Anyone *not* do grade levels?

[shinyhappypeople]

We were with a gov't funded homeschool-charter program so were very focused at working on/above "grade level" and keeping up with public school standards. But, now that we've withdrawn from that program :hurray: , I'm rethinking the idea of assigning grade levels in our homeschool at all. It feels too school-at-home to me, too boxed in. I want to completely detox myself and my kids from all vestiges of School. I don't particularly care how they compare to their public or private school counterparts. I care that they're progressing (even if it's slow progress), mastering the material that they need and hopefully reigniting their love of learning.

 

So, all that to ask this: in your homeschooling do you assign your kids to a grade level? Do they move up a grade level every September (or whenever your school year starts)? I do understand that when signing them up for some community activities I'll use their PS-grade level equivalent, but that's different from what I'm thinking about here.

[regentrude]

Yes and no. I withdrew my kids from ps in 5th and 6th grade. We use no boxed curriculum, none of our materials have a "grade level" associated with it, and the kids learn at their pace. We start the new math book when the old one is finished, whether that is in the middle or at the end of a school year. We periodically reevaluate which materials to use for history and science, roughly every semester. So, there is really nothing "grade level" about their schooling, with one exception:

at some point one has to decide when to call it "high school", what prospective graduation date to aim for, and make a four year plan. So I think it is unavoidable to label "grades" at a certain point.

[Mrs Twain]

Yes, they are officially in a grade according to their ages. I promote them at the end of every year. The main reason is for social purposes. This includes not only signing them up for activities, but also just in regular conversation. Almost every time we meet someone, go to the dentist, etc., people will ask my kids what grades they are in. I don't want my kids to draw a blank when a stranger or a new friend or the dentist asks them that question. I have seen homeschooled kids asked that question and just stand there not knowing what to say. I am (obviously) pro-homeschooling, but I even thought that was kind of weird.

 

My children's grades affect academic work only in that I make sure they are at least meeting the standards for their grades (mainly in things like the 3 R's). We accelerate quite a bit, so they often do work above "grade level". I have a 2nd grader who is doing mostly 4th grade work, but she is still in 2nd grade because of her age.

[Lilaclady]

For us too, it's a yes and no answer. We work without grades and they move on to he next level when they are done with one level so we don't have a gra level per say in our homeschool but a lot of their activities that they are involved in use grade do they had to know their grades - church, coop, awana, math club etc all use their grades. They are also accelerated one yr and sometimes we have had issues with some classed that will prefer to grade them by age.

[dbmamaz]

no. i mean, my kids consider themselves in whatever grade they would be in by age, but i give them work that seems appropriate for them. i dont really bother reading standards. but my teen was in public school through 7th grade, and i spent the first 2 years remediating . . . well, working hard to get his basic skills somewhere near where i thought they should be. the younger one works about 2 years ahead in math and 2 years behind in language arts, because thats where he is. and seriously, dont most people here follow the wtm cycle for history? thats nothing like the local standards . . .

[Ellie]

My children were ages, not grade levels. They learned things they were capable of learning (sometimes with a little push, lol), not because they were "in" a specific grade level.

 

The beginning of the year is January 1; the end of the year is December 31.

 

When homeschoolers talk about their "3rd graders," I'm like this :blink:

 

However, I "promoted" them in September, to keep grandparents and Sunday school teachers happy. I'd look dc in the eyeball and say, "Dear, you are now a FOURTH GRADER! Live long and prosper!" :D

 

Then we'd go back to the business of learning.

[sparrow]

We are stealthy. *I* don't consider them any grade level, but when we're out among "the others" who like to ask questions like, "and what grade are you in?" we have a memorized grade relating to whatever age they may be :rolleyes: . We have many quickly cast glances at mom in the fall :D .

[kiana]

Just tell them they're the same grade as they would be in public school so they have something to answer when older people who are trying to be friendly. Don't make a big deal about it. Just 'oh, you're 8. That means you're 3rd grade now.'

[momtoamiracle]

my son likes having a grade to be in. People always ask him what grade he is in. He's excited that when he finishes first grade he'll be in 2nd grade.

 

That said, I don't keep him in 1st grade materials. Some things I have planned for this spring are 3rd grade materials, some are 2nd grade. Probably mid year next year he'll be doing some 4th grade stuff. I give him what is appropriate for him and what interests him.

[Elfknitter.#]

We have a "grade" level based on age for filling out forms or as a standard answer but for all intents and purposes, they work at varying levels on various topics.

[lewelma]

I have only had to pick a grade this year as my older son is interested in high school competitions which start in 8th grade here. So we had to decide this year if he is 7th or 8th grade.

 

I never saw a reason to put them in a grade. Each is an individual doing work at a level appropriate to him.

 

Ruth in NZ

[Carrie12345]

I've never understood the grade naming debate. Telling my dd she's a 4th grader is no more traumatic than telling her she's blonde, has a size 3 foot, needs to brush her teeth better, or that she reads well. There is such a thing as overthinking!

[NASDAQ]

She's in the first grade and my son is JK, because that's their age cohort. I do whatever curriculum they're capable of doing, and they move to the next level when they're ready.

 

I do expect them to be at or above grade level for our province. Our provincial curriculum is not at the level that it would challenge an ordinarily bright child without learning difficulties, especially in the early years.

[K&Rs Mom]

So, all that to ask this: in your homeschooling do you assign your kids to a grade level? Do they move up a grade level every September (or whenever your school year starts)? I do understand that when signing them up for some community activities I'll use their PS-grade level equivalent, but that's different from what I'm thinking about here.

 

I don't set their schoolwork by grade level at all, but I do tell them they're promoted every June when I realize the other kids are out for the year, because that's what class they'll be in for Sunday School, etc.. I think our year-round schooling helps with this - there's no real start/end that means they should suddenly get a new level. When they finish something, they just get the next thing. It also helps that we don't use too many workbooks/textbooks, and what we do use is not labeled by grade, so they don't know what grade the catalog says that should be for.

[Hedgehogs4]

We are stealthy. *I* don't consider them any grade level, but when we're out among "the others" who like to ask questions like, "and what grade are you in?" we have a memorized grade relating to whatever age their may be :rolleyes: . We have many quickly cast glances at mom in the fall :D .

 

This. This is exactly what we do.

[StartingOver]

We don't have any assigned grade level, they just move to next level when they complete something. If I need to label them for some activity outside our home, then I always give their PS age/grade. In my state it doesn't mattter at all, I don't have to account to anyone.

[FriedClams]

We do a grade based on age for social and extracurricular activities.

 

I think sometimes the "we dont do grades" comments to non-homeschoolers come off as radical and judgemental. I'm not saying that's you - it's just what I've seen when an 8 year old responds to a grocery clerk's non-threatening, conversation-starting "what grade are you in?" query with a "we don't do grades" retort. A polite "3rd grade" regardless of their academic work seems more appropriate to me.

[Dmmetler]

We stick with the grade DD would be in if she were in for school for outsiders, but like many others, she isn't actually doing any work for that grade.

 

We use a cover school which requires a grade at registration, but it's pretty lax-DD spent 17 months listed as 2nd grade before mommy finally noticed and changed it, so she'll have a really, really short 3rd grade year on paper-so for half a year, when DD answered "3rd" to the "what grade are you in, sweetie?" question, she was wrong. Oops!

[bobbeym]

We don't use grade levels for schooling beyond what subject goes where on the transcript. DS and DD work to their abilities. We do assign grade levels for social purpose though, since many of DS's activities in his church youth group are geared specifically towards either middle or high school students. For that, we call him a freshman which is what he would be in PS based on his age.

[lllll]

..

[Mrs Twain]

Another thing to add--

 

Grade levels are important to my kids. It is an identity thing with them. They are proud of being in their grade, and they are proud when they move up to the next grade. It represents accomplishment because they work hard during the school year. Being promoted to the next grade is like a reward for their labor.

 

It is also important for their identities among their friends. When a group of kids is together, they all know who is in what grade. If my kids didn't have a grade, I think they would not fit in as well among their peers. My kids play mostly with other kids in our neighborhood who are a mix of public school, private school, and homeschool kids. All of the kids in my neighborhood, even the homeschool kids, know what grade they are in.

[Amy in NH]

I do understand that when signing them up for some community activities I'll use their PS-grade level equivalent, but that's different from what I'm thinking about here.

 

Only this. Kids are individuals. They each work to their own ability.

[Walking-Iris]

Yes and no. A few of the curricula we use are grade level and we are progressing through them (more or less) on target. It just turned out that way. My kids know they are Kinder and 4th grade just because it's easier to tell the lady at the store or library who wants to talk to my kids that they are and move on. It's just small talk and most people are not looking for a huge explanation.

 

It also helps with community stuff and co-op etc.

 

But I do not have my kids learn certain things just because they *are* Kinder or 4th grade. I just follow their interests and strengths /abilities. If I were pressed to assign a grade level to their various subjects, they would be all over the place. I tend to think about where they are developmentally rather than grade.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I don't usually care much about grade level except when people ask what grade my child is in. When I was new to homeschooling, I would give a convoluted answer ("he is doing 2nd grade math, reads at a 6th grade level, but writes at a 1st grade level" ) All people really wanted to know was what grade would he be in school ("Oh! Well, 1st grade"). I do care that they are not significantly behind grade level in any one subject (especially math where things build on each other) - but I am more concerned with progress on a longer term. Will they be ready for high-school work? Will they be ready for college work?

[Momof3littles]

I don't really care what their grade level is, but they know for some of the social reasons cited above. It just works out better for us that way. I also live in a highly regulated state, and I have to test in certain grades. Therefore, there really isn't much leeway to call them anything else or ignore grade level completely. My eldest typically does a lot of things at an accelerated level, but we still call it "3rd grade" for social purposes, and have to report test results, etc. for him as a third grader.

[chepyl]

I don't usually care much about grade level except when people ask what grade my child is in. When I was new to homeschooling, I would give a convoluted answer ("he is doing 2nd grade math, reads at a 6th grade level, but writes at a 1st grade level" ) All people really wanted to know was what grade would he be in school ("Oh! Well, 1st grade"). I do care that they are not significantly behind grade level in any one subject (especially math where things build on each other) - but I am more concerned with progress on a longer term. Will they be ready for high-school work? Will they be ready for college work?

 

I did this at first too. "Well, he would be in K, but he is first grade and doing, 2nd grade math....." Then I felt like it was "showing off" when it wasn't, just stating the facts. So I just assigned him the grade I wanted him in for church, dance, theatre, etc. He is in second grade because that is where his friends are. History and science are leveled, bit not by grade, just by difficulty. Math has numbers, they generally correspond to grade, we just call it level 3, level 4; not 3rd grade. Grammar is the same. We finish a level and move to the next.

[bobbeym]

No, never did grade levels, although I told them which grade they were to tell people when asked.

 

I realized grade levels had little meaning when I took my 14yos out of ps to hs him. Ps had him going into the 9th grade. He was reading at a 6th grade level (or less). I was horrified, asked the school about it, and was told that 'We don't do anything for them until they're more than 2 years behind'. :huh: That made it very easy to let go of those grade levels for our hs'ed kids.

 

This is what we found too. DS is at a late 6th/early 7th grade writing level, 7th/8th grade grammar, and college level reading and comprehension. And it's taken us almost 2 years to firmly grasp algebra 1 skills.

 

We just keep on trekking forward and whenever we're done, we're done.

[Ellie]

I've never understood the grade naming debate. Telling my dd she's a 4th grader is no more traumatic than telling her she's blonde, has a size 3 foot, needs to brush her teeth better, or that she reads well. There is such a thing as overthinking!

 

Although that's true to a certain extent, we've had many discussions right here about whether someone's dd should be doing 3rd grade math because, you know, she's "in third grade."

 

We specify grade levels for the sake of outsiders, but there is no intrinsic value or meaning in a "grade level." As homeschoolers, we need to be more two-faced, lol: know the grade level the dc would be in according to the cut-off date in the states we live in, but teach the dc according to their abilities and interests. The scope and sequence used by most schools and publishers (especially publishers such as ABeka or BJUP or others whose primary customers are campus-based schools) is pretty rigid and fixed because it is not possible to be more flexible with thousands of children walking through the classroom doors. As homeschoolers, we have the luxury of customizing every.single.thing our children do, regardless of what "grade" they'd be "in" if they were in school.

 

You can't fit learning into a grade level. You can recognize the fact that children of different ages tend to have abilities within these ranges, but if you try to apply those abilities to an artificially imposed "grade level," there will be problems. A child whose birthday is in January will be much more mature in September of 4th grade than a child whose birthday is in July, but they'll both be in fourth grade if they're in school. That is not an insurmountable problem, but to wait to teach a 9yo something in September when she's interested in it, and able to do it, in May, just because she isn't "in fourth grade" yet just doesn't make much sense. And that's the kind of discussion we have here, among homeschoolers.

 

So yes, it's helpful to know what "grade" our children would be in if they were in school, but in terms of true usefulness in homeschooling, no, I just don't see the point. And that's why my children are ages, not grades. :-)

[RoundAbout]

I always love Ellie's answer to this question. The only reason I would designate a grade level would be for outside programs that require it. At my son's age (just turned 6, would be in Kindergarten) kids are all over the map in terms of abilities so its definitely not useful for us even as a comparison except maybe as a reminder to have lots of fun since K is supposed to be all about that :)

[bobbeym]

You can't fit learning into a grade level. You can recognize the fact that children of different ages tend to have abilities within these ranges, but if you try to apply those abilities to an artificially imposed "grade level," there will be problems. A child whose birthday is in January will be much more mature in September of 4th grade than a child whose birthday is in July, but they'll both be in fourth grade if they're in school. That is not an insurmountable problem, but to wait to teach a 9yo something in September when she's interested in it, and able to do it, in May, just because she isn't "in fourth grade" yet just doesn't make much sense. And that's the kind of discussion we have here, among homeschoolers.

 

Ellie, what a wonderful summary.

 

I find that one of the hardest things to do is to step out of the ps mentality for grades and learning to appreciate my child where he is. It was very hard for me last summary to accept that DS is an average student and will probably always be an average student, and to come to my own understanding that it really is OKAY for him to be an average student. Pushing him to be someone he isn't is only going to make schooling and home life in general more difficult.

 

It frustrates me that his writing and grammar are so far behind because it makes more work for me. I have to create outlines for him to fill in because he doesn't have a good understanding yet of how to do that himself. I can't just set him loose with a textbook and a requirement to write a summary like I wish I could. We tried that early in our school year and it was a complete and utter fail. So we figured out where the problems were and went back to square one. I just remind myself that he is who he is and that we homeschool for him, not for DH and myself, and so we'll do what we need to do for him to learn best. If that means we have a 15yo doing remedial level writing and grammar, so be it. Someday he'll be past it and it won't matter anymore.

[dbmamaz]

see, even in public school, if you are doing remedial classes or advanced classes, that doesnt change your grade level. When i was in 4th grade, I took english with a 5th grade class. When I was in 8th grade, i took math in a mixed high school class (small private school). One of our neighbor's kid who is a year behind my daughter was in her middle school advanced math class. But that never had any bearing on what grade anyone was in. Why should homeschooling be any different?

[boscopup]

My kids are assigned a grade. Otherwise, I would never know when 12th grade was over and it was time to kick them out of the house. :D

 

Their grade level doesn't affect their curriculum levels, of course. I don't think my 3rd grader has anything labeled "3" right now. He has things labeled 2, 4, and 5. He's still a 3rd grader. He'll still graduate 9 years from now. I have to agree with the overthinking comment... I don't see what the problem is to label a kid a grade level based on age and let the kid use whatever level curriculum they need. Basically, saying my son is in 3rd grade is synonymous to "my son was 8 years old prior to Sept. 1 of this school year", as that is what that grade label means in my state, whether he's in b&m school or homeschooled. My son will graduate after his 12th grade year, which translates to "17 prior to Sept. 1 of that school year." Just easier to say 12th grade, right?

 

So yeah, I don't have any fear of grade level labels. It doesn't make it "school at home" to say my kid is in 3rd grade. :blink: It would be "school at home" if I forced him to work in all 3rd grade materials if he were not really at that level in those subjects, but that's easy to avoid without throwing out all hints of grade level labels in your home. If someone asks my son what grade he is in, he happily says 3rd grade. He knows what levels he's working on in different subjects, but he has an easy answer to give to other people, who really are just asking "what age were you prior to Sept. 1 of this school year?" ;)

[shinyhappypeople]

No, never did grade levels, although I told them which grade they were to tell people when asked.

 

I realized grade levels had little meaning when I took my 14yos out of ps to hs him. Ps had him going into the 9th grade. He was reading at a 6th grade level (or less). I was horrified, asked the school about it, and was told that 'We don't do anything for them until they're more than 2 years behind'. :huh: That made it very easy to let go of those grade levels for our hs'ed kids.

 

This type of situation is what sparked my thinking.

 

Older DD's PS-grade equivalent is 4th. It means nothing beyond the fact than the child is probably about 9 or 10. When people ask "What grade are you in?" I'd prefer my kids just tell their age, since that's what people really want to know.

 

There's also a HUGE part of me that wants to expel anything that reeks of public school. We had a bad experience in traditional kindergarten and then with the homeschool-charter program. We had significant issues with "Your child is in X Grade therefore they must be working at a certain ability level, period." I just want the stink of it out of our homeschool. I need to deschool myself and shed all the unhelpful structures of public school, including boxing kids into a grade level.

 

As much as I dislike grade levels, my kids are rather attached to them. My younger DD changes her grade on her birthday (mid-year), because she's into that kind of thing. It was kind of confusing to her Sunday School teacher ("you want to switch to the older class now? In December?") but everything worked out fine. Older DD (9yo) wants to be in 8th grade. I think I'll let her be an 8th grader right now if she wants to be :) Or maybe she can be in 9th because she's 9. Hey, I'm positive there are 9th graders out there who are working mid-elementary level in reading and math. So, why not?? :) Maybe turning it into a game will make the idea of grade levels less annoying to me. I can still use semi-accurate "grade levels" (retch) for signing them up for activities. But, that's it.

[Ellie]

My kids are assigned a grade. Otherwise, I would never know when 12th grade was over and it was time to kick them out of the house. :D

 

:smilielol5:

 

But see, I graduated my dc when I figured we had finished as much at home as we were gonna, which for mine was 16yo. At that point, both were full-time students at the community college and it just didn't make any sense to *not* graduate them. OTOH, even if that had not been the case, I'd have graduated them on their 18th bdays. :D

 

Their grade level doesn't affect their curriculum levels, of course. I don't think my 3rd grader has anything labeled "3" right now. He has things labeled 2, 4, and 5. He's still a 3rd grader. He'll still graduate 9 years from now. I have to agree with the overthinking comment... I don't see what the problem is to label a kid a grade level based on age and let the kid use whatever level curriculum they need. Basically, saying my son is in 3rd grade is synonymous to "my son was 8 years old prior to Sept. 1 of this school year", as that is what that grade label means in my state, whether he's in b&m school or homeschooled. My son will graduate after his 12th grade year, which translates to "17 prior to Sept. 1 of that school year." Just easier to say 12th grade, right?

 

If we're talking strictly about academics, referring to a child by his grade level might be useful...or not. Socially, I don't see the point (and I like to see people's faces when they ask what what grade my child is and I say Oh, she's 9yo." They're like... :blink: ). And the grade level could differ depending on the date of birth, the cut-off date in your state (which varies from state to state, although Sept. 1 seems to be most common), and what time of year it is. OTOH, a child is 8yo no matter what.

[Clear Creek]

My kids are assigned a grade. Otherwise, I would never know when 12th grade was over and it was time to kick them out of the house. :D

:iagree: That was my thought exactly when I read the question! I have a need to know exactly when this endeavor will be completed (12 years and counting...maybe I can be like Ellie and send my youngest off to community college at 16, that would make it only ten more years...).

[acablue]

My kids are assigned a grade. Otherwise, I would never know when 12th grade was over and it was time to kick them out of the house. :D

:lol:

 

We do grade levels too. My kids will probably be going to public or private high school, so it makes sense to me to use their grade level as a minimum for each year. They like being in a certain grade, and my boys especially like being in different grades. I overhear lots of "we're both 7, but I'm in 2nd grade and he's in 1st" and "we're homeschooled, but I'm in 1st grade and he's in 2nd."

 

I don't see anything wrong with avoiding grade levels entirely though. The only activity that my kids have participated in that divided the kids by grade instead of age was a homeschool science class. Things like sports, music and dance go by either age or ability.

[throughpagesandfields]

We're planning on HSing all the way through. I plan when asked to just tell people they're in whatever grade their age would be in... but except for that just work progressively through everything as we're ready. I think I'll always in the back of my mind be aware of what grade level everything is "supposed" to be finished by.... and I suppose if we get behind I'll want to know just so I can adjust things if we need - or help if needed - that kind of thing. There are also some things that I've found it helpful to know what grade level it's usually taught - to make sure I don't introduce it too early. I don't adhere to much as a steadfast rule - wanting to individualize their education, but it's nice just to know for reference - if that makes sense.

 

We're not planning on doing any kind of boxed curriculum, though, which I suppose makes a relaxed attitude and flexibility easier.

[MinivanMom]

If we're talking strictly about academics, referring to a child by his grade level might be useful...or not. Socially, I don't see the point (and I like to see people's faces when they ask what what grade my child is and I say Oh, she's 9yo." They're like... :blink: ). And the grade level could differ depending on the date of birth, the cut-off date in your state (which varies from state to state, although Sept. 1 seems to be most common), and what time of year it is. OTOH, a child is 8yo no matter what.

 

Ellie, I love all of your common sense posts on grade levels . . . but . . . this just hasn't worked for us in real life. I tried for years to answer with my children's ages (and I taught the kids to do the same), but it irritated people. I mean really, really irritated them. They would immediately follow up by asking for my child's actual birthdate, so that they could figure out the correct grade for themselves. Sheesh! Around here it doesn't matter if my daughter is 9 and your daughter is 9. If my daughter is a 9-year-old 3rd grader and your daughter is a 9-year-old 4th grader then they can't be friends. I know it sounds crazy, but the attitude is rampant. People don't want their children to waste time building relationships with children who are not in the exact same grade as them. I fought it for years, but at this point I have just given up.

 

I assign my children the grade that they will be in according to public school cut-offs. That is the grade I tell people when they ask. That is the grade I teach my children to tell people when they ask. It has absolutely nothing to do with what my children are learning or doing academically, but it allows us to communicate effectively and positively with the outside world.

[kdownie]

I'm with the majority of people who stick with the grade their child would be in public school, just for the simplicity of it.

 

DD turned 7 in January and would be in first grade in PS. So, she's a first grader. It keeps her with her friends at co-op, etc.

She is doing work ranging from 1st grade to 4th grade depending on subject.

 

We typically "move up" grades in August, though that is just a formality. We work at wherever she needs, even if that means moving on to the next "grade" in the middle of the year.

 

One exception:

She wants to do Girls on the Run next spring, which is for 8 year olds who are in third grade. For that purpose, I'll probably go ahead and say she is in third grade, since she will have turned 8, so she can participate instead of waiting another year. By then, she'll be doing 3rd grade+ work in pretty much everything anyway.

[Ellie]

Ellie, I love all of your common sense posts on grade levels . . . but . . . this just hasn't worked for us in real life. I tried for years to answer with my children's ages (and I taught the kids to do the same), but it irritated people. I mean really, really irritated them. They would immediately follow up by asking for my child's actual birthdate, so that they could figure out the correct grade for themselves. Sheesh! Around here it doesn't matter if my daughter is 9 and your daughter is 9. If my daughter is a 9-year-old 3rd grader and your daughter is a 9-year-old 4th grader then they can't be friends. I know it sounds crazy, but the attitude is rampant. People don't want their children to waste time building relationships with children who are not in the exact same grade as them. I fought it for years, but at this point I have just given up.

 

I assign my children the grade that they will be in according to public school cut-offs. That is the grade I tell people when they ask. That is the grade I teach my children to tell people when they ask. It has absolutely nothing to do with what my children are learning or doing academically, but it allows us to communicate effectively and positively with the outside world.

 

You missed the part where I said that I "promoted" the dc in the fall for the sake of grandparents and Sunday school teachers. :D My dc knew what grade they were "in." And sometimes I said that, too, if I were talking to someone determined to figure out grade level. That's pretty much the only time it came up, though. I didn't allow an arbitrary grade level to determine what my dc "should" be learning, or how long they should learn it for, or keep them from learning something they were interested in because that thing isn't taught until the next grade.

 

And always remember Captain Taggert's famous comment:

:D

[serendipitous journey]

She's in the first grade and my son is JK, because that's their age cohort. I do whatever curriculum they're capable of doing, and they move to the next level when they're ready.

 

I do expect them to be at or above grade level for our province. Our provincial curriculum is not at the level that it would challenge an ordinarily bright child without learning difficulties, especially in the early years.

 

this is essentially our strategy. Except, we have a state. :)

 

I'm also Planner by nature, and have children who are probably college-bound. So I start them in first, working back from when I want them to graduate. DH and I are planning them to finish high school when they are 17 or early 18, to allow a flex year. This endpoint has been incredibly useful to my own sanity, and as we move along I fill in details or squish expectations around.

 

I also have a child who requires a great deal of formal structure, isn't really able to develop his own strong interests and be happy following them, and is incredibly intense. So the less-structured formats that work well for many of you here just don't swing it here. Having a grade level designation in mind give me focus, streamlines my planning process (necessary, 'cause I'm not left with a lot of time or energy for planning), and helps me keep my expectations and goals reasonable. His materials are not limited to a grade-level plan: grade-level is a tool that serves me, I am not chained to it!

 

But I can see where there would be a lot of variability in the usefulness of grade level ideas, and their healthiness, for various parents & students ...

[mama27]

We were with a gov't funded homeschool-charter program so were very focused at working on/above "grade level" and keeping up with public school standards. But, now that we've withdrawn from that program :hurray:, I'm rethinking the idea of assigning grade levels in our homeschool at all. It feels too school-at-home to me, too boxed in. I want to completely detox myself and my kids from all vestiges of School. I don't particularly care how they compare to their public or private school counterparts. I care that they're progressing (even if it's slow progress), mastering the material that they need and hopefully reigniting their love of learning.

 

So, all that to ask this: in your homeschooling do you assign your kids to a grade level? Do they move up a grade level every September (or whenever your school year starts)? I do understand that when signing them up for some community activities I'll use their PS-grade level equivalent, but that's different from what I'm thinking about here.

 

 

I've been homeschooling for 11 years and I've only done grade levels in the past 3 years since moving to SC where we have more requirements in Fl.

The only draw-back was that my kids had NO clue what "grade" they were in when someone would ask and I (or they) would have to go into a long speech about how we don't do grade levels or we didn't and people thought my kids were too dumb to know what grade they were in. rolling eyes

As far as their actual work is concerned I've never assigned them anything just because that's what grade they were in or what the book said, kwim? I give each child they need.

[Walking-Iris]

I also have a child who requires a great deal of formal structure, isn't really able to develop his own strong interests and be happy following them, and is incredibly intense. So the less-structured formats that work well for many of you here just don't swing it here. Having a grade level designation in mind give me focus, streamlines my planning process (necessary, 'cause I'm not left with a lot of time or energy for planning), and helps me keep my expectations and goals reasonable. His materials are not limited to a grade-level plan: grade-level is a tool that serves me, I am not chained to it!

 

But I can see where there would be a lot of variability in the usefulness of grade level ideas, and their healthiness, for various parents & students ...

 

I think that most people are sort of saying the same thing. I am aware of what is generally expected by certain ages/grades. And I do use those frameworks as ideas of where to go next in some instances. Usually skills is where this becomes helpful. I'd like my children to be at or above where they would be expected to be in ps for math and certain lang arts skills. But then there are content subjects, history and science and to an extent writing, where I tend to ignore grade levels and plan a bit differently.

 

I do change their grade level each summer, mainly because my oldest wants that end date in mind. It gives him a sense of finishing.

 

I think that any parent could fall into the trap of being confined by learning frameworks. Using WTM, one could start to believe that their 1st grader *should* study Ancients, or they *should* study Latin etc. Using any homeschooling method can result in a case of the "shoulds." Same with the grade levels of the ps.

 

Using grade levels does help with interacting with the public. I've had the experience when my older was younger (2nd grade) of him not being able to answer the what grade are you in question? I'd rather my kids be able to give a quick, confident reply than not know and risk this stranger freaking out. "These poor deprived homeschoolers don't even know what grade they're in.... :willy_nilly: "