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Keeping home school
records is a time-consuming endeavor, but is necessary for a number
of reasons:
- Helps
keep the homeschool organized.
- Lends
credibility to your homeschool.
- Allows
feedback for the student.
- Provides
proof of planned and actual instruction.
- Provides
historical perspective - what did and did not work.
There
are different formats available for recordkeeping and each format has
strengths and weaknesses. No single format will meet the needs of everyone,
so you should select the one that best nmeets your needs. The choice
is a personal one. Below is a summary of each format and some tools
to help you make an informed decision:
| Do-it-yourself |
Perhaps the least costly
method for home school record keeping is a do-it-yourself
system. You can design your own forms and make photocopies
as needed. Some families use spreadsheets for their recordkeeping
- including programs such as Quicken® or Microsoft Excel®.
This method is cost effective, but it can be very time consuming.
However, if
you have very definite thoughts on how you want your record keeping
to function and look, this may be your best bet. (Suggested functions)
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| Paper
and Pencil |
There
are many paper formats on the market. If you are uncomfortable with
computers, then perhaps this is your answer. The costs vary and
you will surely find one that fits your budget. This method can
present some difficulties if you like to plan ahead and often make
adjustments - have a good eraser. There are free Internet resources
for forms and other helpers as well as computer programs that only
print forms. (Help
for selecting paper system) The forms and a 3-ring binder may
be all that you need. |
| Software
Programs |
New
homeschool recordkeeping software programs are springing up at
the rate of 2-3 a year. We have used all of them and can report
that there are many good programs to choose from. They offer different
features and are built in different ways, but there is something
to appeal to everyone. The costs vary from free downloads to about
$60. Software is becoming more and more popular because of the
time-saving elements. As teachers, the software will ensure that
you are organized, you don't have to manage reams of paper, and
you can easily make changes and reuse the information year after
year. Furthermore, the consistency lends a professional appearance
to homeschool records. The downside to software is the learning
curve necessary to use the programs. (Help
for selecting software systems).
Recordkeeping
software is designed as a database and therefore requires inputs
in order for you to get reports, etc. Some of the inputs are optional
-- some are required. |
| Online
Recordkeeping Services |
A
newcomer to the recordkeeping scene is the online record keeping
service. Generally, these are repositories for your information.
Some will issue report cards and transcripts. The down side is
that you pay year after year for services that you can do yourself
(and have to do in order to forward them to the service). Generally,
you collect the data, calculate grades, figure attendance, etc
and type the information into the online database. However, if
you are nervous about recordkeeping, this service might ease your
mind.
This
service is not to be confused with umbrella schools, which will
be discussed below. |
| Umbrella
Schools (Cover schools, etc) |
Umbrella
schools vary greatly in the services they offer - from testing,
to advising and tutoring, to recordkeeping. They have usually
been formed as a private school. For a fee, these programs will
provide recordkeeping services, report cards, transcripts and
sometimes even diplomas. You will probably have to provide most
of the data to them. Some umbrella schools employee certified
educators to assits homeschoolers - some do not. There are many
varieties.
Some homeschoolers view the umbrella schools as a safety net.
If you choose to use an umbrella school, research them carefully.
Reputable schools will be glad to answer your questions and provide
supportive documentation to you. |
| Curriculum
Vendors |
There
are some curriculum vendors that provide limited recordkeeping
capabilities as part of their program. An example would be Switched
on Schoolhouse®. Usually, the software is included in the
price of the curriculum. Please be aware that the software is
not usually full-featured, but the advantage is that tests may
be automatically graded and the grade entered into the software.
Many
homeschoolers use the curriculum component, but choose to do their
own record keeping using another method. They may only enter the
graded activities into the second program in order to get report
cards, transcripts, etc. |
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