Storing ALL that work....??

[DragonflyAcademy]

I read somewhere.. I don't remember where.. that it is wise to keep at least 6 to 7 years worth of work per child.. In case the school takes issue with your homeschooling.. (I live in a very "High Demands" state for paperwork etc..so I am always leery of not having proof that we do..do school)

 

I have 3 years of work for 1 child, 2 for another, 1 for the third... I have them all just piled..loosely grouped by year.. in a large rubbermaid tote.. that is full and too heavy to move..

 

Is there a better way to store all the papers, art, workbooks, materials, reports etc etc etc that we produce in a year?

[myfunnybunch]

Instead of keeping everything, would you be comfortable just making a portfolio of samples? Keep a running list of completed texts and workbooks (then get rid of them), make a list of books read during the year, save the "best of" projects and reports, take pictures of the rest. That would cut down significantly on the storage.

 

I understand the concern about feeling you may need to prove you're actually educating the kids, but really the proof is in the pudding. (I do keep lists and a few projects just in case, even though I believe have no reason to be concerned. It makes me feel better. :tongue_smilie: ) If the children are progressing and learning, it will be clear, especially if you're in a state the requires regular testing.

 

:)

 

Cat

[LillyMama]

Instead of keeping everything, would you be comfortable just making a portfolio of samples? Keep a running list of completed texts and workbooks (then get rid of them), make a list of books read during the year, save the "best of" projects and reports, take pictures of the rest. That would cut down significantly on the storage.

 

I understand the concern about feeling you may need to prove you're actually educating the kids, but really the proof is in the pudding. (I do keep lists and a few projects just in case, even though I believe have no reason to be concerned. It makes me feel better. :tongue_smilie: ) If the children are progressing and learning, it will be clear, especially if you're in a state the requires regular testing.

 

:)

 

Cat

 

:iagree:

 

Pictures of projects on a flash drive, reading lists and HST+ is all I plan to keep for "the man." What I keep for my kids, on the other hand, is another story.

[mom2scouts]

I make a weekly lesson plan and then update it with what we actually did. I print these out and put them in a portfolio with samples of work and pictures of activities. That is all I keep from each year. Everything else is thrown away at the end of the school year.

[pbb119]

I keep ALL tests and anything else I feel like would be good to keep for whatever reason. I keep only what I can store in a banker's box, which I label with the child's name, grade, and school year. As far as books, I only keep books I think I will use later. I don't keep workbooks either, but I do keep composition books (it may be fun for them to read through later!).

[Parrothead]

I find banker's boxes to be convenient ways to store a year's worth of school work.

[DragonflyAcademy]

I have never heard of bankers boxes...I will look into it.

 

I think a sampling, plus photos is a good idea..thanks...I will see if I can migrate to that ideal...the bins of papers is taking up too much room

 

And my kids do take a standardized test every year..I submit their scores...but I am a worry wart..so I have kept every scrap of paper, every workbook..everything

[Tap]

Up until high school level work, I only keep the previous years work. As far as I know about our state, the only time you would ever need to show work completed was if they were contesting grade or level placement that is dictated by birthday. In our state, if a student has no records following them into primary or middle school, the student would be placed in general ed classes, for their birth date. If the parent wanted them considered for special ed or honors classes, then the student may need to show work...but never (!) more than a year or two (I suppose unless the kid is truly 3 years or more ahead?). I can not conceive of an outcome that would result from a student in 6th grade, not having 2nd grade work samples. Most schools require placement tests for advance placement, and that won't change based on work samples

 

DS17 went into 10th grade in a public high school after homeschooling for 5 years. We wanted him placed in Spanish 3, pre-AP English, and pre-AP Pre-calculus. We went to the school, who directed us to the head of the math department. I show him a current sample of ds's Algebra 2/Geo and he took a placement test. He passed the test with no problems. He was enrolled as we asked and he did great. The other subjects were no problem either.

[DragonflyAcademy]

Thank you..for giving me "permission" to go through the nearly 2 full rubbermade tubs and tossing 3/4 of it all.. I wrote down the text books etc that we used.. for each child, listed by year.. I then took a sampling of any sheets.. a few from each subject area.. any projects that we did.. compiled a photo sheet of the projects too.. and created a portfolio for each child.. It went from a huge amount of papers/books to a very small pile for each child.. that barely takes up 1/2 of a tub...