Trisha

Perhaps what I wrote was misinterpreted, but I am only keeping the
records required by Missouri law not extra ones.
Trisha

Ren Allen

'Perhaps what I wrote was misinterpreted, but I am only keeping the
records required by Missouri law not extra ones."

You said that in spite of the relaxed laws you felt a need to document
because of your family. You ARE going above and beyond the law if
you're worried about documenting everything. According to state law,
you only need to document certain subjects and there is NO oversight
or need to turn anything in.

In that case, I would simply keep a nice memory journal documenting my
life. All of the things they do can be categorized if necessary, but
why worry if you don't even turn the records in? If it's just for your
family, I think it's time to get some space. The state doesn't even
want to see your records.

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

Tina

> In that case, I would simply keep a nice memory journal documenting y
> life. All of the things they do can be categorized if necessary, but
> why worry if you don't even turn the records in? If it's just for
> your family, I think it's time to get some space. The state doesn't
> even want to see your records.


While we are on the subject of record keeping I have a question. What
if the state requires NO record keeping? Do you think that it is
still necessary to keep some record of your children's doings? I live
in Michigan and sometimes worry that I am too relaxed. :-) I've tried
to keep track of things over the years, but electronic files have
gotten lost due to computer crashes, and honestly when I make other
efforts I just get distracted.

In other words I have a terrible time keeping track of things for the
kids and wonder if anyone sees a necessity when there is NO state
requirement. What I am thinking about is if they decide on higher
education will the lack of records play against them? What about a
military minded child?

Thanks - Tina

[email protected]

-----Original Message-----
From: zoocrew@...

While we are on the subject of record keeping I have a question. What
if the state requires NO record keeping? Do you think that it is
still necessary to keep some record of your children's doings? I live
in Michigan and sometimes worry that I am too relaxed. :-) I've tried
to keep track of things over the years, but electronic files have
gotten lost due to computer crashes, and honestly when I make other
efforts I just get distracted.

In other words I have a terrible time keeping track of things for the
kids and wonder if anyone sees a necessity when there is NO state
requirement. What I am thinking about is if they decide on higher
education will the lack of records play against them? What about a
military minded child?

-=-=-=-

My state requires it, but I look at it as both a challenge and as a
kick in the butt.

I'm more apt to keep records for several reasons. I'm kind of a high
profile unschooler in the state. <g> I don't need to get caught outside
the law! <bwg>

It's a scrapbook for my boys. They can go back year to year and see
what happened to them and in the world. Kind of a "yearbook" without
having to go to school! <g>

Having to keep a portfolio (for the state) reminds me to slide that
"Oklamhoma!" playbill in Duncan's box tonight as we come in. To blog
every now & then (I'm a bit slammed right now, but I have ---like six!
blog entries underway. Cam has my camera, so I can't add photos), which
is a great way to document---and it doesn't matter if there is a
computer crash because it's "kept" somewhere else. PLUS, grandparents
and in-laws can *see* and *read* how much you're doing. *That* may make
you blog more too! <bwg>

What the boys will need in the future (higher education) really doesn't
play into it for me. BUT---keeping Cam's job schedule *might*. For me,
it's more of a memory thang.

~Kelly

Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://liveandlearnconference.org

"It's a small world...but a BIG life!" ~Aaron McGlohn. aged 6


________________________________________________________________________
Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email
and IM. All on demand. Always Free.

April Morris

Hi Tina,
I don't keep records either. I'm just not organized enough and I don't like
blogging or scrapbooking so that's out....but here's what I do.....I have a
file for each of the kids. In it I put any 4-H awards, programs, ticket
stubs, anything they might write I copy or print off a second one and stick
in there, anything they bring home from their activities or community
classes. I do this so that if they need a portfolio or a transcript, I can
go through this and come up with what they've done. Plus, they like to look
through the files and see their stuff. It's my compromise to a possible
future need without spending a lot of time and energy now.
--
~April
Mom to Kate-20, Lisa-17, Karl-15, & Ben-11.
*REACH Homeschool Grp, an inclusive group in Oakland County
http://www.reachhomeschool.com
* Michigan Unschoolers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigan_unschoolers/
*Check out Chuck's art www.artkunst23.com
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
Gandalf the Grey

On 8/24/06, kbcdlovejo@... <kbcdlovejo@...> wrote:
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: zoocrew@... <zoocrew%40talkamerica.net>
>
> While we are on the subject of record keeping I have a question. What
> if the state requires NO record keeping? Do you think that it is
> still necessary to keep some record of your children's doings? I live
> in Michigan and sometimes worry that I am too relaxed. :-) I've tried
> to keep track of things over the years, but electronic files have
> gotten lost due to computer crashes, and honestly when I make other
> efforts I just get distracted.
>
> In other words I have a terrible time keeping track of things for the
> kids and wonder if anyone sees a necessity when there is NO state
> requirement. What I am thinking about is if they decide on higher
> education will the lack of records play against them? What about a
> military minded child?
>
> -=-=-=-
>
> My state requires it, but I look at it as both a challenge and as a
> kick in the butt.
>
> I'm more apt to keep records for several reasons. I'm kind of a high
> profile unschooler in the state. <g> I don't need to get caught outside
> the law! <bwg>
>
> It's a scrapbook for my boys. They can go back year to year and see
> what happened to them and in the world. Kind of a "yearbook" without
> having to go to school! <g>
>
> Having to keep a portfolio (for the state) reminds me to slide that
> "Oklamhoma!" playbill in Duncan's box tonight as we come in. To blog
> every now & then (I'm a bit slammed right now, but I have ---like six!
> blog entries underway. Cam has my camera, so I can't add photos), which
> is a great way to document---and it doesn't matter if there is a
> computer crash because it's "kept" somewhere else. PLUS, grandparents
> and in-laws can *see* and *read* how much you're doing. *That* may make
> you blog more too! <bwg>
>
> What the boys will need in the future (higher education) really doesn't
> play into it for me. BUT---keeping Cam's job schedule *might*. For me,
> it's more of a memory thang.
>
> ~Kelly
>
> Kelly Lovejoy
> Conference Coordinator
> Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
> http://liveandlearnconference.org
>
> "It's a small world...but a BIG life!" ~Aaron McGlohn. aged 6
>
> __________________________________________________________
> Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email
> and IM. All on demand. Always Free.
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Deb

--- In [email protected], "Tina" <zoocrew@...> wrote:
> What I am thinking about is if they decide on higher
> education will the lack of records play against them? What about
a
> military minded child?
>
"Higher education" only cares about the "high school" years - not
everything from age 5 on. So, once DS, who is now 8, reaches his
teens, I'll probably keep some kind of log, chart, portfolio,
folder, spreadsheet, something, that can (if needed) be turned into
the kind of records he would need to apply - IF it is required at
all by the time he might so choose to go to college. It might be
something as simple as grabbing a scope and sequence somewhere,
making a spreadsheet of it (line by line of the areas) and then
typing in what he did that fits that particular area and maybe a
folder in the file cabinet to keep printouts of stuff and other
mementos (playbills and the like). The military (not the service
academies, which fall into the colleges and universities enrollment
category, but just straight enlistment) doesn't, so far as I know,
check any kind of transcript, just whether or not you've got a
diploma or GED and a pulse.

And, too, our state just expanded the 'dual enrollment' situation
with the community colleges. It is now possible for a teen to
graduate high school with an Associates degree. Once you've got an
associates degree (or even a couple semesters of college
coursework), most colleges/universities (and the military) really
don't care much about high school records. Also, should DS (or
anyone else's kids) choose to postpone college for a few years, they
can then enroll as 'non-traditional' students which is a whole other
ballgame - that's where life experience is a big factor, not what
classes you took in high school.

Basically, there are way more ways around things than the
traditional route, so I don't see any need (since the state doesn't
require anything) to tie up time and energy into keeping records
that are of little use.

(I'm another of those not so great at blogging, scrapbooking, etc
kind of people. DS' baby book is barely touched, and he's already 8.
However, we do have a nice little notebook of stuff he's done, when
he started walking, talking, etc, because I email my mom chatty bits
here and there and she prints out stuff about DS and hole punches it
and keeps a nice notebook for each of her grandkids)

--Deb

Sharon Schwartz

We live in New Jersey where no formal record keeping is required, but
our dream is to relocate to 1 of several states that do. In light of
that, and in case a portfolio of her work is ever needed, I had been
wracking my brain searching for a method to preserve my DD's "stuff".

Even with the educators' discount most art supply/craft stores are
willing to give, I balked at the costs of "professional-grade" methods
of preservation. (Be sure to ask each store manager for a break.) I
finally decided to use large plastic tubs. The ones designed to store
legal sized files work well. If you're worried about time destroying
the paperwork, you can line the boxes with acid-free paper!

My DD is only 6 years old & the prospect of storing huge boxes is
daunting. Currently, she feels the need to save every piece of paper.
I imagine that soon she'll be able to cut down on the volume of things
that she must save!
Live! Laugh! Learn!
Sharon Schwartz

[email protected]

For the past few years, I have put anything that either child does in a
large plastic drawer like box. Pictures, playbills, tickets, museum brochures,
places we travel, postcards, artwork etc. I originally thought I would
organize it into portfolios but I've found that both kids love rummaging through
the boxes occasionally.

Something came up this morning regarding a scholarship that Brenna is
considering applying for. She needed documentation of 75 hours of community
service on an agency letterhead. She knew immediately..."In my box, I have
documentation from the hours I volunteered for both Odyssey of the Mind and a CAN DO
(a political organization)." Cool. We can get our hands on it when she
needs it.

I'm extremely organized with financial and household information but this
box method seems to be working out for the kids information. One day, they
might want to just take the boxes with them when they have a place of their own.

Gail




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Elissa Jill Cleaveland

The military (not the service
academies, which fall into the colleges and universities enrollment
category, but just straight enlistment) doesn't, so far as I know,
check any kind of transcript, just whether or not you've got a
diploma or GED and a pulse.
*******
I needed to give them my high school official transcript . I enlisted 10 years after high school at 28.
Elissa Jill
A Kindersher saychel iz oychet a saychel.
"A Child's wisdom is also wisdom." ~Yiddish Proverb

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]