I'm considering home-schooling my child?

Question

She has been diagnosed with having additional needs due to behavioural disorders, and despite having a fantastic and supportive school, is still not settling into education. Its been 3 years now, and I think we are trying to push a square peg into a round hole. Does anybody have any opinions or experience of this? And can anybody recommend a good website where I could find out some basic info.

thanks

Answer 1

Lots of parents whose kids have special needs are turning to homeschooling. You keep doing your part to stay on top of things, keep learning techniques and getting support, keep trying different ways to get to her and she'll likely do a lot better. I've met at least a few kids whose behaviour, once out of school, improved dramatically within the first 3 months. Some kids can not handle the constant visual or auditory stimulation at school and it's as though it overloads them.

Just do a search for "special needs" homeschool, or your daughter's specific needs and homeschool, in any search engine and in Yahoo Groups. You'll find more info through that.

Answer 2

What is causing the so-called behavior disorders? Is it from being forced to leave a loving, nurturing home in order to attend the artificial environment of the institution called public school? She may be reacting to being indoctrinated and knows instinctively that what she is being exposed to is not education, but schooling. Try reading 'The Homeschooling Book of Answers' by Linda Dobson; 'Dumbing Us Down' & 'The Underground History of American Education' by John Taylor Gatto; 'Dumbing Down Our Kids' by Charles J. Sykes and the following websites & blogs:

Answer 3

Home-schooling can work wonders for a special needs child. You will be able to give her far more individual attention than she could ever get at a school.

for laws and resources, check out www.hslda.org.

Answer 4

Yes we did with our first daughter.

While in Topeka Kansas Forbes Air Force Base, my daughter was diagnosed as "disruptive" and with attention definite disorder (ADD). She was the square peg and could not fit into the round hole!

Then along came the Kindergarden teacher, bless her soul, to the rescue. She approached the school board and protested about my daughter being tagged with titles and deemed as "unteachable" in a regular school environment.

Is this student disruptive and full of disorders or are the rest of the children "slow by comparison?". Boy did that floor the school board. One of their own questioning their decision.

I took my daughter to the diagnostic clinic which they had recommended and also took a letter from the teacher describing my daughter's behavior in class.

The analysis concluded that my daughter was well beyond her years in education. She was "bored" and she was merely seeking a "challenge" to focus her mind. Long before "gifted and talented" programs, my daughter attended various subject classes that would challenge her ability and therefore keep her focus. Except for "home room" which she had to attend with her "physical peers" so her social development would not be disrupted. She was a Kindergarden child reading at the 3rd Grade, Math at the 2nd Grade, History, Language and Art at the 2nd Grade. She finished public schooling at 18 with 75 scholarships (1 full scholarship to Baylor) has attained a Masters and is preparing to proceed to her Doctorate studies. Not bad for a "disruptive" child with attention definite disorder? Huh?

Has your child been properly diagnosed. Has the child's diet been thoroughly evaluated? Too much sugar? Too many processed foods? McD and Wendy's everyday? Maybe Mama needs to do more home cooking without additives. Your child may be quite normal. The other children may just need to catch up.

Answer 5

Homeschooling is great for special needs children.  You know your child better than any expert and you are her best advocate!

NATHHAN is a support group for special needs homeschoolers.

http://www.nathhan.org

Answer 6

Basic website....www.hslda.org for all the legal needs

Experience...i have plenty! We have two kids on the autism spectrum (well, probably more but outside of school we really don't need the dx) After five years we decided enough and started to homeschool. It's been wonderful. The kids have settled in, learned more than ever and have made some wonderful friends who can respect who they are rather than join in with the brainwashed teasing that goes on in the schools.

I'll warn you, many people on Y!A are against homeschooling. Ignore this. It is primarily because they don't know anything personally about homeschooling and secondarily, because some might have known one family that it didn't work out for.

Check out yahoo groups...shinewithunschooling. It's wonderful.