homeschooling a struggling learner Archives

Shifting the Mood in your Homeschool: Strategies for Emotional Dysregulation

November 10, 2022Tracy

Homeschooling a child with ADHD, dyslexia, or another learning challenge means there are probably some pretty intense moods. The brain regulates more than just attention, and those emotions can dysregulate pretty quickly. A subject takes longer than expected, an assignment or project is different than your child first thought, the pencil lead breaks, a math problem needs to be erased—it honestly doesn’t take much for the whole day to spiral into a meltdown (and some of those meltdowns are my own, if I’m honest). But just because emotions are high doesn’t mean the day is lost. There is a way, even in the emotional storm, to shift the mood and regain the day with a few simple strategies.

Homeschool Math Curriculum for independent learning

January 12, 2021Tracy

Teaching Textbooks update | homeschool math curriculum | dyslexia and ADHD math

One of the greatest challenges with homeschooling multiple children or homeschooling children with learning struggles is never having enough of you to go around. Everyone needs you, and some of your children simply can’t accomplish the work without you sitting right beside them checking each answer. This is especially true with a subject like math. Finding a homeschool math curriculum that allows your child to be independent, to learn without you, to be instructed and corrected and to receive some basic help with their math lesson, can make a huge difference in your homeschool day. Teaching Textbooks is a homeschool math program that equips your child to learn math independently, even if your child has a learning struggle.

First Grade Homeschool Curriculum for a struggling starter

August 13, 2018Tracy

My first grader is an active guy who loves nature study and the outdoors. And while he loves listening to a story, reading on his own has been quite a struggle. Remembering letter sounds and sequencing those sounds has been a challenge, and his writing skills were such a painful struggle last year. In the back of my mind, I’m wondering about dyslexia and/or dysgraphia, since it runs in our family. But I’m waiting to see how much is just developmental. After all, even if I knew for sure, there wouldn’t be anything in my current approach that I would change.

I’m customizing his reading and writing curriculum to match his struggle. I’m using the resources and strategies that helped his sister with her dyslexia challenges, and I’m making adjustments to fit his needs and his pace rather than strictly adhering to grade level. All the screenings for him have indicated an elevated risk for dyslexia but not profoundly so. It’s going to be a year of just doing the next thing and seeing what happens. Our first grade homeschool curriculum choices reflect this struggling start and the tension between his strengths and his weaknesses.