Raising a half-American child in the Philippines

[Poleman]

45 minutes ago, scott h said:

Having been married for a long, long time, the only downside to home schooling would be the lack of making life long friends through out the different levels of school. Depending on your final decision as to move back to the USA or not. I am continually amazed at the number of friends my wife keeps in touch with, socializes with, in other words a support network, from elementary, high school and college. IMO he/she will miss out on this if home schooled and lives in the Philippines.

Just another thought to throw into the mix 

Just thought I'd throw my two cents in here, whatever that's worth. I have no children, don't want any, but I do know a bit about socializing. Where I moved to in Arizona about 10 years ago I found a lot of home schooled children ... and I'm sorry to say - they weren't very educated. That's not to say you or you or even YOU will not do a good job educating, it's just my experience  with a lot of them. I met most through my church. I also noticed, and formulated an opinion on that  observation, they weren't as socially involved as others. I do believe the social interaction one receives in the years of public (or even private) schooling is VERY important to ones eventual social behavior. There is concerns about current public education and the new hyper-concern about bullying that seems prevalent these days. I can't say much about the methodology of today's curriculum or whether it's better or worse than when I went to school (Los Angeles Public School System), but I can say that any social interaction (bullying, friendships, etc) helps build ones social make-up and do believe that is a good thing.

You can say I'm full of it since I have no children, but I am quite the observer and do believe in what I say.

On another note, I am well educated from that L.A. school system and went on to civil engineering and I can even say all my gazintas.    One gazinta three three times ... two gazinta eight four times.  I R edumacated.

“The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think - rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men.”  

 

The Poleman

[jpbago]

12 hours ago, MikeB said:

The Philippines has a big advantage of being the sole Asian country where English is widely known. But ESL training is booming in China and Korea, they’re hiring Filipinos to teach rudimentary English online and paying little. The big advantage will become less and less over time.

Many thousands of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Koreans are studying English in Canada.

[Dave Hounddriver]

32 minutes ago, Poleman said:

I do know a bit about socializing. Where I moved to in Arizona about 10 years ago I found a lot of home schooled children ... and I'm sorry to say - they weren't very educated.

Were they actual "Home Schooled" or "Virtual Schooled"  my kids in Canada went to a Virtual School and I loved it.  Here is just a quick peak at the main differences, then anyone interested can Google/research for themselves.

Quote

 

CORE DIFFERENCES
Home education is parent-directed education. Homeschool parents can choose an individualized curriculum that complements their child’s learning style and imparts the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values they choose. They are also able to use the time-tested one-on-one, tutorial approach to learning, introduce concepts when their child is developmentally ready, and work at advanced levels whenever appropriate.

In contrast, a virtual public school is essentially a small public school in the home of each participant. Parents accept the public school curriculum chosen by the state. This curriculum dictates the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values their child must acquire. Virtual school students move at a predetermined pace and meet the benchmarks of the state SOL tests. A certified teacher oversees the records and progress of the student, and faith-based curriculum cannot be included.

With the expansion of web-based, virtual public education, it is important to understand the differences between homeschools and virtual public schools. There are distinct differences in methods, curriculum, parental involvement, and results.

 

I am a fan of virtual education, but people who have never tried it say the time difference is going to be a big problem.  Not so in my experience.  The youngsters are expected to sign on at a certain time of day to begin their school day and they can contact other students and the teachers at mutually convenient times.  This means the child may "start class" at 9PM (Philippine time) but then go to bed and get up and continue.  The hours are extremely flexible and the system is set up for the sole purpose of long distance learning.  Socially, they have events/field trips every month or so and anyone who is in the area can attend so if you even go back to "some other country" once a year the kids can meet face to face with the friends they have made on line.  Its the future.

Just my 2 cents.

[Jack Peterson]

5 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

This means the child may "start class" at 9PM (Philippine time) but then go to bed and get up and continue.

 Bit Like PEF Then EH? Come and go as you please and catch up later 

[Nickleback99]

7 hours ago, Reedster said:

Has anyone tried to use a US-approved home schooling program for their child?  

I have a two-year-old daughter, and we are considering home schooling here.  If it works well, might move to Cebu and continue it.

Thoughts anyone?

I'm in the same boat, as son turns 3 this coming Oct, and since he's exposed to English, Tagalog and Japanese rt now on a daily basis, a little behind on "talking" or making sentences...even sounds like the Minions language sometimes!  .... but thoughts are he'll likely be multi lingual by 4 like some of my friends here have experienced in Japan when kids were slow to speak either language early, and he seems to understand a lot of what we tell him already.    As for schools in PI, we are thinking to add in some home school to supplement going to a private school of some sort in PI when we move down to Dumaguete in 2018 now, at least through elementary school, but figure by middle school, I'll be behind on truly helping him in algebra, etc; so, have a back up plan then for moving back to US if need be.  However, I've friends who've had success in the higher priced private schools there in PI, except those may not be where we prefer to live, but then again, gotta do what's best for kids when time comes and will continually reassess the situation each year.  I'm 58 now, so , no spring chicken and will be around 73 when he graduates High School.....I'm sure I'll hear "So nice your grandpa could come to your graduation" !    Decisions, Decisions.   

[Mark Berkowitz]

OK, it's quite old but I wanted to provide an update:

It took a while for me to make a final decision, but I made one during August.  My Fil-Am son has officially become a Murikan, since he now has his CRBA and US Passport, but now I’m still working on getting a visa for my DW.

Last week was my DW’s interview at the US Embassy for her IR-1 Visa, and lo and behold, she was given a pink 221-g slip, which means: 

Now, I have to leave the Phils in January to re-establish my domicile back in the good ol’ usa.

Wish me luck 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Mark Berkowitz
grammar etc.

[Old55]

Congratulations Mark!

 

[graham59]

Congratulations, and good luck to you and your family.  

I'm older than you and have a 3 year-old son here in the Phils.  I have already procured a British passport for him, as well as a Filipino one. 

I also have a 25 year-old  UK-born son from/with my first Filipina wife, as well as having brought her two children (my stepchildren) to the UK, at a young age.

All the grown children now have degrees from good British universities... and British Citizenship/passports.  

[Mark Berkowitz]

12 minutes ago, graham59 said:

I have already procured a British passport for him, as well as a Filipino one. 

A Filipino passport for my son too, since without one, he'd be considered to be an overstayed American that owes money to the BI when he gets to leave the Phils with his mom.   

This is a good heads-up to all expats that get citizenship and passports in their homelands for their children in the Philippines.

[Jack Peterson]

13 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

A Filipino passport for my son too, since without one, he'd be considered to be an overstayed American that owes money to the BI

 Why mark? he is here in the PI and a Filipino so he does not need a Visa, If he came back on a US passport then maybe but he is still a Filipino