3 Truths about Home schooling through High school with a student with Dyslexia

Here are those 3 truths:

Don’t focus on what they need to know, focus on them becoming learners.

I worried a LOT about my kids’ knowledge. Have they had a full year of Biology? Did we cover enough in History? Have we written enough essays?

Even though many of us are comfortable with a relaxed, interest-led approach to learning in the younger years, that gets harder to do when trying to balance it all with high school requirements.

I realize two things about this mindset. First, my worrying didn’t help them to learn or do more. They could only do what they could do. I could only do what I could do.

For example, take our experience with Algebra. Some of my kids flew through higher level math, others struggled. I helped the ones who struggled as much as I could and eventually hired tutors to help when I couldn’t.

Most of the kids didn’t need Algebra or higher level math once they were adults. The one who did, was able to retake Algebra in college, use tutors, and really get it. She was motivated to learn by then because she had chosen a major that she loved and wanted to do well which brings me to my second point.

She knew how to learn, how to get help, and was able to achieve what she needed in Math. My kids who didn’t need higher level Math, never looked back. They were not hindered by their math scores. They chose work that aligned with their strengths and interests.

Learning doesn’t have to be hard.

In my master class last week, I listed out some of the criteria for success in today's place. Things like critical thinking skills, creativity, problem solving skills (there are many ways to solve problems without math), people management, emotional intelligence, good judgment and decision making skills, having a service orientation, etc.

When we allow our kids to follow their interests, learning is natural. They are motivated and guided by their innate curiosity. They develop real thinking skills and decision making skills.

Great but how does that count for school requirements?

There are several ways to make interest-led learning count towards requirements. One is to create courses that match their interests. For example, my kids who were into sailing did Oceanography for their physical science credit. We used their experiences with water, wind, and weather and with some intentionality tied it to deeper learning with books, mentors, and YouTube.

This same strategy can be used to study literature and learn to write. Choose an area of interest, have them read and write about that interest. Tailor their level of learning to their needs. Are they college bound? Focus more on essay writing. Not college bound? Focus on communicating through writing - whatever that may look like. There are a million things our kids want to communicate to the world. Choose one and have them write about it.

Not sure if they’re college bound? No one is sure what their path is when they are 14! Teach them at their level, using their interests, and see how they progress through the high school years. There is a LOT of pivoting in high school!

It’s not about catching up, it’s about matching up.

Lastly, it’s okay to stop focusing on their weaknesses and focus on their strengths. By the time our kids are in 11th or 12th grade, they should be proficient with assistive technology and be honing in on their real interests as far as their future learning and working goes.

Both of these topics, assistive tech and career planning, can be electives in high school. Using tools to help them discover their areas of strength and finding ways for them to grow in these areas, will serve them WAY more than a year of chemistry and Algebra 2.

What do you think?

Does this resonate with you? Are you fearing the high school years or are you in the high school years and drowning?

If so, today is the last day to sign up for my 10-week high school coaching program. In it, I walk you through how to create a high school learning experience that both meets academic requirements and the unique needs of your outside the box learners.