I currently just use a folder. I have have our co=op calendar, grades that I keep copies of and just other school type of info that I might need to reference. I also try to keep track of how much I spend every year on curriculum, who I’ve lent books to and what every child is using for each subject… I hope this makes sense. I would love to know what other families use to keep that type of stuff organized.
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We use the portfolio method, so I have a large 4 inch binder, separated by subjects. The first 2 tabs are for 1/ official paperwork (like the letter of intent) and 2/ “monthly summaries” which includes a list of what we covered that month (by subject). Then the various subjects. I include test papers, writing samples, etc. I also have a section with pictures, to document activities and projects that obviously can’t go into the binder. As we do the work, I update the binder, so at the end of the year, it’s already completed.
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I’ve tried just about every planner out there, with little success. So I decided to make my own.
I use a binder with tabs. School calendar, lesson plans, grades, field trip ideas, etc. I have a folder in the back for worksheets.
I Have a filing cabinet for the completed work I keep, and also for official documents from the school district.
Do you take out the work samples monthly or leave them in the binder and just have 1 tab per month? im curious how others list topics covered, I’m required to turn in quartly reports. I just look at the table of contents and basically copy what we covered, how do you list what was covered in your monthly summaries? That sounds like a great idea! It would probably help my quartly reports:)
We have two large binders…one is mine and one is my sons. His work gets put in his when it’s been looked at. It is divided by subjects. Mine has been divided by subject too…I have one part that holds the letter of intent, attendance, etc. And the rest are extras that I have to go with each subject…holiday things, art and craft ideas or whatever. Makes it a lot easier. Also my planner is in there too.
Do you make your own planner? Also, do you save all of your child’s in the binder?
I have a binder with the required paperwork for the state and grades (which are not required but we keep them.) I have been saving his work in a binder bit will be throwing it out at the end of the year when he isn’t looking. He is sensitive about that. Next year he will have separate notebooks for each subject which might be easier to save.
I have my own binder with schedules, and the smaller TMs that I use each day to guide us.
I have a file with our legal paperwork plus each year’s curriculum orders and curriculum plans.
For the kids’ finished worksheets, papers, drawings, etc I have a 12x12 box on the shelf for each of them called their “Finished Bin.” They put their finished papers in their finished bin each day. At the end of the year they go through their bin and pick their favorite few papers from each subject to put in their portfolio for the year. The older ones do it themselves and I help the younger ones. Their portfolios are folders that have the front and back inside pocket plus the three-hole holder in the middle. I have labels on the front of each with their name, grade, and age. We only keep what will fit in that folder for each of them each year, otherwise I would have boxes and boxes of papers from each kid. 
My daughter turns her papers in daily into a letter filing tray. Then periodically I go through the work to sort out what I will throw away and what I will keep in a folder to represent her work throughout the year. At the end of the year that folder is moved to a copy paper box in the basement where I store the folders chronologically.
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@luvmyboys My monthly summary lists, by subject, everything we learned that month. For example, math lists “double digit multiplication with regrouping” and grammar lists “subject/verb agreement, irregular verbs and linking verbs”. I also list any activities that month (church activity, speech, piano lesson, etc) and any field trips. That is one section of my binder, which is more of an overview month-by-month.
Other tabs in the binder are done by subject. I include test papers, some worksheets, etc. I add to the planner as we go, so I spend no time at the end of the year. I’ve kept it updated throughout the year.
I create my own planner off a template I received from Jolanthe Erb’s website. I have sections for math, reading, grammar, writing (not handwriting), science, history, spelling and health. The backside of the one-page planner is where I list a summary of what we learned that week. At the end of the month, I scoop them up and fill in the monthly summary.
Because I set it up early (and am pretty OCD about being organized), it takes less than 15 to do all the planning for the week and maybe 10 minutes at the end of the month.
If I can figure out how, I can send a picture to show you what a sample monthly summary looks like.
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I would greatly appreciate a picture! You are such an asset to this forum! You have helped me numerous times already, thank you:)
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The picture file is too large and I can’t send documents. Hmmm. I can email them? My email address is kljohnson7868@gmail.com
(Thanks for the compliment)
I use a large binder for the year for my calendar, curriculum listing, book list, and single papers, all divided by subject. By the end of the year I will have several workbooks as well. For each finished year of schooling, I go through all workbooks and keep those that I feel are significant in major subjects and anything special they have done i.e. artwork. I also keep their portfolios for each year. Each year fits into a standard plastic file bin. So now I ask myself, what to do with these bins of schoolwork?!? I think this summer I will review everything and try to pare it down.
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@luvmyboys. I took a bunch of pics so I’ll send them if you email me. I can explain better what they are. Lol
I just buy a regular teacher planner…it works OK for now. And yes I do put all his work in there. We have to have a teacher look at a portfolio of his work so I find it easier to keep it all together, pull out a sample at the end of the year to be looked at and then put it back and store it to be kept for records.
I just emailed you:)
This is pretty much exactly what I do! I have a section in a binder for official paperwork and other tabs for completed work that I want to keep by subject for each child.
I also take pictures of projects and fun times during the year, but I use the pictures to create our own home school “yearbook” for the kids.
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My “picture portfolio” section serves two purposes. 1/ As a document of what we did that can’t be shown on paper and 2/ to create a “yearbook” of events. Her siblings get high school yearbooks, so I make sure she gets her own yearbook. I even have her take pics with the piano teacher, the speech therapist, etc. LOL
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Just emailed back. I hope it makes sense.
HAHA! I love it!
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