Many school districts now require homeschoolers to submit folders showing their students’ progress in an organized manner. Actually, this is a very convenient method of recording as long as it is done correctly. Here are some ideas on how to create, maintain, and present your homeschooling portfolio for successful evaluation, evaluation, and review.
First of all, it is important to have a firm understanding of what exactly a homeschooling portfolio is. Basically, a homeschooling portfolio is a collection of materials that are used to show what your child has learned over the course of the “school year.” This is important because many states require an annual evaluation of homeschooled students, either through tests or the submission of a portfolio. While it may seem that keeping a portfolio is only good to the extent necessary to comply with the law. However, this is not the case. Portfolios can also help parents and their children track their progress and accomplishments. This becomes even more important once the child has reached high school and needs a diploma.
Now that we understand the importance of a portfolio, it is also important to understand that there is no right or wrong way to create a portfolio. It is up to the parent or child what materials the portfolio will contain. However, it is a good idea to choose a variety of materials to reflect what the child has learned, experienced, and accomplished throughout the year. Some items to include in your portfolio are: Suggested items to include are:
(1.) A journal containing notes on activities and progress that has been made.
(2.) A list of resources (ie, books, computer software, games, toys, and outside classes).
(3.) Samples of the child’s work (i.e. samples of creative writing and drawings, textbooks or workbook pages and, if possible, may include audiotapes or videotapes of your child singing, playing an instrument music, reading aloud, or participating in a dramatic performance, pictures sometimes work well in place of audiotapes or videotapes as well).
(4.) Photos of field trips, artwork, projects, and family life.
(5.) Brochures and brochures of excursions and other activities.
(6.) A list of books the child has read, including both the title and the author.
(7.) A list of your goals for the year.
While this may seem quite overwhelming, you will honestly be surprised at how easy it can be when you start preparing your portfolio earlier in the year. Just use a three ring binder and add paper for your journal. Begin by listing some of your goals for the year and the resources you will use to achieve those goals (these can be modified throughout the year as needed). Then start collecting work samples, organize them by topic, and poke holes in them to put in your binder. Always have at least one disposable camera handy so you can take pictures of anything you would like your child to do (ie read, play, dance). You’ll also want to take pictures on field trips, as well as pictures of your child’s projects and creations. These images can be placed in a photo album or, if you’re feeling really nifty, you can organize them in a scrapbook. You’ll also want to be sure to save any brochures or other paper items that you collect during an educational field trip. These can easily be placed in clear and clear sheet protectors. This is also a good time to start building a list of books that are being read.
Once you’ve gathered your portfolio starts, don’t stop there. Regular maintenance (I suggest weekly, as it will help you write your lesson plans for the following week) should include regular journal entries and an ongoing collection of work samples, photos, and whatever else you want to include. Some school districts will require a quarterly evaluation during the homeschool year. This is a time for parents and children to reflect on their progress and accomplishments from the previous months. However, even if your school district doesn’t require a quarterly review, you don’t want to wait until the end of the year to scramble and run to put together a portfolio that your school district will approve. Neither you nor your child deserve to have to go through the unnecessary stress of having to review all the material that has been collected throughout the year.
When it comes time to review, you can choose to remove some of the materials from your portfolio. You will find that some of these things simply do not adequately reflect what you have accomplished during the year. If / when you decide to review your portfolio, you should remember that the purpose of the review is to provide an overview of the home school year, demonstrate that the child is involved in homeschooling and that progress is being made.
Reviewing the portfolio can be exciting as it gives parents and children time to talk about what they have been doing at home. When discussing this with your child, it may be helpful to write a summary of the items you want to highlight during your year before the review. For example, if your child has learned to read or has mastered a skill, you may want to tell the reviewer. Of course, you should never view your portfolio review as a time to be judged or ridiculed. It is a time to listen, learn, and support your reviewer. Your child does not need to be present during this time. However, if your child wants the opportunity to “show off” his accomplishments and progress to other homeschoolers, this review is a perfect opportunity for him to do so.