What does keeping records mean?

[Janeway]

Do you keep all your child's work from high school classes to prove they did it? Or do you keep a few samples? Or do you just keep a transcript with a written record of what you have done? So far, I have only been writing a transcript. Now I am concerned that I might need samples from the work done or something.

[Luckymama]

(Our state does not require maintaining a portfolio of work.)

 

If a college requires samples of dd's work, she could just submit work done during the beginning of senior year.

 

We have kept her notebooks, just because they were all put in one spot at the end of freshman (last) year. All of her writing is on her laptop. So there's that.

[regentrude]

I am keeping:

• list of materials used and topics covered for each course. It includes all books read, textbooks, Teaching Company courses, extra resources.
• records of  method of evaluation: how many tests, assignments, labs etc

(I am putting these together for each subject at the end of each year, in a  word file about a page long).

• a representative sample of the student's work. All major tests and essays, and the lab reports.

(I have not needed any of those, but it is better to have and not need than vice versa.)

 

You want to make sure to have enough material so that you can write a transcript and meaningful course descriptions and put together a portfolio if needed.

 

If your state requires you to log hours, or if you use hours as a measure for self designed credits, you may want to keep a log.

 

I found highschol record keeping easy and painless,and I sure was very glad to have everything ready when time came to write the short one paragraph course descriptions.

[LisaKinVA]

I have records similar to regentrude.

 

1) My lesson schedule is done by subject in Microsoft Excel. My columns are: Lesson #, Activity, Resource, Assignment Description, Date Complete, Grade, Initials. I print everything out, and make a divided booklet. This doubles as the assignment book and grade book. My kids write their weekly assignments down on their personal books, so they have everything from home and the local school courses at their fingertips. I don't have to maintain multiple files. I can delete or modify (red pen) as I go, and still have a record of what happened. Final grades get tabulated and recorded here.

 

2) My kids email me their writing assignments, and they go in their student file/course folder on my computer.

 

3) I make a master class syllabus for each course I do, and any resources I may want to use. At the end of the year, I save a copy in the student folder/course file and edit out anything we didn't use, using my Assignment/grade book as the reference. Since I have multiple kids, this helps me choose resources which better reflect individual preferences/strengths, while also giving me a way to keep records of various resources I have looked into/likes.

 

4) All lab notebooks are kept intact.

 

5) Tests/Quizzes for math, other representative handwritten samples as desired are kept. This fits into one 9x12 manilla envelope.

 

I update the transcript each year, using the grades from my Assignment/grade book...I just spent a few hours today editing/modifying a one page transcript today for both my 10th and 8th grader.

 

By the end of my son's junior year, I will have all of his short course descriptions, course syllabi, and grade records ready to go. Additionally, because I have my master file for course syllabi, I'm already ahead of the game for each of my other four when it comes to core coursework.

[JanetC]

I keep:

My states declaration of intent form & proof of required annual test or assessment.

Transcript & course descriptions. (I work on electronically over the course of the year and print out at end "just in case".)

A few samples.