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Home Schooling In Trinidad & Tobago - Page 11

I didn't say they were not real, certainly my experience (as well as Pamela's) and many others are not the same as yours. I visited many, many schools in average areas and what you are describing is certainly the minority (not the average). It's like when someone ask you to describe how a typical neighborhood in Trinidad is, you describe Westmoorings. Is Westmoorings a neighborhood in Trinidad? Sure it is, is it a way to describe how a typical neighborhood is here? Certainly not. Same principle applies. Are there government schools that have separate class rooms, white boards, etc? Yes, are there the typical ones and majority? No way.

Tobago and Trinidad Schooling Home

Pamela: I read about the horror stories of your child's schooling situation. In which part of Trinidad do you live?

Edited: Dexter on 11th Oct, 2010 - 1:44pm

Home Schooling In Trinidad & Tobago Caribbean / Tobago & Trinidad

Dexter, you may want to look at Pamela's Intro Thread: Source 2

There is one aspect of Home Schooling that should also be considered... The financial aspect. Time is money and it takes a considerable amount of time to Home School your children properly thus taking the parent(s) away from money making opportunities. You will need to have a balance between the two.

Page 11 Tobago and Trinidad Schooling Home

Hi all, Dexter you are right I think in saying that children learn from other children and about the cafeteria effect, my son has been pushed down and shoved around so many times in school it's a wonder he hasn't started doing it to other kids, Lordryko, one of my biggest concern about home schooling is the developing of social skills bit, my son is shy so he doesn't have any friends, he has lots of cousins and then the fact that we live in a residential area means that families don't interact very much, we went to two schools in the area this morning we did't even get past the security guards. I'm getting really frustrated by all this back and forth and in the mean time my son is missing school and falling behind I'm just doing what I can at home right now. The principal in his present school hasn't even spoken to his teacher yet which in turn shows me that she isn't going to be doing anything about the situation and that is one of biggest problems, people doing what they want and those in authority not applying the necessary punishment so they continue to do it because no one corrects them.

Tobago and Trinidad Schooling Home

JB: You are 100% correct about the time /money trade off. It's MY biggest issue. Pamela: I feel your pain. For me to help we would need to meet one on one and this site does not permit phone number or e-mail exchanges. Any ideas?

Home Schooling In Trinidad & Tobago

Why will you need to actually meet someone to help them with Home Schooling? Just give your input / advice / tips on here, that is the opportunity that the internet and this site provides. In this way ALL benefit as well.

Rather off topic, but...
Personal contacts are only available to Upgraded Members.

Home Schooling Trinidad & Tobago - Page 11

Pamela: I can see that you truly care for your son. It may seem like a moot point, but you'd be supprised how many parents do not. They just look at school as a 'holding bay' for their children. The fact that you love your son is the most important factor here and will allow you to triumph over this. Do get frustrated.

Let's start looking at the up side. The fact that he is being victimised could turn out to be a blessing rather than a curse. Don't look at the problem. Look at the many things you have going for both of you. Number one is the unlimited resources now available to the parent. Remember SEA does not count. It is "O" and "A" levels (not even CXC /CAPE) that are important.

First, you should start doing some reading. Keep him home for now if there is an understnading adult around to just make sure he does not hurt himself. Get him some exploratory material (NOT TELEVISION). Then you need to re-educate yourself about education. Do not pressure yourself. There is actually no rush. To start with, you should read "Better Late Than Early" by Raymond Moore and follow it up with "How Children Fail", "How Children Learn" and "Teach Your Own" all by the late John Holt. Take your time, he's only six.

I am a registered Teacher II with the Min. Of Ed.; I have taught adults at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine for over 4 years. My wife is a primary school teacher; my mother was a teacher for over 40 years. I have a lot of friends and family who are teachers, both at the secondary and primary levels. School, private or public, is not where you want this kind of kid to be right now. It is not that he is not ready for it. It is that it is not ready for him. Do not torture him anymore. Ask any teacher: it is the same material we teach at standrad 3 that has to be repeated at Form 1 and even at the University Level. Ask any 'UC101' lecturer - basic math grammar skills must be re-taught (No, not re-learnt: they were never learnt to start with, just memorised temporarily). Think outside of the box. This is one area where you defintely can, especially here in sweet TandT.

Home Schooling Trinidad & Tobago Trinidad & Tobago / Caribbean - Page 11

Dexter thank you for your suggestions, it is greatly appreciated, I get the part about re-educating myself I was telling my husband that earlier today, I'm not stupid but I do understand things have changed since my secondary schooling and I need to catch up with the times, my son is my most precious asset and the thing about it is even with everything that has taken place since going to school he still loves learning, he loves books he will read just about anything you put in front of him and luckily for me I'm a stay at home mom simply because I want to be available for my son always, so home schooling is not going to mean any sacrifice in terms of a job for me, I left a great job when he was six months old I made the decision to be the one to look after him not through a third party but for myself and I have never regretted it we are very close, so yes it does hurt me that he has to deal with this and he is being kept back from reaching his full potential because some teachers have forgotten why they became teachers in the first place and some parents not teaching their children the difference between right and wrong. Do you know last term, just a few days before school closed, and I only just remembered this, a former teacher at the school he is presently registered at died and notes were given to the students informing parents that school would be closed at half past eleven that day, now his teacher gave the notes to a boy in the class to pass out, my son was in the washroom at the time, I did not know about this and since he was in the washroom neither did he, on the said day I took my son to school, ran some errands and went to pick him up, the school was strangely quiet, I went in and found my son sitting alone in his classroom with the security guard, he had been in school alone for two and a half hours, I was terrified when I realized what had happened, the boy who handed out the notes said he placed my son's note in his bag, I have not up till this day found that note, I cried for days, when I think about what could have happened to my child it still frightens me, no one in that school, not the teachers, not the principal could have been bothered to find out if every child received a note and to ensure that if they hadn't that someone was called to pick them up. I honestly cannot send my son back to that school.