My homeschool goals for 2018 are ambitious! But it’s my intention to smash them! Deciding to homeschool our special needs twin boys was not easy. And I know that it’s going to be challenging. But at the same time I’m excited to see what these two can do!

Homeschool Goals – Academic

Obviously homeschool goals are largely academic and my main concentration will be on literacy and numeracy. During the last school meeting we had about the boys, there was mention of letting them repeat Grade R. But I think they’re capable of doing Grade 1 work. They just need to be engaged in a different way than school can offer. And yes, I will unashamedly be using technology!

Literacy

I will have to work hard on fine motor skills as this is one area the boys really struggle with. But I’m not going to stress too much about this. They are resistant to writing and show signs of dysgraphia. I have realised that they don’t react well to being forced into anything. So I will also teach them how to use a computer, which will be just as important in the future.

The boys absolutely love listening to stories and ‘reading’ books. They know their alphabet very well but struggle with phonics. I’m going to place a lot of emphasis on this skill because the world of reading is magical. And I’m sure they will love it there! And this is also a way to help with their speech. They will continue to get constant exposure to language they can use to model their own on.

Numeracy

Once again, the boys are comfortable with numbers. They do however need help with applying numeracy skills. Their elevated ability to learn something by heart often overshadows the application of this knowledge. They have difficulty understanding concepts. This will need lots of help and I will be enlisting the help of technology! Graphic design is a great way to combine many skills. So I’ll start them on Adobe Illustrator. Plus there are also loads of cool apps and I’m excited to see what works.

Homeschool Goals – The Arts

Arts and Crafts

The kids love art. Or should I say they like scribbling and mushing up paint into a lovely brown puddle. Their lack of fine motor skills come into play here. But luckily art is a wide and varied field. My goal is to encourage photography, video and design.

It is one of my biggest goals not to generate mounds of unnecessary paper for crafts. I want them to take on projects that are useful and that can be given as gifts or even sold. This can tie into more practical life skills such as learning about money and marketing.

Drama

My boys love acting out what they see on TV or on YouTube. And they can recite poem and shows easily. Unfortunately they do not like to perform on demand. I’m really going to have to delve into their psyches to see what makes them tick. They are so expressive. But only like to do so on their own terms. It would be amazing to open them up to performing as I think they would benefit in so many ways from this skill.

Music

Music is a must in this family. I’ve written before about the importance of music in homeschooling. And I will be enlisting the help of my husband here. It would be great if the kids could learn an instrument but fine motor skills are an issue once again. We’ll go electronic if needs be. And daddy will be the perfect one to teach them!

Homeschool Goals – Sports

I’ve always been sporty. And I hope that the boys will eventually be too. At the moment they are super hyper but the energy isn’t focused. Ideally I would like them to try a tiring activity such as Crossfit or a controlled activity like yoga. We’re going to have to see what they engage with. As with everything else, I’m sure it will be a trial and error process.

Homeschool Goals – Practical Life

Practical life skills are so important. Especially for special needs kids. Often it’s a case of ‘fake it until you make it’ as there is often a lack of social awareness and interest. And an inability to order and sequence. But as with neurotypical children, neurodivergent kids just need to learn how. It doesn’t matter if it takes longer or if it’s done in an unusual way. Here are some skills I’ll be including in our learning:

Doing the washing (using the machine, measuring out the detergent, hanging up and folding clothes) Washing up and drying the dishes Setting the table Shopping (finding items, working with money, dealing with people) Baking and cooking Gardening Cleaning (sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, making beds)

What are your Homeschooling Goals for 2018?

What do you hope to achieve in 2018? I especially would love to hear about your practical life skills ideas! Please drop me an email or comment below. And don’t forget to sign up to my blog for regular updates on our homeschooling journey. I will also be posting resources and downloads throughout the year. So let’s get to smashing our homeschool goals for 2018!