| One area of interest I see frequently being | | | | to keep a journal. It will keep a log of what was |
| discussed in forums and support groups is record | | | | learned and done. It is also a good way of |
| keeping. It is very important to keep a record of | | | | recording memorable events during your child's |
| your child's homeschooling education not only | | | | homeschooling years that would have been |
| because it is legally required in many states but | | | | forgotten otherwise. |
| also it records and document the learning process | | | | Portfolios: You can also keep a portfolio or |
| of the child. It is necessary for the parent to | | | | collection of materials to show what the child has |
| keep some sort of a log which records the child's | | | | learned and achieved during homeschooling. This is |
| progress. | | | | a good way to record the child's progress. For |
| The main reason why most parents do not keep | | | | example, you can maintain a drawing portfolio |
| a record is because they do not like to write. Sad | | | | which may consists of some of the paintings or |
| but true.Some people just hate to put their | | | | drawings done by the child during a homeschool |
| thoughts or anything on paper. The other main | | | | year. Other examples include maths, science, |
| reason is record keeping is so broad, they just do | | | | geographic, history and social science. |
| not know where and how to start and ends up | | | | Having a portfolio allows you to compare the |
| frustrated. | | | | work done by the child year by year, therefore |
| Record keeping does not need to be complicated | | | | you can better gauge the child's study progress. |
| and can be as simple as a daily journal or if you | | | | Daily planner: A daily planner in its simplest form is |
| hate to write, use a software program instead. | | | | just a checklist of plans and assignments you plan. |
| Record keeping is important not only for the sake | | | | It could be for a week, a month or a year. As |
| of regulations.It is also an exciting way to record | | | | your child completes these assignments, check |
| and document the learning process of the child. | | | | them off one by one. You could then make |
| When most of the learning is done through play | | | | summary every quarter of what was completed. |
| and there is no clear cut index of topics that have | | | | Record Keeping Software: There are also |
| to be covered, the records you keep can be as | | | | homeschooling record keeping software available |
| simple as a daily journal, or as elaborate as a | | | | on the market that can get the job done if you |
| software program. If you participate in a support | | | | hate to write. The main advantage is all recording |
| group, you probably have set forms and | | | | keeping are centralized in one place without the |
| requirements. But even so, keeping track of daily | | | | hassle of losing one piece of record or another. |
| work makes reporting easy and efficient. | | | | Regardless of which recording keeping method |
| There are various record keeping methods used | | | | you use, you need to be diligent in maintaining it. I |
| by various homeschools. Some of the more | | | | would advise to record it immediately once an |
| popular ones are: | | | | assignment is completed rather later. |
| Journal: The simplest method of record keeping is | | | | |