Karen in CO Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Did you do an evaluation of your previous year? Did you compare what you accomplished to your goals? I do this every year before I make my goals and plans for the next year. I wait a little while so that I have some distance then I evaluate each student and myself. You don't have to share your evaluations; I was just wondering if I'm the only one who does this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I do this, too. But, I do it closer to the end of the previous school year so the good and bad are fresh in my mind. I made some big changes this year. One thing I'm always amazed by is how different siblings from the same family can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I do mini evaluations throughout the year in the form of an e-mail to my husband. It helps me clear my head, think critically about what we are doing, what is working and what isn't - plus it keeps him in touch with our school process. At the end of the year, DS and I sit down together and pile up all of his school work for the year and talk about -- what he liked, didn't like, etc. It is part exam, part review. Always interesting to hear what he thought of something - especially books we read very early in the school year. (Generally, the book I kicked myself for wading through is the one he picks as his favorite.) I do like to look back over the past year a few months later - like you said, it is good to give it some distance. I find I am less emotional or flipped out after giving the year some time to settle down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Nope. I assess as we go along what is working, what isn't what needs tweaking, and fix it. I think I've finally found what works for us (knocks on wood). I have too many kids to do singular things, so I have to make a curric fit us. I have ...fiddled with our schedule, dropped stuff, added stuff, and tried to put more into our overall reason of homeschooling. As I add in stuff, I'll see if it's working or not and the process may start all over. But, I'm much more sure of my choices now, though it's only taken me 10 years to get here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 Nope. I assess as we go along what is working, what isn't what needs tweaking, and fix it. I think I've finally found what works for us (knocks on wood). I have too many kids to do singular things, so I have to make a curric fit us. I have ...fiddled with our schedule, dropped stuff, added stuff, and tried to put more into our overall reason of homeschooling. As I add in stuff, I'll see if it's working or not and the process may start all over. But, I'm much more sure of my choices now, though it's only taken me 10 years to get here. I assess and adjust as I go along, but I do a year-end assessment too. Kind of like my yearly evaluation at work except that nobody pats me on the back and says "good job" except my dh, and he's required so it doesn't count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 I do this, too. But, I do it closer to the end of the previous school year so the good and bad are fresh in my mind. I made some big changes this year. One thing I'm always amazed by is how different siblings from the same family can be. That is so true. I was certain I was good at teaching reading because it was so easy (with those rosey hindsight glasses) with my oldest two. The youngest taught me that I don't know nearly as much as I thought I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I assess and adjust as I go along, but I do a year-end assessment too. Kind of like my yearly evaluation at work except that nobody pats me on the back and says "good job" except my dh, and he's required so it doesn't count. Aww! We'll pat you on the back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 Aww! We'll pat you on the back! :D Thanks. I need it. I had a long year, and I can't bear to even set a date for this year yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I gave my kids year end evaluations this year, and that was an eye opener! I will definitely be doing that every year now. I got this from Merry: http://www.hopeforhomeschool.blogspot.com/2011/06/writers-of-this-book-dont-want-kids-to.html I do reassess where we are and set new goals for the new school year as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seshet Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I do an ongoing evaluation throughout the year. I take notes on interest levels for each topic, which curricula they like & which they don't, what we had to tweak/drop/change, how their retention is with the curriculum, which activities/demonstrations/experiments/projects they liked & put effort into & which they just phoned it in for, which goals we reached & which we didn't, etc. We do so much, have so many subjects, multiple levels of curricula in one year, multiple curricula/materials (for many, not all, subjects), that I could not possibly keep it all straight if I waited until the end of the year. I do go over all my notes while planning for the next year & at the end of the year. However, I never know when they'll want to take a break between 'grades' and when they'll want to just move straight ahead. That means I might not really get much time between grades (a weekend isn't much time to evaluate the whole school year). I plan for the next year during the current year. So, the eval throughout the year is much more valuable to me than the end of year eval. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Did you compare what you accomplished to your goals? :ohmy: Goals? What goals? :blink: Hmm, better add that to my to do list. ;) :biggrinjester: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I write an I.E.P. (Individualized Educational Plan) for both of my children. I've had experience with I.E.P.'s for 7 years with our local school board. Last year as part of my exit package when we left the school board, I included a copy of my I.E.P. for my special needs son. I received multiple comments on it, "professional" educators stated that they wished all their children could have such a detailed I.E.P. I consider it a road map that shows me where we feel our son should be heading. I like maps. I was cautioned that many of my goals would be too hard to complete in one year and I stated that I was fine with that, it gave us something to strive for. For most of the areas however, he surpassed what I had written down. Amazingly, the kid does awesome without constant distractions. He astonished us all. Oh, and Mr. Educator,... He is more sociable now then he was when he was in your care! :001_tt2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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