We have a guest author this week. I hope you find the content as informative and compelling as I did. Also, check out her online offerings. Links are at the end of the article.
Our Fair schedule for Claremont, Candia, and Keene is listed just after the article. Check them out. The Claremont Fair is just around the corner!
-Jody
Homeschooling Children with Learning Differences: A Better Fit
By Mary Resenbeck – Homeschool Consultant, IEP Advocate, and Creator of Academic-Based Musicals
Some children walk into school and relax. Others brace themselves. If your child has dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, or a processing difference, you probably know that second feeling well. The room is loud. The pace is fast. The work piles up. Confidence drops.
I’ve seen this from every angle: as a Montessori teacher, as a parent sitting at countless IEP tables, and as a homeschooling mom myself. The truth is simple: when instruction aligns with the child, the child thrives.
Why Homeschooling Works
Homeschooling gives you the freedom to create an education that truly suits your child’s needs. A dyslexic reader can combine audiobooks with explicit, multisensory phonics instruction. A child who needs movement can learn in short bursts with breaks. A twice-exceptional learner can be challenged in one subject while being supported in another.
If something takes more time, you give it more time. If curiosity sparks, you follow it. That flexibility is priceless.
The first changes you notice are often emotional. A child who once froze at a blank page may dictate a sentence and then copy it proudly. A reluctant reader may begin tracking a story while listening to an audiobook. A quiet child may lead a warm-up or share their project aloud. Each small win builds confidence. Shoulders straighten. Anxiety eases. Hope returns.
The Role of the Arts
Creativity changes how children learn. Music, theater, and movement don’t just decorate a lesson; they anchor it in memory. When a child sings a grammar rule, claps a math rhythm, or rehearses a history scene, learning is locked in both body and mind.
That’s why I write academically based musicals. They’re not fluff; they’re frameworks. I’ve watched reluctant readers memorize complex words through lyrics. I’ve seen shy children find their voices through performance. I’ve watched energetic learners channel their restlessness into choreography that turns a science fact into something unforgettable.
For children with learning differences, these layered approaches matter. The arts provide students with multiple pathways into a lesson and various ways to express their understanding.
Filling the Arts Gap
In many schools, arts programs are often the first to be cut. Budgets shrink. Testing demands grow. And the students who most need the arts are the first to lose them.
Homeschool families, co-ops, and micro-schools can bring the arts back to the center. It doesn’t take a Broadway budget or a professional stage. A modest showcase at a library or community center can be just as powerful. What matters is the process: rehearsing, collaborating, and presenting.
These experiences don’t just build knowledge; they build confidence and teamwork. They give students authentic reasons to practice reading, writing, speaking, and problem-solving. Academic standards are still met, but the lessons stick because children live them.
The Payoff
Homeschooling is never effortless. Some ideas flop. Some plans need constant adjustment. However, when creativity and structure intersect, the results can be truly transformative.
I have seen children who dreaded school rediscover curiosity. I’ve seen students who had withdrawn begin to participate again. Labels like “struggling” or “behind” fade as strengths shine through. One child discovers a gift for building sets. Another realizes they can carry a scene. Another learns to design costumes or run sound cues. All of them find out they are capable.
That’s the proper role of the arts: not to distract from learning, but to deepen it. For children with learning differences, the arts provide a bridge between knowledge and expression. It’s not about lowering expectations. It’s about setting the stage so every child can rise to meet them.
Looking Ahead
This fall, I’m premiering original musicals that blend history, science, and language arts with performance. They’re adaptable for homeschoolers, co-ops, and micro-schools, designed so that every child can contribute meaningfully. Some will act. Some will run cues or manage props. Some will design costumes or sets. Everyone has a role, and everyone’s work matters.
When children see themselves as part of something bigger, pride spills over into other subjects. A child who enjoys painting backdrops may approach math with more confidence. A student who delivered lines onstage may finally feel ready to read aloud. These ripples matter. They are the heart of joyful learning.
Final Thoughts
If you are raising a child with learning differences, you are familiar with the daily struggles. But you also see the spark — that curiosity and creativity that sometimes gets buried in traditional settings. Homeschooling can bring it back.
With flexibility, creativity, and community, children rediscover their strengths. They learn how they learn. They see themselves clearly, not as a label but as capable, growing learners.
Education should never be one-size-fits-all. It should meet the child where they are and give them the tools to move forward. Homeschooling makes that possible. And when the arts lead the way, the journey becomes not only compelling but unforgettable.
About the Author
Mary Resenbeck is a homeschool consultant, IEP advocate, and the creator of Mary’s Academic Musical Enrichment Classes. She is the author of Take Charge of Your Child’s Education. Through advocacy, consulting, and her original musicals, Mary empowers families to make homeschooling both joyful and effective.
📞 (858) 354-9673
📧 [email protected]
🌐 marysmusicalenrichment.com
🌐 maryresenbeck.com
EdOpt Fair Schedule
- Claremont.
Monday, October 6, 5-7pm
Claremont Savings Bank Community Center
152 South St, Claremont, NH
Education providers and attendees can RSVP here. - Candia/Concord area.
Monday October 27, 5-7:30pm
Candia Congregational Church
1 South Road, Candia NH
Education providers and attendees can RSVP here. - Keene.
Monday, November 3, 5-7pm
First Baptist Church
105 Maple Avenue Keene, NH
Education providers and attendees can RSVP here.
We hope to see you at one or more of these fairs. Let your friends know about them. Word of mouth is the best advertising.
Want to organize an expo in your area? Reply to this email or contact us if you want to help.
EdOpt’s Goals
EdOpt’s aim is to help families understand all their education options, from non-traditional (homeschooling, homeschool co-ops, microschools) to traditional (charter schools, private schools, tech centers, dual enrollment, learn everywhere). Our website lists the education providers options around the state that we know about (please let us know if we’re missing any!) so you can investigate the ones that you’re interested in. EdOpt also provides guidance to help you understand your options. Set up an Education Options consultation today.
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