Something Different, Something Better

1/10/2006

I started toying with the idea of homeschooling my son when I realized that he had a unique personality and unique needs. In his pre-school class it became apparent to me that he was a different type of learner, along with being an introverted child. Many classrooms are designed to get kids to fit in a box and to do everything the same way at the same time rather than capitalizing on each child's strengths. So my son preferred to build towers with blocks, often times by himself, and to create imaginary situations - as opposed to coloring pages or using stickers. What was wrong with that?

I was frustrated that his teachers didn’t “get him” and that they didn’t appreciate his unique personality. He was also a sensitive child who I didn’t feel was ready to be in a traditional classroom with twenty other children. It was then that I knew that at home I could give him something better - something that would motivate him, challenge him, and build his self- confidence. He was a bright kid who needed some freedom, needed to see relevance in what he was learning, and needed opportunities to share his own observations and thoughts.

Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

You may homeschool your child for similar reasons, or for much different reasons. Either way, we all homeschool to give our children something different, something better. As homeschooling parents we must take more time to research current educational philosophies and strategies. This allows us to better evaluate curriculum that is on the market and to figure out which educational philosophies and strategies work best for our individual children. We often make assumptions that because something has been on the market for fifteen years it must be a good curriculum or because it worked for “so and so’s” child it will work for my child.

Many homeschooling curricula on the market today were originally designed for classrooms, based on strategies that have little basis in current educational research and methods, and often disregard student differences. Research suggests that kids with learning disabilities, ADHD, and those who are gifted all gain from being able to work through their individual learning styles. Furthermore, children are more motivated and more likely to be successful when curriculum is designed to appeal to multiple intelligences and student strengths. It is not uncommon for a child to become bored and restless with a curriculum that is rigid and very structured (workbook pages and textbooks only). This child may be off-task and may actually dread “school” time. You can often take this same child and allow him to work through his strengths, provide him with opportunities to work on projects, and have “real life” learning experiences. When you do this, it is very likely that you will see a different child, one who looks forward to learning and initiates discussions and discoveries based on what is being learned.

In addition, many curricula provide little flexibility. If your child is six he will do the first grade curriculum. We all know that not all six year-olds are in the same place academically, developmentally, or socially. Many gifted kids are advanced intellectually but behind developmentally or socially.

Individualized Education

The great news for you as a homeschooling parent is that you can structure an individualized academic program for your child. Your child does not have to go with the program that is being taught to every other first grader in the school. You can decide how best to meet your child’s needs. Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone to do this. Don’t assume that you have to teach your child the way you were taught. You want to give your child more, you want to prepare him for a world that is much different than the one in which we grew up. Most importantly, you want to teach your child to develop a love for learning- especially in the early years. Try to find a curriculum that will engage and challenge your child.

I hope the best for you and your child. You are able to give your child something different, something better - just as I was able to give my son.