Is your child struggling to learn within your homeschooling program? Is their ability to read, calculate, think critically or focus getting in the way of their success?
Whether making the decision to homeschool at the onset of a child’s educational career or mid-stream, we know homeschooling families are doing so to provide an educational experience designed to best meet their child’s educational needs. If your child is struggling to learn, know there are resources available to assist you in helping your child overcome their learning difficulties while maintaining your priority to homeschool.
Possibly, you were aware of your child’s learning difficulties prior to starting to homeschool, or you’ve become aware while teaching them. Either way, you may have discovered that addressing learning difficulties can be challenging; particularly when your goals include increased independence and academic success.
Reading, writing, mathematics and learning in general are complex and do not come easily or naturally to everyone. In fact, many people, children and adults alike, struggle to read, calculate, focus, and self-regulate. Some individuals who are able to decode text, struggle to understand what they are reading. Productivity is slowed down and pleasure can be taken out of learning when one needs to reread multiple times to understand or struggles to make connections within and beyond the text and to life situations.
Learning challenges present in numerous ways, including:
- Inconsistent academic performance
- Inability to effectively organize thoughts on paper
- Trouble comprehending what is read or heard
- Difficulty following instructions
- Inability to comprehend problems in math or do mental calculations
- Poor attention to detail
- Being described as inattentive, hyperactive, or easily distracted
Hear from Olivia and Mitch on their journey in homeschooling with support from Arrowsmith.
- Could you relate some of these difficulties to your child’s learning experience?
- What impact will not addressing these challenges have on your child’s future?
We know, addressing learning challenges is critical for overall well-being and success in life.
There are many approaches to responding to learning difficulties, some more impactful than others:
- Accommodations
- Lowering expectations
- Neuroplastic change
- Subject specific interventions
- Tutoring programs
When the solution to the challenge is accommodating and lowering expectations, learning gaps widen and difficulties persist. Interventions and tutoring programs typically result in the need for ongoing support as each new concept is introduced within each subject area. These solutions do not address the origin of the learning challenge nor provide insights into them.
On the surface, you know your child is struggling to learn, however, knowing this does not provide information into what is making learning difficult. Identifying the origin of the difficulty is key to the solution.
Responding to your child’s learning difficulties with a neuroplastic approach will provide you with a deep understanding of your child’s learning challenges and how they can be addressed.
Through identifying and targeting your child’s weak cognitive functions and capitalizing on the neuroplasticity of their brain these functions can be strengthened, improving their overall learning capacity, positioning them for positive educational and life achievements.
A neuroplastic approach to responding to learning challenges gets to the origin of the problem - the cognitive functions of the brain – and addresses them head on – literally!!
To begin to make connections between your child’s learning challenges and the cognitive functions that may be underperforming and contributing to their difficulties, complete the Arrowsmith Cognitive Questionnaire.
Many homeschooling families have reached out to the Arrowsmith School team and shared their stories and made the decision to incorporate Arrowsmith into their child’s learning journey. The flexibility and personalized nature of the Arrowsmith Program allows families to create an individualized program plan to address their child’s needs. Some homeschooled children join online or in-person for 40-minutes daily. Others, incorporate Arrowsmith for a longer time each day to expedite the process of overcoming the learning difficulties, closing the performance gap and empowering their child on their learning journey.
Arrowsmith School’s Schedule allows for a range of program option and a flexible schedule so families can connect at a time that works for them. Students join online from many different time zones throughout the world to work on their individualized cognitive program, while others join our in-person campus at a time that works for them. Some families access the Arrowsmith Program through an Arrowsmith Provider closer to home.
If your child is struggling to learn within your homeschooling program and they are experiencing academic, critical thinking or focusing challenges, our caring and skilled Arrowsmith School team is here to help. At Arrowsmith School, our staff will truly meet your child where they are, nurturing their individual gifts while strengthening their learning capacity.
Arrowsmith takes a cognitive approach to understanding learning challenges and a personalized, neuroplastic approach to addressing them through an individualized program plan. We want to get to the origin of the problem – the brain - and address the concern head on, as we know, The brain can change.
Our team can help you understand what is getting in the way of your child’s success and support them in overcoming these challenges within your homeschooling day, creating a personalized path to brain change & being their best!
Reach out to a member of our team.
