Creating Learning Plans That Work: The 3 KEY Ingredients

Odds are, you are looking for a way to better align learning with your child.

Perhaps you’ve caught yourself fantasizing about learning that excites your child that you can feel good about.

You may be looking to supplement or create a learning plan for your child. Maybe you have been thinking about homeschooling for a while now.

Wherever you are on your journey, you may not know exactly where to start...

I'm here to tell you that that’s ok!

There are many paths to provide interest-led learning for your child, and not all of them are homeschool-focused.

To create a workable learning plan, one that both you and your child will like, you need to keep three things in mind. I call these the 3 KEY Ingredients. These are:

1. Interest

2. Resources

3. Time

Interests

Probably the most important aspect of any learning plan is your child’s interests. We know that twice-exceptional/neurodivergent/gifted children can have some really esoteric interests, but that’s what makes them so interesting. 

“Having interests makes you interesting!”

1. Ask your child what they want to do. This is critical. We want to develop a strengths-based, interest led approach. Your child’s feedback in this step is critical! However, realize that some children have gone so long without being able to decide where their interests lie, that they may not fully KNOW what they are interested in. If this is the case, think about providing several options and letting your child choose. 

1. Ask your child what they are good at. Have a conversation with your child about what they think they do well. This can be a good way for kids to help discover their interests too. By asking what they do well, you can use those things to help build a strength-based plan. Some children aren’t sure what they do well. If this sounds like your child, help them out! 

A question I LOVE to use to ask students who might not be able to see their own amazingness is

“What do friends/others complain about that seems easy for you? What might other people ask for your help with?”

Make sure you don’t just focus on academics. Praise ALL the things they do well - like petting the dog really gently or making sweet Minecraft builds. Let your child know that it’s ok to feel proud about everything they do well. 

1. Ask your child what they DON’T like doing or learning about. Kids, just like adults, have things they may not really like doing at all. As much as possible, honor this. Maybe you have a child who HATES writing. That’s ok. Create a learning plan that includes as little writing as possible. This will give you space to figure out what about writing your child hates - the physical act, the storytelling, what? You can also scaffold learning in any areas that are weak. For example, if your child is dysgraphic, then leverage tools such as speech-to-text, mind-mapping software, or online math programs to let your child pursue other passions without getting stuck in the writing process. 

Be careful when planning around student interests because sometimes too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. If every movie you watch is a movie YOU picked to support your CHILD’s interest, pretty soon your child won’t find it interesting anymore. Keep it child-led as much as possible.

If you have been in a standard learning environment and are moving out of it, you may want to “deschool” your child (and yourself!) to untangle the messy web of learning=school. 

Resources

Let’s face it. We are often limited in our choices and preferences by the resources around us. This is true when creating a learning plan as well. As you develop your learning plan, think about the resources you have around you, and those you are willing to commit. It may be helpful to have an idea of the budget you have for a learning plan. This will help you balance all of the interests of your child (or children)! 

As you start building your child’s learning plan, take a moment to think about learning opportunities you may not have thought about before. 

1. Look in your home and local library. Once your child has an interest in mind (or several), you can start looking around your own home to see if you have ways to develop this interest. Is your child SUPER into Greek mythology? Great! See if you have any books on the topic. Check out streaming services to see if they have any fun movies or documentaries. See what fun projects your local library has. Many libraries have audio books, movies, and even games or small appliances that can be checked out and borrowed.

2. Look at online classes (like YSA!). There are so many amazing online programs out there. Not all cater to 2e children, but some do. If you find an online program, ask if your child would be a good fit. If you feel like an adult learning program may be a good fit for your child, reach out. There are also many online free learning opportunities through colleges and universities. Even government sites like NASA.gov include online programming and classes. 

 ! WARNING - SHAMELESS PLUG HERE ! 

Yes, ok, shameless plug for Young Scholars Academy. Providing interest-led topics for 2e children is why I created YSA. We provide deep content around high-interest topics under the guidance of expert mentors who also provide the scaffolding needed to ensure your child feels welcome and supported. 

1. Look at local programs. Look around your community. See what programs are available through a local rec center or museum. Many hobbyists welcome and encourage younger people to join and ask questions. They may need some convincing that a 10-year old is, in fact, very interested in mycology and would love to attend a three-hour lecture on the mushrooms of Northern CA, but this is where you as a parent get to help your child advocate for access. In rural areas, programs like 4-H or Future Farmers of America can provide an avenue for deeper study and interests. 

1. Reach out to mentors. Sometimes, your children have interests in fields that you may have very little knowledge of or ability to support. Maybe your child loves woodcraft or Dungeons and Dragons, and you can neither whittle nor roll for initiative. That’s ok. It really does take a village to raise a child. Look (and ask) around in your network of people to see who may be willing to help mentor your child in their interest area. Here at YSA we say that the X and the Y axis od successful learning for our students is expert mentoring and learning with like-minded peers. Finding a mentor is EVERYTHING! But, let’s be honest, it can be really difficult to do. We pride ourselves on doing the work for you with the amazing mentors in our Virtual Village =)

Time

The last part of a learning plan is time. Yes, I know that time is also a resource, but I’m not just talking about the time spent ON a project, but also the time needed for planning, commuting, sitting in the car - all of this needs to be included in thinking about the time needed for a child’s learning plan. Keep the following things in mind when you create your child’s learning plan. 

• How much unscheduled time does your child need/want? Many children often need help managing their emotional energy as well. If you have a child that feels overwhelmed after one program, then don’t plan three of four activities on the same day. Also, some children are the opposite, and they feel overwhelmed when they have too much alone time. 

• How does your child’s energy change throughout the day? As you plan your child’s day, think about when your child is most open to different activities. An active child might need something more physical in the morning. A child who takes more time moving between activities may need several hours between activities.

• How much commute time do you need? Sometimes in planning back-to-back activities, we can cause extra stress because we don’t schedule enough time to go places. Even switching to online classes can take time with bathroom or snack breaks. It’s also really important to include meals when scheduling. Think about when and where your child will eat if they have activities close to a meal. 

• How much time do you need for other appointments or other family activities? It’s also really important to think about the many activities and appointments for the rest of the family. Routine doctor visits, weekly therapies, and even activities for other family members all need to be balanced as you create a learning plan. 

Children gain confidence as they follow their interests and passions, and you can create a learning plan with them that brings joy. I hope as you develop a learning plan for your child, you are also able to develop a learning plan for yourself. Think about the things that you are interested in, and the resources and time that you have. Parents can be the best model of the joy of learning when they practice it themselves. 

So go ahead, learn something new today!

If you’d like an easy way to enrich your child with all 3 KEY Ingredients: Interest, Resources, and Time, check out Young Scholars Academy’s Summer Camps! We have done the hard work for you in these 3 domains. All you have to do is sign up! 

Camps this summer have been custom-tailored to offer day-long pathways which are built around your child’s unique interests and age group!

This structure allows them to both learn what they love under the guidance of expert mentors, it enables them to travel from class to class with new friends! 

Click here to discover the magic and unlock the 3 KEY Ingredients and ensure your child’s happiness!