Lesson 1: Could I...Should I...How Would I?
Introduction: Choosing to homeschool any child is a life-altering decision, but choosing to homeschool a child with challenges is especially unnerving. Preparation can help you make an informed choice and successfully enter the homeschooling world. In this lesson, you will:
- Consider issues that must be evaluated before making the choice.
- Learn to research the homeschooling laws for your state
- Learn how to remove your child from his current school without alienating the school
- Learn how to find out if special services are still available.
Can I Really Do This?
With the growing popularity of homeschooling, there are many more resources available to homeschoolers than there were even ten years ago. With so much support, it is possible for nearly anyone to homeschool under the right circumstances. However, this is not a decision to be taken lightly for any parent. You should study The Homeschooling Handbook for a detailed list of issues to consider before undertaking homeschooling any child, but consider these additional concerns for parents of special needs children:
- How much time do you have to spend on homeschooling?
It is difficult to say how much time homeschooling takes. The time you spend is very flexible. The first year, when you are less experienced, homeschooling will take more time than it will later on. However, you do not have to do everything from scratch. You can buy a curriculum to begin with, let siblings help with lesson preparation, and find lesson plans on the internet. You may have to adapt these materials for use with your child’s special needs, which will be discussed later in the course. However, there is a gradually growing body of materials for special needs homeschoolers.
If you work outside the home, you may be able to find an in-home child care provider willing to teach using materials you prepare. Consider hiring college students who are pursuing majors related to disabilities, other homeschooling mothers and parents of special needs children. Even a homeschooling teenager might be interested in tackling a few hours each day.
Evaluate your schedule to see if you can find at least 5-10 extra hours somewhere in the week for researching, preparing and teaching. Remember that you will no longer have to deal with school-assigned homework and activities, making those hours available to you.
- Can I stand to spend all day with my child?
Many parents are startled to realize that spending all day with their children can be exhausting and stressful. This is especially true when teaching a child who has special needs. If your child is very hyperactive, needs extensive special care or has behavior problems, you may need the break each day. If you are drained after a weekend or school vacation, homeschooling may not be your best choice at this time.
- Can I make my child cooperate?
Homeschooling parents quickly learn that their relationship with a child is intensified in the homeschooling environment because it is very one-on-one. If you are unable to control your child’s behavior, you may not be ready to homeschool just yet. Many parents do discover, though, that the added structure of homeschooling improves the behavior, particularly for children who demand structure. You should feel fairly certain that you can make your child work much of the time. No parent can do this all the time, but you will learn to cope with those days.
- Does my child need services I can’t provide or can’t obtain?
In many areas, special needs children can still obtain services for their disabilities. It is important, before removing your child from school, to find out if he can receive help either from the schools or through your medical insurance. You should do this even if you anticipate taking on these responsibilities yourself, just in case something happens and you are unable to cope as well as you anticipated. You may discover, however, that you will be able to provide most of these services yourself. Many parents now do their child’s speech therapy at home. For us, a course of gymnastics did as much as physical therapy and was more fun because it was "like what other kids do."
Suggested Assignment: Answer the questions asked above. Then write down other concerns you have. Picture yourself answering these questions to someone you know will ask them-a relative or neighbor, perhaps. Writing the answers in a journal will help you to decide how you will handle each of these concerns. The beginning of homeschooling is an excellent time to begin a journal. You will want a record of these days!
