Before the Curriculum: Teach the Child in Front of You
Every August, my homeschool groups fill with the same questions.
“Where do I start?”
“What curriculum should I buy?”
“How many hours should we homeschool?”
“How do I know if I’m doing enough?”
If you’re asking those questions, you’re not alone.
Whether you’re homeschooling for the first time, returning after a break, or simply beginning a new school year, I’d like to offer you one piece of advice that may surprise you.
Before you worry about the curriculum, teach the child in front of you.
As a former special education classroom teacher, I can tell you that we don’t spend the first weeks of school racing through textbooks. We spend those weeks building relationships, establishing routines, observing our students, and creating an environment where learning can thrive.
We know those first weeks lay the foundation for everything that follows.
Homeschool should be no different.
Teach the Child in Front of You
Every child learns differently.
Some need movement before they can focus.
Some need visual supports.
Some communicate through an AAC device.
Some need frequent breaks.
Some love dinosaurs.
Others are fascinated by butterflies, construction vehicles, baking, music, or nature.
Instead of asking,
“How do I get through this curriculum?”
Ask yourself,
“Who is the child in front of me, and how do they learn best?”
One of the most important things you’ll do during your first weeks of homeschooling is learn your child in an entirely new context.
Even if you’ve been their parent for years, you’ve never been their classroom teacher.
You’ll begin noticing things you may have never seen before.
- When do they naturally focus?
- How long can they work before needing a break?
- What motivates them?
- What causes frustration?
- Do they learn best by seeing, hearing, moving, building, or doing?
- What helps them regulate?
- How do they communicate most effectively?
These aren’t problems to solve.
They’re clues.
The better you understand your child as a learner, the easier it becomes to create meaningful learning experiences.
There Isn’t One Curriculum for “This Kind of Child”
One question I see over and over is:
“My child is Level 2 autistic. What curriculum should I buy?”
Or…
“My child is non-speaking. What’s the best curriculum?”
My answer is always the same.
Those questions are far too broad.
A diagnosis can tell us something about a child’s support needs.
It cannot tell us how that child learns.
I’ve worked with many autistic children.
I’ve worked with many non-speaking children.
No two have learned exactly the same way.
One child may love worksheets.
Another refuses to touch a pencil but happily spells words on an AAC device.
One learns best while swinging.
Another needs complete quiet.
One thrives with a structured curriculum.
Another needs movement woven into every lesson.
That’s the beauty of homeschooling.
You’re not trying to make your child fit someone else’s curriculum.
You’re choosing, adapting, and creating learning experiences that fit your child.
What works beautifully for one autistic learner may not work for another.
What motivates one non-speaking child may completely overwhelm another.
Instead of leading with a diagnosis, tell me about your child.
What can they already do?
How do they communicate?
Can they match pictures? Count objects? Recognize letters? Follow one-step directions? Sit for five minutes? Do they love books, puzzles, music, or being outside?
Those answers tell me far more than a diagnosis ever could.
If you tell me where your child is right now and what skills they already have, I can help you figure out where to start.
That’s how good teaching works.
We don’t teach a diagnosis. We teach the child.
Am I Saying Don’t Teach?
Absolutely not.
I’m saying teach with intention.
Introduce math.
Introduce reading.
Introduce writing.
Introduce science.
Just don’t feel like you have to jump into hour-long lessons on Day One.
Instead, think short, meaningful, and enjoyable.
Practice one math skill that’s appropriate for your child’s current level.
Maybe they’re counting to five.
Maybe they’re identifying numbers.
Maybe they’re adding and subtracting.
Maybe they’re learning multiplication.
Meet them where they are.
Writing doesn’t have to begin with paragraphs.
For one child, writing may mean practicing pre-writing strokes.
Another may be tracing their name.
Another may be writing sentences.
For an AAC user, writing may mean finding letters on their keyboard or composing a simple message.
Read together every single day.
Talk about the pictures.
Wonder together.
Model communication throughout the day, not just during “speech time.”
If your child receives occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, or other supports, don’t think of those as separate from your homeschool.
They are part of your homeschool.
Practice sensory strategies.
Build in movement.
Work on fine motor skills through play.
Create opportunities for communication all day long.
These aren’t interruptions to learning.
They make learning possible.
During these first weeks, academics matter.
But connection is the priority.
Exposure Comes Before Mastery
Children need repeated exposure.
Repeated practice.
Repeated opportunities to succeed.
But please hear me.
This does not mean teaching the exact same lesson every day for a month.
If someone handed you the same shape puzzle every morning and said, “Today we’re learning shapes,” how long would it take before you were completely bored?
Probably by Day Two.
Children are no different.
Learning doesn’t come from repeating the same activity.
Learning comes from revisiting the same concept in different ways.
If you’re teaching shapes, maybe you:
- Build them with popsicle sticks.
- Hunt for them around the house.
- Read a picture book about shapes.
- Make shape sandwiches for lunch.
- Create a picture with construction paper shapes.
The concept stays the same.
The experience changes.
That’s how children stay engaged.
That’s how they build understanding.
That’s how they develop fluency.
As classroom teachers, we don’t expect children to master a skill after one lesson.
We intentionally revisit important concepts throughout the year through games, books, conversations, hands-on activities, and real-life experiences.
Homeschool gives you the freedom to do exactly the same thing.
Give Yourself Permission to Slow Down
The first few weeks of homeschool aren’t about checking boxes.
They’re about building trust.
Building routines.
Building communication.
Building confidence.
Building curiosity.
You’re learning how to become your child’s teacher.
Your child is learning what homeschool feels like.
That foundation is worth every minute you invest in it.
So if you finish your first week and think,
“We counted Legos, read books, practiced pre-writing, worked on sensory regulation, played outside, and went on nature walks…”
I’d say…
That sounds like a wonderful first week of homeschool.
The curriculum will still be there next week.
The relationship you’re building now is what will make the curriculum successful later.
Because before the curriculum…
Teach the child in front of you.
Kristie Owens, M.A.
Founder, Autism Homeschooling
