record keeping
Jennifer and Scott Lynch
Hello Wise Ones!
I am wondering if any of you keep formal records of what your children are
doing. My state only requires keeping attendance records for compliance
with homeschooling laws (how hilarious is that! "I am alive there for I am
present!") It seems antithetical to the ethos of unschooling to categorize
anyone's learning into formal portfolios or categories. Of course parents
record and save wonderful things from their child's life because we are
parents. I am just curious about whether or not any of you keep "learning
records" and if you do, why and how?
Thanks!
Jen
I am wondering if any of you keep formal records of what your children are
doing. My state only requires keeping attendance records for compliance
with homeschooling laws (how hilarious is that! "I am alive there for I am
present!") It seems antithetical to the ethos of unschooling to categorize
anyone's learning into formal portfolios or categories. Of course parents
record and save wonderful things from their child's life because we are
parents. I am just curious about whether or not any of you keep "learning
records" and if you do, why and how?
Thanks!
Jen
Dana Matt
When my little one reached school age (7) I was
paranoid that DHFS would swoop down on me, and I would
need something to show to "prove"...so every book we
read I just (later) wrote it on a list on the
computer, and categorized it into "subject"...Just so
that I would have an 8 page list of all the "subjects"
we had covered in case I needed it. She's now 11, and
I've only done it that one year--I got over the
worrying-about-"da man" stage, I guess....
Dana
--- Jennifer and Scott Lynch <j.slynch@...>
wrote:
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time.
http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html
paranoid that DHFS would swoop down on me, and I would
need something to show to "prove"...so every book we
read I just (later) wrote it on a list on the
computer, and categorized it into "subject"...Just so
that I would have an 8 page list of all the "subjects"
we had covered in case I needed it. She's now 11, and
I've only done it that one year--I got over the
worrying-about-"da man" stage, I guess....
Dana
--- Jennifer and Scott Lynch <j.slynch@...>
wrote:
> Hello Wise Ones!__________________________________
>
> I am wondering if any of you keep formal records of
> what your children are
> doing. My state only requires keeping attendance
> records for compliance
> with homeschooling laws (how hilarious is that! "I
> am alive there for I am
> present!") It seems antithetical to the ethos of
> unschooling to categorize
> anyone's learning into formal portfolios or
> categories. Of course parents
> record and save wonderful things from their child's
> life because we are
> parents. I am just curious about whether or not any
> of you keep "learning
> records" and if you do, why and how?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jen
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
> [email protected]
>
>
>
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time.
http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/27/2004 4:25:12 PM Eastern Standard Time,
j.slynch@... writes:
I am just curious about whether or not any of you keep "learning
records" and if you do, why and how?<<<<
In SC we have to keep "attendence" records; "teach" reading, writing,
arithmatic, science, and social studies (upper grades, the three "R's" become
literature, composition, and math); keep a journal/portfolio/progress report; and
belong to an accountability association.
I have a daytimer that keeps me current---everything we do is written down.
Otherwise I forget to do it. I'll sometimes write things in after-the-fact if
something really cool happened that was unscheduled, just so I don't forget it
(like riding a bike for the first time, etc.).
I keep the printouts from our library & Blockbuster, any "compositions"
(music, art, writing, etc.), ticket stubs, brochures, photos----basically anything
I would keep for their scrapbooks. I throw them into plastic boxes I keep in
the kitchen. I weed through them 2-3 times a year as they get stuffed, and they
eventually become scrapbooks.
ALL of this these things I do normally, so it's no burden. It's just
collecting the special events in their lives and keeping them in one place. I do
separate them into years, but I would probably do that anyway too. The only "extra
thing" would be the printouts from the library & Blockbuster. Except for the
state, I doubt I would keep those! <G>
Don't let the state run your life. Do the minimum that they require. Many
people are underground because they don't want to *anything* the state requires.
I'm a bit too "high profile" in SC to do that! <G>
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
j.slynch@... writes:
I am just curious about whether or not any of you keep "learning
records" and if you do, why and how?<<<<
In SC we have to keep "attendence" records; "teach" reading, writing,
arithmatic, science, and social studies (upper grades, the three "R's" become
literature, composition, and math); keep a journal/portfolio/progress report; and
belong to an accountability association.
I have a daytimer that keeps me current---everything we do is written down.
Otherwise I forget to do it. I'll sometimes write things in after-the-fact if
something really cool happened that was unscheduled, just so I don't forget it
(like riding a bike for the first time, etc.).
I keep the printouts from our library & Blockbuster, any "compositions"
(music, art, writing, etc.), ticket stubs, brochures, photos----basically anything
I would keep for their scrapbooks. I throw them into plastic boxes I keep in
the kitchen. I weed through them 2-3 times a year as they get stuffed, and they
eventually become scrapbooks.
ALL of this these things I do normally, so it's no burden. It's just
collecting the special events in their lives and keeping them in one place. I do
separate them into years, but I would probably do that anyway too. The only "extra
thing" would be the printouts from the library & Blockbuster. Except for the
state, I doubt I would keep those! <G>
Don't let the state run your life. Do the minimum that they require. Many
people are underground because they don't want to *anything* the state requires.
I'm a bit too "high profile" in SC to do that! <G>
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
Hello -
Seeing this thread reminded me of what I used to do when the kids were
little.... I'd like to do it again!
There were mornings of me with my coffee and I would feel such wonder at the
young people I get to spend my time with! I took sheets of paper and just
wrote about each child. What they were up to.... what they were exploring.....
any wise/funny/etc quotes lately..... how I'm touched by him/her..... what I
notice about him/her.....etc..... It was really fun to think about each child
in this way.....
It probably took about 15 mins all together....so 5 mins for each child.....
it was just a write write write whatever - no editing....(I bet if I typed it
I'd have been tempted to edit!) .. Then I put it away in their 'treasure box'
of photos, letters, etc.....
Altho it may not satisfy any county/state rep, it is a nice snapshot of our
life together....
I've only done it a few times......I think I'll do that today!
Jane
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Seeing this thread reminded me of what I used to do when the kids were
little.... I'd like to do it again!
There were mornings of me with my coffee and I would feel such wonder at the
young people I get to spend my time with! I took sheets of paper and just
wrote about each child. What they were up to.... what they were exploring.....
any wise/funny/etc quotes lately..... how I'm touched by him/her..... what I
notice about him/her.....etc..... It was really fun to think about each child
in this way.....
It probably took about 15 mins all together....so 5 mins for each child.....
it was just a write write write whatever - no editing....(I bet if I typed it
I'd have been tempted to edit!) .. Then I put it away in their 'treasure box'
of photos, letters, etc.....
Altho it may not satisfy any county/state rep, it is a nice snapshot of our
life together....
I've only done it a few times......I think I'll do that today!
Jane
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/29/04 7:32:37 AM, kbcdlovejo@... writes:
<< Don't let the state run your life. Do the minimum that they require. Many
people are underground because they don't want to *anything* the state
requires.
I'm a bit too "high profile" in SC to do that! <G> >>
When I read Kelly's description of saving movie rental stuff and such, I
thought "I should have done that!"
But nah.
After the first year and a half when I used to occasionally go in and check
off things Kirby knew from the "K-2 Expected Competencies of the Albuquerque
Public Schools" and other than writing in public places like this, I don't do
any record keeping.
I'm high profile, but I haven't registered for years. New Mexico requires
much less than SC, though, so that helps.
If I had to keep records I would do a scrapbook and keep brochures and take
photos of the kids doing/being.
Sandra
<< Don't let the state run your life. Do the minimum that they require. Many
people are underground because they don't want to *anything* the state
requires.
I'm a bit too "high profile" in SC to do that! <G> >>
When I read Kelly's description of saving movie rental stuff and such, I
thought "I should have done that!"
But nah.
After the first year and a half when I used to occasionally go in and check
off things Kirby knew from the "K-2 Expected Competencies of the Albuquerque
Public Schools" and other than writing in public places like this, I don't do
any record keeping.
I'm high profile, but I haven't registered for years. New Mexico requires
much less than SC, though, so that helps.
If I had to keep records I would do a scrapbook and keep brochures and take
photos of the kids doing/being.
Sandra
Ted Rigdon
I am wondering if any of you keep formal records of what your children are
doing. My state only requires keeping attendance records for compliance
with homeschooling laws (how hilarious is that! "I am alive there for I am
present!") It seems antithetical to the ethos of unschooling to categorize
anyone's learning into formal portfolios or categories. Of course parents
record and save wonderful things from their child's life because we are
parents. I am just curious about whether or not any of you keep "learning
records" and if you do, why and how?
Hello, this is my first time posting on this list. I have been lurking for awhile. I am homeschooling 2 boys. Right now they are just 4 and 1 so I can't say I have a lot of experience, mostly just theories I guess. And, you know how good that is! At any rate, my husband and I decided to homeschool our boys when the first one was 1 or 2, so when all our friends started sending their kids to school when the kids were 3!!, I started looking into homeschooling.
As for record keeping, I like the scrapbook idea. I do something similar. I keep what I call portfolios. You know how an artist keeps a portfolio of different pieces to show to potential clients. We do the same thing. We keep work that the boys have done to show their progress. It can include photos or notes I have written about their progress as well as art or written work the boys have done. We don't have to keep it for the state, we just keep it for ourselves so we can see the progress that we are making. The boys like looking at their old stuff and I have proof to Dad and other relatives that we are doing something!
Thanks for the idea to keep receipts for museums and plays. I will start keeping them as well.
Gwen
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
doing. My state only requires keeping attendance records for compliance
with homeschooling laws (how hilarious is that! "I am alive there for I am
present!") It seems antithetical to the ethos of unschooling to categorize
anyone's learning into formal portfolios or categories. Of course parents
record and save wonderful things from their child's life because we are
parents. I am just curious about whether or not any of you keep "learning
records" and if you do, why and how?
Hello, this is my first time posting on this list. I have been lurking for awhile. I am homeschooling 2 boys. Right now they are just 4 and 1 so I can't say I have a lot of experience, mostly just theories I guess. And, you know how good that is! At any rate, my husband and I decided to homeschool our boys when the first one was 1 or 2, so when all our friends started sending their kids to school when the kids were 3!!, I started looking into homeschooling.
As for record keeping, I like the scrapbook idea. I do something similar. I keep what I call portfolios. You know how an artist keeps a portfolio of different pieces to show to potential clients. We do the same thing. We keep work that the boys have done to show their progress. It can include photos or notes I have written about their progress as well as art or written work the boys have done. We don't have to keep it for the state, we just keep it for ourselves so we can see the progress that we are making. The boys like looking at their old stuff and I have proof to Dad and other relatives that we are doing something!
Thanks for the idea to keep receipts for museums and plays. I will start keeping them as well.
Gwen
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Karen & William Gibson
Jen wrote:
years. In Alabama you must join a church cover school in order to
homeschool. The first two cover schools I joined required progress reports
- one of them monthly, the other twice yearly. I also had in-laws and
other relatives to whom it was important that I keep them informed (they
felt it was important and I felt it was important, since we were close and
they had always been interested in school activities and such while the
children were in public school). So I kept records - a daily log sheet and
a spreadsheet of all books read, videos watched, etc. It was fairly easy
to do when they were younger. As the children have gotten older, I've
found it more difficult to keep up ... or maybe I just don't feel it's as
important to keep tabs, so my efforts towards this are not what they were
in the past. <g>
But, I recently had to finish "creating" a high school transcript for my
eldest to get her diploma from our church cover school. At that time I was
glad that I had kept even a minimum of records. My daily log sheets when
by the wayside a few years ago, but I still try to maintain the book/video
records and I write things down (activities, big events) on my calendar and
keep those from year to year. And occasionally I remember to write
something down on a spreadsheet that replaced the daily log books. Those
few notes and memos were invaluable in trying to come up with all the
credits for her diploma.
I could have created my own diploma - it would have been just as legal as
the church cover school's diploma - but my daughter wanted one from the
cover school. She had enrolled in several college classes through
dual-enrollment and had to use her church cover school's name (& permission
form) in order to do so, and she thought it would look strange to have
taken dual-enrollment classes through one cover school and then have a
diploma with a different school name on it.
Karen M. Gibson
mailto:wdkmg@..., ICQ# 2152628, AIM - KadachMom
http://www.LeapingFromTheBox.com Alabama Homeschool info, Homeschool
Articles, Homeschool Chats!
E-bay Store - Hand Crocheted Afghans, books,
more! http://stores.ebay.com/leapingfromthebox
"A sense of curiosity is nature's original school of education." ~ Smiley
Blanton
>I am wondering if any of you keep formal records of what your children areI keep records for a couple of reasons. I've been homeschooling 8
>doing. My state only requires keeping attendance records for compliance
>with homeschooling laws (how hilarious is that! "I am alive there for I am
>present!") It seems antithetical to the ethos of unschooling to categorize
>anyone's learning into formal portfolios or categories. Of course parents
>record and save wonderful things from their child's life because we are
>parents. I am just curious about whether or not any of you keep "learning
>records" and if you do, why and how?
years. In Alabama you must join a church cover school in order to
homeschool. The first two cover schools I joined required progress reports
- one of them monthly, the other twice yearly. I also had in-laws and
other relatives to whom it was important that I keep them informed (they
felt it was important and I felt it was important, since we were close and
they had always been interested in school activities and such while the
children were in public school). So I kept records - a daily log sheet and
a spreadsheet of all books read, videos watched, etc. It was fairly easy
to do when they were younger. As the children have gotten older, I've
found it more difficult to keep up ... or maybe I just don't feel it's as
important to keep tabs, so my efforts towards this are not what they were
in the past. <g>
But, I recently had to finish "creating" a high school transcript for my
eldest to get her diploma from our church cover school. At that time I was
glad that I had kept even a minimum of records. My daily log sheets when
by the wayside a few years ago, but I still try to maintain the book/video
records and I write things down (activities, big events) on my calendar and
keep those from year to year. And occasionally I remember to write
something down on a spreadsheet that replaced the daily log books. Those
few notes and memos were invaluable in trying to come up with all the
credits for her diploma.
I could have created my own diploma - it would have been just as legal as
the church cover school's diploma - but my daughter wanted one from the
cover school. She had enrolled in several college classes through
dual-enrollment and had to use her church cover school's name (& permission
form) in order to do so, and she thought it would look strange to have
taken dual-enrollment classes through one cover school and then have a
diploma with a different school name on it.
Karen M. Gibson
mailto:wdkmg@..., ICQ# 2152628, AIM - KadachMom
http://www.LeapingFromTheBox.com Alabama Homeschool info, Homeschool
Articles, Homeschool Chats!
E-bay Store - Hand Crocheted Afghans, books,
more! http://stores.ebay.com/leapingfromthebox
"A sense of curiosity is nature's original school of education." ~ Smiley
Blanton