Page 32 - TODAY magazine Issue 1 2021

YOUR FAMILY // EDUCATION
HOW ONE FAMILY DID IT
Taweni Gondwe Xaba is Director Of Strategic Partnerships at Mary's Meals International, and mum to Tapiwa, Kulunga and Zakithi.
‘I used to get very, very sad some days when, after a 5am start, we’d get home at 6pm and my girls would have to start homework after a packed day of lessons and extramurals, do their chores, shower, have dinner and still find time to read, which we prioritise,’ she says. ‘How can a nine-year-old have the same working day as
a 49-year-old? For me that was unacceptable.
I had mixed feelings about taking my kids out of the formal school system, but I realised that the long days meant I was losing touch with them.’
After a great deal of research, the Xabas gave notice to the girls’ school in September 2019.
‘Many parents’ stress regarding home-schooling during Covid came from the fact that they did not have time to plan,’ Taweni says. ‘We converted the garage into a classroom. My husband
made the shelves and a friend helped to pick the furniture and decor. The preparation was fun and helped us to get used to the idea.’
Now, after more than a year, Taweni says that one of the benefits of home-schooling is that it allows each child to work in a way that draws on their individual learning style and rhythm. It teaches them collaboration and how to work with the systems of the world, while remaining independent thinkers.
‘My daughters have become independent learners and they are self-disciplined,’ she says. ‘They’re gaining new skills. They still ask questions, but they’re more proactive in seeking out knowledge by themselves.’
They are following the British curriculum offered by CambriLearn and have online lessons. They
can contact teachers (not a bot) for a live private chat when they need help, and write tests which Taweni has to sign off before they are submitted. Their grandmother, a retired teacher, invigilated their progression exams.
‘Using an online curriculum removed the burden of teaching from me and means they haven’t lost their mum because she’s become their teacher. This way I can still be the cheerleader and provide moral support,’ says Taweni.
‘I thought home-schooling would make my life more complicated. In fact, it’s easier. Tracking progress is digital and there’s no more picking up three children from three different sets of extramurals. But you still have to be organised.’
Taweni Gondwe Xaba (second from the left) with her mum, Loveness Kaunda, who helps to invigilate the children’s exams, and Tapiwa, Kulunga and Zakithi.
TEACHER-ASSISTED LEARNING
• CambriLearn (cambrilearn.com) offers online learning and weekly virtual classroom sessions with a teacher. The school focuses on the British curriculum.
• If you’re looking for something that’s more like a traditional school, consider the Valenture Institute (valentureinstitute.com). It, too, follows the British curriculum and is accredited by Pearson Edexcel,
a private examination board. Online lessons are supplemented with in-person classes at a small campus in Cape Town. (A Johannesburg campus is underway.) Valenture allows learners to structure their own time, but sets weekly deadlines, project work and live sessions.
• Teneo School (teneoschool.co.za) offers online classes according to a timetable for learners who thrive with more structure. Classes start at 7:50am and finish at approximately 2pm. You can choose either the British or the CAPS curriculum.
HOME-SCHOOLING
ON A BUDGET
The Homeschool Lounge has great podcasts for home-schooling parents. Listen to ‘Home-educating on a shoestring’ to get practical tips before you spend money unnecessarily.
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PHOTOS: PROLINE STUDIO 7 (XABA FAMILY) AND GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES. ILLUSTRATIONS: FREEPIK