The public school system isn’t for everyone. Sometimes a child simply does not thrive the way they should in a highly structured environment, and they need the flexibility and freedom of alternative teaching options. One of the different routes you can take as a parent is to homeschool your child. When it comes to children with autism, there are many other variables to consider when it comes to meeting their specific educational needs. It’s not the easiest path to take but it can be rewarding. If you are determined that this is the best solution, homeschooling can be an excellent educational choice for a child with autism. For starters, it provides a customized learning environment that you can personally design to meet their unique needs. However, to ensure success, it’s going to take some thoughtful planning and solid strategies. At Monarch House, we are here to help. We can work with you and your child to build a customized plan, and assist with educational needs that can’t be provided at home. 

Here are nine best practices for homeschooling children with autism in Mississauga.

1. Tailor The Curriculum

Does your child love dinosaurs? When there are two dozen other children in a classroom, you can’t cater to each individual’s interests—you can with homeschool though. You can make everything dinosaur themed if you want to . Once you choose or design a curriculum that aligns with your child’s interests, strengths, and challenges, it will go a long way towards making learning engaging and accessible. Another way that you can customize the program is to incorporate sensory-friendly and hands-on activities that are geared to children with autism. Let’s face it, it’s easier to learn when you’re comfortable.

2. Incorporate Sensory Breaks

One of the advantages of homeschool is that you work at your own pace. There’s no reason to cram sixty minutes of learning into sixty minutes of time. You can spread a lesson out over the day if you want to. Children with autism sometimes require frequent breaks to maintain focus and manage sensory sensitivities. When you are designing your classroom, incorporate a calming area where your child can relax when feeling overwhelmed. If you find that you’re in a slump, activities like stretching, deep breathing, or using sensory toys can help reset their energy.

3. Create A Consistent Routine

Does your child get anxious when you move from one activity to another? Homeschool is one way to set a regular learning routine that makes these transitions smoother. Children with autism often thrive on consistency. Establish a daily school schedule that includes set times for breaks, lessons, meals, exercise, and activities. Map it out for them so they know exactly what to expect. Put up a visual schedule with pictures or symbols that they can follow as you move from task to task. This can help your child understand what is coming next and take away some of their anxiety.

4. Set Realistic Goals

Make your own rules. When you are homeschooled you aren’t bound to a rigid agenda or curriculum that may not be best suited for a child with autism spectrum disorder. Instead of working in their style, determine your own level of success and stick to it. One of the ways to do this is to set achievable, measurable goals for both academics and life skills and clearly communicate them with your child. When these goals are met, celebrate progress, no matter how small, and enjoy a reward of some kind. This is instrumental when building confidence and motivation. Try your best not to compare your child’s progress to traditional benchmarks. Instead, focus on their individual journey. 

5. Use Visual Supports

In a school they have giant blackboards to expand on the concepts they’re teaching. It helps to have all the information right there in front of you. Think of doing something similar at home. Many children with autism are visual learners. Either use a giant whiteboard with erasable felts or incorporate visual aids like charts, flashcards, and diagrams into your lessons. Instead of a noisy school buzzer, introduce visual timers. It will help you to teach time-related concepts and ease into the transitions between activities.

6. Focus On Social And Emotional Skills

One of the downsides of homeschooling is that your child does not get the same social time that they would at a regular school. You can compensate for this by creating regular playdates and enrolling your child in as many sports and community programs as you can. When it’s just you and your child, homeschooling can still offer opportunities to work on social and emotional development. Try on some different hats and help your child by role-playing social scenarios, practicing turn-taking, and exploring emotions through books or games.

8. Integrate Life Skills

Everyone appreciates a handy person. So you can start your child on daily living skills early in the process. After all, if you can customize a lesson plan to incorporate skills that are useful around the home, why not? When building your curriculum, look into including some practical life skills in your homeschool routine. Teaching tasks like woodwork, cooking, organizing, or budgeting not only enhances your child’s independence but also reinforces learning in real-world contexts. For example, fixing up something around the home can incorporate math (measuring) and English (reading instructions).

9. Adapt The Environment

It’s hard to learn when you are constantly being distracted. So make your homeschool classroom environment as pleasant as you can. Children with autism require a sensory-friendly learning space with minimal irritants. Have noise-canceling headphones close at hand, comfortable seating throughout the room, and dimmer switches installed for adjustable lighting as needed. Tidiness is important as well. Keep the area organized to reduce sensory overload and improve focus.

10. Seek Support

We’re here if you need us. Monarch House can fill in the gaps in your child’s development by helping them with essential skills that you can’t teach on your own. Beyond our staff of professional therapists, you can reach out to the community as well. Connect with other homeschooling families, autism support groups, and other professional therapists for advice and resources. Online forums and communities can also provide an enormous amount of information and encouragement as well. 

Taking on the role as your child’s teacher, principal, janitor, crossing guard, and support worker all at once is a considerable challenge. If you are up for the task and truly feel that this is the best approach for your child, then we want to offer you all the support and encouragement that we can. At Monarch House we have a professional, interdisciplinary staff of occupational therapists, behavioural therapists, psychotherapists, and speech pathologists that are here to help with everything fro Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) to building study routines to teaching time management and social skills. Homeschooling a child with autism in Mississauga is both a challenge and an opportunity to create a learning environment tailored to their unique needs. If you start by implementing these best practices, together we can help your child thrive academically, socially, and emotionally while building a foundation for lifelong success.