GaHadley Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 How do you grade and what do you do with the grades if you don't have to report them? Do you make report card type reports for your own records? Do you use grades for motivation for your kids? We are doing K right now, so we are pretty laid back as far as records go, and I make her correct her math sheets if there are any mistakes, but there usually aren't since I'm sitting right with her But, next year we start first grade, and it will be our first year reporting to the state, so I feel like it's our "get down to business" year as far as my record keeping and us making sure we get all our days in. We have only to report our attendance in our state. . . If you don't have to report such things to your state, when do you start keeping up with grades? any info on grades would be most appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennefer@SSA Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 My ds is in 3d grade. We're in Texas so there is no reporting whatsoever. As of yet, we haven't kept track of grades at all. I know exactly where his strengths and weaknesses are and for now, that's enough for me. I haven't really thought about when I will start doing more grading but I guess by middle school I should, huh? I need to get him ready for college where his work will be formally evaluated. I will be following this thread to see what others say. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 (edited) How do you grade and what do you do with the grades if you don't have to report them?I bought a student records folder from ABeka and will have a hard copy of all my kid's records. https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=19208 Do you make report card type reports for your own records? Yes, I want report cards should I ever change our reporting status from private school to home study program or if they should ever go back to school. Having records and test scores will make the process easier and may eliminate the need for them to "test" my children. I use the same grading scale of the local school just in case the children ever go back to school. The Abeka sample forms comes with some sample report cards. I am using a microsoft word template from their office templates site that I edited to fit our school for the elementary grades. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC300060511033.aspx?pid=CT101438521033 R&S also has a report card and envelope for 50 cents. http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-19111SET/ Do you use grades for motivation for your kids? Yes, I have found that grading helps to motivate my kids. They came out of the school system so they take pride in good report cards and well know they need to work to bring up grades that aren't so great. I do not focus on the grades with them. I praise the good grades and talk about getting out of something what you put into it. I have a slacker 4th grader that tries to slide by on some sloppy work sometimes. Now on math where she honestly has trouble, I don't stress anything but time will help you to learn it better and with more practice it will come easier. Plus a report card can get lots of neat stuff and the neat stuff is incentive for good grades and trying harder. For example, Chuckee Cheese, The Video Arcade...they all give children free tokens and such for honor roll report cards. Special prices to the hockey games...These are big motivators for my 4th grader. We are doing K right now, so we are pretty laid back as far as records go, and I make her correct her math sheets if there are any mistakes, but there usually aren't since I'm sitting right with her In Kindergarten, they normally only grade S-satisfactory, U-Unsatisfactory, or N-needs improvement or they have a master scale b-beginning p-progressing m-mastery. These are some sample kindergarten report cards. http://www.bham.wednet.edu/departments/currdept/asmtoff/documents/GradeKReportCard.pdf http://www.pinerichland.org/reportcards/kindergarten.pdf You can also ask your local school district for a sample report card. I try to do something similar to the local school district for records just in case. But, next year we start first grade, and it will be our first year reporting to the state, so I feel like it's our "get down to business" year as far as my record keeping and us making sure we get all our days in. We have only to report our attendance in our state. . . That is the same way here. I have to keep a record of attendance. We have to attend 185 days of school a year. I keep up with ours in homeschool tracker and print out a report at the end of each quarter for each child and then a report at the end of the year that shows the total. If you don't have to report such things to your state, when do you start keeping up with grades? From the beginning, it helps me to be accountable. I think of it this way. When I am spending money and using the debit card (without writing everything down in the register), I may think I have a handle on my balance until I go on Monday and check it on the bank site and start itemizing and realize that I have overspent. Same thing with grades. Seeing the grades on paper and averaging them can help to pinpoint weaknesses and even sloppy work in certain type subjects. It helps me to not lose track of one of the kids in the shuffle. I have four kids and this helps me to do my best for each of them and to really stay on top of their progress. any info on grades would be most appreciated! I think report cards or an assessment is important for both the teacher and the child. It can help me as much as it can help the children. I can see areas that maybe I need to work to make sure they understand better. . Edited January 9, 2010 by OpenMinded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 How do you grade and what do you do with the grades if you don't have to report them? I don't "grade" things; I correct them. Do you make report card type reports for your own records? No. Do you use grades for motivation for your kids? No way. If you don't have to report such things to your state, when do you start keeping up with grades? Probably around high school level, although I would be prepared to generate report cards/academic records for any age if something happened and I needed to send dc to school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 How do you grade and what do you do with the grades if you don't have to report them? Never assign a grade. I check the work and any errors are corrected. Do you make report card type reports for your own records? Never. I keep detailed records of work completed. Do you use grades for motivation for your kids? Never. Getting the work done and correct for the day is their motivation. They get their free time when they are all done. If you don't have to report such things to your state, when do you start keeping up with grades? I've graduated a son who is in college and the only time I assigned grades was for his HS transcript. All A's because our teaching approach is such that they aren't finished until the work is 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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