Support the Cherab Foundation

Pursuit of Research

Promoting Good Nutrition For Special Needs

COVID 19 Home School Tips From A Homeschool Apraxia Mom

by

While homeschooling information is always needed by some, the majority now are educating their children at home due to schools being closed to lower the spread of COVID 19/coronavirus. We appreciate the following article from Sarah Bonham, a homeschooler, to share what has worked for her children, one neurotypical and one with special needs, apraxia.

Lisa Geng President Cherab Foundation

Homeschooling my Apraxia Girl

A little back story to catch you up…
My girl was three when we realized that she really needed help and was NOT going to catch up or get better on her own. The next month was full of appointments, evaluations and finally a diagnosis. Apraxia. Funny thing was, a college friend had posted that her daughter had apraxia along with a video and I KNEW that was also what mine had. I wasn’t blind-sided, I was prepared.

Kind of...

Fast forward to today- you were prepared to have your kiddo at home. Kind of. You knew summer was coming, but this is way sooner (and a lot longer) than you had anticipated. I homeschool on the regular, so here are some tips and resources I have found helpful.

  1. First and foremost- show yourself grace. There is nothing that will derail a day faster than me being uptight. The love that you have for your child will guide you to tailor the next few months to his or her unique learning style. Just be patient with yourself (and him/her). There might be a few tears as you both assume a new role.
  2. You don’t have to hit every subject every day. With the possibility of no more formal classroom this school year (at least in California) you have plenty of time to get it all in. If you can email/message the teacher for guidance on what they were working on that will help steer you in the right direction. There are tons of worksheets for free/cheap at: teacherspayteachers.com as well as Pinterest. I have found really great math, language, writing and science material at Teachers Pay Teachers.
  3. Don’t forget that math, science and language happen in the kitchen too! Bake, knead dough, and make things together. Discover the magic of life schooling- and don’t forget
    to take pictures of everything you are doing. Adding these pictures along with a drawing or small write-up is school!
  4. Inevitably, since your child isn’t in school, they probably aren’t getting therapy either. I recommend the following apps (private therapist approved):

And if you are willing to dig and look on eBay- Earobics with the caterpillar on the cover. The graphic looks like it should be on a floppy disk, but the different auditory processing and phonics practice is amazing. (Expect that is you can find the CD, you will spend about $40) I like ABC Mouse, but it felt like it was a lot of play without a lot of interaction from my girl. She loved having the pets and rooms, but I didn’t feel it suited her well. It does have free access right now- most school districts have signed up for it. It would be a good supervised break time for the both of you!

  1. Read aloud to your kiddo! Read them stories, point out pictures and ask them to recognize how a character might be feeling. How do they know how they’re feeling? How would they feel in the same situation? If they can draw or write a scene from the story later, try that with other books and create them a book folder. This, of course, will be age-dependent. I have littles, so we are at 3rd and K. And finally, remember that this is not school at home. Eight hours a day is not what you or your child need/can do in this smaller setting (trust me, you will both be pulling your hair out! Let go of the idea that they need to be focused that long- and again, show yourself some grace. Here are some guidelines by age grouping as mentioned by Dr. Colette Poole-Boykin, a psychiatrist in Washington, District of Columbia. She received her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine.

*Elementary age students can tolerate from 1-2 total hours of instruction per day. Kiddos in this age group will need help staying on task and organizing their work. Developing a predictable routine can help with their lack of executive functioning skills. Do not punish kinetic learners for not being able to stay in their seats; instead try scheduling in motor breaks (like yoga, PE, quick trip around the block). This would also be the perfect time to work on reading skills. Read with your child and then have them read to you.

*Middle school-age students can tolerate between 2-3 total hours of instruction per day. Kiddos in this age group are learning how to be independent and have a more robust social life than their elementary-age peers. Therefore, using video conferencing platforms will be helpful to keep them engaged with their assignments and with their peers.

*High schoolers can tolerate between 3-4 total hours of instruction per day. Adolescents in this grade can and should participate in the planning of their schedules. While they may need less management than their younger peers, they may need more encouragement as well. Remember that teens are also prone to changes in their mood and sleep patterns, so do not take their temperament changes personally (meaning, those hormones are at regular school too).

And lastly, do you need a break and does your child need some interaction? Outschool is an online school that has a huge variety of classes that have a virtual learning classroom. The kids can connect with an instructor and students to get some social interaction (grouped by ages, subjects, how long the sessions are). Here’s a discount code I hope this helps all of you tackle these next few months! Stay healthy, sane, and keep learning!

Sarah (right) was one of our speakers for our free Cherab Chats! Me (Lisa Geng) and VP Jolie Abreu were also part of this very informative chat!

Also see

Home (Schooling) With Kids Due To Coronavirus

By Sarah Snider Bonham

Mom of one neurotypical 8-year-old girl and one 5-year-old apraxia girl.

I have been a world- traveler, lived abroad and graduated with a B.S. in Kinesiology.  I have taught group exercise classes and done personal training.  Currently I am a stay-at-home mom of two girls, one neurotypical, one with apraxia that I homeschool.  I teach Science and History to kids ages five to nine and am currently working on an herbalist certification.  I believe that the world around us will teach us a lot, we just have to be willing to listen.

Sarah Snider Bonham