As a former teacher, I am fascinated by most things involving education, learning and teaching. I really enjoy teaching my children and have been discovering more and more about how great it is to be able to homeschool students who are not academically on target. It is ideal for students who are either ahead or behind academically. It is ideal to be able to provide the environment and supports they need at the pace they need. Of course, it has taken us two years to understand the dynamics of our big girls' unique learning needs, but if my they were in our local district, the district would have refused any special education testing for these past two years any way because of their ESL status. We were told originally by the district that their major learning deficits would go away on their own as they learn English. What a beautiful and misguided thought.
Learning to teach a household of diverse learners (some a grade ahead and some 2-4 grades behind) has stretched me as a mother and teacher. Having written my master's degree thesis on differentiating instruction, my days now are a living dependency on God for His good plan in teaching our children. It has made me desire to refocus my priorities on teaching to the heart, aligning our school days to equip the children with life skills and heart skills that will matter most for eternity, not for worldly or even academic success.
My friend Julie wrote two consecutive blog posts at Not Just An Ordinary Life regarding executive functioning deficits. Executive functioning deficits are also evident in children who have a history/diagnosis of complex trauma (considered C-PTSD). Julie explains how challenging it is to watch your child struggle with executive functioning deficits and how important it is to maintain a perspective of grace and love in this journey. I was greatly encouraged by her transparency, hope and perseverance. Check it out and be encouraged, too!
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