Each child is unique and will take his or her own time reaching developmental goals. While there may be an accepted average, it does not mean that if your child is taking longer to reach these goals that there is something drastically wrong with them. The unfortunate part of the story is that in a class room full of average children, the developmentally delayed child is often left feeling inferior or behind.
Primary Reason for Homeschooling
Some parents chose to homeschool such children so that their self esteem does not have to suffer any more than it already has. There are many things that a parent should consider before taking on the challenge of homeschooling their developmentally delayed child.
Get a Formal Medical Evaluation Done
Take the child to your pediatrician and have him or her tested for any possible physical disorders. Have the pediatrician recommend a good child psychologist and have them tested for any learning disorders that may be preventing them from making progress. It makes sense to catch anything at this stage so that remedial action may be taken.
Plan Your Homeschool Differently From School Learning
The way things are done in formal school obviously are not right for your special homeschool student, so find out about alternative teaching techniques and methods that may work better. The homeschooling parent will need to spend a few days getting through all the available material and doing research into what should work best for their child.
Don’t Be Afraid To Experiment
Should you find that there is no single method that you resonate with, try different ones. See what works practically with your homeschool student. Shuffle things around. Look for what interests your child. Set goals and see how best to meet them. You don’t have to teach like in regular school.
Ensure Physical Education is Part of the Homeschool Schedule
Getting exercise is just as important as studying. Have them sign up for dance classes, sports at the YMCA, or even horseback riding. Pick something physically demanding. The idea is to ensure that the child gets a good physical workout. And if they enjoy the activity that’s an added bonus.
