I consider myself fairly intelligent and well educated. When people ask what we’ll do for higher mathematics–I’ve always said that I would teach them–I can do that. When people ask what we’ll do for foreign languages–well, I can teach that too–I am tri-lingual. I am well read, well versed in history and science, and I can even teach beginning music theory on several different instruments. (I am not telling you this so you can be wowed by my intelligence. . .just wait!)
I’ve also said that you don’t need all that to homeschool because you can surely read anything you’re going to teach. . .just like a ‘school teacher’ does. Like Andrea pointed out recently, teaching makes you smarter as you go. . .it’s not that you’re born knowing lots of stuff. I truly believe that, but for me, it was sure nice to have!
With my confidence in my teaching abilities, and a broad base of subject knowledge, I have embarked on teaching my kids. When my daughter was four and insisted on starting homeschool, my son was two and couldn’t speak. We even had him evaluated by Early Intervention and that was our first clue that something was. . .er. . .different.
The cognitive psychologist pulled out a group of simple puzzles. Most kids would pick up pieces and through trial and error figure out where they go. Alex put all the pieces on one side and stared at the puzzle. . .then the pieces. The psychologist stared at my son and began talking about how perhaps his problem was not merely hearing but also cognitive.
But then it happened. Without making a single error, my son picked up all the pieces and put them correctly in the puzzle and handed it back to the lady. She looked at me, and then looked at him and spent the next hour giving him puzzles of increasing difficulty. Every single one he finished in the same manner. We decided not to have him tested further. . .after all we were just concerned because we didn’t think he could hear. After that day we saw that he very obviously could hear. Thus, the subject was dropped.
Fast forward to when he was four and in his ‘why’ phase. Most kids ask why the sky is blue. Alex asks why friction will decrease trajectory (and yes, he knows what those words mean). He wants to know why and how things work and if we don’t know. . .off to the homeschooling science lab (aka his bedroom) we go.
Fast forward to just recently when we’ve started ‘officially’ homeschooling him. (He’s been homeschooling this whole time!) We taught him to play chess (he’s 5). . .and in one week he had learned it such that he’s almost beaten my husband. He beat me by his third day of playing. He has surpassed his older sister in math lessons and well. . .we just have to admit that he is a gifted child, particularly when it comes to spatial/visual tasks.
It’s so hard to admit this because I no longer have answers. I am not sure if I will be able to teach him math or if I’ll have to send him to a college at 16 to take upper level mathematics. Gone is my confidence that is based in my abilities.
However, I know lots of people who homeschool quite successfully who have much less education than I do. They are successful because the dynamics of teaching at home work. It is true that the prospect of teaching my son is scary. . .we have to constantly find new and creative ways of challenging him. But parents don’t need to worry about whether or not they can provide enough. You can–simply because you’re mom (or dad). So gifted children or special needs, we parents have the inside scoop on how to get our kids to learn.
For more blogs on teaching gifted children at home, click here. (Look soon for this link to go live when I publish another article about homeschooling Alex.)
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I’m Hardly an Expert in Education
Reasons I’m Glad We Homeschool: Chances of Success Study