Reposted from R Amy Daley Moore: So after reading a BUNCH of posts from parents who wonder if they are doing it right in homeschooliong / unschooling, I am going to spout a bit of educational momspeak.... I am a homeschooling mom, I have a gifted child who struggles in one area, and I am also a special education consultant and social psychologist. 1. First, your child is unique. Please dont compare your child to another child. Your critical eye will never allow your child to measure up to your perception of anothers skills. 2. Second, EVERY child has strengths and weaknesses. It is the nature of who he or she is. Piirto says that for every deficit a child has, he or she ALSO has a strength. Find the strength and use it to improve the weakness. This is called Strength Based Learning and can do miracles for your childs self esteem and your peace of mind. 3. Your child WANTS to learn and learns vicariously every second that he or she is awake. This means that he or she watches you and others, copies and applies skills, and learns by natural consequences and experience. Yes, you will have to help him or her with the basics, and share skills as he or she is interested, but you are a teacher for every second that they are a learner. 4. On the subject of Standards and Curricula... oyyy. Do you all even know what curriculum is? It is someones interpretation of sharing knowledge that may or may not be correct and standards are a collective opinion of when curricula should be taught. Essentially it is a marginalized education for the masses that is taught to the level of average. So it may not fit the uniqueness of your child. Dont be pressured into buying a curriculum if you think that you can do better. Trust your instincts, you can. Curriculum is to convenience as pre-packed foods is to quick suppers. They are fast and easy but one has to wonder about the nutritional content of both. 5. So your child doesnt (read, do math, etc.) by a certain age and you are worried that he or she is not learning. See 1-3 above, then realize that your childs mind is developing just as individually as his or her body is. Your child may not have the synaptic development yet to learn to your expectations. Childrens brains are unique and develop at different paces. This means that your child may not be developmentally ready to learn something. Seriously, step back, do some Brain Gym and focus on what your child can do. The learning will come in time. If you are still worried after a year or two, then contact a professional and have an assessment done to see what his or her cognitive development is. AND recognize that your child will be who he or she becomes. Do not limit him or her based on your hopes and dreams. He or she will make her own dreams. Case in point, I work with a 15 year old who can not read beyond a second grade level. He has a processing disorder. But he is a brilliant young man who can take apart an engine and fix it before you can type a term paper. He is also an empathetic soul who can understand your feelings and speak to you with a college vocabulary. He could be a great psychologist and uses dragon dictation to write his papers. Where there is a will, there is a way! Shine the light on the path for your child and they will walk it if there is enough illumination. And so, this is my professional mom speak to all of you moms and dads who burden yourselves and your children about homeschooling. Remember, public schools were developed as a tool to educate the masses to a minimum standard so they could be productive citizens and good laborers in their societies. We as homeschool parents want something different for our children... we want them to be educated in away that best meets THEIR needs. Always In His Hands! Ruth
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 23:27:51 +0000
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