Here’s a quick 1-minute video. It’s called Why We Chose to Homeschool (The Short Answer). If you like it, scroll down to read more about Smart Noodle Homeschool.
Here’s what you can expect from the Smart Noodle website & YouTube channel.
- We give you a front row seat to our homeschool life. Expect anything from field trips and silliness to conversations about life and parenting.
- We talk about neurodiversity from a positive & inclusive mindset.
- We offer secular lessons designed with neurodivergent kids in mind. (But it’s for any kids with different learning styles who need a flexible and gentle approach to academics.)
- We share recommendations for resources, strategies for learning, & our favorite product reviews.
- I will always do my best to be respectful of my son’s dignity and privacy. My son, Sweetboy, (like many teens) wants to be on YouTube. Our videos are made & edited with his participation and approval.
The Smart Noodle Homeschool philosophy centers on the following five principles.
- The goal of learning is understanding – not memorizing facts, phrases, and definitions. (I recommend Howard Gardner’s Teaching for Understanding and Intelligence Reframed.)
- Students can learn concepts without learning academic language.
- A gentle approach to academics can lower anxiety and bolster self-confidence.
- Any interest that inspires a student’s passion or enthusiasm can be a fruitful source for learning and growth. (Don’t pathologize and dismiss so-called “special interests.”)
- Embrace neurodiversity. (In terms of education, this might look like reading autistic voices, learning about various aspects of neurodivergence, reading fiction with positive portrayals of neurodivergent characters, connecting with neurodivergent adults in our community, or designing school lessons with neurodiversity in mind.)
Video Description and Transcript
Why We Chose to Homeschool (The Short Answer) is an animated video showing a cartoon yellow schoolhouse on a pale blue background. It morphs into a cardboard box with a round hole cut out. “Let’s use the familiar square peg and round hole metaphor to think about schools. Round shapes fit into round holes.” Round circles appear and fit easily through the hole. “But kids are all very different. Still, most of them can access the education within the school.” A red heart, yellow star, and a green diamond are also shown fitting in to the box. “Some kids have a harder time accessing education within the school.” An irregluar, bumpy, purple shape does not fit. “So we make accommodations. All kids have the right to an accessible education.” Scissors appear and broaden the hole so the irregular shape can fit. “But one day I started thinking about the “shape” of my kid in this metaphor. Not a round peg. Not a square either. Not any standard, regular shape. I see a stargazer lily. Beautiful. Vibrant. Long, delicate petals unfurling. Blossoming.” A pink and white stargazer lily appears and does not fit. “And so we make accommodations.” Scissors again change the shape of the hole, and the flower fits. “Until one day you wonder… Your child can access the education. But is your child still blossoming inside the box? I started questioning everything about the box. The anxiety it caused. The long hours. The focus on learning by using language skills. Seeing my child burn out – every single day after school. My child was not blossoming inside the box.” The box fades and disappears. “We started seriously thinking about homeschool during the last year of elementary school. That’s the short answer to the question of why we started to homeschool. I’m so glad we did. Smart Noodle Homeschool with Sarah McInnes and Sweetboy.”
