November 11, 2010
Online Homeschooling | Homeschooling Curriculum And Your Record Keeping
Record Keeping is a topic which is frequently bought up at homeschooling meetings and forums, and its importance in the homeschooling curriculum can not be overlooked. Record Keeping for homeschooling is not only legally required in various States, but also provides important goals in your child’s learning experience. An interest-initiated homeschooling approach means that the topic of studies is far ranging and diverse. It can become very confusing to write accurate homeschooling reports, due to the interest-initiated approach to learning being so difficult to classify and pigeon-hole.
Record keeping in homeschooling is vital not only for the sake of regulations, but is also an exciting way to record and document the learning process of the child. When most of the learning is done through play and there is no clear indication of topics that have to be covered, it becomes necessary for the parent to keep some sort of a log which records the child’s progress.
The method for your record keeping can be as simple as a piece of paper and and as complex as a computer pro gramme- it is completely up to you to decide which method will be more effective. If you are participating in a support group, you most likely have set forms and requirements. However, staying on top of daily assignments and reports will make the process so much more efficient and easily achievable in the homeschooling environment.
The most popular record keeping methods used by various home schools are listed below.
Daily planner:
Lay out the plans and the assignments for the week in a teacher’s planning notebook. Check each item as it is covered, and make additional notes if issues arise which might be improved on in the next semester. Maintain a separate area where any additional things can be recorded. This may include educational trips, visits and videos, homeschooling online materials etc. Any extra topics that were covered should also be recorded in this area. Make sure you make a summary at least once every quarter.
Journal:
This can be maintained by either the teacher or the student. This basically aims to keep a log of what was learned and what was done in the homeschooling sessions. No only is keeping a journal of your homeschooling a fantastic way to reminisce in the future, it is also a means to monitor the effectiveness of your teaching and your child’s interpretations of the homeschooling process.
Portfolios:
This consists of a collection of diverse materials that display what the child has achieved and done during the course of his/her homeschooling study. Portfolio assessment is a very effective way to chart the child’s progress. It gives structure to the otherwise loose and flexible form of schooling called homeschooling. A drawing portfolio will consist of some paintings or sketches that are considered the best in that quarter. A language portfolio may consist of essays, stories, reading-logs, spelling samples or letters. Progress in subjects such as mathematics, fine arts, history, science and social studies can all be recorded in this manner. The biggest advantage is that portfolio assessment places control in the hands of the home schooled child. Having a tangible record of what they have achieved in their homeschooling will only serve to motivate them to achieve more and more.
Other than the above-mentioned systems, there are also purchased record-keeping systems that lay out a great checklist and help to automate the homeschooling process. There is now an abundance of homeschooling organizers and planners available online- do use due diligence when considering homeschooling products- preferable use a recommendation where you can see how effective the product is going to be. Whichever method of record keeping you decide on for your homeschooling, it is an essential part of the homeschooling process and will be beneficial to initiate from the start. You never know, your child’s future may depend on this system of record-keeping.
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8 Comments on Online Homeschooling | Homeschooling Curriculum And Your Record Keeping »
April 20, 2011
Twitter @ 1:10 pm:
Homeschooling vs Public Schools –
Saratica @ 4:10 pm:
Hi Deb,
There are so many resources for homeschooling online. You can buy used textbooks online. They are heavy and will cost something to mail, but you can get used ones so cheap. Google it. Homeschooling will not cost you nearly as much as private schools, as long as one of you is not quitting a job to stay home. We make up our curriculum: math and English, writing, handwriting are the biggies. We are not so focused on what the US schools say we need to teach. We teach what we want. One day, we may teach to the GED… but we have gotten quite relaxed. If we can teach them problem solving skills and where to find the information they need when they need it, that would be more than they would have gotten from any school I've ever heard of. Good luck with it! It's been as much of an education for me…
“Konos?” Thanks, Robin. I never heard of that one. I'll check it out! The camp was great – the boys are in NJ now (I'm writing this 8/10) and having a blast. In DC tomorrow, to the Smithsonian… I'd love to figure out a way to do this with more kids, maybe up to six or seven, longer with the rafting… we'll see! I had a great time!
June 9, 2011
hscoach @ 3:07 am:
I do not have personal experience with them but here are a few to check out………
http://www.ablazeacademy.com/
June 18, 2011
Twitter @ 10:14 pm:
Christian Homeschooling Curriculum – What Does a Christian Worldview Mean? –
June 27, 2011
michael class @ 1:32 pm:
“I Met Thomas Edison,” Says Twelve-Year-Old Boy in New American History Book for Kids
Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame Showcases Amazing Photographs of Boy's Journey Through Time; Teaches Lessons of History
Twelve-year-old Anthony, of Seattle, Washington, claims that he traveled into the past and spent several years working in Thomas Edison’s laboratory. Photographic evidence seems to indicate that Anthony's claim is true!
“I worked with Thomas Edison on the phonograph, the light bulb, and the motion picture camera,” says the young time-traveler. “And, best of all, Thomas Edison told me the secret to his success!”
It's all part of a new book, by Seattle author Michael Class. Class used advanced digital photography to place his twelve year-old son, Anthony, in the cockpit of the Spirit of St. Louis with Charles Lindbergh, on the moon with Neil Armstrong, in the laboratories of Thomas Edison and Jonas Salk, and on Normandy beach on D-Day. The result: It looks like Anthony really did meet Thomas Edison, Jonas Salk, FDR, Lou Gehrig, Charles Lindbergh, and Audie Murphy. The Web site, http://www.MagicPictureFrame.com, displays some of the book’s amazing photographs.
“I wanted to capture the interest of today's kids,” says Class, “by turning American history into a grand time travel adventure.” The book, Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame, is recommended for young adults, grade 6 to grade 12.
Class included many subtle touches to convince his readers that Anthony was “really there.” Anthony knows things that only an eyewitness to history would know. In the case of Thomas Edison, Anthony gives an hour-by-hour eyewitness account of the experiments that led to the invention of the electric light, revealing details of the laboratory experiments that few people know. Anthony also peers into Edison's hand-written diary and discovers Edison’s real reason for inventing the electric light (hint: Edison did it to start a business that still exists today). Anthony also knows why Edison invented the electric chair, and talking dolls for little girls. Anthony is in the laboratory when Edison tries to invent the telephone answering machine just a year after Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, but failed. The result of the failure, according to Anthony: Edison invents the phonograph!
In 1969, Anthony sees Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin do something that most people don't know about: Aldrin leaves Soviet cosmonaut medals on the moon. Who do the cosmonaut medals belong to? Why did Buzz Aldrin bring them to the moon?
“You'll have to read the book to find out,” says Anthony, the time-traveler.
Commenting on the book, Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin said: “The book's vivid narrative and captivating photographs transported me through space and time. I felt that I was once again standing on the surface of the Moon in 1969. Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame tells it like it really was in America's early space program – the adventure, the risks, and the rewards. I almost believe that Anthony was there! I think that parents and teachers will appreciate the inspiring message this unique history book holds for America's next generation. I recommend this book to all young Americans, may they take us to the stars and beyond.”
The book is fun for kids, but Class designed the book to help parents, teachers, and homeschoolers, too. Years of meticulous research went into the book: Class spoke with relatives of famous scientists and inventors, Holocaust survivors, award-winning biographers, and others to ensure that the facts of the book were both accurate and vivid. Historical accuracy rules every page: even Anthony’s conversations with the people of the past are based on things they really said, all properly footnoted. Class also included built-in curriculum aids: recommendations for hundreds of books, movies, songs, and places to visit – all keyed to the subjects of each chapter. The author’s Web site includes a fun final exam.
Anthony's adventures in American history come with a moral lesson, another facet of the book with strong appeal for parents. The chapter about Lindbergh’s flight is really about choosing one’s destiny. The story of Lou Gehrig is one of a virtuous life. The chapter about Thomas Edison is really about business and the benefits of hard work. The story of Apollo 11 is about wonder, taking risks, and courage. The story of Dr. Jonas Salk is really about dedicating one’s life to a higher purpose. When Anthony meets his immigrant great-grandfather at Ellis Island in 1907, it's really a story about what it means to be an American. Anthony’s observation of D-Day and the liberation of the death camps during the Holocaust is a testament to the reality of evil and the need to fight it.
It's not an easy book,” says Class. “The book challenges the young reader to see the modern world in light of the lessons of the past. Anthony compares the people and events of the past with the people and events of his own time. Anthony discusses the nature of good and evil, right and wrong, war and peace, what it means to be an American, honor and discipline, success and achievement, courage and destiny, marriage and family, God and purpose.”
“Whether or not you believe that Anthony really traveled into the past,” says Class jokingly, “the book’s message is an important one. History is not a bunch of boring names and dates. History is alive with adventure. History is full of moral lessons for today. Anthony learned that the heroes of the past have something important to tell us: that the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose, and doing the right thing always matters.”
Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame was named Outstanding Book of the Year by Independent Publisher (2006); awarded the Parent-to-Parent Adding Wisdom Award for Excellent Books (2007); is a celebrated winner of an iParenting Media Award for Excellent Products (2007), was named Reviewers Choice by Midwest Book Review (2006); and garnered Editor's Pick by Homefires: The Journal of Homeschooling Online (2006). Nationally syndicated talk-show host Michael Medved calls the book “entertaining and educational.”
Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame helps parents and teachers: The book includes recommendations for 461 books, 595 movies, 217 songs, and 155 places to visit, all keyed to the subjects of each chapter. The recommendations are offered as an exciting addition to any formal history curriculum, and as a way for kids to experience the past. The author's Web site offers a fun final exam.
Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame (hardcover, 225 pages, $25.00) is available at http://www.MagicPictureFrame.com, by calling toll-free 1-800-247-6553, at select bookstores, and on http://www.amazon.com.
Amazon link: http://www.magicpictureframe.com/buythebook.html
Watch the Magic Picture Frame video:
Take Anthony's History Test:
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July 1, 2011
powerhousehomeschooling @ 5:53 am:
I'm constantly adding new curriculum in each subject, so check back often. You can order these directly from the publisher indicated, or from Amazon, half.com, ebay, Christianbook, or a variety of other online sources for homeschooling curriculum.
September 1, 2011
dallysworld @ 1:17 am:
i used 2 do homeschool last year im only 13.but i sure know alot..i think u can my mom always did..somehow? i think?
September 19, 2011
Link Directory - Web Directory @ 8:02 pm:
Finding Affordable Homeschooling Curriculum