You've established your priorities in homeschooling, and you know the Lord is your perfect home school Provider.

You are keeping your heart attitudes toward disruptions, especially interruptions that take the form of babies and toddlers, in check.

Perhaps you have even thought of some new activities or schedule changes for your little ones that aren't yet sitting around the table with you, or listening as you read lengthy classics.

But yet another challenge is present for many of us: Knowing when to push a child academically.

~We know that all children learn at different paces and in different ways. We don't want to try and cram a struggling learner into an age specific mold just because an older sibling had no difficulty with the same concept (older sister was reading Anne of Greene Gables at seven and Junior is still finding Bob books a challenge).

~We question if perhaps our method of teaching them the concept, could be wrong. (aka"Maybe we need to change curriculum.")

~Child may claim he can't do the work, but we're not certain that he just won't do the work.

What to do?
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5

Ask for Help
The Lord says He generously gives wisdom to those who ask. We are not capable of this homeschooling task on our own! Part of our frustration comes because we try to do it alone.

Watch the Heart
Is this struggling child having authority issues in other areas? If I tell Child it is time to clean his room, and Child refuses or conveniently has something else to do, I know Child is not submitting to me. If Child is not submitting to me in one area, there is a good possibility Child is not submitting to me in other areas as well--like schoolwork. Character and education are absolutely inseparable.

Over the years I have worked with thousands of families in the area of education in state schools, private schools and home schools. In my experience, 95 percent of the cases in which families struggle with the education of a child, the primary issue is character. Yet that is the issue that tends to be relegated to the back burner. Too many parents are woefully ignorant in this area, and too many teachers seem to think that there is a dichotomy between packing facts into a student's brain, and the development of character.
Kevin Swanson, Upgrade

Evaluate
Occasionally, a change in method is necessary. If you see that a child seems to struggle in multiple areas of academics, and you have discerned that the child isn't just rebellious toward you (he's really trying his best and working hard), another curriculum or change in approach might facilitate the breakthrough he needs. Maybe he needs more one on one time with you, or maybe he needs to do shorter lessons but twice daily. Perhaps he needs to switch his hardest subject to first thing in the morning.

"What Grade are You In?"
The number on the textbook screams at us what grade this child is in or should be in. But we mustn't forget that this country was built by people who were taught either at home or in one-room schoolhouses without standards like grade levels...barely one hundred years ago.

John Taylor Gatto, three-time New York Teacher-of-the-Year comments on his frustration with the grade system:

David learns to read at age four; Rachel, at age nine. In normal development, when both are 13, you can't tell which one learned first--the five-year spread means nothing at all. But in school I label Rachel 'learning disabled' and slow David down a bit, too. For a paycheck, I adjust David to depend on me to tell him to go and stop. He won't outgrow that dependency. I identify Rachel as discount merchandise, 'special education' fodder. She'll be locked in her place forever. (I Quit, I Think by John Taylor Gatto)

Grade levels are relatively new constructions intended to help public schools run more efficiently.

If we have a child that we believe is being disobedient, lazy and dishonoring in regard to his/her academics, we have more important issues to work on than academics. But we should never let grade levels determine whether a child should be pushed, no matter what an older sibling could do at the same age, or even if a younger sibling is approaching the same level of academics. Treating your child as an individual with unique gifts and callings is very freeing. A child should be praised and affirmed when we know he is doing his best, and making good use of his God-given talents and abilities.


Next Up: A Few Thoughts on Homeschooling a Strong-Willed Child



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