘traditional’ schooling at a later stage.

The most obvious question that people usually ask themselves when the idea of homeschooling is first seen as an option for them is, “Is this legal?” According the the Vietnamese Education Law (Article 11, Point 3), “Families have the responsibility to create conditions for their members in the defined age groups to learn in order to obtain the level of universalized education.” In other words, as long as parents can demonstrate that they have knowledge of the chosen curriculum, can provide a suitable working area and have the best interests of the child in mind, they are legally allowed to take responsibility for educating that child. The extent to which these requirements are checked and regulated may vary from country to country but, with some research and advice from those that have experience, homeschooling is, increasingly, becoming a viable option for many.

But not for all. Taking the responsibility for educating a child is no small step, and not one which should be taken lightly! There are a huge amounts of advantages to homeschooling, but also disadvantages which need to be considered in order to remain objective and reach the decision as to whether it is beneficial in a particular case. Homeschooling can be hugely rewarding, satisfying and liberating if carried out with the right amount of planning and consideration. It is certainly not, however, something that should be rushed into. Let’s consider some of the advantages and disadvantages of removing a child from school and teaching them at home.

One word that is used a lot by those parents that have taken the step of beginning homeschooling is ‘freedom.’ This new-found freedom can come, according to them, in different forms. The most obvious is a sense of ‘educational freedom’. Most homeschooled students have the chance to study and learn what they want, when they want, for as long as they want. Many children thrive without the ‘constraints’ of regular schooling; breaks can be taken as needed – not just at certain times. Conversely, when a child is working well, they don’t need to worry about finishing their work before the bell rings. Another type of freedom that is experienced is more physical; after the initial shock of leaving the school system has passed, parents who homeschool say they experience a real sense of liberation. With their lives no longer revolving around school hours, homework, the school run and the school calendar, these families plan off-season holidays, visit parks and museums during the week, and live their lives according to what works for them. During busy times for a family, such as the birth of a child, this freedom can be invaluable. Emotional freedom also increases; children feel less of a need to ‘fit in’ and to conform to what their peers think or do. For some families, their religious and spiritual beliefs are an important part of their identity. Homeschooling can provide them with the opportunity to incorporate these beliefs into their daily lives and the education of the child.

Another obvious benefit of homeschooling is the increase in time spent with family members. While this, to some, may not seem like a good idea, the vast majority of families that homeschool have stressed the important role that homeschooling has played in helping them to find time to foster ties between family members. Teens, in particular, seem to benefit from this increased interaction with parents, and rebellious, destructive behavior often begins to diminish after homeschooling begins.

Another benefit is that children tend to be more well-rested due to the fact that they get more sleep! As more and more studies are illustrating, sleep is vital to the emotional and physical well-being of kids, especially teens and preteens. The effects of early morning classes can be devastating to many children, especially those who are not ‘morning people’. The time saved in the mornings that would, otherwise, be spent rushing to get breakfast and catching buses makes for a much more relaxed atmosphere, and one which is conducive to learning.

Due to the tailored, personalized nature of their learning, homeschooled children can accomplish in a few hours what takes a typical classroom a week or more to cover. In a recent interview, John Taylor Gatto, New York City Teacher of the Year and a 26-year teaching veteran, said that, in many classrooms, less than one hour out of each school day is spent on "on task" learning. At home, distractions can be filtered out to an extent – meaning that more high-quality work is done and less needs to be given as homework!

However, taking the big step to begin homeschooling is not for everyone. Just as there are many advantages to consider, we must also think of some of the disadvantages. While homeschooling can free up a lot of time during the day, learning outside of the school environment can be very time-consuming on a larger-scale basis. Homeschooling is seen by many as something that takes place at the kitchen table with textbooks and exercise books; in reality, this is becoming less and less the case. Parents are free to choose hands-on activities that are interesting and engaging and to use these activities as learning tools. However, planning and carrying out these activities can be time-consuming and tiring. For many, homeschooling is also only a realistic option if one parent is at home and this can be challenging.

Another obvious potential issue for homeschooled children is that of socialising. Children in schools learn not only the academic material that they need to help them in life; they also learn social skills by interacting with their peers and their teachers. By removing them from this environment, are we potentially stifling their social development? Whilst community sports activities might fill this void for younger children, teens often find limited opportunities to join clubs and sports teams - especially competitive ones. In some areas, homeschooling parents have overcome this problem by creating their own teams. It is vital that time spent homeschooling is not merely spent at home; time for socialising with children their own age is hugely important and needs to be factored into their timetable.

It should also be mentioned that, whilst spending large amounts of time with each other is beneficial to the relationship between most parents and their children, it might be too much for some people. Whilst it can sometimes be difficult, most homeschooling parents view their daily interactions with their kids as opportunities for personal and familial growth but it really depends upon the relationships within any given family.

The last factor that needs to be mentioned is, in some cases, a massive advantage to homeschooling and, in others, a disadvantage: namely, the issue of financial costs. Those that take their children out of state schools and educate them at home often notice an increase in expenses as the state does not (in most cases) provide allowances for homeschooling. Trips need to be paid for, materials need to be purchased, schemes of work are often bought and consultation with educational experts is often required. Often, a parent needs to reduce their working hours in order to supervise their child and this loss of income might make a huge difference.

However, for those that are used to their children attending international schools, the financial advantage to homeschooling is massive. Many international schools have enrolment fees, tuition fees, exam fees, transport fees, school development fees… and many other expenses that parents are required to pay during the course of the year in order for their children to attend. Many of these can be bypassed with homeschooling. Of course, providing a fun, engaging education will, inevitably, incur expenses, but these are significantly lower than sending a child to most international schools.

According to John Holt, famous educationalist and author of ‘Teach Your Own,’ the most important thing parents need in order to homeschool their children is "to like them, enjoy their company, their physical presence, their energy, foolishness, and passion. They have to enjoy all their talk and questions, and enjoy equally trying to answer those questions."

Huw Thomas

Director of Studies

Bulldog Education

International Tutors