Homeschooling 101

Lesson 6: Creative solutions for difficult situations

Homeschooling the Special Needs Child

Special needs children often have a very difficult time mainstreaming into the public education system. If your child can’t fit an ILP-Independent Lesson Plan, homeschooling may be an alternative. And one that can benefit both you and your child. I homeschool both of my boys, who are classified as special needs kids. Is it easy? Yes and no.

The good news about homeschooling is you set the schedule. The law in California requires a minimum of 4 hours per day in class. But you decide which hours to use for schooling and how they are used. The internet is filled with wonderful homeschooling resources: lesson plans, work sheets, maps and support groups.

If your child has trouble with writing, use creative ways to do the work. The point here is to teach the child. If, because of physical/emotional problems, your child can’t write, use verbal lessons, you can record on tape or video. Use colorful blocks or buttons for counting and basic math. Software from Jump Start, Leap Pad and Reader Rabbit. If your child has poor hand eye coordination, using clay is an excellent way to strengthen weak wrists and hands, plus work out tensions.

Don’t be afraid to break up the day into whatever time units work best for your child. Remember, this is your schedule, for your child. If you need to break the day up into 30-45 minute sessions, fine! Whatever works for the both of you. Don’t get frustrated because of expectations. Just try and go with the flow of your child's moods. You will be surprised how much more he will learn.

Socialization is an important part of any child’s development. But children have different needs, they, like us are individuals. Some may need a lot of social interaction, some may not. Only you truly know your own child’s needs in this respect. If your neighborhood or apartment complex has lots of kids for your child to play with, you really don’t need to worry about looking for more. If you don’t, the local community center in your area or YMCA, usually offer some avenue for getting together with other children. And very often Easter Seals or United Way holds activities just for special kids.

Homeschooling can provide your “special” child with a unique and richly satisfying education. It is not about shielding your child from reality, overprotecting them or anything but making sure they get the best education they can, from the one person who knows them best.

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