Lesson 1: Could I...Should I...How Would I?
Before Removing Your Child From School
Sometimes when you are in the midst of a battle over services, it can be tempting to shout, “Fine, then I’ll just homeschool. Let’s go, Suzy!” This is a very bad idea. No matter how angry you are, it is best to allow yourself time to prepare, unless your child is truly in danger and you have no way to protect him. Following are the steps to prepare to homeschool a special needs child:
1. Learn the laws.
2. Discuss this with the child’s other parent and with your spouse, if they are not the same person. You will need permission from the non-custodial parent in order to avoid a court battle.
3. Read several books on homeschooling, even if they are not specifically designed for parents that homeschool special needs children. These books should be places to gather ideas, rather than standards you follow exactly.
4. Get copies of your child’s school records. Locate your copy of his IEP (individualized educational plan) if there is one. Review any recent evaluations, and it has been some time since the last one, request another. If you are cut off, you want to have gotten as much from the school as possible.
5. Meet with the teacher. Do not reveal your plan to homeschool, but simply act as though this were a conference. Ask the teacher to tell you how your child behaves in school, how he responds to direction and how he interacts with other children. Review samples of his work and learn the process involved in getting this level of work from him. Ask for his weak points and his strong points. What is his learning style? What does she find most challenging about teaching him? Learn as much as possible about his learning environment and learning style.
6. Have your child evaluated privately if you have those resources available. Ask what evaluations are available through your insurance.
7. Evaluate your time and your financial resources. If you have limited time, but sufficient funds, you may need to consider using a curriculum for the first year. If funding is limited, plan to build your own curriculum using thrift stores, the internet, books you already have and your library, as well as any new materials you can afford.
8. Decide what to teach. You should have the first month planned before starting to homeschool if possible. You may have to adapt it based on what you learn, but having a plan will make you feel more secure. This will be covered in a later lesson.
9. Evaluate your child’s skills. The schools may not be accurate in their assessment of your child. Listen to him read from his school books--both fiction and non-fiction--and ask him questions about what he is reading. Watch him do his math and give him two extra problems each day that he should already know how to do. Listen to him talk and notice if his language skills are similar to those of other children. His science and history skills are less of a concern at the start. Use what you learn to begin making a plan. Remember that reading, handwriting, spelling, communication skills and math are the most important. If your child is behind, this should be your focus, with reading taking priority over anything else.
10. Set up a learning environment. Where will you do your schoolwork? Later your child will probably learn any place he chooses, but at first, you will need to guide and monitor, so choose a comfortable, quiet place with minimal distractions. You do not need fancy desks or equipment. Wherever you did homework is probably acceptable. Just add a little storage area for materials and books.
