Goals

Goals for a home schooling year may seem simple: learn simple sentence diagramming, recount the settlement of Virginia ... however, for a spectrum kid, goals need to identify skills that other teachers may take for granted.

For example, last year, Samuel learned to work all the way through "speed drill" math worksheets, writing each answer legibly. However, he still cannot look at a math problem in a book, transfer it to his own paper, then solve it while showing his work. This has become a major goal for this school year.

Over the last two school years, Samuel has learned to use a simple technique to plan writing compositions. (We used the writing diamonds out of the Sonlight curriculum.) This year, he will need to be able to select composition activities, then complete them on regular notebook paper. We have a writing center so we can work hard on composition skills.

And while I don't think the typical classroom teach and test approach is always necessary in home schooling (I almost fall into the un-schooling camp in this regard), I do believe Samuel needs to learn to be responsible for the knowledge he has been given. I will begin to incorporate a minimum of  tests and quizzes and teach strategies for their successful completion.