We always have several gifted children in our family. I consider dyslexia a gift, and am a recovering dyslexic myself. At lease one of our children has this same gift, another is gifted with a processing disorder, and a third is gifted with developmental delays. The rest are Run of the Mill Every Day Children. We home school because God has called us in that direction, and what we have come to find out, is that it is the very best environment for our children. It has given them the ability to work through and mature into their gifts at the proper pace. We have done the testings, evaluations, therapies, etc. They have their place certainly. But, viewing these diagnosis as one would a hang nail makes all the difference in our world. We can do our part to worry that little thing into infection, or we can guide toward toward slow and steady healing. Parent(s), your approach will make all the difference in the world. We could not find and follow the proper pace in a certified professional setting. Therapy, aides, practice are not something we do once or twice a week at someone’s office (although we have certainly utilized these amazing opportunities and learned so much from them), these are things that we weave into our lives.
That being said, our home school platform is academic in nature, but our focus is to strengthen our character. Through character we do our best each week rather than focus on an accumulation of worksheet pages or textbook completion. Each child, no matter their giftedness, is at a different level in every subject. That does not preclude our ability to expect each child to produce and participate to their best ability. When I evaluate students who are said to be unable or incapable it has always boiled down to one of two things. The parent is expecting too much or the parent is allowing the child to convince them that their lack of effort is connected to their lack of ability.
We love our children, we don’t want them to struggle. But God does not promise us that His blessings are sweet pleasures. Our children with all of their abilities and lack there ofs are blessings through and through. How will we guide them? To feel as though God made a mistake? To feel sorry for the extra work it will take to achieve their best- which will be different than another persons best? Or, to persevere and walk the course provided for them? What other way is there? Lay down that struggle of finding a cure, of finding the quickest way around. The only way to achieve that end is to walk through this calling. Create in your child a sense of wonder at the extra time God spent making them. How many people are just like the normal Joe? Praise God, you have a gift. Praise God, you have a purpose beyond yourself. Praise God,He has equipped you. How often have you come through an ordeal to think, “I would never have wished to go through that, hope it never happens again, but am soooooo thankful that I went through X, Y, Z.”? Walk through. Nourish with peace. Pace with prayer.
We created an academic focused Writer’s Circle (and beyond) so that all children could have a place of success as long as they were willing to work to their best ability. Consider doing the same for your children. If you are in our area please join us (ages 6-15). In the past 6 years we have never had a child drop out because it was too difficult. We have had a very few choose to leave because they were unwilling to put forth the effort. Our expectations are individualized to each student as is ‘homeschool’. We always have a mix of students who are brilliant mixed with gifted students. It is inexplicable why it works so well, but the outcome each year amazes us again and again and again. It is just something about Writer’s Circle. I truly can’t explain it, it just is how we are. I don’t have any formula or plan aside from what is previously stated. Somehow, this combination of student abilities, teacher/parent expectations, and focus on kindness and hard work brings out the best in our students, gets them excited to bring forth their best.
