The comparison between homeschooling and private school is one that families in a specific situation face — usually families who have already decided that public school isn’t working or isn’t the right fit, and who are now weighing two meaningful alternatives that both involve significant commitment and, in the case of private school, significant cost. … Read more
Reading comprehension is the point of reading — not the decoding of letters into sounds, not the sounding out of words, but the understanding of meaning, the building of mental models from text, and the ability to think with what has been read. And yet reading comprehension is the dimension of reading instruction that receives … Read more
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information only and is not medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. Executive function difficulties present differently in every child and may be associated with a range of underlying conditions. Always work with your child’s neuropsychologist, psychologist, occupational therapist, and other qualified professionals when making decisions about evaluation, diagnosis, and support … Read more
Field trips occupy an interesting place in homeschooling. For many families they’re a highlight — one of the genuine pleasures of homeschooling’s flexibility, the ability to visit a museum on a Tuesday when the crowds are small, to follow a child’s question about medieval architecture to an actual castle, or to turn a nature walk … Read more
Foreign language is one of the most commonly skipped subjects in homeschool curricula — and one of the most commonly regretted gaps when families reach high school and discover that most four-year colleges require two to three years of the same language for admission. The skipping happens for understandable reasons: it’s the subject parents feel … Read more
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws governing homeschooling and special education services vary significantly by state and are subject to change. Every child’s situation is different. Always verify current requirements with your state’s department of education, a homeschool organization familiar with special needs law in your … Read more
Homeschool burnout is real, it’s common, and it’s one of the topics most likely to make a homeschool parent feel ashamed when they should feel understood. The same community that talks openly about curriculum choices and scheduling strategies tends to go quiet around the experience of dreading Monday morning, of getting through the school day … Read more
History taught well is one of the most engaging subjects in a homeschool. History taught poorly is one of the most reliably deadening — a march through names, dates, and events that feel disconnected from anything that matters, measured by whether a student can recall what a textbook said on page 47. The difference between … Read more
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information only and is not medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. Dyscalculia and math learning difficulties present differently in every child. Always work with your child’s educational psychologist, neuropsychologist, math specialist, and other qualified professionals when making decisions about evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention approaches specific to your child. Dyscalculia is … Read more
Science is the subject homeschool parents most often feel under-qualified to teach — and the one most commonly reduced to reading a textbook chapter and answering comprehension questions, which is arguably the worst way to teach science and the approach least likely to produce either understanding or interest. The irony is that homeschooling’s flexibility makes … Read more