Adaptive Music Lessons for Homeschoolers: A Guide to Neurodiversity and Music Education

Many homeschool families choose to homeschool, at least in part, to give their neurodivergent kids more individualized, student-led support than a traditional classroom can offer. And for a lot of these families, creative outlets like music are an important piece of that picture.

But, for parents and educators alike, this can come with some questions, like: 

• What is neurodiversity?
• How common is neurodivergence within the homeschool community? 
• What is the value of music education for neurodiverse learners? 
• How can music teachers adapt their lessons to fit different kinds of minds?

Let's dig in.

What is Neurodiversity?

"Neurodiversity" describes the natural variation in how human brains take in information, focus, communicate, and process the world. 

"Neurodivergent" refers to someone whose brain functions differently from what's considered typical, and the term is often used in contrast with "neurotypical," which describes functioning that falls within socially expected norms. 

Neurodivergent isn't itself a diagnosis. It's a broad umbrella that can include diagnoses like ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and dyspraxia.

Neurodivergence can lead to challenges with things like executive functioning and emotional regulation, but it can also come with strengths. For example, someone with neurodivergence might experience sustained, deep focus on the subjects they're interested in, strong pattern recognition, and creative problem-solving skills.

There's also a broader scientific argument for neurodiversity potentially being a benefit to humans collectively. Some researchers working in evolutionary psychiatry argue that traits associated with ADHD and autism have persisted throughout human history precisely because it’s useful for people to have a wide range of unique strengths.

Neurodiversity in the Homeschool Community

Though there’s not much data on the number of neurodivergent learners in homeschool households, there are stats on families who report having disabilities, which include physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and often neurodivergent conditions.

In one large, nationally representative survey of U.S. families, 25% of homeschooled students reported having a student with a disability, compared to 23% of students in traditional schools.

That gap grows when you look specifically at families who didn't start out homeschooling, but switched into it after trying traditional school first. Among those “second-choice” homeschool families, 36% had a child with a disability, compared to just 16% of families who chose to homeschool from the very beginning. In other words, more than 1 in 3 families who pull a child out of a traditional classroom partway through are doing it, at least in part, because that classroom wasn't the right fit for a child who learns differently.

Source: Homeschooling Choices Among Families of Children With Disabilities Versus Without Disabilities, NHERI

One of the biggest draws of homeschooling is the ability to build an education, including electives like music, around how your child learns, rather than asking your child to adapt to a fixed classroom model.

How Music Lessons Support All Kids

Music lessons can be great for all kids, regardless of how their brain works.

Kids who start music lessons young tend to feel more confident. Part of the reason may be simply that learning an instrument at your own pace gives you real, tangible proof that you can do hard things, which functions as a self-confidence boost with widespread benefits.

And with one-on-one lessons, students can get exactly the support that they need. 

“It does feel really sacred,” says Camille, an online piano, voice, and drums teacher at Maestro. “The fact that we're entrusted with this time to help this person develop their skills in a really specific way. If you were doing this for any other activity, like learning sports or mechanics or whatever, it's almost unthinkable. The amount of privilege or finances you'd need to have a one-on-one coach there with you. And yet [with music] it is weirdly ubiquitous. It's a really uniquely special thing to have a one-on-one coach in real time give you feedback, purely for you to get better at this skill. It's kind of mind-blowing.”

For neurodivergent students in particular, effective music teaching strategies may include providing structure, predictability, and flexibility, while giving students a say in how they learn.

How Music Teachers Adapt Lessons for Neurodivergent Students

So what does thoughtful, flexible teaching look like in practice? 

According to The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning at Brown University and the Institute for Teaching, Innovation, and Inclusive Pedagogy at Rutgers University, the following tips can help: 

Structure and Predictability

Neurodivergent students often do best when they know what's coming and know how long they’ll be asked to focus on each section of the lesson. 

Lessons with a familiar structure might start with a familiar warm-up, a preview of what the day’s lesson will cover, and a recap at the end of each lesson.

Rewards and Encouragement

Maestro founder and music teacher, Noah Tretter, has a student who finds it hard to sit still and focus for a full lesson. But he does great when he has short breaks and small rewards along the way. The student’s mom brings gummy bears and stickers to lessons and gives rewards for a few moments of quiet listening or trying something new and challenging, like sight reading or playing with a metronome.

Rather than focusing on nitpicking about when a student is finding something challenging, a strengths-based approach tailors lessons to the student’s learning style and to whatever gets them excited about music. Providing immediate positive reinforcement, like stickers or a super fun game, can help turn challenges into a motivating, positive experience. 

Sensory Considerations

Fidgeting, needing to move, stimming, or using a sensory tool during a lesson often helps a student focus. Rather than treating harmless movement or sensory supports as a behavioral problem, the better approach is simply to welcome them as part of how that student learns.

For example, a teacher might encourage their student to tap their foot, conduct a piece while they listen, play clapping games, bring a fidget toy, or incorporate shaking the wiggles out and stretching into lessons.

Following the Student's Lead

Every child deserves to have input into what type of songs they want to play, which activities they enjoy, and the pace of their lessons. Providing students with small choices, checking in on lesson pace, and offering a buffet of different options can help support students’ autonomy and build self-confidence.

Sources: Teaching Music to Neurodiverse Students, Independent Society of Musicians, Supporting Neurodivergent Students in the Classroom, Brown University, Teaching with Neurodiversity in Mind, Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Finding the Right Fit for Your Child

If you're a homeschool parent wondering whether music lessons could work for your neurodivergent kid, what matters most often comes down to finding a teacher who pays attention and adjusts. 

That's one of the core ideas Maestro is built around. Music is for everyone, and every student deserves a teacher who teaches them as an individual.

You can book a free trial lesson to see how your child responds before committing, select a teacher after checking out their bios, or contact us for help finding the best fit for your child.

Enjoyed this Maestro Music article? Try these next: 

• A Homeschool Parent Talks Student-Led Learning & Online Music Lessons 
• Every Student Deserves a Workaround: Meet Piano Teacher Camille Hatton 
• Voice Lessons as Life Skills: Opera Singer Olivia Kellett