POLL: What is your record keeping style?

[HSMom2One]

What is your style when it comes to keeping records of your child's (children's) yearly school work? I'm curious to know what the majority of WTM boardies do. Please be honest, and if you select "Other" be sure to post what you mean on the thread.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[lionfamily1999]

I put all his test/review grades into an Excel file, every Friday. I've kept everything he's done so far, but it's only been seven months, lol, I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep it all, but I'm thinking of throwing together a BIG folder for each four year period.

[joannqn]

We use a virtual academy and are required to write monthly reviews telling the school what we covered. I make mine more detailed than required and print them up at the end of the school year for my own records. These reports cover everything I feel we need: what topics we covered in each subject, books we've read, field trips we've taken, and anything else that's interesting. I also keep our annual testing results, a few samples of our core work (LA, math), and creative writing efforts.

[Tap]

For elementary school I don't keep anything.

 

For High School I keep a very good sample of work, time logs, and toss it all in a box.

[Plucky]

I only keep high school records with binders. Important graded work/reports/essays/tests go in it for each subject.

[SilverMoon]

This one seems to fit us the most ~ I have notebooks w/ samples of everything, reading lists, grades & attendance at end of year.

 

I just stuff it all into binders without sorting out the best. If it can't be three hole punched it can be glued to something that can, or have a picture taken of it that can. We're not required to keep attendance though. I haven't kept grades thus far, but will be starting with my oldest this fall.

[Janet in WA]

I didn't keep records until high school.

 

I never found a software system that suited me, so for high school record keeping, I created my own system. Most of the records were on paper, on documents I designed myself. The only records that were actually kept in my computer were transcripts (which I also created myself), course descriptions, and resumes.

 

The only samples of my sons' work that I kept were original things like writing and art.

[Closeacademy]

I keep--samples of work, workbooks, binders (notebooking, lapbooks, etc.), year end reviews and goals for the year.

 

I also schedule out the year and update these evey other week.

:001_smile:

[beezus]

Right now everything is in a box for the year - well, since the last semester of 6th grade, when we started homeschooling. I did weekly checklists of things we were doing, so I will keep those to summarize what we did. I also plan on keeping the writing assignments and the art projects. Other things I will probably get rid of later.

 

Kathleen

[HSMom2One]

There was a really good article in the HSLDA magazine, I believe it was their March/April issue. Did anyone read it? A lot of it was information we've all thought of before, but it was still a great piece.

 

According to the article, records could help parents demonstrate that they are providing an appropriate education for their child. Sometimes things come up completely unexpected that would require some kind of proof of what you are doing. Reading this made me realize that I'd rather have it and not need it than scramble to pull something together under stress and pressure.

 

Another point was that rather than thinking of the records as something for other people, the records are really for you. They help gauge progress, plan upcoming courses and document special accomplishments in a much better way than our own memories do in serving those needs.

 

In our current environment with so much mystery about the future of homeschooling (CRC, for instance) - I'm thinking that for our family I should be tracking things even closer than before. We live in a rapidly changing world and can so easily get caught off guard.

 

These are just some thoughts for this week. I am really enjoying reading your posts and watching the poll.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Starr]

I do keep some records although I said none in the pole. I keep things for 1 year and then get rid of all but things that touch my heart. :) The school district isn't going to check back and see what happened in first grade. I do keep a copy of state mandated quarterly reports and testing. We also keep more records of books read in high school and things we might need for college admission.

[KidsHappen]

I use an umbrella school that keeps all records. I don't keep anything (actual physical work) for elementary level but everything at high school level.

[nukeswife]

I voted other because I'm a grouping of various things.

 

My kids still in elementary, but what I did depended on the state I lived in. We're military so that changes from time to time. The 1st year we homeschooled I was in FL so I had to keep a log of what we did everyday, I used HST+ for this since it made it so much easier. I also used HST+ to keep a log of our read alouds and what my kids read on their own. I then kept a portfolio with samples of work for the teacher eval at the end of the year.

 

The past 2 years we've lived in VA which allows me to test my own kids, so we do that and all their work (yes every last paper) goes into a cardboard file box, that way if I ever need anything I have it.

 

This next year even though we'll still be in VA I'm going to use HST+ again to keep a log of what we do as well as saving all those papers. I figure using HST+ now will help me to learn all the ins and outs of the program before they hit High School age. :)

[siloam]

I don't live in a state that requires record keeping, so I just throw it all in a box in case I want it someday.

 

When we get to High School I am sure I will keep meticulous records to create a transcript from. :D

 

Heather

 

[Wee Pip]

It's hard because we school year-round, and the kids move up to the next grade level book when they finish their workbook. Example: Dd started 3rd gr Reading in Dec, 3rd gr Math in April, & 3rd gr English in May. She'll obviously finish these up at different times, so I don't know when to "end" a period, kwim?

 

For record keeping: We use workbooks. After each lesson is completed, I write the date on the front of the page. If it was a test, I try to write some sort of grade, but I don't log it anywhere (but it's there if I ever need it).

 

For storing: I keep every workbook and when it is finished, I write Child's Name and Date Completed on the front. For outside-of-the-workbook items, I 3-hole punch and stick in a big teacher's binder with the date. Eventually, I'll stick workbooks & binder into a labeled box & stuff it into storage, but I'm not that organized!

[usetoschool]

The only record I keep is a high school transcript to give to the college. One college graduate, one part way through, and one 2 year long cosmetology school graduate (which by the way cost more than the first ones college!) and so far this is all we have needed.

[HSMom2One]

I voted other because I'm a grouping of various things.

 

My kids still in elementary, but what I did depended on the state I lived in. We're military so that changes from time to time. The 1st year we homeschooled I was in FL so I had to keep a log of what we did everyday, I used HST+ for this since it made it so much easier. I also used HST+ to keep a log of our read alouds and what my kids read on their own. I then kept a portfolio with samples of work for the teacher eval at the end of the year.

 

The past 2 years we've lived in VA which allows me to test my own kids, so we do that and all their work (yes every last paper) goes into a cardboard file box, that way if I ever need anything I have it.

 

This next year even though we'll still be in VA I'm going to use HST+ again to keep a log of what we do as well as saving all those papers. I figure using HST+ now will help me to learn all the ins and outs of the program before they hit High School age. :)

 

What is HST+? I've never heard of that one before.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[siloam]

What is HST+? I've never heard of that one before.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

The Home School Tracker Plus edition.

 

Heather

[LaxMom]

We used a very relaxed umbrella so would provide an overview of the year and a materials/resource list at the end of the school year. Now, I'm the director of the branch of the umbrella that serves our side of the state, so I keep my own folder. (Which seems ludicrous, since umbrellas in MD are religious schools and, thus records are without scrutiny by the state.)

 

I keep my materials and reading lists in HST+ so I can plan the year. At the end of the year, the materials all go into a large under-the-bed box, ready for the boys when they get to be that level (we conveniently spaced the children so that once Bailey is finished with the 4 year grammar rotation, the boys will be starting...bahahaha). If I had to, I could just print off the reports from HST or pull out the box.

[WTMCassandra]

I selected "Who needs records?" because I don't keep detailed records K-8. I do keep most completed workbooks (each child has a "school keepsake" tub), and we keep a writing notebook. I also keep all test results.

 

Next year my DD will go into 7th grade, and I will use junior high to start teaching her to keep her own logs of her work. I plan to do the same thing with my son the next year. I hope by 9th grade to have them keeping most of their own daily records, although I will be doing the course descriptions and grading and such.

 

I don't think records are needed before high school unless you have to have them to comply with your state's regulations.

[laurad1125]

I religiously log everything into a software system AND I have boxes of papers labeled by year. Apparently, I have a split personality....:)

[Sharon in SC]

I religiously log everything into a software system AND I have boxes of papers labeled by year. Apparently, I have a split personality....:)

 

Splitting with you 'cause that's what I do only, instead of boxes, I have accordian files one/school year/student.

[Chris in VA]

Stuff it in a plastic box, shove it in a corner, and swear I'll deal with it...someday.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I have a planner for each kid, with the subjects across the top and the days of the week down the side of each two page spread. I simply record what they did in each subject after they complete it. I count the days on the planner as we go through the year because we are required to do 181 days of school, but I don't record the time we work each day (because I'm not required to do so). I don't grade most subjects, so grades aren't recorded. At the end of the year, I transfer their grammar and history notebooks into tagboard binders, and label them for storage. I save their math workbooks. If I need a book list, I just go through the planner and write down the books they read.

 

I do this all during the day, so it requires minimal outside-school time.

[skaterbabs]

Dot has a drawer full of "assignments" she completed in the past 12 months. Yacko has a dishtub of the same. :tongue_smilie:

 

Grades k-7 only report math & language arts, so at the end of the year we go through and staple the LA portfolio together and the math portfolio together.

 

This coming year we're using CLE, so their portfolios will hold only the final tests for each lightunit. I'll probably 3-hole punch the LUs and stick them in a binder.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[HSMom2One]

I have a planner for each kid, with the subjects across the top and the days of the week down the side of each two page spread. I simply record what they did in each subject after they complete it. I count the days on the planner as we go through the year because we are required to do 181 days of school, but I don't record the time we work each day (because I'm not required to do so). I don't grade most subjects, so grades aren't recorded. At the end of the year, I transfer their grammar and history notebooks into tagboard binders, and label them for storage. I save their math workbooks. If I need a book list, I just go through the planner and write down the books they read.

 

I do this all during the day, so it requires minimal outside-school time.

 

I really like your system, Suzanne! For those people that aren't required to record grades, attendance, etc. this seems like a very efficient method.

 

I've often wondered if I really want to be dependent on electricity and/or my computer for our homeschool information -- especially our weekly and yearly lesson plans. I have used the electronic system trackers and they are great, but there is something to be said about hard copy records that can be pulled out no matter what the circumstances. Come to think of it, those of us that use Quicken should think about this - or at the very least print off a report or register at the end of each month, but maybe that's a topic for yet another thread.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Tammyla]

Homeschooltracker user here for years. The free version worked so well and the customer service was very helpful that I ended up with the upgrade.

 

Disclaimer...I generally track vs. plan with it. I do like my traditional planner and dd's stuff is already mapped out for me.