The homeschool evaluations which I developed and call progress reports work well for us. The format is applicable to all of the homeschool years, from kindergarten through high school, and serve two purposes:
- To recognize the student’s progress and achievements.
- To provide a platform for collaboration on our goals for the upcoming school year.
As a homeschool parent, you determine your family’s ideal environment for learning. Part of that environment is how you evaluate your children’s progress. You can make this as informal or as structured as you want. I maintain that you don’t need to formally grade your children in the elementary or middle school years. Instead, I think you should be assessing and encouraging their attainment of knowledge – what I consider ‘true learning’ – as opposed to preparing them for optimal performance on tests.
One of the reasons my husband and I chose to homeschool was so that our kids could progress at their own rate. I look at the relatively small sampling of children I know and marvel at the wide variety of skill levels they’ve possessed at different ages. Some were reading chapter books while others at the same age were struggling to get through beginning reader books. Still others were confounded by fractions while their peers were starting algebra. I maintain that nearly all of these children have the ability to excel in reading, math, or whatever subject they tackle if they have ample time and the right environment.
I say that ‘nearly all’ can succeed because I know that some will be hampered by learning disabilities. Early recognition of those disabilities is key and I don’t want to downplay the importance of seeking help if you feel your child’s struggles are more than what you consider normal – a very gray area indeed. I’ve talked to countless moms who have worked through determining whether a child needs professional intervention or simply needs more time. That’s just one more reason why being a parent, homeschooling or not, is challenging.
Once your children enter high school, then yes, you will need to assign grades and generate a transcript. In general, that’s the way the world works for recognizing high school graduation and determining college acceptance. However, I think setting up a system early on that recognizes and encourages true learning rather than grade achievement provides the best path to success in high school and beyond.
Here’s an outline of what I do for our end of the year progress reports:
- I create a listing of courses, volunteer work, field trips, sports, and anything else they’ve done over the past year that we think is pertinent. This is in table format and includes a quick summary of each topic (including textbooks used, volunteer hours, and any other details) along with my thoughts on what we might do next year.
- I also compose a written narrative that includes the above information, along with details on things they worked very hard on, enjoyed, or initiated on their own. This is time-consuming but particularly helpful for the next step.
- Then, I meet with my child and husband and we go through the narrative together. I read the narrative aloud and then ask if I’ve missed anything and if they have ideas for next year. The tone of this meeting is upbeat and collaborative.
- For the final step, I go back through the progress report and add in any comments and changes from our meeting.
In August, when I’m planning for the new school year, I pull the progress report out. It’s amazing how much I forget over the summer. Having this thorough document makes the start to our school year much smoother and more productive.
I hope this might help you consider what you would like to do for homeschool evaluations and why you want to do it that way. Your method will be dependent on your kids, your goals, and your mission as a homeschool family. And your methodology should be evident in your teaching throughout the year, not just when you prepare a homeschool evaluation.
A note here: We faithfully conform to the homeschooling requirements of our state. Colorado does require testing. We don’t find it too arduous to complete and it is reassuring to have an outside source provide confirmation that we’re on track. In addition, there’s value to giving your kids exposure to standardized tests… even when the tests don’t begin to cover all the amazing things you do in your homeschooling.
If you want to delve more into the history, purpose, and impact of grading, I would suggest this article, Teaching More by Grading Less (or Differently). It provides a fascinating exploration into grading and provides some excellent points on what type of feedback is important for true learning – not simply good grades, but knowledge.
What are your thoughts on homeschool evaluations and grading? I’d love to hear from you!
