From School to Homeschool

My book, From School to Homeschool: Should You Homeschool Your Gifted Child?, was published by Great Potential Press (now owned by Gifted Unlimited). This page features resources that I recommend to parents who are interested in homeschooling, gifted children, and parenting.

• About my book
• Resources on giftedness
• Homeschooling resources
• Gifted homeschooling resources
• Curriculum
• High school/college resources
• Education, brain research, popular science, etc.
• My articles of interest to gifted homeschoolers
• Keep in touch

---

About my book

From School to Homeschool was written for parents like me who didn’t start out as homeschoolers. We expected that our children would do well in school, or at least suffer through it as we did. However, school, kids, and parenting have changed in the intervening years. This book is still available in print, and the printed resources are now rather out-of-date, the ideas in the book are still useful!

• Purchase From School to Homeschool

[return to top]

---

Resources on giftedness

NOTE: The resources below are not regularly updated. I highly recommend getting updated resources through Secular Eclectic Academic Homeschoolers (SEA Homeschoolers on Facebook) and Gifted Homeschoolers Forum (GHF).

Introductions to giftedness

Print:

• A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children (Webb et al, Great Potential Press, 2007)
  It’s not possible to overstate the importance of this book in the lives of parents of gifted kids. It is often their first introduction to giftedness, and deserves to be so. [Read my full review of this book.] [Read my profile of James T. Webb.]
• Homeschooling Gifted Students: A Listing of Books
  Great list of books from Davidson Institute
• Prufrock Press
  Prufrock publishes a variety of books for parents and educators of gifted children, and their website features resources and links
• Free Spirit Press
  Free Spirit’s books tend to be more school-focused, but they have some helpful books written directly for gifted kids
• Gifted Unlimited
  The successor publisher to Great Potential Press
• Royal Fireworks Press
  Books for homeschooling and about gifted children

Online:

• Is my child gifted? from SENG
• “Is it a cheetah?” – Stephanie Tolan’s classic essay about why gifted kids are what they are, and not something else.
• “What’s in a Name?” – Tolan’s  Exploration of the G-word.
• Educators’ Guide to Gifted Children – Meant to be read online or printed for your child’s teachers who may not understand giftedness.
• “The “Bright Child” vs. the “Gifted Learner”: What’s the Difference?” – Christopher Taibbi’s piece lists the classroom characteristics of gifted vs. bright learners and how they can be distinguished.
• “Helping Your Highly Gifted Child” – Stephanie Tolan’s piece gives an excellent introduction to the issues faced by parents of highly gifted children.
• Hoagies’ Gifted – This comprehensive website has everything you need to learn about giftedness, gifted homeschooling, parenting, and more
• Davidson Institute Resource Library – Online and print resources related to giftedness in education, parenting, mental health, and more
• Colorado Department of Education’s 2e resources page, including PDF downloads of brochures and books
• “Many Ages at Once” by Lisa Rivero explores the phenomenon of asynchronous development in children.
• “The Misunderstood Face of Giftedness” by Marianne Kuzujanakis explores our many cultural misunderstandings of what giftedness is.
• The 2e Newsletter – This fee-based magazine offers ideas for raising and education twice-exceptional children.

Social/emotional health & parenting

Online:

• Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)
  SENG is responsible for much of the understanding we now have about the emotional differences and needs of gifted children and adults.
• Selecting a Mental Health Professional for Your Gifted Child
  This pamphlet from SENG will help you find appropriate mental health care.
• “I am…” (PDF from Gifted Homeschoolers’ Forum)
  This brochure is designed to help gifted homeschoolers educate healthcare professionals in how to support the gifted children they work with.
• “Twice-Exceptional: Gifted Kids with Learning Differences” (PDF from Gifted Homeschoolers’ Forum)
  This is an excellent free brochure from GHF that every parent of a 2e child needs to carry as a resource for teachers, doctors, therapists, and anyone else who needs to understand twice-exceptionality.
• “Twice-Exceptional Students: Information for Parents” (PDF from Colorado Dept. of Ed.)
• “Tips for selecting the right counselor or therapist for your gifted child” by James T. Webb
• Davidson Institute Database
  This database contains both online and print resources related to giftedness in education, parenting, mental health, and more.
• Common Misdiagnoses and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children
  A free, online lecture by James T. Webb.

Print:

• Living with Intensity (Daniels and Piechowski, Great Potential Press, 2008)
  This book explores the idea of intensity in children and adults, within the family and in careers and relationships. [Read my review of this book]
• Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults (Webb et al, Great Potential Press, 2005)
  This book details how and why misdiagnosis of gifted children is shockingly common in our society. It offers help distinguishing gifted characteristics from learning disabilities and psychological problems. It is a must-read for all parents of twice-exceptional children.
• Make Your Worrier a Warrior (Daniel Peters)
  This is an excellent guide for parenting and teaching anxious children. [Read my review]
• The Explosive Child (Ross Greene)
  Greene offers a wonderful, sensible, humane approach to parenting difficult children. [Read my review]
• Raising Human Beings (Ross Greene)
  Apparently Dr. Greene heard my grumbles about needing a book for raising typically developing children, and here it is. [Read my review]
• Quirky Kids (Klass and Costello, Ballantine Books, 2003)
  Although heavy in its references to making school work for unusual children, this book has excellent advice from the point of view of physicians. Although giftedness is one of the quirks they address, they also help parents to separate the child’s need from the diagnosis so they can find appropriate solutions to education and parenting.
• Children with High-Functioning Autism (Claire Hughes-Lynch, Prufrock Press, 2010)
  Most books on autism focus on severely autistic children and their needs, which differ significantly from the needs of high-functioning autistic children. This book is a helpful addition to gifted parenting books, whether your child is diagnosed or not. [Read my review of this book]
• Socialization books for twice-exceptional kids from Free Spirit Press
  The great variety of practical books available makes it impossible to go into detail, but if you have a socialization problem, they probably have a book for you or your child. Titles ranging from Dude, That’s Rude! to When I Feel Afraid help your child normalize his unusual behavioral and emotional needs.
• Searching for Meaning: Idealism, Bright Minds, Disillusionment, and Hope
  This book by Great Potential Press publisher James T. Webb is not about gifted children—it’s about gifted children’s parents, many of whom recognize the effects of giftedness in children but deny them in themselves. This lovely, thoughtful book is more inspirational than a book on existential depression might seem to be. [Read my review]

Gifted support groups (not homeschool specific)

• National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
• Davidson Institute Gifted Issues Discussion Forum
• There are groups for a whole variety of interests! Find an exhaustive list at hoagiesgifted.org/on-line_support.htm
• Hoagies’ Gifted list of national and local support groups (some listed groups may no longer be active

Gifted kids in school

• Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children (Gilman, Great Potential Press, 2008)
  This book helps parents advocate for their gifted children who are in the school system. If you’re on the fence about homeschooling, it will offer you some strategies for working with your school to create a more appropriate learning environment for your child.
• Quirky Kids (Klass and Costello, Ballantine Books, 2003)
• The Mislabeled Child (Eide and Eide, Hyperion, 2006)
  This manual by the Eide team offers explanations for why your unusual child just doesn’t seem to fit in. Especially helpful for parents of twice-exceptional children, it’s a must-read if you are uncomfortable with your child’s diagnosis.
• Helping Gifted Children Soar (Strip and Hirsch, Great Potential Press, 2011)
  This book prepares parents of schooled gifted kids to face the challenges of guiding students through institutional learning. Starting with the institutional side—how to work with teachers, how to get appropriate accommodations—the book also covers parenting and nurturing gifted children so that they remain happy and healthy at home and in school.
• “Forging new teacher relationships for your twice-exceptional child” is an article I wrote originally published in the Gifted Education Communicator. It offers advice on integrating your unusual learner into a new classroom.

[return to top]

---

Homeschooling resources

Homeschooling legality

• Consult your state homeschooling association website

Homeschooling background and getting started

• Exploring Homeschooling for Your Gifted Learner is a booklet I wrote for the National Association for Gifted Children.
• Free Range Learning: How Homeschooling Changes Everything (Weldon, Hohm Press, 2010)
• Starting the Homeschool Journey (Homeschool Association of California, information for California homeschoolers)
• “Structured Homeschooling Gets an A+” from Science Daily
• “Introduction to Homeschooling“
  This PDF from the Time4Learning curriculum company is short and to the point, but has some really good very basic information if you’re starting from scratch.
• Study on the effectiveness of structured homeschooling
• “Dear New Homeschooler” by Mary McCarthy was written in the homeschooling dark ages (pre-Web!) but her advice still holds true today.

Online homeschool support

• Your state or local homeschooling organization’s e-mail list (you can find a good support group list by region at home-school.com/groups/.
• Secular homeschool (religious homeschoolers welcome, but the theme is secular)
• SEA Homeschoolers Facebook Group

The School-to-home Transition

• Transitioning between public school and homeschool

Homeschooling cheerleading—Go Team!

• College@Home offers this fun infographic to show the homeschool doubters in your life.
• Homeschooling and the Voyage of Self-Discovery (Albert, Common Courage Press, 2003)
  This is a great book to read for all-around inspiration, with Albert leading us as a seasoned homeschooling mentor through life in a successful unschooling family.

All-purpose homeschooling reference and curriculum sites

• Homefires.com
  Diane Flynn Keith has tons of information on her website, and her popular Carschooling book offers ideas for homeschooling on the go.
• Homeschool Buyers’ Co-op
  An indispensable resource for homeschoolers! Membership is free, then you can join in on group buys of all sorts of curriculum and memberships

[return to top]

---

Gifted homeschooling resources

Homeschooling intros specific to gifted kids

• When schools fail: Is homeschooling right for you and your gifted child?
• “Adapting Curriculum for your Gifted Learner” is an expanded article adopted from From School to Homeschool.

Print:

• Great Potential Press
  Publisher of Creative Homeschooling (and my book), check out their many excellent books on all aspects of giftedness.
• Prufrock Press
  Prufrock publishes a variety of books for parents and educators of gifted children, and their website features resources and links.
• Free Spirit Press
  Free Spirit publishes a lot of books useful to gifted homeschoolers, especially for social/emotional education.

Online:

• Hoagies’ Gifted
  This comprehensive website has everything you need to learn about giftedness, gifted homeschooling, parenting, and more.
• Gifted Homeschoolers’ Forum
  This website is useful for its 2e resources and links to local gifted-friendly professionals, and has expanded to include membership services and online classes.

Gifted homeschooling support groups

• SEA Homeschoolers
• Hoagies’ Gifted list of national and local support groups (some listed groups may no longer be active)

Distance learning (see High School/College Resources for higher level courses)

• Athena’s Advanced Academy – where I teach!
• Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth
• Stanford University’s Online High School
• Online G3
• Art of Problem Solving
• The Lukeion Project
• Gifted Homeschoolers’ Forum

[return to top]

---

Curriculum

General

• hoagiesgifted.org/homeschool_curricula.htm
  This is a straightforward list of the most commonly used resources for gifted homeschoolers.

Specific curriculum areas

• I have been away from homeschooling long enough now that I don’t recommend specific curriculum. I recommend you consult the Hoagies’ Gifted list above and also ask for advice in your favorite homeschooling forum.

Curriculum popular with gifted homeschoolers

As you read and learn about gifted homeschooling, you’ll see recommendations come up over and over. Here are ones I’ve noticed, with capsule reviews if I have a particular opinion. Feel free to contact me if I’ve missed anything.

Math:

• Beast Academy and Art of Problem Solving
• Life of Fred
  This story–based math curriculum is great for kids who aren’t necessarily self–motivated in math, and like a good story to go along with what they’re learning. (Christian, though used by lots of secular homeschoolers as well.) Get good prices by getting on Horrible Ray’s e-mail list.
• Art of Problem Solving
  Both a series of math curriculum books and a source for fast–paced online classes, AOPS  seems to be the curriculum of choice for “mathy”  kids. Parents of kids starting at about 3rd grade math are raving about their new series, Beast Academy.
• Khan Academy
  The Youtube videos that started an educational revolution: Khan Academy is a very useful website with video instruction and an online learning system for math, as well as exhaustive videos on a variety of other topics. This free site should always be considered before paying for curriculum! If it works for your child, it’s free and high-quality, though everyone has their complaint about what it’s lacking.
• Vi Hart’s math videos
  These videos are not exactly curriculum–they’re a little bit closer to art. But the mathematical inspiration and exploration that they inspire in the young learners is revolutionary. Watch… And then play.
• Murderous Maths book series
  Fun, weird, and highly readable. Not a curriculum, per se, but a great complement to any curriculum. Get good prices by getting on Horrible Ray’s e-mail list.

Science

• TOPScience
  Subtitled “Science with simple things,” TOPS offers a wide variety of science subject-based books. The activities and information tend to span a wide age-range, which is great for working with gifted kids. You can start a unit and go as long as their interest holds, then return to it later when they are ready to learn more.
• Singapore Science
• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey
• Middle School Chemistry
  I have to admit that this one isn’t recommended very often, but I don’t know why. It’s an excellent introduction to chemistry available for free from the American Chemical Society. It largely uses equipment and supplies that are easy to find, and can be used with any child who is ready to learn the basics of chemistry.

Language Arts

• Michael Clay Thompson  Curriculum from Royal Fireworks Press
  Thompson’s Magic Lens (grammar)  and Word Within the Word (vocabulary)  series take a classics–based approach to language arts learning.
• The Critical Thinking Company

History/Social Studies/Government

• Horrible Histories book series and free online videos
  Fun, weird, and highly readable. Not a curriculum, per se, but a great complement to any curriculum. Get good prices by getting on Horrible Ray’s e-mail list.
• Story of the World
  This series of books in the Well-Trained Mind classical homeschooling curriculum by Susan Wise Bauer is used widely for elementary-aged kids. Recordings of the books by Jim Weiss are extremely popular. The books are used by secular as well as Christian homeschoolers.

General

• The Great Courses
  The Teaching Company sells video and audio of college-level lectures on a variety of topics. Although the prices can be high, get on their e-mail list for frequent sales. Also, your local library or homeschool co-op may have copies you can borrow.

Good deals on curriculum

• Homeschool Buyers’ Co-op—homeschoolbuyersco-op.org
  A free membership gets tons of discounts on popular curriculum and website subscriptions. Beware of the “shopping frenzy” phenomenon: it’s easy to get sucked into “this is such a great deal!” and buy things you don’t need.
• Curriculum swaps and resale
  Your local homeschool group or homeschool conference will likely have some sort of curriculum swap. This is a gold mine for families with younger kids—you can get gently used curriculum for cheap. Search groups.yahoo.com for online curriculum swaps and sales. As of this writing, “GiftedHomeSchoolEdMaterials” is an active one.

[return to top]

---

High school/college resources

Print: (books that support homeschooling through high school for teens and parents)

•  Smart Teens’ Guide to Living with Intensity (Rivero, Great Potential Press, 2010)
• Homeschool with Confidence: a goal-setting guide for teens (Wessling, Chatoyant, 2017)
• The Gifted Teen Survival Guide (Galbraith and Delisle, Free Spirit, 2011)
• Teen Success! Ideas to Move Your Mind (Elyé, Great Potential Press , 2007)
  [Read my review of the above three books]
• Forging Paths (Beach, GHF Press, 2012)
  Not about homeschooling per se, Beach tells the stories of a number of motivated young people who sought his advice about dropping out of high school and finding their way to the life they wanted. Beach’s subjects are not drop-outs in any other sense—each one finds the education they need and the life they want to lead through exploration and purposeful decision-making.
• College Prep Homeschooling: Your Complete Guide to Homeschooling through High School (Byers, Mapletree, 2008)
  This is a complete homeschooling manual for the college-focused homeschooling family, whether new to homeschooling at the high school level or seasoned homeschoolers moving into college prep mode.
• College Without High School: A Teenager’s Guide to Skipping High School and Going to College (Boles)
  Boles is a popular speaker and writer about unschooling and has more recently started Zero Tuition College (ztcollege.com). Boles’ focus is on helping students decide whether formal schooling (high school or college) suits their goals, and helping them find the education they want outside of traditional channels.

Online: (information about homeschooling through high school)

• Homeschool2College and HS2Coll
  Two helpful lists for homeschoolers with college-bound kids. Parents and educators on these lists will be able to offer you specific advice given your student’s particular needs.
• Hoagies’ Gifted (Early) College Planning
• AdMission Possible college planning website and book
• assist.org
  Matches California community college courses to state university courses
• collegeconfidential.com
• In “Helping teens navigate MOOCs” I offer advice about taking online college courses

[return to top]

---

 Education, brain research, popular science, etc.

[return to top]

---

Some of my articles of interest to gifted homeschoolers

Articles

• “Stress, Learning, and the Gifted Child,” SENGVine
• “Divorcing the G-Word: A Parent’s Suggestion for Defining Giftedness,” Gifted Education Press Quarterly
• “Adapting Curriculum for Gifted Learners,” Understanding Our Gifted
• “The Search for the Girl Scientist in Literature”
• Teaching programming to children
• Info 101: Book list for pre-teen gifted readers
• Math Stories: Fun, deep learning for elementary kids
• Adapting curriculum for gifted learners (Understanding Our Gifted, Summer 2012)

Blog entries

Gifted/parenting:

• Why I advocate for gifted children
• Talk to your kids
• A Parent’s View from the Psychiatrist’s Couch
• The Role of Parents in Identifying Gifted Children
• On being the parent of a twice-exceptional child

Homeschooling:

• Authoritative Homeschooling
• Adapting Curriculum for your Gifted Learner
• Homeschooling Mom’s Bill of Rights
• Helping Teens Navigate MOOCs
• Taking your gifted learner out of school
• Stress and Learning
• The questions, the answers
• On learning and remembering
• A passionate plea for more mud pies
• I am not a homeschool anarchist
• Teaching writing in the elementary years
• A few words about scientists and inventors
• How do we get by? Homeschooling families talk about how to make ends meet
• Learning to read

[return to top]

---

Keep in touch

Please let me know if any of these resources are out-of-date or incomplete. Visit my Contact page to send me e-mail, join one of my e-mail lists, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.