Homeschooling Gifted Students

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Chapter 7

Homeschooling Gifted Students:

Considerations for Research and Practice Stacy Kula Azusa Pacific University, USA

ABSTRACT The homeschooling movement has grown consistently over the past 50 years and is now a viable option for gifted children as well, particularly when traditional schools fail to meet their unique needs. As the educational option offering the greatest flexibility, homeschooling can hold great promise to assist the optimal development of both gifted and twice exceptional children. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight major trends in homeschooling practice for families with gifted children, as well as to focus attention on the need for further research into the topic of homeschooling and giftedness. Ways in which homeschooling can provide a fit for gifted and twice exceptional children, resources utilized by parents in meeting their children’s needs, and challenges parents face as they direct their children’s education are considered. The importance of flexibility in approach and curriculum, as well as utilizing outside resources, is emphasized.

DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-3041-1.ch007 Copyright © 2018, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.

Homeschooling Gifted Students

INTRODUCTION Though homeschooling has existed in the United States since its inception, the practice has experienced a surge in growth over the past few decades (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Ray, 2011; Redford, Battle, & Bielick, 2016). Today, the choice to homeschool represents a departure from societal and institutional norms, and is thus not a decision made by default or out of necessity, as in the early years of the nation (Jolly, Matthews, & Nester, 2013; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). Parents who choose to homeschool do so for a variety of reasons, among them the need to provide education that responds to their children’s specific needs in ways that they feel public schools cannot. Parents of gifted children who homeschool fall into this category, as they seek to grant opportunities for growth, challenge, high-level thinking and creative outlets for their children (Jolly et al., 2013). This chapter will outline some of the issues leading to the choice to homeschool for families with gifted children, the resources homeschooling parents rely upon in creating educational experiences for their gifted children, and some of the challenges faced by these parents. Considerations for twice exceptional children are also highlighted. These issues are important to anyone who educates gifted children; parents can glean strategies for their own practice, and public or private school educators can better understand what gifted students who come to them after being homeschooled may have experienced.

BACKGROUND It is important to note that research on the homeschooling community is sparse. The population is difficult so study, being both dispersed and, in many cases, suspicious of and resistant to oversight (Collom, 2005). Moreover, much of what exists can be deemed untrustworthy or unreliable due to methodological concerns as well as author bias. For example, much of the statistical research on homeschooling outcomes has been funded by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and conducted through the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI); these organizations have access to a broad range of homeschooling families nationwide, and have used that access to produce quantitative research on homeschoolers with large sample sizes. Their studies show consistently higher outcomes in terms of grades,

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standardized test scores, civic engagement, and participation in leadership into college and adulthood for all classes of children, including the gifted (Ray, 2004, 2011, 2015). However, these organizations solicit self-reported data of homeschooling parents with the stated purpose of promoting this educational option (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Lubienski, Puckett, & Brewer, 2013). The results of such research, therefore, must be viewed with caution, as they reflect author biases, rely on convenience over random sampling of the homeschooling population, employ recruitment practices that might discourage participation by parents whose children do not excel, and fail to match students with demographically similar populations for comparative purposes (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Lubienski et al., 2013). Some independent studies with higher validity confirm positive outcomes for homeschooled children, including a closure of achievement gaps between children from working-class and affluent families (e.g., Collom, 2005). However, more independent quantitative research needs to be conducted to corroborate and generalize studies on homeschooling outcomes. If the empirical research on homeschooling is sparse, the paucity of research on gifted education within the homeschooling community is even greater. A review of the literature on homeschooling the gifted reveals a body of work that is largely anecdotal; empirical work on the subject is virtually nonexistent (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Winstanley, 2009). As such, this chapter will reflect the scholarly works available, and add information gathered from internet sources commonly used by the homeschooling community, to develop a picture of the practices that parents of gifted children utilize to encourage their development. Throughout the chapter, the necessity for robust empirical research into homeschooling for children identified as gifted will be repeated.

HOMESCHOOLING THE GIFTED Van Galen (1991, 1998) conceptualized a dichotomy between what she called ideologues, or parents who choose to homeschool to promote a specific faith or worldview, and pedagogues, a term describing parents who homeschool to provide what they feel are better educational practices and experiences for their children. Collom (2005) notes that the early years of the resurgence of homeschooling as a popular educational option, in the 60s and 70s, were dominated by pedagogues who felt that the behaviorism-based methodologies

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used in schools were restrictive and stunted their children’s creativity and ability to think critically. These parents tended to embrace progressive methods of teaching and championed parental autonomy (Van Galen, 1991). The 1980s saw a surge of ideologues, primarily comprised of conservative Christian families, who felt that schools had become too liberal and asserted parental autonomy over their children’s education by opting to teach their children at home. Such parents often adopted similar methods to traditional schools, but purchased faith-based curriculum (Van Galen, 1991, 1998). As homeschooling has grown in acceptance and supports for homeschooling have become more available since the turn of the millennium, parents will choose this option for a myriad of reasons (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). It is recognized that the strict dichotomy described in early homeschooling research does not fit the homeschooling parents of today. Data collected by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) paint a picture of great diversity of thought, purpose, and practice within the homeschooling community. While the dominant narrative of the typical homeschool family still involves a desire to promote conservative and religious (primarily Christian) values, the desire to provide religious education ranks third in terms of the most important reason for homeschooling (Redford et al., 2016). In fact, the top reason given as most important in the homeschooling decision is concern over the environment in traditional schools; this includes issues of safety, bullying, and peer pressure. The second most important reason for homeschooling, according to the latest NCES survey, is dissatisfaction with the academic program offered to students at traditional schools (Redford et al., 2016). This finding corroborates earlier research in which educational methods or concerns about academic quality were the primary reasons cited for homeschooling (Collom, 2005). Those who homeschool gifted children tend to be drawn from this group (Collom, 2005; Jolly et al., 2013; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Redford et al., 2016). According to the literature, parents of gifted children often find that schools are unable to respond adequately to the needs of their children. As gifted students have unique strengths and uneven development in different areas, it takes unique educational solutions to address each specific case (Jolly et al., 2013). Parents often report that their children’s schools did little more than give them the opportunity to tutor other children or move ahead, either skipping a grade or attending older classes for the subjects in which they are

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most advanced (Goodwin & Gustavson, 2009). These solutions are suboptimal for several reasons. First, parents understand that their children get tired, even bored, from tutoring their peers, and that it can set up difficulties for their peer relationships (Winstanley, 2009). Second, parents also understand that though their children are technically “ready” for work that older children are doing, they may lack the maturity or sensitivity to handle the work or the content (Jolly et al., 2013). In reading, for example, young children might easily be able to decode high school level literature, but find the content of such works very disturbing (Tolan, 1989; Winstanley, 2009). Skipping grades can be problematic for similar reasons, as a child may be highly advanced in math, but not in other subjects (Tolan, 1989). The uneven and constantly evolving development of the gifted child thus creates difficulties for busy teachers, who do not have the time, and sometimes lack the expertise, to “match” activities and materials to their gifted students (Goodwin & Gustavson, 2009). Parents, on the other hand, who have a vested interest in learning how to assist their children’s development and more time to work with them, often feel that they have become more expert at understanding their children’s needs, and this leads to the determination to homeschool. While understanding the “most important factor” provides one lens through which to understand why parents of gifted children are choosing to homeschool, the reality is that most parents have overlapping and complex reasons for wanting to homeschool (Collom, 2005). In the NCES survey, for example, the ability to provide “moral education,” which ranked very low as a “most important” reason, became the second-highest-cited as one of the other reasons contributing to a decision to homeschool (Redford et al., 2016). The factor referenced most as a contributor to such a choice was a desire to provide a better environment than that of schools, and the desire to provide better instruction ranked in third place. Thus, most parents have multiple reasons for wanting to homeschool their children, and parents of gifted children are no exception. The literature references not only academic, but also social concerns, as gifted children might desire like-minded playmates and find it difficult to engage with their peers in a traditional school (Winstanley, 2009). Parents of gifted individuals may also be religious and desire to incorporate issues of faith with their children’s educational experience; thus, much like the children themselves, each parent’s perspective represents a unique amalgam of experiences, beliefs, and thoughts leading to the choice to homeschool.

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The Practice of Homeschooling Gifted Children: Pedagogical Considerations Homeschools cannot be typified by a single approach to education, and this is true for the families of gifted students as well. Popular styles run the gamut from direct instruction that emulates traditional schools, complete with schedules and textbooks, and unschooling, in which the child’s interests direct the curriculum and learning is highly unstructured. No states require education courses or certification of any kind for parents, and only nine states, plus the District of Columbia, require a minimum amount of education—a high school diploma for all but Washington, which requires either some college credits, a homeschooling course, or approval of the local district (Homeschool Legal Defense Association, 2017). Because of this, many homeschooling parents of gifted children do not have specific training in gifted education; making the decision to homeschool, then, is also a decision to conduct research and become self-educated on how to meet their children’s needs (Jolly et al., 2013). The pedagogy employed by parents, therefore, often stems from a combination of experience (their own or those of other parents of gifted children), research, and trial-and-error to find what works best with children (Jolly et al., 2013; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). There is no “typical” gifted homeschooling experience, according to the literature, as parents choose their instructional approach in ways that are as individual as their children’s specific needs (Jolly et al, 2013). Direct instruction is often practiced by homeschooling parents, including those motivated by ideological issues and those intending to offer accelerated learning to their gifted children (Winstanley, 2009). Parents using this approach tend to be in the early stages of homeschooling and/or to invest themselves highly in the teach-learn-assess cycle used in schools (Jolly et al., 2013). Kunzman and Gaither (2013) found that the trend for parents was to begin homeschooling with a more traditional, direct instruction approach, drawing on their own experiences in school; this model was seen to make the initial stages of homeschooling easier by providing set lesson plans and learning goals for students. Parents of gifted children at these early stages often conceptualize their role as simply accelerating their children’s learning, using materials and teaching styles not unlike the schools their children came from (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013).

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Unschooling is an approach to homeschooling that lies on the opposite side of the pedagogical spectrum from the traditional direct instruction approach. Unschooling takes as its point of departure the works of Holt, a seminal homeschooling educational philosopher, who decried traditional education for stripping the love of learning from children through prescribed curriculum and restrictive teaching and assessment methods (Holt, 1983). This method involves allowing children to pursue whatever their interests are, and infusing those subjects with educational richness to support their development (Haugh, 2014). Some homeschooling parents of gifted children, rather than emulate the standards-based and teacher-centric methods their children experienced in traditional schools, pursue this completely new approach in an effort to allow their children to be the center of the educational experience. Other pedagogical approaches have emerged as particularly popular with the gifted homeschooling community: the classical and the Charlotte Mason approach. The classical approach adapts the medieval construct of the trivium to guide children’s educational experience through specific stages of development children’s educational experience through specific stages of development (Bauer & Wise, 2016). Children engage in the five tools of learning—reason, record, research, relate, and rhetoric—in three stage—the preparation, grammar, and dialectic stages. Preparation is a stage experienced in younger childhood, in which the basic skills of reading writing and arithmetic are learned. The grammar stage occurs in later childhood and early adolescence, and entails more focus on elements of composition, logic, and gaining an understanding of principles that guide investigation and research. The rhetoric stage focuses on deeper, more serious learning, application to research, as well as on advanced writing and communication skills (Bauer & Wise, 2016). Such a program involves challenge and a focus on higher-order thinking skills, and thus has appeal for many homeschooling parents of the gifted (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). The Charlotte Mason approach in some ways emulates constructivism, in acknowledging the natural capacity and proclivity of children to learn when provided with a conducive environment (Cooper, 2012). Mason advocated an approach to education that would take into consideration what children already know, and would encourage them to learn through discovery as much as possible (Cooper, 2012). She also advocated a broad education rather than one focused on reading, writing and arithmetic; incorporating the arts,

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philosophy, and language, as well as handiwork and other practical skills was important to her method (Mason, 2011). In this way, she argued, children would be exposed to a broad range of knowledge, and be able to more fully select the subjects that they would like to pursue further into higher education and their adulthood. With time, as they gain experience and confidence, homeschooling parents tend to relax their approaches, become more flexible in their selection of pedagogical models and curriculum, and tailor each subject to their child’s developmental level and interests. In several studies on homeschooling methods, researchers found that nearly all parents eventually adopted an eclectic approach to homeschooling (Hanna, 2012; Jolly et al., 2013; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). Indeed, advocates of homeschooling for the gifted often will espouse an educational philosophy incorporating elements of progressivism as explained by Dewey (1997). Rather than advocating the use of any approach in a wholesale manner, they call for flexibility, less structure than in traditional schools, and an openness to children’s uneven development and changes over time in different areas of cognition and interest in determining what is learned (Rivero, 2003). Such an approach is child-centered, and tends to be more experience-based. For older children, especially gifted adolescents, eclectic approaches tend to become more structured, especially in specialty areas such as computer science (Rivero, 2003), as well as highly rigorous, especially as they focus their studies on specific topics of interest and gain expertise (Jolly et al., 2013). While an eclectic pedagogy is broadly used in the homeschooling community at large, it is understood to work particularly well with gifted homeschooled children, as it accommodates their uneven development in different subject areas, their need for deeper, more experiential and creative learning activities, and their proclivity toward focusing on areas of specific interest for longer periods of time (Subotnik, Olszewski-Kubilius, & Worrell, 2011). This is by no means an exhaustive list of homeschooling approaches. Gifted homeschooling families will adopt other methods and styles, including, for example, Montessori and Waldorf approaches to education, which are primarily used in the elementary years. But the methods detailed here have emerged as the most common of the approaches to education utilized today, especially for parents who are homeschooling gifted or twice exceptional children. Further research on all approaches used in homeschool settings, particularly with gifted children, should be conducted to better develop the

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understanding of what such students experience, and how these experiences relate to their social, emotional, intellectual, and developmental outcomes.

Curricular Choices for Gifted Learners Closely tied to method is curriculum; in fact, much of the research on homeschooling methods fails to distinguish between these two constructs. While methods concern the approach to instruction, curriculum involves the content. It is important to note that, because of the general lack of regulation of homeschools, specific curriculum that incorporates Common Core standards is not required by states. However, certain approaches are associated with the use of materials reflecting these standards. Parents utilizing direct instruction or traditional methods similar to those applied in school settings, for example, tend to utilize textbooks, workbooks, and published tests at home, or an online curriculum that is similarly arranged, with discrete lessons followed by practice and assessment. These types of curriculum generally follow the Common Core state and/or federal standards for grade level based on children’s ages, though parents of gifted children will often supply children with curriculum written for higher grade levels. The NCES reports that currently, a little over half of homeschooling families utilize curriculum published for traditional schools in their schooling; this includes both practitioners of direct instruction and eclectic homeschoolers. The classical education approach involves a combination of materials and face-to-face meetings with other homeschooled families to hold conversations about the material. The curriculum consists of high-quality trade books, some materials published by companies catering to homeschoolers, online sources, and primary documents. Emphasis is on quality over quantity; in selecting reading materials, for example, the richness of vocabulary and complexity of sentence structure is evaluated as part of the criteria for books even for young learners. It is up to parents to find and determine the specific materials to present to their children, and the library, bookstores, and online webpages become the main sources of curriculum (Anthony & Burroughs, 2012). The same holds true for many homeschool parents adopting the Charlotte Mason approach, though they also incorporate education in the outdoors, as well as creative elements. Some materials to assist parents in implementing a Charlotte Mason approach are published by homeschool publishers or offered by homeschooling websites. Classical and Charlotte Mason curriculums do

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not follow state standards, but parents using these materials feel that the outcomes are as good or better than those described in the state standards (Jolly et al., 2013). The source of materials that is most used today is the internet, which has become a primary venue for networking, posting lesson plans, linking resources, and finding source material for homeschooling (Hanna, 2012; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Redford et al., 2016). Audio-visual materials as well as reading sources are utilized, and when needed, many homeschooling parents will supplement their lessons with YouTube or Khan Academy videos that are freely available. About one-third of all homeschool students are taught a complete curriculum primarily through online courses (Redford et al., 2016); these offered by an array of providers, including public, charter, and private schools; colleges and universities, the state, and other vendors (Redford et al., 2016). Some colleges and universities also offer programming for gifted homeschooled youth, including coursework and curricular materials (Jolly et al., 2013). Stanford University in California operates an Education Program for Gifted Youth, as does the College of William and Mary in Virginia through their Center for Gifted Education (College of William and Mary, 2017; Jolly et al., 2013). For parents who combine a faith-based Christian worldview with challenging instruction designed to develop critical thinking skills appropriate for gifted children, Christian universities such as Biola, which operates an array of programs including the Torrey Honors Program, are available (Biola University, 2017).

Structures for Homeschooling: The Role of Institutions and Communities In terms of venues for homeschooling, families of gifted children, like all homeschool families, are normally linked with a myriad of different institutions or groups, while some operate entirely autonomously. The availability of different choices is highly dependent upon the level of regulation of homeschooling in each state (Homeschool Legal Defense Association, 2017). The HSDLA reports that five states, all on the eastern seaboard of the US, have highly restrictive laws for homeschooling; these would include laws such as those requiring all students to report to local public schools regularly and

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submit to annual standardized testing, unless they are actively enrolled with a private school (Homeschool Legal Defense Association, 2017). Eighteen states have moderate regulation, where homeschooling families must file a notice of homeschooling and engage their children in standardized testing at specified intervals. Often, additional requirements to address students with disabilities are in place. The rest of the states have either low (N=16) or no (N=11) regulation (Homeschool Legal Defense Association, 2017). The early years of the homeschooling movement were characterized by families’ use of an autonomous approach, with parents either filing as a private school or functioning “underground” without any reporting to traditional schools, particularly in states that had not yet legalized the practice (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). As homeschooling gained acceptance and became normalized, both public and private institutional supports developed, and many homeschooling families, including those serving gifted students, participate in these programs. Today in California, for example, almost one-third of public charter schools support home-based learning, where a highly qualified, certificated teacher of record provides oversight and materials to homeschooling families, and a portion of the funding is allotted for purchase orders that parents can request with approved vendor (Collom, 2005). Private schools often also offer homeschooling programs under their auspices (Collom, 2005; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). For those not wanting to join an educational institution, filing as a private school (in some states) or homeschool (in others), or simply withdrawing children from school and teaching them at home without notification to the state, are options often taken, in accordance with state law. In all cases, it is up to parents of gifted children to seek out any classes or activities that will engage them with a community outside the immediate family. Homeschooling groups proliferate online, and it is easy to find a homeschooling support group that meets in any region of the country; in this way, parents pool their resources for recreational or academic purposes to assist their children’s development (Hanna, 2012). The activities they engage in can include: parent cooperatives, where parents lend their expertise to teach classes in a model that emulates traditional schools; parent-led classes, in which an individual with specific training in an area will offer a stand-alone class to interested students; material-sharing by parents who offer and receive used curriculum; play groups or park days arranged by parents who come together at regular intervals to connect with one another and allow their children to play and/or

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exercise; and field trips (sometimes recurring) to colleges, science-related institutions, historical venues, community organizations, national parks or local reserves, and local businesses (Hanna, 2012). It is in such groups that gifted homeschooled children may find other gifted students with which to form friendships, a task made much easier by the presence of like-minded individuals (Tolan, 1989). These groups often form the core of the peer interactions that assist with social and emotional development. As such, it has been found that homeschooling peer relationships tend to span a much broader age range and include more adult interaction than traditionally schooled peers (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). Such socialization patterns have been associated with positive development into adulthood (Ray, 2004); yet some other scholars question the idea that gifted homeschoolers will necessarily form fast friendships in these groups, citing a feeling of isolation that may contribute to negative experiences (Jolly et al., 2013). It is clear that further investigation into how parents of gifted homeschooled children access institutional and community resources for academic and social “curriculum” is needed.

Resources for Development of Teaching Expertise Homeschooled parents of the gifted have themselves a large range of educational attainment, from holding a high school diploma to graduate school. Once they have made the decision to homeschool, however, it is normative for parents to engage in research, and sometimes, formal training as well (Hanna, 2012; Redford et al., 2016). The latest NCES survey revealed that one-fourth of homeschooling parents report having taken a course to improve their ability to serve their children well, even though such training is not required by states to establish a homeschool (Redford et al., 2016). And in Hanna’s (2012) longitudinal study of 255 homeschooling families, the majority of parents over the 10-year span study furthered their formal education, with many attaining higher degrees (Hanna, 2012). These degrees and courses assist parents in their understanding and ability to meet the needs of their gifted children. Informal education is also prevalent in the homeschooling community. Parent education courses are commonly offered by public schools and charters who support homeschooling families, including those with gifted children (Collom, 2005). The availability of the internet has also increased

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the networking capabilities of the homeschooling community, and most families frequently avail themselves of resources and advice found in these online forums as well as in face-to-face meetings with groups (Hanna, 2012). For homeschooling parents of gifted or twice exceptional children, sources that speak to their situation are a welcome change from workshops offered by public schools, which do not tend to address homeschooling issues and contribute to a sense of isolation from other gifted educators (Jolly et al., 2013). Now, not only can parents easily find blogs and websites reflecting the experiences and advice of seasoned gifted homeschooling parents, but they can also easily locate resource pages, curriculum suggestions, and readings on targeted issues such as behavior management, social development, strategies for science instruction, all specific to gifted teaching and learning. For parents of gifted students, some print resources also have become popular. These include newsletters and journals—“Understanding Our Gifted” is an example of a publication for practitioners in traditional schools that has begun regularly including pieces for homeschooling parents. Additionally, conventions for homeschoolers are well-attended and offer workshops and vendor materials for gifted education, including suggestions for pedagogy and curriculum to assist them in understanding how to meet their children’s needs (Jolly et al., 2013).

Homeschooling Twice Exceptional Children Schools who do not meet gifted children’s needs well also have trouble successfully meeting the needs of twice exceptional (2e) children (Goodwin & Gustavson, 2009). Such students qualify for the gifted label as well as some disability, whether ADHD, dyslexia, high-functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome, or another disability; they thus both excel and struggle, or need acceleration and remediation in different areas of schooling (Winstanley, 2009). The education of these children is particularly difficult; it may even be a struggle to correctly identify them, as educators often mislabel a student who is gifted but struggling as lazy or misbehaving (Knapp, 2006). It is not uncommon for parents to have to advocate for appropriate testing, and in cases where it becomes clear that teachers may not have the training to provide appropriate accommodations for their children, parents can opt to homeschool their 2e children (Goodwin & Gustavson, 2012).

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Parents who choose this route do not generally have training or expertise in educational psychology or special education, and are thus no more qualified to design instruction for their children than regular classroom teachers. However, they have a greater amount of time, interest, and focus on their children than a public or private school teacher can provide, and thus can find a fitting program of education through a combination of research and trial-and-error (Winstanley, 2009). Additionally, in many states, public school districts are obligated to provide resources to homeschooled children in their districts who have special needs, and parents can avail themselves of educational specialists (Winstanley, 2009). As with general homeschooling and gifted education, internet resources and supportive groups of seasoned homeschool educators with expertise in 2e issues provide much-needed assistance and guidance to such parents (Knapp, 2006). Tolan (1989) suggests that homeschooling can be the “ideal” place for 2e children, as they can receive a completely individualized educational program, with acceleration in areas of strength, and remediation or accommodation in areas of struggle.

Burnout While the literature on homeschooling rates this option as an overall positive educational choice for gifted and 2e children, it must be noted that research on the lived experiences of parents who homeschool points to a very real struggle for many of them. The burden of caring for a family and simultaneously crafting lessons that will meet their children’s needs takes a heavy emotional and intellectual toll, and parents report experiences of isolation, frustration, and burnout with some degree of frequency (Jolly et al., 2013; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Lois, 2006). Lois (2006), who conducted a seminal study on emotional burnout in homeschooling mothers, identified common stages in the emotional management of homeschooling from the parental perspective. The first involved “role ambiguity,” in which mothers had to learn how to step into the role of teacher of their children. The job of teaching, when performed with someone with whom they care deeply, carries with it a high degree of emotional attachment, and even trained teachers who begin to homeschool often find the burden difficult to bear. This can be compounded for homeschooling parents who lack confidence in their abilities, yet are incredibly invested in

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making the best choices for their children. For parents of gifted children, the stakes may seem even higher, as the potential for growth is expected to be greater (Lois, 2006). Role ambiguity is often followed by a sense of “failure,” which gives rise to anxiety and “intensification” of the relationships between homeschooling parents and children. In Lois’s (2006) study, mothers felt doubly burdened if initial attempts to homeschool did not go as planned—if children resisted, declared themselves to be bored, or did not perform well in lessons. The participating mothers then attempted serious interpersonal emotion management strategies while holding firm, and even redoubled efforts to structure their children’s time and the rigor of their lessons. Meanwhile, they found that the time and emotional energy required to homeschool left them with little of either resource to manage their other roles of wife and homemaker. Trying to juggle all these responsibilities on their own became untenable in this second stage (Lois, 2006). While initially having been attracted to homeschooling because of the promise of individualization of education, participants in Lois’s (2006) study found that, in practice, they had a hard time letting go of traditional schooling expectations. Allowing their children to accelerate in one or two areas of strength, while dropping or slowing in another area, was initially unpalatable to them (Lois, 2006). It was only after struggling through “failure” and “intensification” that mothers became willing to try a more relaxed approach, to seek outside help, and to prioritize areas of their roles, allowing the house to be messier than they normally would, or allowing themselves space to let someone else, such as a tutor, a housekeeper, or another family member (husband, mother, etc.) take over some aspect of their multiple roles (Lois, 2006). The description of emotional burdens and burnout described by Lois has resonated with the research on homeschooling as well as with homeschooling parents (Jolly et al., 2013; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). Experts advise parents to alleviate the emotional burden and stress of homeschooling gifted students by relying on outside courses taught by experts, online curriculum, co-ops, and local homeschooling groups where they can find support (Jolly et al., 2013; Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Winstanley, 2009). Nevertheless, some homeschooling parents are never able to find the balance in their roles, and return their children to traditional schools after a year or two (Kunzman &

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Gaither, 2013). Indeed, the research indicates that, on average, parents who homeschool their children do so for just six years, after which time they determine that the homeschooling environment is no longer ideal for their families. As gifted children age, fulfilling their educational and social needs becomes more burdensome, and families often choose to enroll (or re-enroll) them in schools, especially where there are honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate programs available (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Rivero, 2003). Gifted children who are homeschooled are likely, therefore, to enter traditional schools—either public or private—in the pre-teen through adolescent years. It is thus important for teachers who receive a gifted student from a homeschooling situation to understand that, because there is no “typical” experience of homeschooling, if they want to learn about the child’s past experiences, they will have to investigate the case individually, to ascertain the child’s academic and social background.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Homeschooling represents an educational option that is increasing in use, including with families with gifted children. The flexibility and variability of teaching methods, styles, curricular offerings, venues for learning, and support groups, attract many parents who find themselves frustrated with the lack of accommodations for their students in the public and private school arenas. While many parents lack formal training in education or advanced degrees normally associated with qualification as educators, the personal investment of time and energy into their children’s education, spent in research resource collection, and help-seeking from support groups, allows them to acquire the skills and resources needed to meet the needs of their students (Winstanley, 2009). Homeschooling is no panacea for all families who struggle to have their needs met in traditional schools. The emotional burden of homeschooling, individual issues with lack of available time or resource, or other issues can create a situation in which traditional schools remain the best option for some students (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013; Lois, 2006). However, in cases where parents have chosen to continue homeschooling for several years, the research indicates an overall positive experience, with some scholars declaring 166


this option “nearly ideal” (Tolan, 2002, p. 30) for gifted children, who have uneven development and highly specific needs that do not fit traditional school systems. Practitioners in traditional schools need to understand the reasons for and benefits of homeschooling, and support parents who ultimately decide to pursue this option for their children. Recognizing that the burden of homeschooling is eased when support is available, and having awareness of the resources that parents can utilize in their children’s favor, school agents such as teachers, counselors, or school psychologists can assist homeschooling parents in their efforts to provide an education that fully meets the needs of the gifted or twice exceptional student. They also can ease the transition to traditional school once gifted children enroll, or re-enroll, from the homeschool environment. Parents, for their part, should avoid the tendency to structure the homeschool environment too much, or to take on complete control of their children’s schooling without outside help. The use of co-ops, charter schools, online support groups, local homeschool groups, tutors, individual classes, workshops, and other resources available to the homeschooling community can simultaneously build parental capacity and skill in understanding how to guide their children’s educational experience, and provide helpful experiences in their own right to the children who so need them. In terms of research, the directive is clear. Empirical research on homeschooling with gifted and twice exceptional students represents a topic area virtually untouched to this point (Kunzman & Gaither, 2013). Both quantitative and qualitative studies would assist in shedding light on best practices, current trends, challenges and solutions, and experiences of homeschooling families with gifted children. This avenue of research is needed, as it can assist practitioners in both traditional and homeschool settings to understand how to best support the needs of gifted students and parents alike within the homeschool setting. The goal of any system of education is to promote the optimal development of all students, and research in this vein will assist that objective greatly.

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Holt, J. (1983). How children learn (Revised ed.). Cambridge, MA: De Capo Press. Homeschool Legal Defense Association. (2017). Homeschool laws in your state. Retrieved from https://www.hslda.org/laws/ Jolly, J. L., Matthews, M. S., & Nester, J. (2013). Homeschooling the gifted: A parent’s perspective. Gifted Child Quarterly, 57(2), 121–134. doi:10.1177/0016986212469999 Knapp, J. S. (2006). Twice exceptional homeschooling. Minnesotra Council for the Gifted and Talented, 229(1), 1. Kunzman, R., & Gaither, M. (2013). Homeschooling: A comprehensive survey of the research. Other Education, 2(1), 4–59. Lois, J. (2006). Role strain, emotion management, and burnout: Homeschooling mothers’ adjustment to the teacher role. Symbolic Interaction, 29(4), 507–529. doi:10.1525/si.2006.29.4.507 Lubienski, C., Puckett, T., & Brewer, T. J. (2013). Does homeschooling “work”? A critique of the empirical claims and agenda of advocacy organizations. Peabody Journal of Education, 88(3), 378–392. doi:10.1080 /0161956X.2013.798516 Mason, C. (2011). The original home schooling series by Charlotte Mason (4th ed.). Blacksburg, VA: EarthAngel Books. Ray, B. D. (2004). Home educated and now adults: Their community and civic involvement, views about homeschooling, and other traits. National Home Education Research Institute (NJ3). Ray, B. D. (2011). 2.04 million homeschool students in the United States in 2010. National Home Education Research Institute. Ray, B. D. (2015). Research facts on homeschooling. National Home Education Research Institute. Redford, J., Battle, D., & Bielick, S. (2016). Homeschooling in the United States: 2012. NCES 2016-096. National Center for Education Statistics.

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Rivero, L. (2003). Secrets of successful homeschooling. Understanding Our Gifted, 15(4), 8–11. Subotnik, R. F., Olszewski-Kubilius, P., & Worrell, F. C. (2011). Rethinking giftedness and gifted education: A proposed direction forward based on psychological science. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 12(1), 3–54. doi:10.1177/1529100611418056 PMID:26168418 Tolan, S. (1989). Special problems of young highly gifted children. Understanding Our Gifted, 1(5), 1–10. Tolan, S. (2002). Helping your highly gifted child: A gifted education resource guide for Indiana parents and educators. Carmel, IN: The Indiana Association for the Gifted. Retrieved from http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/gt/docs/ IAGResourceGuide.pdf Van Galen, J. A. (1991). Ideologues and pedagogues: Parents who teach their children at home. In J. A. Van Galen & M. A. Pitman (Eds.), Homeschooling: Political, historical, and pedagogical perspectives (pp. 67–92). Norwood, NJ: Ablex. Van Galen, J. A. (1998). Ideology, curriculum, and pedagogy in home education. Education and Urban Society, 21(1), 52–68. doi:10.1177/0013124588021001006 Winstanley, C. (2009). Too cool for school? Gifted children and homeschooling. School Field, 7(3), 347–362. doi:10.1177/1477878509343736

KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS Asynchronous Development: When intellectual and physical, social, or emotional development do not occur at the same rate. Gifted and Talented Education: Formal programming provided to students identified by schools as having high abilities in one or more areas. Homeschooling: Parental choice to provide an education for students in the home rather than in a formal school environment. Ideologues: Parents who choose to homeschool to promote a specific faith or worldview.

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Pedagogues: Parents who homeschool to provide what they feel are better educational practices and experiences for their children. Twice-Exceptional or 2e Students: Such students qualify for the gifted label as well as some disability, whether ADHD, dyslexia, high-functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome, or another disability. Unschooling: A pedagogical approach to homeschooling in which the child’s interests direct the curriculum and learning is highly unstructured.

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