keeping records of homeschooling

[Adamsmama]

How do you keep your records? I started a notebook where I right down what my kindergartener is learning/studying each day, special field trips, etc. Is this what you all do? How detailed are your notes? I also have a folder where I'll keep his projects, artwork, and workbook pages, etc.

[Dakota's Mom]

I have a calendar that I write down what we do each day. Like today we did perimeters and homophones. I don't write a lot of detail. Tomorrow we will go to soccer. I'll write it down as PE. Since we do Time4Learning, I can print out the report of what he has done. It has the dates and the grades for each lesson. We don't have to keep any records in this state. I keep these mostly so my husband can see that we do do school work.

Kathi

[jlpumkin]

I have binders that I stick samples of work in. I also stick in any certificates or reciepts/description from outside classes taken. I have ambitious plans for next year though - I hope to incorporate more pictures from fieldtrips and activities along with a written description of topics covered that week. I should keep a lot fewer examples of work than what I was keeping. So I hope in the end we will have a personal yearbook of sorts that is more a keepsake and less formal record. Since we live in a state that doesn't require a portfolio.

[jrcronewillis]

In Missouri, we have to keep a logbook & portfolio. For the portfoliio, I just go through everything we've kept over the year and keep a reasonable sampling. I store that in a file box. This year I've finally found a logging program I really like: http://www.homeschooldaybook.com/
I've known for a while that I needed a logging program on the computer, but I don't need elaborate lesson planning (which is what things like Homeschool SkedTrack & HS Tracker are designed to do). We're much more eclectic and only needed something to actually log hours. The Homeschool Daybook has been perfect for that!

Good Luck!
Juliette

[sha_lyn]

I use the full version of Homeschool Tracker to keep record of resources, grades, fieldtrips, testing, co-op classes etc. I then print off detailed reports and report cards from HST and keep in a binder with copies of our letter of intent, monthly attendence reports and standarized test reports. I keep all papers for 2-3 yrs in a file drawer then throw out everything except tests or examples of work for curricula that do not have tests (IE writing strands).

[*Jessica*]

I use Homeschool Skedtrack, which is free, to keep track of what we've accomplished. While it is designed as a lesson planning software, it can just as easily be used to keep track of what you've already done instead of what you plan to do.

I also try to blog, but I'm not very good at keeping up with that because I get so busy doing other things. Blogging can be a great way to keep track of what has been accomplished, though. Keeping a journal, as you do now, is the same idea.

If what you're doing works, keep doing it!

[Smithie]

After looking at everydarnthing for keeping records on the computer, and talking to other independent homeschoolers in my state, I've decided just to keep completed worksheets in file folders and write down our daily work in a little appointment book that fits in my purse. We only have to submit attendance to our accountability group once at the end of the year, and I have not met nor heard of an independent homeschooler in my area who has been audited and forced to produce a portfolio. I'll keep all the material I would need to produce said portfolio, but I'm not going to spend any time or energy actually creating one.

[philomom]

I kept a weekly journal of what we had accomplished that week. Don't forget to add the educational field trips or the museum lectures or "lunch and learns" that you attend as well.

[MyLittleWonders]

I bought a lesson plan book, but I write down what we do *after* we do it (so when the boys have a recess break in the middle of lessons, I'll jot down what we did so far ... either the chapter we worked on, say, in Latin, or what lesson in spelling for each kid).

The plan book has seven "subject" spaces, so I have one for Latin (we do this together), math (I just write the kid's name and the page numbers covered), one for each kid for L/A (I include ds#3 even though most of what we do together is very organic), one for MCT (our L/A program we do together), and one for "electives" (we do a different elective, in theory, each day). I can glance back and see what we've done, what chapter we are on if I forget, etc. But, I don't feel overly stressed trying to keep up with plans I made months ago.

In terms of their work - for ds#1 and ds#2, they each have a big binder (2" I think) with page protectors and dividers. I keep pretty much all their written work for Latin, L/A, history, science, etc. Every half year (in Dec. and June), I take it all out and have it bound at Fed/Ex into a book for them. We just started this (I'm making their second book in a couple weeks) but they love looking back over their work and seeing their progress. For art (which was have been bad about), I have "porfolios" that I made from 11"x17" construction paper.

For ds#3, since he doesn't produce much and a lot of what constitutes his "work" are pictures I have taken of him doing different things, I just glue his stuff in a "main lesson book" like they use in Waldorf schools. He loves looking at the various little things he has done. Once he hits 1st grade, he'll have his own binder.

[PGTlatte]

I use a student assignment notebook from the grocery store and write down what we do each day. I also keep a spreadsheet at Googledocs, where I enter each activity by date and a code for each of the subject areas that are required by IL.

I am not legally required to keep these records in IL but I feel better having them. If a family is investigated for truancy here it is up to the family to prove that they are actually homeschooling.

I also keep DS1's written work in 3-ring binders.

[sahmmie]

I typed out a template listing each subject and resource we use. I print off a sheet (well, it's actually 2 pages) for each child each day and then jot down the actual pages/chapters/lesson numbers for each subject/resource each day. I use a 3 hole punch and keep the sheets in a binder.