Homeschool & Executive Function
I don’t talk about homeschooling often, but I think about it a lot and have a lot of blog followers who homeschool, so I’ve definitely got ideas for you. I recently received a great question from a homeschool mom:
“I just want to request that you more fully address a topic that I have not found on your site. Could you please address homeschooling? In homeschooling, it seems, executive functioning skills such as organization of papers, deadlines, turning in homework, etc are far less of a daily necessity. Yet, they are so important to the rest of life. I’m just wondering if you could suggest/do a blog/video on how to incorporate more executive functioning skill building into our homeschool. My children are only accountable to me so often there’s a lot of resistance and so little natural consequence to not following through. I know you’ve mentioned not using motivation or consequences, therefore, I am often left feeling like I’m powerless to help develop these skills. Homeschooling is a unique situation, not needing the backpack overhaul and such. Will you please address it? Thank you for what you do and for your time. Your work is extraordinary! I hope what I am requesting is clear.”
Here I go into the topic in one of my longest videos yet – I address some homeschool ideas in-depth for 35 minutes.
My intention was to give you a good idea of what you want to keep in the back of your head about executive function if you homeschool. I discuss:
- How we want ALL kids happy successful launch, we’re all trying to do the same thing regardless of educational approach.
- Why EF skills are so important for ANY career, and for all children.
- The importance of planting seeds asap.
- How to find the balance between freedom and structure.
- About firm boundaries.
- How to adapt the principles to your child.
- The need for ownership and buy-in.
- How students need “project management.”
- Thoughts on homeschooling and planning, priorities, organization, color coding, inboxes, google docs, files for life, files for each project with checklists, routines (visual), set due dates, metacognition, routine times for responsibilities, catchalls, self-evaluation, homes for things, etc..
- How to work with homeschool resistance, ask what consequence should be, what reward should be.