Is your blog also your portfolio for record-keeping?

[aiea]

Hi there,

We are delving into hsing with a little more mindfulness now that DD1 is nearing 4 years old. For those who blog, my questions are -

Do you write with the goal of showing your blog to the state for satisfying their requirements? We're in FL and are required (or encouraged) to keep a portfolio or similar record, depending on the method of hsing we use.

I have never blogged but I thought it might be easy to tag entries by multiple subjects, like geography + biology + ecology when we go on a field trip to the swamp south of us. Then we could search per subject to show authorities, grandparents, etc what we are up to.

Would love to see your blogs (I have meandered through several already)... esp if you use them for this purpose. Thanks!

[Callimom]

Originally Posted by aiea

Hi there,

We are delving into hsing with a little more mindfulness now that DD1 is nearing 4 years old. For those who blog, my questions are -

Do you write with the goal of showing your blog to the state for satisfying their requirements? We're in FL and are required (or encouraged) to keep a portfolio or similar record, depending on the method of hsing we use.

I have never blogged but I thought it might be easy to tag entries by multiple subjects, like geography + biology + ecology when we go on a field trip to the swamp south of us. Then we could search per subject to show authorities, grandparents, etc what we are up to.

Would love to see your blogs (I have meandered through several already)... esp if you use them for this purpose. Thanks!

I do sort of. We aren't required to keep a portfolio but I track things like field trips, books we read etc in case I ever needed to produce evidence. It also includes daily life stuff and the occassional rant. It's set to private but if you pm me your email address I can send you an invite.

Karen

[justthinkn]

I blog for lots of reasons, and wouldn't need to show the state any records like that, but I do think a blog works well as a portfolio! I wonder also about using social networking sites like goodreads.com to track reading... I think there might even be a widget you could put in your blog's sidebar... You can also pick and choose to make some posts private if you need to.

[greenmamapagan]

It is one of the reasons I blog but I don't ave the expectation of showing it to anyone official, more as a kind of memory jog/easy place to notate things.

[elizawill]

my blog could definitely benefit me if i needed "proof" of homeschooling. i keep progress reports, records, attendance, and a portfolio from each year in my home, but my blog has photos and lots of entries that could be of great use as well.

[Aeress]

We are moving to an eportfolio for the kids cause 1)I would love to have less paperwork, 2)it allows me to save some time. We have kept blogs and paper portfolios in the past, so I am combining the two.

I think we are going to use this

Google also has a site you can use, but since I have the two kids to track this year, I decided to go with something that would simplify things.

[aiea]

Awesome, thanks everyone.

[cappuccinosmom]

Not for state requirements or anything.

But I definitely include things on my blog with an eye towards satisfying anyone who might question how well-rounded my children's education is. Pics and descriptions of activities, field trips, and any particularly stunning work are a regular part of my blog.

[mymiraclebabies]

I'm actually using my blog as a way to remember our home learning journey in great detail because I plan to write a memoir about our adventures one day. And, while my kids are still young, it will be fun when they are 18 took look back at what interested them at 3 and see if it in some way is an important part of their newly adult lives, too.

[nov05mama]

Originally Posted by mymiraclebabies

I'm actually using my blog as a way to remember our home learning journey in great detail because I plan to write a memoir about our adventures one day. And, while my kids are still young, it will be fun when they are 18 took look back at what interested them at 3 and see if it in some way is an important part of their newly adult lives, too.

Ditto!!

[kanga2roo]

I am just thinking of starting a blog! I've never done it, and would like it to be private. I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions and links so I can see what you all have done. Thanks