Keeping records

My son will be starting homeschooling 3rd grade in the fall. I have decided to put together my own curriculum with various workbooks for math and English. So my concern is that I want to make sure I keep adequate records but I am at a loss on what to document and what if any completed work I should be saving?

I can tell you what we have done for the past 12 years (based on having taught some in public schools.)

  1. Document days and subjects taught–a list and brief summary of topic (i.e.: math, perimeters; English, subject and predicate, history: discussed comparison of puritans and pilgrims, etc.)
  2. If the curriculum IS all scheduled out, you can just write: Singapore 3A lesson 6, etc.
  3. Samples should show progress, not just “best example” . I save at least one example from every month and every subject. If you are doing hands-on work, take photos of your student cooking, measuring, gardening, building, field trip, etc.
  4. Tests are easy to save and do show mastery–even if the test was given orally (and you never called it a test!! Lol!!) still record that and mention any areas of weakness and/or mastery.
  5. Writing journals or penmanship samples can be saved a few times a year, again, to show progress.

I hope that helps, but I am sure others do this differently.

Best to you! Blessings, donna

(I also keep special projects for our own memories.)

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Hi! What state do you homeschool in? Each state has different documentation that they want; I suggest looking up your state education guidelines for homeschoolers. I am in Maryland, and we are not required to count days or hours, but we are required to show proof of “regular, thorough instruction” in 8 subjects. The exact documentation changes with each subject, but I have a lesson planner, I keep worksheets and workbooks till our year end reviews, and a log of music and PE is sufficient for those subjects.

That is the hard thing I am in Oregon and they don’t require any specific subjects/curriculum etc. and no mention of documentation. We just have tests every 3 years.

I’m in Oregon also! Just keep what you want for you, I like to keep projects or papers that were funny, the things a school would send home with students. The only thing you need to keep is the results of the required testing.