| As a homeschooling parent of a child with autism, | | | | difficult time going to bed early and getting up |
| I am often asked, "How do you do it?" It takes | | | | early for school. We can adjust our hours of |
| dedication, planning, and research, of course, but I | | | | instruction to correspond with the times that the |
| find that it is not all that difficult when I | | | | child is naturally most alert and able to focus. We |
| remember why I do it. | | | | can also schedule shorter learning sessions |
| There are 5 primary reasons why homeschooling | | | | throughout the day with plenty of breaks as |
| is the best option for my child: | | | | needed. Shorter sessions also promote greater |
| 1. One-to-one instruction provides for optimal | | | | intensity and concentration on academic tasks |
| learning. | | | | resulting in the child retaining more of the material |
| It is a generally-accepted educational principle that | | | | being taught. |
| the lower the teacher-to-student ratio, the more | | | | Most parents quickly realize that another benefit |
| effective the teaching can be. Most parents realize | | | | of homeschooling is the fact that you can plan |
| that the more students a teacher has, the less | | | | field trips during the week when places are less |
| attention and direct instruction each student will | | | | crowded. This is a big advantage for children with |
| receive from the teacher. One-to-one instruction | | | | autism who may not do well with large groups of |
| is always preferred for private lessons or tutoring | | | | people. |
| because the lessons can be customized to the | | | | 4. The child has a better opportunity for positive |
| student's ability in order to maximize their | | | | socialization. |
| progress in the shortest amount of time. | | | | All socialization is not beneficial for our children. In |
| Homeschooling or private tutoring offers a child | | | | schools, you must take the bad with the good. In |
| with autism the opportunity to make the most of | | | | a home setting, parents have more say in |
| their learning potential. The child receives more | | | | determining when their children are ready for |
| direct instruction time, immediate feedback, and | | | | specific social situations. For more on the topic of |
| teaching that is tailored to their learning style and | | | | schools and socialization, see my article entitled, |
| strengths. Due to the individualized instruction he | | | | "Social Skills and Autism - Where's the Best Place |
| or she receives, the child with autism is able to | | | | for Socialization?" |
| experience success on a daily basis which helps | | | | 5. The child's interests can be incorporated into |
| improve their self-esteem. Feelings of success are | | | | their schoolwork. |
| something that many children with autism do not | | | | Anything that your child is interested in can form |
| experience in a typical school setting. | | | | the basis for their studies. In homeschooling |
| 2. The environment can be adapted to the child's | | | | circles, this is referred to as unit studies. You take |
| sensory needs. | | | | any topic of interest and design a complete |
| In a home setting, it is much easier to control the | | | | educational program around that topic. This |
| learning environment. Unlike a classroom situation | | | | approach works well for reluctant learners who |
| where other students can be a big distraction | | | | say that school is boring. |
| from learning, homeschooling parents can | | | | For my family, homeschooling is a great |
| structure an environment that is best suited to | | | | time-saver that allows us to focus our attention |
| their child's needs. Whether it is a quiet room, | | | | on constructive social opportunities, educational |
| special lighting, background music, or breaks for | | | | field trips, and practical daily living skills. We don't |
| sensory issues, the home can be an ideal | | | | have to worry about which teacher our child is |
| educational setting. | | | | going to have every year nor do we have to |
| 3. Homeschooling offers flexible scheduling. | | | | spend most of the year trying to help the |
| With fewer distractions and more direct | | | | teacher "get to know" our child and their needs. |
| instruction, home-schooled students require less of | | | | We don't have to fight the school district for |
| their time to be spent on schoolwork. There is no | | | | services or for the correct implementation of |
| time wasted on the taking of attendance, class | | | | services that were promised. We don't have to |
| announcements, student reprimands, repetitive | | | | waste our time going back and forth to school or |
| teaching on a subject the student has already | | | | to school-related meetings. Simply put, |
| mastered, etc. | | | | homeschooling offers my son with autism a |
| The school day can also be planned around the | | | | method of instruction that works efficiently and |
| child's best time for learning. Some children with | | | | effectively to enable him to achieve his highest |
| autism are "night-owls" by nature and have a | | | | potential. |