| Keeping records for each school year is important | | | | plan book or on the back of your daily logbook. |
| for different reasons. They'll help you to monitor | | | | Include the book title, author or publisher and you |
| your child's progress, keep track of lesson plans | | | | may want to give a brief description of how the |
| and become part of a portfolio for college entry. | | | | book was used.A home school portfolio may be |
| Record keeping will help you to meet short and | | | | required by your state but even if it's not, it is |
| long-term goals for your school year. They will | | | | useful when applying for colleges and for an |
| help in planning your lessons and help keep you on | | | | annual evaluation of your child's progress. The |
| track during the school year.Write a list of all the | | | | portfolio can include anything related to your child's |
| books and materials you use in school and keep | | | | education. This may include lesson plans, logbooks, |
| with your records. You might want to include a list | | | | worksheets, test results, writing assignments and |
| of books and materials you find interesting to | | | | book reports. Field trips taken, special events, |
| research for later use in school.Lesson plan books | | | | experiments, scrapbooks of projects and artwork |
| come in many styles. The most popular have the | | | | should also be a part of the portfolio. Although |
| weekdays listed across the top and places along | | | | most homeschoolers do not keep grades, you |
| the sides for the subjects. You can easily create | | | | may find them beneficial. After grading your |
| your own lesson plan book using a ruler and paper | | | | children's papers, record their score in a grade |
| then inserting it in a three ring binder. Your local | | | | book, available at a teacher supply store. Every |
| teacher supply store should also carry simple | | | | six weeks, use a handheld grader, such as E-Z |
| lesson planning books. This type of record keeping | | | | Grader to determine the average grade of each |
| helps to plan out your curriculum on a weekly | | | | subject. By knowing their grades, you can |
| basis.A daily logbook is like keeping a diary or | | | | determine any weakness your children may have |
| journal for school days. It is used for writing ideas | | | | in a particular subject and can now help them to |
| or activities that your children participated in each | | | | improve their grade average.Most children like |
| day. You can buy a logbook for homeschoolers or | | | | receiving certificates for good grades or just a |
| just use notebook paper and place in a binder. | | | | good job done well. They are available for almost |
| Write brief descriptions of the school day events | | | | every situation such as preschool, reading, |
| and also include the date. If a school day doesn't | | | | science, honor roll and more. Certificates help build |
| go as planned, then a daily log will help you to | | | | your child's self-esteem by giving them a feeling |
| keep track of exactly what was accomplished | | | | of accomplishment and pride in their work. It also |
| that day. Have your children keep their own daily | | | | shows them the progress they've made in the |
| log if they are old enough to write down the | | | | school year.Keep all your records in one binder for |
| day's projects and activities. This will help them to | | | | easy access, using tabs to separate by topic, |
| retain what they learned and will help them with | | | | subject or by child. Be sure to check with your |
| their writing skills.Some states require a list of the | | | | states regulations for record keeping before you |
| books, curriculum and materials used by each | | | | home school to make sure you follow their |
| child, every school year. Simply record each item | | | | requirements. |
| used in that week in either your weekly lesson | | | | |