If you live in PA

[mmasmommy]

how do you handle the log? I'm really struggling with how to do this...

 

"a log, made contemporaneously with the instruction, which designates by title the reading materials used"

[Carrie12345]

I've only turned in 1 portfolio so far, but it went through smoothly. I take "which designates by title the reading material used" seriously, and ONLY include books used. (I mention the fact that we use computer and video sources, along with conversation, elsewhere in the portfolio.)

 

Mine looks something like

 

9/13

SOTW

WWE2

FLL3

CW

 

9/14

WWE2

FLL3

Calvert2

AAS

 

9/15

CW

AAS

Bio

 

I include an abbreviation key on the first page, and keep a running tally to days to 180 on the bottom of each page of the log.

[JoyfulMama]

There are a few ways you can do this.

For me, I have a primary list of resources used for each subject. These are the ones we use for the majority of the year. Also, I have my reporting children keep a log of the books they read throughout the year. This is a simple notebook. Inside is written, for example:

9/14/10 Wilder, L. I.

The Long Winter

Now, for science we haven't used a written curriculum, so my log for that subject I just keep a log like the above of what books we use.

 

My school district seems to think that I should submit a daily written summary of each subject to hand into them, like a teacher's plan book or a lesson book. :smilielol5: So I politely keep reminding them that I am turning in what is required by the law. They say no more.

[Joy at Home]

I just list as many books as I can think of that we read or used. I do NOT sweat the portfolio at all. I don't include dates with my log. I start with four or five curriculum I use, then list fiction and non-fiction titles just by glancing over my bookshelf. We've used Sonlight in the past and I just type up the book list included in the core.

 

I've been a minimalist from the beginning and have never been questioned.

 

lisa

[justasque]

In theory, I (and/or my kids) keep a list of books my kids read, as we go through the year. When I started out, I kept daily records. As the years went by, I just wrote it up weekly. Eventually, I just printed out what we had checked out from the library (when it was time to return books) and noted which kid had read which book and kept the printouts in a folder, to be consulted before the evaluation when I made the actual list. Nowadays, I frantically bug the kiddos to remember what they've read the week before my evaluation, plus I go around the house looking at whatever printouts from the library I can find stuffed here and there, plus I write down all the books they've used for various co-ops or classes or whatever. Dd keeps her own records, 'cause she's like that, so that helps.

 

So it can work a variety of ways! :D I think each mom should read the law and decide what she's comfortable with, and what fits with her family's style of homeschooling. If you're consulting the same textbooks every day, that's a whole lot different than a "grab handfuls of books from the library each week" kind of approach, in terms of what logging style might work best.

 

I haven't ever turned in a daily log, though I kept one for the first few years as a back-up if needed. I do turn in a brief summary of what we did in various subjects, because I think it shows "appropriate ed" and isn't a lot of extra work for me the way a daily log would be, and I do an attendance calendar, because it amuses me that "attendance" is treated so seriously in a homeschool. :-)

 

Some turn in less, some more. People rarely have serious problems, regardless, so long as their <log + samples + test scores (if any)> makes a reasonable case for appropriate ed (days/subjects/progress) and raises no red flags.

Edited September 14, 2010 by askPauline

[NanceXToo]

Personally, I interpret that to mean a list of reading materials. I submit a list of all the books read- either by my daughter independently, or by me reading aloud to her, or books we used as "textbooks," resource material and so on.

 

I do it by starting a wordpad document each year, and as we read a book, I open up the document, add the title, and save. At the end, I have it ready to print out.

 

I do not include authors.

 

I do not list dates.

 

Here's what our book log looked like last year:

 

http://nancextoo.livejournal.com/122103.html

 

I do also tend to provide a log of "classes" and "field trips" that we participate in to round things out. Sometimes I include a short list of some educational websites we use.

 

I know that some people interpret this section of the law differently, but that is honestly how I interpret it, and my district has not given me a problem about it (and I don't live in a huge district with tons of homeschoolers that make them too busy to care, either. In fact, I've always considered them a bit of a PITA, but they haven't given me a hassle about this particular issue)!

[mmasmommy]

Thanks for all the quick responses!

 

I do have a weekly lesson plan binder. (not that we've stuck to my great plans all that much) So in theroy I could just submit a list of the textbooks that we used throughout the year and then a list of books that the kids/we read together? Then if they asked for more detail on the testbooks I'd have my lesson plans to refer to.

 

I'd really rather not give them more info than is required and then have that be expected of me every year but I also don't want to have to go back to get them more info either. :glare:

 

Pauline - I just have to say how much your website has helped me. The explinations of the law as well as the examples and printable forms on there are the reason I didn't lose my sanity trying to put my affidavit together. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! :001_smile:

Edited September 14, 2010 by mmasmommy

[mmasmommy]

Nance - We were posting at the same time. Thank you for including the link to your list! A list like that is exactly what I needed to see.

[NanceXToo]

Thanks for all the quick responses!

 

I do have a weekly lesson plan binder. (not that we've stuck to my great plans all that much) So in theroy I could just submit a list of the textbooks that we used throughout the year and then a list of books that the kids/we read together? Then if they asked for more detail on the testbooks I'd have my lesson plans to refer to.

 

Yep, that's what I'd do. Submit the list of books and texts. I also submit a "Summary" just sort of briefly summing up the types of things we did for each "required subject"- because I like to submit minimal samples (3-5 per subject, typically), and I think the "Summary" helps round it out a little bit, and (hopefully) prevents them from giving me a hard time about my portfolio. But anyway like I said, they've never given me a problem about the reading log.

 

I'd really rather not give them more info than is required and then have that be expected of me every year but I also don't want to have to go back to get them more info either. :glare:

 

I agree! Better not to "over-comply" and then feel forced to do so every year! And sometimes it works out fine to stand your ground, too. Like when I submitted my first portfolio, I gave the 3-5 samples per year, and my district called and tried telling me I didn't submit enough and "he wants to see all of it, all of your work, you should just bring in everything you have." I refused, told them in no uncertain terms that the law says SAMPLES, not "everything," that I'd given them the samples, I'd given them the evaluator's letter, I'd given them the summary (that wasn't even legally required). I told them (after confirming my position with the PDE) that if they felt an appropriate education wasn't being received, they could send me a certified letter saying so and detailing what they didn't have enough of in order to determine that an appropriate education was being received, and if they did that, I'd get them "a few more samples."

 

They backed down, never sent the certified letter, and accepted my portfolio without question the next year (said portfolio containing the same number of samples as that one had).

 

Pauline - I just have to say how much your website has helped me. The explinations of the law as well as the examples and printable forms on there are the reason I didn't lost my sanity trying to put my affidavit together. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! :001_smile:

 

Ditto!!! Pauline's site helped me SO much when I was a brand new homeschooler- and sometimes it still does. :D

 

You know, I have on the sidebar of my site the book logs I use, and the "Objectives" I use. I should put up a page with a sample of the "Summary" I send in!

[NanceXToo]

Nance - We were posting at the same time. Thank you for including the link to your list! A list like that is exactly what I needed to see.

 

You're welcome! Where in PA are you, anyway? (PM me if you want). I'm in Schuylkill County. If you're in it or nearby, I belong to and help organize a great meetup group consisting of homeschoolers in and around Schuylkill County. :D

[mmasmommy]

You're welcome! Where in PA are you, anyway? (PM me if you want). I'm in Schuylkill County. If you're in it or nearby, I belong to and help organize a great meetup group consisting of homeschoolers in and around Schuylkill County. :D

 

I wish we lived closer, I'm trying desperately to find a non religious based group anywhere near me. We're in York County.

[RegularMom]

I submit a book list separated into 3 sections: Curriculum Used For The Year, Read-Alouds, and Independent Reading. I don't list what books we used each day of the year. Our samples of work usually have dates on it because I have the kids put their names and the date on most things, so the district can get a sense of where we were in the math book at the beginning of the year if they want to.

 

I keep all the kids work in binders, so if the district were to ask me for dates, I'd probably lug in ALL the binders and let them figure it out. And that would be a lot of paper. But they've never requested any more stuff from me, so we seem to be doing okay with what we're handing in.

 

(I'm in Bucks County, btw.)

 

HTH.

[justasque]

If anyone is comfortable sharing, I'm always interested in gathering copies of folks' logs, summaries, objectives, etc. to put on my web site (or linking to them, if they're already on line), so that newbies can have examples to help them get started. If needed, I remove personal info (names, places) for privacy reasons. Just drop me an email if you have something you think would be useful. The more examples that are out there, the more we can all relax and focus on our kids rather than the paperwork.

--Pauline

ps - Nancex2, I pm'd you!

[NanceXToo]

I wish we lived closer, I'm trying desperately to find a non religious based group anywhere near me. We're in York County.

 

Ah, yeah, that can be tough! Maybe you can start your own! :)

[justasque]

Ah, yeah, that can be tough! Maybe you can start your own!

 

And then ask me to list it! ;)

(Actually, it takes me *months* to get to those requests, but eventually I do...)

[JoyfulMama]

I wish we lived closer, I'm trying desperately to find a non religious based group anywhere near me. We're in York County.

 

 

OOOOHH!!! We're NEIGHBORS!!! :seeya:

 

And I have a group for you, too! PM me!

[NanceXToo]

OOOOHH!!! We're NEIGHBORS!!! :seeya:

 

And I have a group for you, too! PM me!

 

<sticks tongue out at JoyfulMama>

 

She used to be in our group but she flat left us because most events were too far for her!

 

LOL :) (Ok I don't blame her but I wish she would have been able to stay in the group)!

[JoyfulMama]

<sticks tongue out at JoyfulMama>

 

She used to be in our group but she flat left us because most events were too far for her!

 

LOL :) (Ok I don't blame her but I wish she would have been able to stay in the group)!

 

Hmmm.... I did that too, back when the group started. :tongue_smilie:

[NanceXToo]

Hmmm.... I did that too, back when the group started. :tongue_smilie:

 

LOL...actually I was talking to the OP about you, not vice versa. That was confusing huh? hehe.