Homeschooling or Whole Being Living | Urmila Samson | TEDxSalisburyPark

There is thinking out of the box and then there is learning out of the box. Urmila Samson is a person who is a proponent of the latter. Hailing from Pune, she home schooled or as she calls it "unschooled" her children while being the co-founder of Swashikshan-Association of Indian Homeschoolers. The pedagogy revoles around picking up cues from the child about their inclination and providing them the tools to develop those skills.
It worked out when her daughter got into Eurythmy in London based solely on the merit of her essay, without having to give her A-level exams. With the community of parents choosing to home school their children growing, it is an honour to have Pune's MVP to tackle the orthodoxy of our current education system. Urmila Samson is one of the most distinguished homeshooling mothers in India. She, with her husband John, have radical ideas about learning and have opted to un-school their three children aged 25 years, 21 years and 18 years, who have never been to school. Her favourite definition of education is engaging with everything - living and non-living. Urmila is the co-founder of Swashikshan-Association of Indian Homeschoolers and has always been connected with people to guide them on right information and resources, with a burning desire to change the current scenario of the education system. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@elsaromero4743]

I don't clean up my daughter's toys either, when I would or asked her to put it away it would break her heart 💔😥. And then I thought back... She has been playing and building for hours who am I to destroy it in 1 min because I want to have a clean house because we were having visitors.

[@hopelesslycomplicated3047]

Not a lot of parents think like you... Hats off to you ma'am .. I wish my parents supported me when I wanted to be homeschooled

[@oscarsharkslayer]

don't be upset with parents. they lived in different times. only the kids who hear this lecture should address their concerns and complain. if parents hear no wisdom, that's grounds to be upset :)

[@neptune0909]

I'm doing unschooling! My parents are supportive I'm so grateful I get to do my skills.. I run my own e business at 15 rn..

[@maimaisuisyn2758]

I got it! I used to hate schools when I was young. I used to think what the heck of life is going to school since childcare to high school, and graduation, and look for job, get married, and when retire try to go around the world but too weak to do so. Now my son has been going to school for about 8 years and he is 10 years old. He still is not motivated to go to school. He is smart and he won’t read what the teacher wants him to read. On the other hand, he reads a lot. He hates entering his reading log. He is supposed to read 30 minutes daily after school but used to even read secretly in bed the books he loves to read. I think I should find the way to combine homeschooling with some sitting lessons and mostly following his passion with my motherly instinct. I agree that there are lots of information available on everyone’s fingertips in this age! We live this only one life and why not enjoy it to the fullest with the purpose we are born on Earth!!

[@asmaamin1183]

My son is the same. He loves reading but not the structure way of homework from school. I will be homeschooling him from the next year. He’s in kindergarten now. I saw many adults getting their degree in one subject and after graduation getting so lost that they have to do another course to get the job they need to get. Such a mess but thankfully still there are many people who think the way human should be thinking. Nurturing the soul, the mind and the body. Guiding the kids to their interests in the way they can understand the best.

[@homeschooledaroundtheworld4660]

We are homeschooling our daughters in a very relaxed way. We have been studying India in the past month. Yesterday my youngest suggested to dedicate International women’s day to the women and girls in India. We read books about Ancient India, listened to traditional Indian music and eat Indian food. We are not from Indian nor have ever been in India but we felt that we were there. We travel the world and socialization is everywhere available to my kids. That’s the beauty and freedom of homeschool. Thank you for the wonderful speech, encouragement, and inspiration.

[@EngineerSumit]

i really want my children to learn from the experience and observing the world...but only thing that stops me is the finance....how to manage financial part if i m busy travelling with kids ??

[@oscarsharkslayer]

freedom is cheap. You decide what and when. When you don't want a spending, you do not take it. Schools are a money drain!

[@openyoureyes3969]

We homeschool too, and teach our kids what they want to learn as well. We are learning in the process.

[@ananyabasu3770]

You are so amazing 😂

[@tanyabenny813]

Thanks for this msg. You have echoed my son's voice and he has never seen your vid. He believes that the world is moving slowly in what should have been achieved.

[@LauraGraceWeldon]

Wise and beautiful truths from a woman who lives her convictions. Thank you Urmila Samson!

[@kamlendrasinghchouhan1234]

Laura are you in favour of unschooling ? i am in favour of it but i am also confuse how children will learn basic knowledge of general sujbects as well as every where we need a paper record means marksheet and degrees to show our eligibility to get a job. bcoz govt. and other institution give weightage to documents than talent and creativity of person. please help me clear y doubts.

[@oscarsharkslayer]

check Peter Gray, he explains everything in detail. Unschooling is great for college prep (as long as the kid wants to go there because … she may prefer to be a novelist or set up a robot company :)

[@Shamantak_Bhattacharyya]

@@kamlendrasinghchouhan1234 I too have same doubts.

[@satwindersetia4367]

Wonderful speech. Thanks for leading the path.

[@jaykantshah3851]

Totally true & well said. When will parents of our society realise that it schools education system which misleading the real learning process. Dare to make them Learning without school to make them real successful human life.

[@priyatrehan6742]

Very well put and said!

[@amitr1688]

We need to revamp the entire education system...what we learn now, may not be useful for us in future due to change in technology, environment, circumstances. Next is there are some subjects which help nowhere in our life. We have been to school , I studied geometry, algebra ..but its of no use to me, and will never be. Parents need to consider this seriously about deep learning of homeschooling that helps to practise our passion so that we can follow our dreams and learn what needs to be learnt.

[@bakeandtake7160]

You are so cool and soft spoken

[@elsaromero4743]

As a homeschool parent I get doubts and bocome afraid that my daughter may be falling behind but we spend as long as we need to get her to understand a concept instead of moving on regardless because we have to move through the curriculum as they do in school.

[@kamarpreet]

Hey, I am new to homeschooling. With my kid just starting kindergarten. I am so doubtful every second day but hopeful every time I see her do something new just out of passion and love...also I am glad to know everyone goes through these doubts and know I will know to come back and check each time I start to feel despair.

[@tushitatravel2710]

Your daughter s foundation is going to be so damn strong, she will always be confident to take on the world

[@abdullahmuhammad1611]

​@@kamarpreet What are your thoughts about homescholling now after one year? Fo you recommend homeschooling? Thank you

[@victoriavuong6225]

Awesome! Perfect! Love it!

[@TheSchoolhouseLife]

we are also doing homeschooling to our kids and we are also homesteading and giving our subscribers tips and guides on how to do homeschooling and homesteading in a natural way

[@samanthaajoshikacreativewo535]

Please need more information about home schooling for my kids

[@hope1416]

Parents/caregivers need to deschool themselves in order to make a healthy transition from school to home education.

[@sridevisvk]

I'm one of such homeschooling parent who believes in super consciousness in child n want to bring it up in various ways by allowing freedom to kids n that they manifest their own reality. I just be there support.

[@antconsultancy3598]

This excites me..

[@lavnagar5085]

Primary school asking for 50k as admission Fees is pathetic, add transport, tuition Fees and god knows what. Invest that amount their diet/sports training/tools and toys.

[@sadiejones7763]

This is so beautiful, thank you, more motivation to keep working with my kids, we love homeschooling my kids are excelling compared to public school kids I’m so proud of them and my kids get along so much better now being around one another more I love it

[@500deanna]

Excellent!!!

[@apsdevlearnersparadise1780]

The bhramand schooling is the one which can go hand in hand with any form of schooling. Actually every one at the back of there mind have a unschooling concept and which makes them in times to come......

[@rachabeff3212]

Yes! We're getting there. Still schoolish in so many ways but, soon. I'm just scared.

[@bakeandtake7160]

I am one among those parents and very desirous to homeschool my kids but not getting the right platform..

[@supriyaathawale]

Same here

[@angelika77st]

I could not send my son to school, kids learn more when they are happy and playing. I teach them manners and mutual respect, how to prepare meals. Today I had my son replace the door handles, he is 6 years old, we do everything together, he asks questions and I always try have us both find the answer. He retains most of the things he learns, it has surprised me. I love learning, learning has no schedules.

[@angelika77st]

@@vaishalisheth2121 thank you. I appreciate your kind words.

[@elsaromero4743]

I would say go for it! Try it. If it doesn't work out for your family you can always go back... I think the biggest step is making that choice and starting.

[@tushitatravel2710]

@@angelika77st this is so inspiring .. kudos to your efforts...

[@jyotiseth436]

The element of freedom is always there in homeschooling but wouldn't it be more appropriate to think of flexible online schools rather than completely homeschooling?

[@sandragordon6219]

It does get a bit harder in older grades like 8th-graduating high school. There are things colleges look for and you want to make sure they have the boxes checked off so to speak. There is still freedom though.

[@terencemonteiro]

As a homeschooling dad, I feel you shouldn't base your sales pitch for homeschooling saying traditional school is burdensome. The majority of todays workforce have come through the traditional school system. Especially when talking to our own spouse/relatives, we end up putting them on the defensive if we take this approach. What I feel we as homeschoolers should do is to focus on the positives. To borrow an analogy from a kiwi (New Zealander) homeschooling dad, if everyone had yellow houses on your street, you decide to paint yours blue. You set about painting the entire house blue from top to bottom. Now you sit in your front porch reading a book or newspaper sipping your coffee. Lots of puzzled looks and questioning glances, even people talking and murmuring among themselves and some just coming up and asking you why on earth. This is where people come from and they can feel defensive because of the sheer conspicuousness and standing-out of your house. Also homeschooling is not for everyone and requires considerable patience, hard-work, sacrifice and perseverance to make it work. Even for those who venture into it, they may not be sufficiently prepared and may need time to equip themselves. Of course, as you mention, learning happens in many ways and we shouldn't assume there is no learning except in a classroom. Nevertheless, the human mind needs and benefits from training, practice, repetition and routine. I think we must acknowledge the benefits of the classroom approach without taking it to such an extreme that it becomes a burden.

[@nexuscross3233]

We need both kinds of approaching, ie to point the negatives of schooling and the positives of unschooling. Classroom model is one of the worst.

[@taylorjohnson4943]

I can appreciate your insight this is something I have thought about myself. While the structure and order conventional school provides. Children should have the opportunity to thrive and allow there inner creativity and strengths be allowed to thrive. And grow I have seen first hand some of the traps of conventional schooling and the constraints they can burden children with in there development. Finding the balance between these systems. Could elevate a entire generation.

[@hAckAbleMe]

Their*

[@Tanoaproductionsfiji]

I believe she is right.

[@rivernoellesegreto656]

👏👏👏

[@sandragordon6219]

Difference between home schooling and e-leaning when pandemic hit is different in the way that if we homeschool-not online school- we choose the curriculum There are many free online schools you can sign the kiddos up for but they teach the curriculum they choose. ❤ I homeschool my girls. My older one does an online Christian academy which costs $$ and luckily my in laws help with that. My younger one in 7th grade learns with me I teach her It is a hard choice. When covid hit I had to quit my job and stay home but luckily I had an at home job that would help pay a few bills. So now I’m down to one job. But it’s paid off I’m closer with my kiddos, we chose a Christian based curriculum and we are becoming more knowledgeable in that as well. There are many ways to outsource subjects you aren’t good at. Like math I am terrible at math so I sign them up for online math programs

[@ananyabasu3770]

Only if my parents gave me this freedom😢😢😢

[@kalpanamurugan5075]

My kids also want homeschool

[@vaneegupta]

Can anyone please explain me the difference between homeschooling concept and the one we saw during the pandemic days (online classes)? How is homeschooling curriculum or way/mode of teaching is different from the rigid, conventional schooling system, considering both online and offline as well. And even if one family cannot spend their efforts in educating their kids (both time factor and them not being much educated) how would they tackle this problem? If a family is highly interested in homeschooling their kids but they lack the financial aids so is there any option or an alternative in which they talk to other interested parents and all of them come up with a teacher who teaches 3-5 kids at a go? Solving all the issues related to financial crisis, parents not being able to spend their one on one time with kids and even if the parent is not educated that enough?

[@prajaktakharade8882]

K8 school

[@emip3008]

Pray address one simple question - who would be homeschooling the child(ren) while both parents are in full-time work?

[@kalyanimandgaonkar6270]

I want to do homeschooling for my child . How can I do that ?

[@tanyabenny813]

I started homeschooling my kids this year and there were so many doubts fears and tears. Today I will never look back. I asked for a guide within social media. I researched groups in my city and realised that we are such a support for one another. I never found this group until about 4 months ago. I have turned to places like Kahn academy and freckle. They are free should your kids want to be nourished academically. Good luck. A mom to 3.

[@sadiejones7763]

I home school my two kids I will email you can share everything with you to get you started with your state!

[@rk-ld7gu]

Hi dears me also doing homeschooling. So many misconception s are there in the society. Every body discouraging me. Too much challenges. Me too needs support from you all.

[@oscarsharkslayer]

as long as the kids are happy, you should not pay much attention to complaints :)

[@manimyaoo4249]

What if both parents are working

[@VisvivaMediaSdnBhd]

Don't make your kid another brick in the wall.

[@vaibhavupasani4231]

Do homeschooled kids have to be sent to university just like other kids who have attended schools?🤔

[@darrenfernando3519]

Conscious public schooling is better than conscious homeschooling, because there is less chance of ivory tower syndrome.

[@amitr1688]

Is homeschooling officially acceptable in India? How will a child pursue further education in medical, engineering anything without normal schooling. Please guide

[@Rishikul030788]

Please visit nios website, if not already

[@onkar5404]

@@Rishikul030788 why?

[@sunilsood7079]

There are State Open Boards now. No need for any TC. Just age proof. They can appear directly in Secondary. NIOS is equivalent to CBSE.

[@AsharAlamSiddiqui]

Are there any Whatsapp groups for home schooling?

[@Natasha-gf9gh]

There are loads on FB

[@ummabualimirza6618]

Can we send them school and focus on home schooling

[@lifehappened8251]

Som Mirza no

[@satyanveshi1939]

@Zapper Zapped one question I agree u can shield uer kid from the negative world effects till the age of 18 I believe and keep them home schooled but they have to get out and face world one day I believe u r not planning to keep them at your home till they are 50 years old as they have to earn their living. When they get out to the actual world unless you are person with huge fortune your kids need to earn their living. The world outside is quite cruel and the home schooled kid gurantee cannot face it at all because they have never seen bullies and people who hurt cheat and insult because the kid was always shielded from all of that. If you want to become an athlete you just cannot get up one day and run 10 kms if one does they will lay on bed with extreme body pain for the whole week. Becoming strong is a gradual process and you need to exposed to circumstances and environment which makes one strong, hiding and running away from problems never works out and because problems will always come and appear later in life with much bigger impact. We humans are amazing adaptable beings the more problems we face the better we get that's how we have evolved. Giving a very cushy and protected life will have negative effects on the kids which won't see it till they become adults or teens.

[@SEA4ENGLISH]

Umm Abu Ali Mirza, I have also dropped my daughter from school and she learnt more in a year what she couldn’t learn in 3 years of schooling. She is 8 years old but she is a good communicator. You can watch her video on SEA 4 ENGLISH channel where she teaches Apple to Zebra in British & American accent with ordinal numbers and reasoning and these things aren’t taught in any schools throughout India. Plz encourage your child to be creative and innovative.

[@tanyabenny813]

@@satyanveshi1939 people bully everywhere but I have taught my kids to be confident and rise above it. I am yet to meet a person that could break their confidence. I do believe in socialising them. They are stronger than they were before and hungry for knowledge. I would probably agreed with you should I have not walked the path myself.

[@Shamantak_Bhattacharyya]

What abt adjustment skills?social skills?if we don't learn to mix up with peer groups, follow lil instructions from teachers, then will that child be able to grow up n adjust in corporate world..every child can't become a novelist or creative artist...in that case?

[@Magdalena287]

How is a child stuck in a classroom only with peers his own age gaining social skills and world experience?

[@kapixd66]

pierdalenie o szopenie XD

[@sopanshinde2619]

Sadly homeschooling parents like this one do sometimes do go overboard. Homeschooling or/and un-schooling are very good options. But to say that children need to be given complete freedom is not all that good. Children need to be moderated in many ways and many things need to be taught in a formal sense of school even if children are given homeschooling options.

[@aviseksaha6382]

Well opinions differ. But according to my understanding homeschooling/unschooling doesn't mean you don't say what's good or what's bad. The primary Idea is that everyone in this society are going through tremendous stress and anxiety. The more the prestigious college the more is one's insecurities. Now imagine coming out of this college land you in similar competitive, high stress corporate work culture, sure you are paid enough to be at the top of the financial hierarchy. This has tremendous toll on your mental sanity, I assure you that. Here the idea is to identify your inclination so that you can be on the 'IKIGAI'.

[@laurenalmeyda6916]

"A child left to himself will bring his parents to shame." There has to be a balance. Parents have to moderate and be involved. I wouldn't let my kids play video games for 5 years! Good grief there is more to life we can teach them!

[@kristijones3307]

Homeschooling and unschooling doesn’t mean lack of moderation or without any direction. Common sense is implied!

[@ArcaniaSkyPirateDen9516]

Stop defending Homeschooling! My mother is extremely toxic and abusive. She ruined my education and kept me from knowing about the world. She never actually taught me anything and I didn't get a High school diploma because of her(she pulled me out of school at ninth grade and I never went back. She did this before when I was in third grade up till sixth.) So now I have to get my GED to work or go to college which I can't do because of Covid-19 out break. She also did the same for my half brothers. They left at third and fifth grade. I don't know how I'm going to survive the world when I was hardly allowed to leave my house and was never taught finance.

[@mweru1900]

I am so sorry that your experience with was negative. Are you able to contact a local community or technical college to speak to an adviser to help guide you towards a GED, career path ...? They are a wonderful resource. Hope this helps a little.

[@kristijones3307]

I’m sorry that you had a terrible experience but it’s not homeschooling that was the issue. I wish someone had saved you from that outcome.

[@user-iz3hg3rr9q]

The tame dogsled supply march because neon provisionally pinch in a spiritual mallet. careless, zesty vulture

[@madhhviraj4089]

You have a good idea But not Practicle enough

[@sadiejones7763]

Ritu Raj if you are a lazy mother who does not want to put in the work and are ok with school shooting and wondering if your kid will be next ? Practical? You mean ?