Tips for Setting Homeschool Goals for Neurodivergent Learners- Your First Step to Planning

Oct 27, 202410 min read

Updated: Nov 13, 2024

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As a neurodivergent mom of three kids, ages 1- 9, setting goals is essential to our success. I am guilty of struggling with staying on task sometimes, especially when the topic is not very interesting. On the other hand, I can easily explore science, insects, or history and perhaps stay on topics a little too long with these. I, like my audhd kiddos, require checklists and planning to accomplish things. I dare say it even gives me anxiety to try and accomplish things without a plan in mind.

However, when it comes to homeschooling, over planning is genuinely a thing. Be careful not to get caught in the circle of doubting yourself and overplanning to the point that you and your kids start to dread homeschooling. (a friendly tip from someone who is guilty of this)

One crucial step that helps me snap out of this, is setting clear and measurable goals for my kids and myself.

Every child is different, and with neurodivergence, there is a fine line between ability and society's expectation. I cannot tell you enough how many times I have heard teachers tell me that my children are lazy, are refusing to complete work for no reason, that they need to understand that there is a consequence for their choices.

Truthfully, neurodivergent children are typically not lazy, they aim to please and want to be able to finish their schoolwork with ease. They are easily embarrassed that they are unable to meet a standard, and feel defeated that people think they are choosing to not meet an unrealistic goal. Accommodations are needed, to help them meet these goals. Time and patience are required to let them safely work toward it. For these reasons, we homeschool.

So, how should you go about this? What goals do you need?

1. Spend Time With Your Child

Take time to play with them, listen to their information dumping, and truly observe them.

Pay Attention to their Sensory Needs and Environment

Do they become overstimulated easily?

Do you have an area in your home that they focus better in?

Do they stim? When do they stim and does this help them to focus? Do they stim to gain sensory input, while listening to stories or lectures?

My son does some of his best listening, when people think he is not paying attention. He holds an object, spins it, and even makes quiet noises as he does this. I have learned through trial and error, that allowing him to stim while reading to him, helps him to process what I am teaching him.

Countless times while at school, his teachers would fight him to remove the objects he would stim with. They would accuse him of not paying attention, and even embarrass him in front of his class. However, he was one of the few who actually knew the answers when they called on him.

What are their interests?

Do your kids have topics that they can't stop talking about? Mine have a few that predominantly revolve around video games. Use this information to your advantage. Let them write about or connect their studies with a topic they can understand and relate to.

Due to dysgraphia, my son loathes handwriting and even structured paragraphs and essays. However, I combine his interests with goals of writing for his age, and voila! If given access to a keyboard and prompted to write about his interests, he will provide a beautiful essay with ease.

In addition, his accomplishments with writing gives him the confidence to try writing about less interesting subjects that may require research.

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn."- Ignacio Estrada

What is their learning style?

In addition to their sensory intake needs, how does your child retain information the best? Learning styles are how people take in new information.

Learning styles include visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic approaches. Many children learn using a combination of these styles, but usually there is one style that works best for them.

These are important to understand, when teaching your little one because it makes learning easier and more effective for them. Studies have shown that when a person is taught using a method that aligns with their preferred learning style(s), they tend to understand the material better and retain the information for a longer period of time. This also leads to improved performance on tasks, increased motivation, better engagement, and higher confidence levels.

Understanding their learning style will help you to tailor the best approach to learning, and incorporate things like movement or activity to help them get through assignments.

There are over seventy learning styles, but there are four popular learning style models that are easily applied to homeschooling.

These are:

VARK - Visual/ Auditory/ Reading/ Kinesthetic Learners
Gregorc Mind Styles Model - describes how people perceive, process, and organize information
Willis and Hodson's Learning Style Model- there are 5 ways to influence learning: dispositions, talents, interests, modalities, and environment
Dunn and Dunn School-Based Learning Styles- focuses on conditions that promote learning, with 5 areas of learning that affect student performance. Each person is born with environmental, emotional, sociological, physiological, and psychological preferences that impact their learning.

There are many online sites available to help assess your learning style, including learningstylequiz.com

What are their strengths?

List the subjects and areas that your child excels, or they have made significant progress in throughout the past year.

These strengths are an opportunity for enrichment. These areas may also be opportunities to promote independent work in the homeschool day.

What needs to be improved?

List subjects or developmental areas that they can improve on. These are areas where your child needs significant improvement, and identifies subjects that need extra time.

"Understanding our children's differences can go a long way toward protecting against impatience and anger."- Lea Ann Garfias

Set Homeschool Goals

The final step is to put it altogether and set goals, that provide a direction for the year and a framework to decide on subjects to study or supports to purchase.

Set homeschool goals that are specific and measurable.

Create a goal for each specific area you would like to address and decide how you will measure your success.

Good goal example: Chris will write four days a week, focusing on outlining, research skills, summarizing, adding style, narrative form, and poetry.

Poor example: Chris will learn to write.

Write homeschool goals that are focused on actions and not outcomes.

We cannot make someone complete things according to our desires or timetable, so to focus on goals that you can control will help with stress and completion.

Good goal example: Chris will spend 20 minutes a day, three days a week, practicing multiplication and division facts.

Poor goal example: Chris will memorize multiplication tables by May.

Write homeschool goals that are focused on learning and not just completion.

Focus on the person. Do not get caught up in comparting your child to another, even a sibling. Individualize their experience.

Good goal example: Christopher will score at least 85% on the math tests before moving on to the next.

Poor goal example: Chris will complete his math workbook by May.

Categories of Homeschool Goals

Remember that we are teaching a person, and homeschool goals are not isolated to academic development.

That being said, you may want to include the following areas in your goals. The examples below are intended to guide ideas for creating goals, and only scratch the surface.

When i started out, i was focused on academic goal categories, but found myself revisiting the drawing board within one month. Identifying goals in multiple areas can help to ensure intentional identification of areas that need intentional direct teaching. Identifying these also helps to set a baseline for you to revisit at the end of the year and evaluate progress.

Character Goals

Character Goals for ages 3 to 7 may revolve around beginning empathy -or- a sense of conscience.

Examples may include: share with others -or- name others' feelings.

Character Goals for ages 6 to 12 may revolve around developing empathy and integrity.

Examples may include: modify behavior with one reminder -or- practice conflict resolution.

Character Goals for ages 11 to15 may focus on demonstrating greater empathy

Examples may include: consider opposing viewpoints -or- speak with respect to adults and peers.

Character Goals for ages 14 to 19 may focus on applying critical thinking skills to life

responsibilities.

Examples may include: be active in community work a-or- broaden community of friends.

Physical Development Goals

Physical Development Goals for ages 3 to 7 tends to be a time of rapid gross -and- fine motor skills development.

Examples may include: dress and take care of bathroom needs -or- hold a pencil properly

Physical Development Goals for ages 6 to 12 tends to involve increased coordination.

Examples may include: ride a bike -or- write in cursive

Physical Development Goals for ages 11 to 15 involves the dreaded puberty and increased

strength/ dexterity.

Examples may include: understand change of puberty -and- basics of human sexuality

Physical Development Goals for ages 14 to 19 involves physically approaching adulthood.

Examples may include: learn principles of good nutrition -and- understand the dangers of substance abuse

Mental Development Goals

Mental and academic development can vary child to child and age to age. It is important not to compare them to others, they will learn how and when they are ready.

Mental Development Goals for ages 3 to 7 may include: look at picture books -or- recognize

some letters

Mental Development Goals for ages 6 to 12 may include: read independently -or- tell time

Mental Development Goals for ages 11 to 15 may include: read chapter books -or- correctly

structure a persuasive essay

Mental Development Goals for ages 14 to 19 may include: apply beliefs to decisions for now and

for the future

Spiritual Development Goals

Spiritual Development Goals may be specific to the family and their belief systems.

Social Emotional Goals

Social Emotional Goals for ages 3 to 7 may include: show polite manners for eating -or-

understand boundaries and modesty

Social Emotional Goals for ages 6 to 12 may include: use words for emotions -or- bounce back

well from mistakes

Social Emotional Goals for ages 11 to 15 may include: practice self-control -or- discern positive

and negative self-image

Social Emotional Goals for ages 14 to 19 may include: practice self-control -or- respond maturely

to peer pressure

Executive Function Goals

Executive function skills will vary with each child's age and ability. Those of use with neurodivergence tend to require more intentional focus on this area. I still require checklists and planning to reach my goals in a timely manner (thus this blog). These goals should be child specific and not age specific.

For more information about executive function skills and tips to help these develop, visit Improve Dysgraphia and Executive Function Skills through play - The Power of Play Dough

Reading Goals

Reading goals for ages 3 to 7 may include: listen to and answer questions about a story -or-

identify letters and sounds

Reading goals for ages 6 to 12 may include: read chapter books -or- identify genres of fiction

Reading goals for ages 11 to 15 may include: learn basic literary analysis

Reading, writing, & grammar goals for ages 14 to 19 may include: identify structural elements of a

novel -and- complete complex essays

Writing & Grammar Goals

Writing goals for ages 3 to 7 may include: hold pencil correctly -or- correct letter formation

Writing goals for ages 6 to 12 may include: understand what constitutes a sentence -or- construct

a 5 to 7 sentence paragraph

Writing goals for ages 11 to 15 may include: identify figures of speech -or- write 3 to 5 paragraph

essays

Reading, writing, & grammar goals for ages 14 to 19 may include: identify structural elements of a

novel -and- complete complex essays

Math Goals

Math goals for ages 3 to 7 may include: understand the symbols for plus, minus, and equals -or-

recognize and create patterns

Math goals for ages 6 to 12 may include: use tools or manipulatives to solve math problems -or-

find the perimeter/circumference and area of simple geometric shapes

Math goals for ages 11 to 15 may include: multiply three-digit numbers by hand -or- start algebra

Math goals for ages 14 to 19 may include: complete three years of higher-level math, including

basic algebra, advanced algebra, and geometry

Science goals:

Science goals for ages 3 to 7 may include: the life cycle of humans and animals

Science goals for ages 6 to 12 may include: understand and demonstrate magnetism

Science goals for ages 11 to 15 may include: describe a hypothesis, plan an experiment, and

implement the experiment

Science goals for ages 14 to 19 may include: completing biology, chemistry, or physics

Social Studies & History Goals

Social studies & history goals for ages 3 to 7 may include: special days like Thanksgiving or

Halloween -or- that people live, eat, and work differently in other parts of the world

Social studies & history goals for ages 6 to 12 may include: identify all of the continents and

oceans as well as many countries around the world

Social Studies & history goals for ages 11 to 15 may include: identify the causes and effects of

major battles in U.S. history

Social Studies & history goals for ages 14 to 19 may include: complete course on American

history, world history, and government

Health & Safety Goals

Health & safety goals for ages 3 to 7 may include: healthy personal habits like sleep, nutritious

food, and personal hygiene - or- be careful with dangerous household items like scissors,

knives, and cleaning products

Health & safety goals for ages 6 to 12 may include: study health issues including nutrition,

exercise, and hygiene -or- learn how to protect ourselves from harmful situations

Health & safety goals for ages 11 to 15 may include: study how the skeletal, respiratory,

circulatory, and other systems work together -or- identify harmful behaviors in others,

including substance abuse, bullying, and physical or sexual abuse

Your child may also have other developmental goals that they are working towards, including:

Physical Therapy Goals
Occupational Therapy Goals

Sensory Processing Goals

Speech Therapy Goals

*Please consult with a licensed professional in one of these above fields, to collaborate on creating and establishing a plan to meet goals for these therapy areas.

An excellent resource for occupational therapy and sensory processing goals is Harkla. To learn more about them, click HERE.

Books that have helped me accomplish setting these goals are:

As an amazon affiliate, the below links are paid for links. This does NOT mean that I have been paid for my personal review or opinion. The opinion and review is mine from experience.