Alice Teplyakova managed to pass final exams and get into the Moscow State University. Due to the homeschooling system, she could graduate even at her age.
Let’s shift to the one-bedroom apartment in southwest Moscow, where Teplyakovy’s family lives. Their home is registered as a kindergarten, where seven children are being educated. Alice and her six younger siblings are taught by their father, even though he does not have a teaching degree. Don’t be surprised, Russian law enables every family to switch the traditional method of education and get it at home.
Types of home education
The first type, homeschooling, is for pupils with health limitations. Once their state of health is proven and all health aspects are taken into consideration, the special timetable is being set and teachers from the nearest school are being attached. Evaluation of knowledge goes through midterms and exams.
The second one, family education, does not require any specific reasons – only the wish of parents and signed documents. In this case parents become responsible for a studying process. To hire tutors or to teach themselves – that is completely their choice. Recognition of achievements goes through examination as well. Sometimes parents are even being paid money that the government supposed to spend on teaching at school.
Pros and cons of home education
Although this tendency becomes more and more popular (the number of home-educated children is 30 percent higher than in a previous year), a lot of parents remain skeptical. They think nothing can substitute school program and give their children valuable experience of communication.
On the one hand, their fears are not baseless. The lack of discipline and isolation from peers put development of a child at risk. Not only knowledge, but social interactions and experience are being gained at school.
On the other hand, if parents know individual needs of their child and can create a suitable program, studying will be much more efficient. Teachers at schools have to share knowledge with a whole class and cannot pay attention to every student. At home, on the contrary, the pupil can study according to their personal needs. Moreover, home education does not deprive a child of communication - some extra-curriculum activities may help.
If it sounds so easy and effective, then why do not experts generally recommend this type of studying?
Their concerns are mostly about lack of understanding of children's nature. For example, kids younger than seven years old are not recommeneded to attend school due to their developmental characteristics. They learn through games, their concentration span is minimal. It is neither efficient nor healthy to force studying at such an early age.
Professional view on Alice’s story
The story of Alice in particular was not approved by psychologists' community. In their point of view, memorization, which was used the most, does not mean the girl in fact has knowledge. According to Piaget theory, children of 9 years old cannot think abstractly. The question is what is the point of memorizing facts if they are not understood? And how Alice's parents expect their child to be specialist in the field of psychology if she cannot apply knowledge?
On top of that, intelligence is more complex than just memorization. It is an ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. Sitting at the desk all the time, Alice did not even have an opportunity to apply already gained or to work on communication skills. «Studying is a complex process, which should be mixed with integration in own life experience» - believes Russian psychologist, Lina Dianova.
All in all, home education is suitable for some people, who cannot attend classes for a reason or know how to study more effectively. However, it should be done wisely. Otherwise, a child's development can be in danger.
Resources:
https://www.pravmir.ru/nikto-ne-znaet-chto-takoe-detstvo-vosmiletnyaya-alisa-sdala-ege-pravmir-pogovoril-s-ee-semej/
https://youtu.be/zlff2jJedoM
https://youtu.be/I-h8MCD6LRQ
https://rg.ru/2021/08/29/reg-ufo/v-rossii-rastet-chislo-roditelej-predpochitaiushchih-davat-detiam-semejnoe-obrazovanie.html
https://www.kanal-o.ru/news/10320
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaget%27s_theory_of_cognitive_development