Welcome to the Homeschool New York Podcast––your support at the kitchen table and advocacy in the world. In this episode, we’re joined by Douglas Pietersma and Mary Fratianni to discuss the benefits of homeschooling a struggling learner or child with special learning needs. We also share about PICC Supports & Services, Homeschool New York’s ministry for struggling learners and students with special needs.

Click Here to Watch.

Bios:

Mary Fratianni is the Homeschool New York / LEAH Special Needs Coordinator and Executive Director of Parents Instructing Challenged Children (PICC) LEAH Supports & Services. She has been supporting families’ homeschooling struggling learners and children with special learning needs in NY State for over twenty years through the PICC Supports & Services and PICC Non-Eligible Student & Private Provider Support ministries. Mary is a Certified Provider of The Listening Program® by Advanced Brain Technologies, Learning Ears Program® by Learning Ears, LLC, The Movement Program© by The Movement Program, LTD, and Oral Placement Therapy Programs by Talk Tools. She provides educationally and neuro-developmentally based intervention programs as well as testing services, educational support, consulting, encouragement, and insight as well as being the author and contributor of numerous special needs homeschool articles, podcasts, and workshops. Mary combines years of special needs homeschool educational and neurodevelopmental program experience with her passion to help families help their children reach their God given potential.

Douglas Pietersma is a retired military intelligence officer and currently an education researcher holding a Doctor of Education degree from Regent University with a research emphasis on homeschooling and Christian education. His dissertation research focused on the transference of family faith tradition through the Christian homeschooling experience. Dr. Pietersma is a research associate with the National Home Education Research Institute, where he serves as the editor of the Home School Researcher, a peer reviewed journal which focuses on homeschool-related research work. He is also an adjunct professor of education in the School of Education at Regent University teaching graduate courses in education, mentoring graduate and post-graduate students as well as serving on and chairing dissertation committees. In addition to research and editing work, Dr. Pietersma is father to two homeschool graduates, one of whom has substantial special needs, and is the pastor for a rural community church in Elk Mountain, Wyoming.

—

The Homeschool New York Podcast is designed to equip, empower, and encourage you on your homeschool journey. We’ll cover legislative updates, offer insight on the NYS home instruction regulations, explore curriculum, share parenting advice, host exciting guest interviews, and more! While specifically created for families homeschooling in New York, our content will benefit all home educators everywhere.

We’d love to hear from you! Comment on this post or send an email to leahmessenger@nysleah.org to continue the conversation. We’re here to help you get started with home education, stay the course, protect your parental rights, and see your children grow as followers of Christ. Join today at www.leah.org!

*The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers on our podcast are theirs and not necessarily held by Homeschool New York. Please see our Statement of Faith in Homeschool New York’s Regulatory and Informational Manual for Home Education in New York State, or visit our website at www.leah.org/about-leah/statement-of-faith. Please note that nothing on this podcast should be construed as legal advice. Homeschool New York exists to educate, inform, and serve NYS home educators.