08/04/2020
In 2015 I was asked to share how my home education program was developed, what my focus was, and how it fit into "real life" with our family. I also was asked for any goals we had for each of our special ed kids. I believe this went to a group of student teachers.
Today I found that document! It is so interesting to read through 5 years later as we continue our homeschool journey! Sharing here for anyone who is starting on that path...
These goals have been developed in order to give myself and my husband some general guidance as far as what we will work on specifically with each child. We do not set these goals with the ideal of meeting every goal in a specific period of time, but rather that these are the next “steps” that each child is ready for in each target area.
Georgia state law requires homeschooled students learn 5 subject areas: Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Though I’ve not separated Reading from Language Arts, the following goals represent each of those areas of learning for each child. In addition, they have a few other goal targeted areas including:
● Life Skills: Targeted areas that address steps toward future goals for independence in life
not addressed as personal care tasks.
● Self Help Skills: Skill areas that address hygiene and self care.
● Social Skills: Working towards appropriate interactions by themselves and with others in public and private settings.
Each of the above additional goal categories address areas of learning that are very important to the development, growth, and future of each child. They address areas which are often worked on in a “life skills” environment as well as within a child’s IEP within a typical school system and comprise a good portion of the learning time for the children who need more focus on learning these tasks.
Each child works at an appropriate developmental level toward the goals listed below. Those able to utilize and understand a workbook or paper and pencil style of academic learning will use that for progress in the appropriate areas. Those able to work with manipulatives will receive teaching time in that way. The children able to receive through auditory-based learning, or visual-based learning will receive input in those ways. ASL and Pixon (images) as well as photograph images will also be incorporated into each child’s learning as well as hands on learning, which comprises most of the children’s academic time based on their needs and
abilities.
As we strive to meet the various goals of each of our children, our focus as parents is to bring them each to be able to:
● Function as independently as possible within their individual skills, abilities, and limitations.
● Interact with others both in a public and private setting with appropriate boundaries for safety and social appropriateness.
● Develop skills that will allow them to be able to serve others through employment, volunteer, ministry, or home-based ‘service’ to whatever capacity they are able.
● Learn academic skills that will benefit them in real world situations now and in the future with expressed focus on those which will also tie in to the above areas of learning.
Each day we first meet the physical and emotional needs of each child, with a secondary interest in each child’s developmental goals as well as academic focus. This is a process which comprises 12-14 hours of each day and 7 days a week without boundaries on ‘school hours’.
Each child also receives OT, PT, and ST services as appropriate on a weekly basis and specific academic and goal-oriented learning time. (specific goal lists in comments section)
