| If you are one of those parents who wish to | | | | . Various samples of the childs work, like |
| home school your child, then it is very | | | | writing and drawings, some workbook exercise |
| important for you to maintain a home school | | | | pages, audio or videotapes or even |
| portfolio of the child. In some states it is | | | | photographs of the child participating in |
| mandatory under the educational laws, to | | | | activities like drama, singing, playing |
| maintain a home school portfolio. However, | | | | musical instrument or just reading aloud, in |
| not every state requires the parents to | | | | the case of small children. |
| maintain one, but maintaining one definitely | | | | |
| helps in maintaining a treasured keepsake of | | | | . Some brochures or booklets from educational |
| your childs education and it also plays a | | | | trips to nature parks or museums. |
| vital role in the evaluation process. | | | | |
| | | | . The list of goals that the parents had set, |
| School districts require home-schooled | | | | at the start of the academic year and the |
| students to present complete portfolios, | | | | accomplishment of each. |
| highlighting the students progress in an | | | | |
| organized manner, for evaluation. Designing | | | | While the list of materials to be included |
| and maintaining a home school portfolio is | | | | looks quite overwhelming, the task of |
| not difficult, after understanding what the | | | | collecting the same is not so daunting. Just |
| portfolio comprises of. It is basically a | | | | make sure that you start designing and |
| collection of material that showcases how | | | | collecting for the portfolio right from the |
| much your child has learned within the | | | | beginning of the year. A three ring binder |
| duration of the academic year. | | | | does well for storing all the material, |
| | | | without damaging any. Parents can use quality |
| Nowadays in many states, educational | | | | paper for documenting. You could first state |
| authorities have made the evaluation of home | | | | a few goals for the academic year and add |
| schooling students mandatory, either by | | | | some more, later. You could state the |
| testing them or by demanding a ready home | | | | resources you would be using to achieve those |
| school portfolio. Maintaining a portfolio not | | | | goals and then start organizing the sample |
| only helps to comply with educational law, | | | | work, by subject matter. Always keep a camera |
| but it also helps the parents to record their | | | | handy to collect snapshots of the childs |
| childs achievements and progress. This | | | | projects or craft. |
| becomes very important once the child reaches | | | | |
| high school level and needs a diploma. | | | | Your job of creating a portfolio will not end |
| | | | by simply putting together the material. |
| The information within a portfolio depends | | | | Regular maintenance is very necessary to |
| entirely upon the parent and child. However, | | | | maintain a good portfolio. Consistent and |
| documenting a variety of information will | | | | regular maintenance saves you the bother of |
| help to reflect the childs learning ability | | | | rushing to put together a portfolio at the |
| and accomplishments more accurately. Some of | | | | end of the year and in the process leaving |
| the suggested matter that could be included | | | | out some vital samples that should have been |
| in your portfolio is listed below: | | | | included. Before you submit the portfolio, go |
| | | | through the whole collection again and remove |
| . A journal containing notes about the | | | | the unnecessary matter. |
| progress made via various activities. | | | | |
| | | | A portfolio review can be fun provided it has |
| . A list of the resources used, including | | | | been designed properly. It provides both, |
| games, curriculum, books, computer software | | | | parents and children with a time to discuss |
| and outdoor activities. | | | | accomplishments of an academic year. |
| | | | |