Hey Guys!
I need help gathering studies and information on the benefits of homeschool. Especially on the topic of socialization and benefits for children on the spectrum. I have a meeting on Tuesday with the ABA program. Basically my DS will have completed him 3 preschool years and in order to qualify for school age ABA he needs to be in public school. Basically I’m walking into a room of well educated people who are very closed minded when it comes to homeschooling and I need all the info I can get. Other families have tried to advocate for homeschooling there children and working with ABA but have failed. Please pray I can take down some barriers.
I assume you mean “Applied Behavioral Analysis” by “ABA,” and your problem is convincing some people to let you into a school district ABA program without being enrolled in public school. Do I have that right?
I don’t know, but my impression is that such services which are open to public school students are often required by law to be supplied to homeschooled children. Have you checked with HSLDA? It might be a good idea to get in touch with them on Monday for a little quick counselling.
If you really do need to persuade these people that homeschooling is good for socialization, and especially of autistic kids, you could start here:
http://www.google.com/search?q=homeschooling+socialization+autism
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=homeschooling+socialization+autism
http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-Child-Autism-Professionals-Jossey-Bass/dp/0470292563
I thought this was interesting, on the socialization question; you could look up the study referred to:
http://homeschooling.families.com/blog/i-think-we-can-lay-the-socialization-myth-to-rest
Thanks TmT and DadDude
Yes I am referring to Applied Behavior Analysis. It turns out I’m meeting with the Big Wigs of the program tomorrow, so please pray I can convince them. If things go sour though I will have to threaten legal action. I’m going to print out some of these articles to share with them.
Please Pray for us if you are the praying types.
I would take the advice of Daddude. i know that here our homeschooled children even get speech therapy paid by the public school system. so check with HSLDA.
I called and they couldn’t advice me much because I’m not a member. However the meeting went very very well.
Now I need to decide if homeschooling will be the best option for my son. There are so many pros and cons. I’m really struggling to make a decision
There are many parents who struggle with the idea of homeschooling. There are ways to socialize without worry. Find a co-op in your area, or study group, if not then start one yourself, that is if you have the time. I even struggled with it at first working in a public school system but I saw how important it could be and helpful to those children that needs an extra something to get the best education for the child. Remember it is about the child being comfortable about learning and actually learning and being successful no matter what the situation is. If you are unsure why not try it then see. I will tell you that my children and others that I have taught has improved tremendously with homeschooling. I even know of parents who homeschooled their children until 7th grade then placed them in the public school, however they were so far advanced that they went to college at 15. Just be sure to check iwht your local state about laws and regulations regarding homeschooling and give it a try, and just see how things go you can alwasy re-enroll your child in public or private school. I have homeschooled over 18 children and worked for many years at a public and private school, there are those in the school systems in my opinion more anti-social then a homeschoolers. I see it all the time. I have only known 1 child in all of my teaching years that was homeschooled that was anti-social, but the child did have a personality disorder that kept the child from entering into the world, but with a little patience and a little job out in the world before going to college turned the child around.