Homeschooling Successes: Taking the Way of the Prime Educational Option Forward

In the wildly competitive and demanding world of today, what does it take to reach your goals and stand out?

With tailor-fit tools that include learning context, curriculum, enrichment activities, support groups, and a standard to benchmark against, homeschooling has been made a prime educational option and means to achieve success in modern society. Locally, top five Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition Louise Mabulo, child genius Darrell Tan, and cum laude graduate-basketball star Paul Tan-Chi are but some sterling testimonies of this.

Here’s a peek on why they put homeschooling in such high regard and how they think this platform is a prime educational option:

Darrell Tan: Genius I.Q. Child

For a 10-year old boy with a genius I.Q. and so much potential, you would think that he would prefer conventional schooling over home education. But Darrell Tan is a proof that learning within the four walls of the home actually equates to learning with no walls—no boundaries in discovering knowledge and experiences of the world beyond. “What I like best about homeschooling—I enjoy learning from my parents, which is why we are close. I have the biggest classroom in the world because I can take my work anywhere. I can also have more activities, like chess, sports, etc. I have many friends of all ages,” as Darrell declares.

Louise Mabulo: Top 5, Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition

Growing up and having to leave my friends and comfort zone behind to adjust to new surroundings is not an easy task for a child. With her dad as a former mayor, she needed to travel a lot and adapt to different languages and cultures. However, it was also during this point in her life when it all changed for the better. After reflecting on the situation, and her family asking for divine guidance, she enrolled in homeschooling and experienced a dramatic shift. “I was always with my mom and dad when they traveled around the Philippines and to other Asian countries, and I witnessed the beauty of God’s creations. I was also able to make more friends than I could ever imagine,” Louise says.

Paul Tan-Chi: Cum Laude, former Ateneo UAAP Basketball Team Captain, AXEIA Corp. and SHDA President

Hugely able to juggle between being an awarded business student and a famed basketball team captain during his youth, and being president of both AXEIA Corp. and SHDA at present; Paul Tan-Chi has grown up into a highly effective adult. Looking back, he considers his days in homeschooling as some of his brightest and happiest years growing up. “I loved the time I spent with my sibling, and the flexibility to be able to finish a day’s schoolwork early, which gave us more time to play and learn outside the classroom,” he explains.

Home education as a prime educational option

In the country, more and more Filipino parents are homeschooling by choice, and discovering its priceless benefits. Putting their growing number conservatively at 3,000 families, HAPI has made it its mission to be a catalyst in nation-building by advancing home education and unifying home educators in the country.

“We believe that the teacher-student relationship is intrinsic to the parent-child relationship. Parents have a natural God-given influence that will work to make homeschooling fulfilling for both. We hope that through the upcoming 4th HAPI Conference, we’ll inspire more parents about real life benefits of homeschooling,” says HAPI President, Gerry Argosino.

The Philippine Homeschool Conference set on May 19, 2012 at the 5/F of St. Francis Square Ortigas Center in Mandaluyong banners the theme “Laying a Strong Foundation.”  International speaker Debra Bell, a homeschooling authority in the U.S. and best-selling author, and our very own Bo Sanchez, inspirational speaker and author, are slated as keynote speakers. The event will be honored by the presence of Department of Education officials, including Atty. Tonisito Umali, Asst. Secretary for Legal & Legislative Affairs.

As Edric Mendoza, HAPI Chairman said “I realized in raising my four kids that I only have one shot at parenting, and one shot at being the main influencers in their lives. For true success, we have chosen to follow God and enable our children to pass on this important value and legacy.”

To know more about the Homeschooling Association of the Philippine Islands (HAPI) or how to register for the Conference, visit www.hapihomeschooler.com and/or email hapihomeschooler@gmail.com.