Postby teacup » Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:15 pm
Even though your state does not require recordkeeping, I think I would reconsider avoiding it altogether. Although it may not seem important in elementary school, it definitely can be in high-school; especially if your child intends on attending college.
In order to give proper credit to subjects, you do need to be able to show how you arrived at a credit. Was 3/4 of a textbook completed, or was it a course where you need 120 hours? Colleges do look at transcripts, and depending on the college, you may need to back up what you are showing.
Keeping track of what you have done is not hard and does not have to be time consuming. I personally used 'The Homeschoolers High School Journal'; one for each year of high school. You can make your own record book or pick from numerous offers online.
As far as a portfolio, we kept a seperate 3-ring binder for each high school year (the thin 1 inch type). In the front of the binder I included a summary of all the courses completed and curriculum used. I then used regular dividers for each subject section. Depending on the subject, I included copies of tests, essays, and written reports. For some electives, like his Digital Photography course, I included pictures that he had taken and edited.
When my DS wanted to accelerate his learning at the community college by taking two classes, we shared his portfolio with the Dean of Admissions.
If our final transcripts had ever been questioned, and we had to substantiate our work, we would have been ready!
I know this was rather long, but I truly believe that accountability is important - especially for your high school student.[/i]
Married 20 yrs, 2 boys, homeschooled 12 years, Director of a Christian Home School Umbrella since 2001, living with MS
