How to formally promote children with no grade label???

[Mama2Many4]

So, we're still plowing foreword with our studies. My oldest son is on so many levels in his schooling. He is 8 years old and just started his 3rd grade math book, 4th grade grammar book, 6th grade science book, 5th grade readers,.....you get the idea.

 

My youngest son is also doing the same thing. He's finishing up 1st grade math, starting 3rd grade readers, 6th grade science, etc.

 

We don't have specific "grades" that they are in. We also school year round. But I'd like to promote them somehow. If you don't label your children with a "grade level", what do you do for them? I'd like to give them a certificate of achievement of some sort and take them out for dinner. What can I do? I'm so lost with this.

 

This is the first year we dropped the "grade levels" and just let them work on what they can handle. :confused:

Edited April 27, 2012 by 3Blessings4Me

[Dmmetler]

We go out to a pizza and games place with some of our friends and celebrate whatever we have to celebrate-finishing a year of school, learning to tie shoes, mastering the multiplication tables and so on. There's always SOMETHING to celebrate, even if you don't do formal grade levels and don't necessarily finish curriculum materials at the end of the year.

 

We also clean out DD's binders where we collect work papers all year and save a few work samples, take photos of the enormous pile of paper, and recycle everything. If a book/workbook isn't yet finished, it simply goes back on the shelf for the next school year.

[5LittleMonkeys]

First, I commend you for meeting your dc where they are instead of teaching to grade level.:D

 

If they aren't completing their subjects at the same time you could give them a certificate as they complete each one and then once a year (January maybe) take them out in celebration of completing a full year of studies.

[Momling]

I think grade level is pretty arbitrary in schools and especially arbitrary in homeschools. So, like most of us, I connect grades simply to chronological ages and not to ability or knowledge or maturity. With few exceptions, this is the same way that schools and camps and sports programs and Sunday School or other religious education programs tend to categorize kids. So... If I were you I would "promote" them every September into the new grade entirely based upon age.

 

I suppose an alternative would be to celebrate the completion of each textbook and the "promotion" to the next one.

[NittanyJen]

My kids are in the same boat-- ungraded with the state and all over the place in skill levels, and to add to the mix, finishing subjects on a "rolling basis;" DS11 has already completed the year's requirements in writing, has a little way to go in logic stage ancient history and German, a little more in Latin, just a skosh in Chemistry, quite a lot in something else, is nearly there in pre-algebra, etc.

 

DS8 is already finished his Medieval grammar stage history and math requirements, is close in Chemistry, has a bit to go in writing and Latin, a long way to go in German, and so on. (as each subject completes, we just roll into "next year" and keep going).

 

I did this:

 

I made a list of milestones for each subject (ie, finish pre-algebra with at least a 90% on the final; finish Latin with at least a 90% on the final; recite two approved poems from memory; complete Vocabulary Workshop A with 90% mastery; etc. They get to check each one off as it is completed.

 

DS8 gets a Skylander when he completes his list; DS11 is still negotiating. When both boys have completed their milestones, we will take 10 days off from school to relax and do what they want or travel/take local field trips (fun ones), but no real school work. I'm sure we'll do a dinner out as well. This way they still get to mark having accomplished something. Their milestone lists hang on the fridge door, so on days like today when things are going really well and DS11 finds he has extra time, he looks over the list and says, "You know, I could study math a little more today, and maybe do an extra history lesson too . . ." :)

[Ellie]

We just didn't. :-)

 

Oh, in the fall, when children moved up in their Sunday school classes, I'd look dds in the face and say, "Dear, you're now 'in' fourth grade. Go forth and prosper." (On paper, I kept them at the grad level they'd have been in based on their birthdays and the state cut-off date. It made Sunday school teachers and grandparents happy; also, random friends who asked the dc what grades they were "in," as many people seem unable to relate to children by their ages. Go figure.)

 

Otherwise, we might have celebrated when dd finished a specific project or whatnot; it seemed better to me to celebrate then rather than wait a whole year to recognize achievements, KWIM?

[Caribbean Queen]

We don't have specific "grades" that they are in. We also school year round. But I'd like to promote them somehow ...I'd like to give them a certificate of achievement of some sort and take them out for dinner.

I don't think promotion would make sense. Promotion to what? Certificate of acheivement of what? How about saying, "We have been learning so much and doing great work in our homeschool. I think we should celebrate! Let's go out to dinner!"

 

If you don't label your children with a "grade level", what do you do for them?

I plan our studies by quarter. At the end of each term we do CM style exams. I call them "Show What You Know Days" My children recite what they have memorized that term, do oral narrations, and we admire some of their drawings and writings. Then we eat some party food and do no lessons for the day. The next term will have different science and Bible topics, artists, composers, hymns and poems. Show What You Know Day gives my children a sense of accomplishment. It gives the term a satisifying closure. I used to think I didn't need to give exams since I already know what my children know, but I am glad I gave exams a try, just to see what I was missing. They're nice.

[Mandy in TN]

Exactly as you said. Promote them. In Aug, when the other kids go back to school, take a beginning of the year photo and create a 2012-2013 scrapbook page. Yay! It's a new school year. :)

 

HTH-

Mandy

 

ETA- last year I included things like height, weight, and age.

Edited April 27, 2012 by Mandy in TN

[boscopup]

My kids are still called their age grade, even though they work at various levels. I promote when our new school year starts (after a 3 week break - we just pick up where we left off). All of our curriculum starts at different times.

 

It's kind of like how Ellie described it... I told DS1 that he'll be in third grade at the end of June. He's been working at a 3rd-4th grade level all year. :)

 

We don't really do any celebrations.

[Puma Mom]

I don't think promotion would make sense. Promotion to what? Certificate of achievement of what? How about saying, "We have been learning so much and doing great work in our homeschool. I think we should celebrate! Let's go out to dinner!"

Mine would have looked at me like I was crazy if I had a 'promotion ceremony' for them. We haven't even done graduation ceremonies. (We have done graduation trips instead!) We do school, we progress in skills and understanding, we take a break, we go on vacations, we do more school. And so on.

[Clear Creek]

Grade level isn't necessarily the number written on the textbook, it is the number of the year of schooling. Look ahead...at what point are you going to declare the child graduated? Spring of 20xx, January of 20xx, when? Then count back by years. Since we typically have twelve years of formal schooling, if they are in their third of twelve years we call that third grade. If they are in their eighth of twelve years we call that eighth grade. Use the time of year/month of their projected graduation as the promotion point for each preceding grade. Every year on that date give them a certificate, take them to dinner, or whatever, and congratulate them on being one year closer to graduation.

[Mama2Many4]

Grade level isn't necessarily the number written on the textbook, it is the number of the year of schooling. Look ahead...at what point are you going to declare the child graduated? Spring of 20xx, January of 20xx, when? Then count back by years. Since we typically have twelve years of formal schooling, if they are in their third of twelve years we call that third grade. If they are in their eighth of twelve years we call that eighth grade. Use the time of year/month of their projected graduation as the promotion point for each preceding grade. Every year on that date give them a certificate, take them to dinner, or whatever, and congratulate them on being one year closer to graduation.

 

All of the responses were helpful, although this comment really made my day. That's EXACTLY what I was hoping for! I'll promote them by year, not grade. My oldest has been schooling for 3 years so I'll promote him to his 4th year. My middle child will be promoted to his 2nd year and my youngest will be promoted to 1/2 year. :lol:

[2_girls_mommy]

Exactly as you said. Promote them. In Aug, when the other kids go back to school, take a beginning of the year photo and create a 2012-2013 scrapbook page. Yay! It's a new school year. :)

 

HTH-

Mandy

 

ETA- last year I included things like height, weight, and age.

 

Thats how we do it. The new year starts Aug. 1st. We do the formal first day with a picture and special projects like decorating new notebooks for the school year and whatnot. It works for us as a beginning date because we take July off. We do start some new curric at that time like math. We generally try to finish a math curric in the Aug-June time frame. But some things we just pick up where we left off in June. My dd7 will be in 2nd grade phonics, 3rd grade math and English, and following along with her sister's 5th grade science. We will pick up SOTW4 where we left off until we finish it and start the cycle back over again. Odd will be in some 5th and 6th grade materials and lots of things that are not graded (just studying things..)

 

But I call them what their grade would be by age in P.S. They need that for sports, Sunday school promotions, camps and VBS and what not.

[MinivanMom]

Our state requires annual standardized testing, so we always schedule it for the week before we start our little summer break. On the last day of testing, I take them out to lunch to celebrate being "done" for the year. My kids love this for reasons I don't fully understand.

 

When we start back up after our little summer break, I make little posters that proclaim their new grade level (based on public school cut-offs). I take their pictures with their poster and we post it on their bedroom doors for a week or two. It's completely silly, because of course the grade level is meaningless. However, this has helped them learn and remember their age-based grade level for when grownups ask or they have to be grouped up by grade in church or at activities. People are always asking what grade they are in, so I consider it a social skill for them to learn to respond with their age-based grade.

[lewelma]

I don't think promotion would make sense. Promotion to what? Certificate of acheivement of what? How about saying, "We have been learning so much and doing great work in our homeschool. I think we should celebrate! Let's go out to dinner!

 

:iagree: Then at dinner I have them read their best piece of writing out loud to the family. And show off their favourite piece of art. We discuss their successes in other subjects, and what each child wants to work harder on for next year. It is always a nice, special night.

 

My kids don't really get into certificates. They get excited about finishing a math book not about "being promoted" to the next grade.

 

Ruth in NZ

[LEK]

I am going by age, she will be promoted when her peers are promoted in PS based on age, what level we are working on in each area is irrelevant. However as we get closer to highschool age i may change this and correct her grade level to her current working level, that was we will have a graduation age/year.

 

ATM we celebrate finishing curricula not grades. Whenever she finishes a book we have a small celebration or if it was really hard going on her a bigger celebration. We went all out with a mini party when she finished her first phonics book this year, she found it tough going in the beginning and we were all so proud we though a party was definitely in order.

[kalliemorgan]

As far as socially, I have found when people ask what grade my kids are in, they aren't asking for brain size, they are asking for their age. So each year, as long as they aren't woefully falling behind, they are in the next grade. Just like every other kid out there. No ceremony needed. It's enough for them just to know they are getting older and wiser! :) Even if my kids are "doing" higher grade stuff, they still only claim to be the grade they are the appropriate age for. No smug show offs here. What we do in the classroom is our own business. But that's just me.

[ZooRho]

We didn't do anything until the end of my oldest 8th grade year.

 

that summer we took him out to eat and gave him a "certificate" that said he was moving from our Lower academy to the upper academy. It was a sweet moment.

 

I think we did something similar with our youngest.

[ALB]

Grade level isn't necessarily the number written on the textbook, it is the number of the year of schooling. Look ahead...at what point are you going to declare the child graduated? Spring of 20xx, January of 20xx, when? Then count back by years. Since we typically have twelve years of formal schooling, if they are in their third of twelve years we call that third grade. If they are in their eighth of twelve years we call that eighth grade. Use the time of year/month of their projected graduation as the promotion point for each preceding grade. Every year on that date give them a certificate, take them to dinner, or whatever, and congratulate them on being one year closer to graduation.

I really like this perspective as opposed to simply copying what the child would be considered based on a cutoff date.

[rocketgirl]

We'll do a formal end of year field trip & call our grade over. We'll put many things away and may take a couple of fun days off, but we'll still "school" during the summer. We'll be more laid back for summer but we won't stop Math & we'll do more Science, Social Studies and Art. As we complete our "grade level" handwriting, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling curricula, we'll stop. I won't have them start the new grade level books until fall, but as we continue writing throughout the summer I'll encourage my kids to remember & use their handwriting, grammar and spelling in their writing. My kids work at varying grade levels in their subjects too, but we still classify a grade level for them based on their age. That way whenever we do state testing, they test at that grade level of their age level peers, irregardless of whether they work a year above in Math, or whatever. And it helps me plan, I have one entering middle school and I want to make sure I am offering the Science and Math she will need now to be able to handle the Science and Math in high school level classes.

 

If you are looking for something "ceremonial" I know you know what your kids would like, work with that. For the first day of school this year we took our kids out to breakfast after taking first day of school photos at the park, they loved it! In the Fall, we'll do the same thing, we'll also buy new school supplies, open boxes of new school books, because we love that. My kids are fairly fresh out of public school, there they took one field trip out of school each year and it was around the last week of school, so they still kind of look forward to that, so we go do something fun & make it a big deal & they love it.

Edited April 29, 2012 by rocketgirl

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

I think grade level is pretty arbitrary in schools and especially arbitrary in homeschools. So, like most of us, I connect grades simply to chronological ages and not to ability or knowledge or maturity. With few exceptions, this is the same way that schools and camps and sports programs and Sunday School or other religious education programs tend to categorize kids. So... If I were you I would "promote" them every September into the new grade entirely based upon age.

 

I suppose an alternative would be to celebrate the completion of each textbook and the "promotion" to the next one.

 

:iagree: My boys also are all over the place in terms of ability for various subjects. I consider grades to be an indicator of age only. I promote my boys every September based upon that. We do light lessons over the summer, but those tend to taper off toward August. September is our 'get back in the groove and get serious' time, so that seems like an appropriate time to celebrate a 'move up' so to speak. And then, as a teacher, I meet them wherever they are. :)

[LetsDoMath]

How about an end of the school year celebratory dinner (near end of PS school year), followed a beginning of the school year celebratory dessert?

 

:drool5: