Introduction To Home Science - Home Science FORM 1 Notes

Introduction

• Home Science may seem like a totally new area to you, since there is no subject known as 'Home Science' in the Primary School Curriculum.
• However, you actually covered it under Science and this includes topics such as, the Human Body, Health Education, Foods and Nutrition, among others.
• Just as you enjoyed learning the above topics in Science while in Primary School, I am sure you will enjoy learning Home Science as a subject on its own in Secondary School.

Definition of Home Science

• Home science is an integrated field of study that provides scientific and systematic knowledge about various aspects of family living.
• The name "Home Science" suggests that it is concerned with home and includes health and happiness of each and every person residing in it. It prepares its students to develop themselves with multiple vocational and career options.
• In very simple words Home Science can be defined as the multidisciplinary field of study that deals with health, diet, caring child, textile and garment designing, managing resources and other subjects concerned with a home.

Importance of Home Science to:

• The subject of Home Science is concerned with every area of home life including cooking , clothing, furnishing and decoration of the house, childcare, household purchases and family relationships.
• It teaches people how to eat better food, dress up well, look after their homes and spend money wisely and how to lead a happy home life.

Importance to an individual

• Develops in the students the necessary skills and techniques required for better homemaking and family living : Home science prepares the students for greatest of all profession i.e., being a homemaker.
• Helps in changing the values, attitudes and interests : Home science is not only confined to development of homemaking skills, it also makes the person aware of changing world.
• Enables the person for many career opportunities : Use of new techniques and modern equipment's has helped the housewife to make efficient use of her resources.
• Home Science education empowers with the skills to improve every facet of home life – food, clothing, health, childcare, personal finance, religion, culture, arts, home beautification, etc.
• It enables one to take better care of their family while helping them lead a more enriched life.
• It moulds one into a responsible person who can handle day to day challenges.
• It teaches one's rights and duties as a consumer.
• In this fast-paced world, lifestyle and environmental factors are diluting personal relationships. Children are growing up in an ever-changing environment that can affect their psychology. Home Science equips one with the ability to tackle these difficult life situations.
• Home Science works at a basic level by improving one's outlook towards others. It inculcates values that help one become responsible for their family and society.

Importance to the family

• The knowledge of Home Science improves the quality of life: the study of home science provides the homemaker with the knowledge and skills required to manage a home effectively.
• Helps in the best utilization of resources to get maximum satisfaction and returns : Family resource management provides knowledge necessary to make intelligent decisions regarding the purchases budgeting and other managerial activities.
• Teaches the application of modern science and technology to improve domestic life : Modernisation of the world is reflected in home also. High-tech products and modern equipment's have entered our homes especially kitchens.
• Helps to improve family relationships : The study of home science includes the area of human relationship, which teaches people how to get along with one another and how to solve problems within the family.
• Home science promotes the moral, familial and spiritual aspects of family living: Moral values of honesty, truthfulness, dependability and objectivity and decision making are some important values that a home is expected to develop in its members.

Importance to the nation

• Help to solve the day-to-day problems : The changing society not only increases the managerial problems concerning the use of human and material resources but also requires different methods of meeting the problems.
• Home science has an important role to play in society : Home science aims at promoting satisfactory personal family and community life by developing the qualities needed for responsible and creative living.
• Life cannot be sustained without adequate nourishment, good health, protective environment, good housing, managerial qualities/skills, empowerments, suitable resources, communication skills, high literacy levels and aspirations. All these are essential for national development. Home science is an integral course which builds an individual with all these qualities and thereby aims at development of individuals, his family, the community and the nation in large.
• Home science also encourages students to participate in community extension activities and thereby make them realize their commitment to their society and less privileged and school dropouts in rural and urban areas.

Home Science as a basis for various careers

• Home Science leads to diverse career opportunities such as:
  • Teacher
  • Interior Designer
  • Chef
  • Air Hostess
  • Dietician
  • Community Health Worker
  • Fashion Designer
  • Entrepreneur
  • Researcher
  • Textile Engineer

Teacher

• This includes teachers of home science in high schools, lecturers in universities on home science related courses, life coaches on food and nutrition, hygiene, etc.

Chef

• This is the chief cook of a large kitchen staff. He/she is in charge of menu creation, staff management and business aspects related to the kitchen.

Air Host / Hostess

• Also known as flight steward or cabin crew member. He/she ensures that passengers have a comfortable journey on the flight.

Dietician

• An expert in Food and Nutrition. He/she promotes good health through proper eating; supervises the preparation of food, develops modified diets, participates in related research and educates individuals on good nutritional habits.

Community Health Worker

• A member of a community who is chosen by community members to provide basic health and medical care to the community.

Fashion Designer

• A Fashion Designer creates original garments as well as those that follow established fashion trends. He/she studies trends, sketches designs of clothing and accessories, selects colours and fabrics, and oversees the final product of their designs.

Entrepreneur

• A person who identifies a business opportunity, assesses the risks involved, organises the necessary resources to start and run a successful business.

Researcher

• A person who tries to discover, interprete and develop methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of our world and the universe.

Textile Engineer

• The textile engineer specializes in the study of fibres and new textile production methods. The profession includes turning fibre into fabric and fabric into clothing and other textile products.

Interior Designer

• This profession is concerned with anything that is found inside a space/room, that is, walls, windows, doors, finishes, textures, light and furnishings. The interior designer uses these elements to develop a functional, safe and aesthetically pleasing space/ room for use.