Really considering hard-core homeschooling

[fairejour]

(DD is Miss Kat, age 7, deaf with a new cochlear implant, learning to listen and speak. )

I feel like our school is not providing what my daughter NEEDS to get benefit from her limited window of language learning. And I believe next year will be even worse. They will be mainstreaming her as much as possible with very little assistance even though she has a HUGE (4 year) language delay. I think they are going to design the program to be more "pull-out" instaed of self-contained class, because "they don't have enough kids" in the older grades.

So, if I pull her out, what does intensive "special needs" homeschooling look like? How much time is spent in direct academic games and activites? How much teaching does a school actually do in a day?

We would have Hubby actually do the teaching, and work evening (because she responds better to him, I'm seen as the "task-master" and him as the game player ) But I would be totally in charge of planning the curriculum and activites, which I feel confident I could do (Thanks John Tracy Clinic!)

We would also have therapy privately three times a week.

Is this do-able???

[~cassie]

I have no suggestions for you, but we are looking at doing the same with Aidan and are just beginning to look into it. I think it can be done though.

[sbgrace]

Sure it is doable. Our special needs are different but if it were just Andrew (I'm homeschooing his twin as well) I would be focusing almost entirely on his needs. Getting those handled are most important for his over-all functioning and academics can certainly be caught up later. I would think your daughter's situation is even more so. Some states require more than others for homeschooling though so check into your state laws to see how stringent and specific it is for you. In most states you have a lot of flexibility.

You can cover the academic content for her age in very little time one on one. That can be done now certainly or caught up later. I or others can suggest materials. I personally would focus on the therapy/language goals with her almost exclusively within my state laws unless she is loving a certain content area that she would want to continue.

[romacox]

Follow your own instincts as a mother...you said tons when you said you feel confident about the curriculum. It is not an easy thing to homeschool, but it is most rewarding especially when you see your child achieve.

My suggestion is that you co-op with other home school parents with special needs children. You can connect with them by googleing "Home school Conventions in (your state)". The larger ones almost always have a list of groups you can join. The parents work together for graduation ceremonies, field trips, lessons, support, ext.

In Florida that would be FPEA. There you would look under support groups on the left side of the page.