Kathy

I live in Ohio, and I'm required to notify the school superintendent
every year about our decision to homeschool and to supply (supposedly
for "informational purposes only") an outline of what we will be
covering during the year and a list of curriculum materials. This is
my first year in which I'm required to notify, and I was wondering
how unschoolers comply with this. I'm not really sure what my boys
will be interested in throughout the next year, so I've compiled a
list of what we did this year and figured I'd just use that for next
year. Also, at the end of the year I have to have a portfolio of my
child's work evaluated by a certified teacher, and I was wondering
what to include. I've had some good ideas from some other
unschoolers in the area who suggested keeping a photo album and
collecting ticket stubs and play-bills of various events we attend,
and also including projects the kids might be working on. I'm
thinking I might like my son to create his own portfolio and have him
select what he is most proud of; we could keep these yearly
collections and see how his interests change and develop. I'm open
to other suggestions from those who've been doing this already and
have more experience. Thanks!

Kathy

Marjorie Kirk

Kathy,

You may want to check out the links on the INCHES site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/INCHESgroup/ there are some samples of
notification letters for Ohio. I basically said in my notification that
since we didn't know what the children would be interested in, I couldn't
say exactly what we were going to study, but that we would cover the basic
subjects required. I've used the same letter (except for changing the date
and adding children's names) for six years and three school districts.

Where in Ohio are you?

Marjorie

-----Original Message-----
From: Kathy [mailto:KathysTMPJ@...]
Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2004 5:39 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] meeting state requirements

I live in Ohio, and I'm required to notify the school superintendent every
year about our decision to homeschool and to supply (supposedly for
"informational purposes only") an outline of what we will be covering during
the year and a list of curriculum materials. This is my first year in which
I'm required to notify, and I was wondering how unschoolers comply with
this. I'm not really sure what my boys will be interested in throughout the
next year, so I've compiled a list of what we did this year and figured I'd
just use that for next year. Also, at the end of the year I have to have a
portfolio of my child's work evaluated by a certified teacher, and I was
wondering what to include. I've had some good ideas from some other
unschoolers in the area who suggested keeping a photo album and collecting
ticket stubs and play-bills of various events we attend, and also including
projects the kids might be working on. I'm thinking I might like my son to
create his own portfolio and have him select what he is most proud of; we
could keep these yearly collections and see how his interests change and
develop. I'm open to other suggestions from those who've been doing this
already and have more experience. Thanks!

Kathy




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Kathy

Thanks for the info.! I live in Parma, which is a suburb of
Cleveland. This is my first year having to notify, so I'm grateful
for all the help I get. I want to comply with the law without
providing too much information, so seeing samples of what other
people have submitted is beneficial. Whereabouts do you live?

Kathy


--- In [email protected], "Marjorie Kirk"
<mkirk@c...> wrote:
> Kathy,
>
> You may want to check out the links on the INCHES site:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/INCHESgroup/ there are some samples
of
> notification letters for Ohio. I basically said in my notification
that
> since we didn't know what the children would be interested in, I
couldn't
> say exactly what we were going to study, but that we would cover
the basic
> subjects required. I've used the same letter (except for changing
the date
> and adding children's names) for six years and three school
districts.
>
> Where in Ohio are you?
>
> Marjorie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kathy [mailto:KathysTMPJ@n...]
> Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2004 5:39 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] meeting state requirements
>
> I live in Ohio, and I'm required to notify the school
superintendent every
> year about our decision to homeschool and to supply (supposedly for
> "informational purposes only") an outline of what we will be
covering during
> the year and a list of curriculum materials. This is my first year
in which
> I'm required to notify, and I was wondering how unschoolers comply
with
> this. I'm not really sure what my boys will be interested in
throughout the
> next year, so I've compiled a list of what we did this year and
figured I'd
> just use that for next year. Also, at the end of the year I have
to have a
> portfolio of my child's work evaluated by a certified teacher, and
I was
> wondering what to include. I've had some good ideas from some other
> unschoolers in the area who suggested keeping a photo album and
collecting
> ticket stubs and play-bills of various events we attend, and also
including
> projects the kids might be working on. I'm thinking I might like
my son to
> create his own portfolio and have him select what he is most proud
of; we
> could keep these yearly collections and see how his interests
change and
> develop. I'm open to other suggestions from those who've been
doing this
> already and have more experience. Thanks!
>
> Kathy
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------
~--> Buy
> Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer
> at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
> http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
> http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/0xXolB/TM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
-~->
>
> "List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this
group.
>
> Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links

Kathy

Thanks for the prompt response, and this link was very helpful.
We're expecting a baby in the beginning of July, so I'm going to try
to compile everything I need before then, though I won't be
submitting it to the superintendent until August. Knowing what
others are doing will help me not to go overboard in trying to
appease the educational authorities, as I've been warned that new
homeschoolers can be overzealous. This web-site has been a great
resource, by the way, and a way to feel not so alone in this path we
are choosing.

Kathy

--- In [email protected], SandraDodd@a... wrote:
> Carol Narigon is in Ohio and here's what she used one year (with
links to
> another similar suggestion for describing unschooling:
>
> http://sandradodd.com/unschoolingcurriculum
>
>
> Sandra

Marjorie Kirk

Kathy,

I was just cleaning out some old e-mail when I discovered that I had rudely
neglected to respond to your question! I'm in Columbus, more commonly known
around here for some odd reason as The Central Ohio Area (odd to me because
it's just pretty much Columbus and nothing else). We have quite a few
unschoolers here and just formed a group for support. I'm not sure what the
unschooling population is like up north, but you may want to join
Unschoolers Network Ohio at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolersNetworkOhio/ it's pretty low
volume, but may help you find nearby unschoolers.

Marjorie

Thanks for the info.! I live in Parma, which is a suburb of Cleveland.
This is my first year having to notify, so I'm grateful for all the help I
get. I want to comply with the law without providing too much information,
so seeing samples of what other people have submitted is beneficial.
Whereabouts do you live?

Kathy


--- In [email protected], "Marjorie Kirk"
<mkirk@c...> wrote:
> Kathy,
>
> You may want to check out the links on the INCHES site:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/INCHESgroup/ there are some samples
of
> notification letters for Ohio. I basically said in my notification
that
> since we didn't know what the children would be interested in, I
couldn't
> say exactly what we were going to study, but that we would cover
the basic
> subjects required. I've used the same letter (except for changing
the date
> and adding children's names) for six years and three school
districts.
>
> Where in Ohio are you?
>
> Marjorie