Is it a good idea to try to educate a child with a developmental or potential learning disability at home? I want my son to have every possible advantage and to progress as he should, but I’m not sure I’m qualified to help him with his special needs.
You’ll be interested to know that we hear from many parents who are wrestling with the same issue. Here’s what our counselors and staff educational specialists have to say in such cases.
Homeschooling is usually a great option for parents who are committed to developing a deeper personal involvement with their kids’ education. Parents engagement in their child’s educational endeavors builds a very important Asset (#6: Parent Engagement in Schooling) into their repertoire which will pay great dividends in their child’s future. That includes moms and dads of children with special needs. This is not to say, of course, that special needs don’t add up to special challenges – they most certainly do, as you probably know from personal experience. But this doesn’t mean that you have to give up the idea of home schooling altogether. It simply implies that you’ll have to do a little more legwork to identify the options available to families in your situation.
Here’s what we’d recommend. Ask your local school district what resources they make available to homeschoolers in your area. Many parents don’t realize it, but the public schools do have the capacity to come alongside them in their efforts to teach their kids at home, particularly where children with special needs are concerned. You – as parents – as well as your child will learn that a Caring School Climate (Asset #5) can truly exist in today’s world. Not to mention, you’ve already paid for the services through your taxes, so it behooves you to take advantage of them in any way you can. Districts vary in their ability to accommodate home‐schooling families, so you’ll need to do a little digging to find out just what you can expect. It’s just a matter of doing the necessary research.
You might need to spend some money out‐of‐pocket to schedule one‐on‐one sessions with a credentialed and licensed therapist who specializes in your child’s particular need. Often the school district can recommend a qualified professional if you don’t know where to go for this kind of help.
In the meantime, read as much as you can about your child’s disability and consult with as many experts as you can possibly track down. The more you know about your son’s special needs, the bettered prepared you’ll be to get the service and help you need from the educational community.