Homeschooling Kids with Special Learning Needs

Class photo 2022-23

We are completing our first year of homeschool!   I wrote a blog at the beginning of the year about what I hoped homeschool would be, and I'm happy to say that it worked out well for our family.  Some days were challenging, other days were magical, and many days had moments of both.  I could go on and on about the experience as a whole, and it's entirely possible that sometime this summer I will - but for today's blog, I want to focus on what I particularly liked about being able to homeschool a student with special learning needs.  

(I also want to do a quick caveat that I know homeschooling is not an option for many, and is not the choice that many would make for all sorts of reasons, and I'm not trying to be the homeschool evangelist here - I'm just reflecting on our year.)

Here's what we liked:  

• Teaching right at the student's level and going right at the student's pace - This is one of the primary advantages of getting to homeschool any student, but it's particularly pronounced for students with a disability as they get older.  There are subjects where they might be many grade levels behind, in part or in whole, and trying to fit them in the box of their grade level, no matter how many accommodations and tutoring minutes are given, is just going to result in frustration for all involved.  Math is a prime example - one thing builds on another, and if there is not a solid knowledge of the basics, it doesn't make sense to keep rolling on to more complex equations.  What makes much more sense it to keep working on the basics for however long is needed to really get it, and then build from there.  
• Separating out reading and writing from other learning - In 3rd grade, classrooms transition from the focus being on students learning to read, to students reading to learn - so teachers will build reading into other subjects like social studies and science.  For proficient readers, this makes sense, as it's an additional way to build reading and writing skills while you learn your other subjects - but for students with dyslexia or other reading / writing / language disorders, it's a barrier to learning anything, as the struggle to read at grade level will also cause them to miss the content in these other subjects.  In homeschool, we do work on reading and writing every day, focusing on those things specifically.  But for all the other subjects, I do a read aloud and then we talk about it, so the energy can go into understanding content, and not on trying to decode.  (Bonus: this method works great for schooling multiple ages together.)
• Shortening the day up - We are usually able to get school done in 3-4 hours.  That means every day has some down time built in, even though we are often going back out in the afternoon and evening for therapies, sports, and youth group.  I've seen such a positive difference in mood and energy when there is a solid 1-2 hours to play and imagine between school and whatever comes next in the day.  I've also seen really good participation and effort when the school subjects are done in shorter bursts and the school day as a whole is shorter.  
• Can set up a sensory environment that works well for the student - There's no loud halls or cafeteria smell.  There's a trampoline break available between every subject.  Snacks are always available.  In nice weather months, we do some subjects outside.  
•  Can set up socializing in a way that works best for your student - We've joined a couple homeschool social groups, and I've seen an amazing positive difference in socializing.  Some of my hypothesized reasons: 1) homeschool groups are multi-age, so kids are already used to playing with group that incorporates toddlers through older kids, with a wide variety of wild and free personalities, so nobody feels like an odd duck; 2) Parents are around - I've never seen a kid needing to be corrected for being unkind to my kid, but if it was needed, it would happen; and 3) Play usually happens outdoors, in chunks of a couple hours at a time, and for all kids this just seems to give more time and freedom to loosen up and bond.
• No IEP meetings, no standardized testing, no procedural hoops - No explanation needed.

So those are things I really appreciated that are specific to homeschooling kids with special learning needs.  We plan to continue homeschooling, and I would be happy to chat with anyone about any of this.  In the meantime -- hurray for summer break!