One of the biggest misconceptions about homeschoolers is that they have no social life. Nothing can be farther from the truth, especially in this age and time when more and more homeschooling communities are being built in and outside Manila and all around the world.
For example, have you heard of Homeschool @ the Fort? Homeschool @ the Fort is an avenue for many homeschoolers to get together, interact, and build relationships with other homeschooling families, and take fun and exciting classes together like Theater Arts, Hip Hop dancing, Painting, Computer Programming, Projects & Presentations, Robotics, Tae Kwon Do, Piano, Guitar, and other supplemental classes.
Top practitioners as coaches
Their line-up of instructors is excellent. Homeschool @ the Fort has signed up some of the best practitioners in their fields and industries to teach the classes.
This year they have Julie Borromeo’s Performing Arts associate artistic director and resident choreographer, Ana Marie Quirino, for Theater Arts; Acts Dance Arts Academy Studio and founder of Stylettos dance group for GMA and ABS CBN shows, Jane Mangubos, for Dancing; and Art Director for Crane Lake Camp in Massachussetts, Nino Hernandez, for Arts.
And those are not the only impressive ones in the roster. Ms. Owie Dela Cruz, who coaches the students in group debates and declamations, TV news reporting, events hosting, DJ-ing and VJ-ing, voice acting, and stage projection, is actually one of the most sought after voice talent for TV and radio ads. She is also a voice dubber for telenovelas, and was also a newscaster and an on-cam/off air announcer. Creative Writing classes are taught, on the other hand, by Mr. Jo-em Antonio, a five-time Palanca awardee.
Other instructors include Milona Barraca for Entrepreneurship, Ramil Saavedra for Computer Programming, Gilbert Zamora for Robotics, Tim Cada for Guitar, Amor Moran for Piano, Joey Santiago for Tae Kwon do, Charis Gacutan for Reading & Writing, Lei Lejano for Home Economics and the founder’s own daughter, Kathryn Cartera, who teaches Writing, Reading, and Piano.
Character, Culture, and Community
People who don’t know much about homeschooling have this false notion that homeschoolers are thrown into a culture of overachievement and a lot of restrictions. On the contrary, homeschoolers actually have more freedom to pursue and nurture their interests instead of being forced to keep up with a standardized and highly regulated traditional learning setup.
More accurately, most homeschooling families focus more on imbibing good character and values in their children. Diligence, patience, kindness, integrity, perseverance, focus, and all other invaluable traits simply become second nature to most of them and they reflect on the things they do.
It also helps that there is room for homeschoolers to be taught based on their individual learning styles, making the learning much more fun and less stressful for most of them.
These classes offered at Homeschool @ the Fort are particularly outstanding this year. I know because two of my children have been with them since last year. However, I would say that part of the credit on their performances go to them, too – the students, because they excitedly and eagerly participate in these classes.
Plus, as Homeschool @ the Fort founder and director Edgar Cartera says, the classes are great, but it’s the community that has been built among the students and their families that is the most valuable thing we all get out of it.
I agree!
Homeschool @ the Fort hold classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but on other days, many of the families come together to hang out or to support each other.
Preschool @ the Fort
This year, Homeschool @ the Fort is launching Preschool @ the Fort which aims to provide a fun preparatory learning environment for children ages 3-5. And just as expected, the instructors are just as amazing as the ones they have at Homeschool @ the Fort. All are experienced pre-school teachers who have trained and practiced their profession in Singapore and Australia.
The educational approach is patterned after Australia’s new education system wherein the emphasis of the learning will be on identity, social and physical well -being, being contributing members of society, involved learners, and effective communicators.
Homeschool @ the Fort and Preschool @ the Fort classes are not exclusive to homeschoolers.
Homeschool @ the Fort
3rd floor, Treston International, 32nd street,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila
Website: https://www.preschoolatthefort.com/
Facebook: @PreschoolattheFort
