Issues in Consulting With Families who are Homeschooling, Part 2

[author][author_info]Our blog this week features part one of an interview conducted with two highly experienced education consultants, Nancy Elwood and Jean K. Nancy is the co-founder of PACE, and is the executive director of SHARE, where she leads a staff of education consultants serving throughout Europe and Eurasia. Jean is an experienced homeschooler, SHARE staff member, and has consulted with families serving overseas globally.[/author_info][/author]

In what area(s) do homeschooling families on the field most need encouragement or affirmation?

Nancy: Because there is little opportunity to compare children to others of similar ages and grades, most parents need affirmation and reassurance from time to time that their child is on track and that there are not academic (or physical or social) gaps developing. Parents need practical help in meeting the individual needs of their children and in finding the right resources for teaching. It’s much harder to find resources when you can’t talk to others who have used the materials or get your hands on samples. You often have to just buy something and go with it since hopping out to the teacher store or ordering online and getting it in a few days is not an option. So any help they get in evaluating resources and in fitting them to the needs of their children is a real encouragement.

Jean:

1. Almost without exception, parents are asking me if what they are doing is adequate. If so, is there a product that will make it easier or better? If not, what can I do to improve?
2. Additionally, moms are overwhelmed with the size of this endeavor and just want to talk it through. Many times they will start telling me all of the things that are going on in their home school, what curricula they are using, what issues they see arising, and … When they are finished, they have realized themselves what some or all of the solution is without my giving any advice. If when they are done talking, they still need advice, it is generally about the products/curricula that will help.
3. Finally, since so many of them have never taken a single teacher training course they often want information on learning styles and disabilities. They want to know if they should be concerned and seek further help or not.

Jean, you’ve mentioned that education consultants need to maintain an attitude of humility. Why is this especially important?

Jean: Every one of us comes to each consultation with biases and prejudices, attitudes and judgments. I know that this is true for me. So I try to remind myself that I am not in their situation, I do not know all of the circumstances that led up to the current situation, and that I do not have all (or in some cases any) of the answers. When parents sense an attitude of listening, compassion, partnership they seem to open up further and further revealing the roots of the issues for which they are seeking answers. The trust that is built allows for me to either advise/consult or send them to someone that can better help them than I.

When homeschooling parents come to you with suspicions that their child may have a learning problem, what kinds of questions do you ask?

Nancy:

1. What are you observing that concerns you?
2. What curriculum or resources are you using with this child?
3. Are there any specific strategies that you have already tried using?
4. And if it sounds like an issue that should have immediate attention, I would ask, “Have you ever had specific testing done to identify this issue?”
5. I would also ask if they know of opportunities for testing in their area or when they might next be returning to their home country.

Jean: How old is …?

Boy or girl?

What kinds of behaviors are you seeing?

What is a typical teaching time like at your home school?

Have there been any traumatic happenings in the recent past?

Has there been any academic or other testing done?

Based on your own consulting, how would you answer any of these questions?

© 2012-2023 PACE
All rights reserved