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Pencils, Papers, Books, Oh My!

May26

I get a kick out of my 7th grade class because I have one or two students who are always asking for a pencil. The rest of their home school mates carry “extras” for them so they can be prepared. It reminds me of my own junior high experiences where I felt like I was scattered in a thousand different directions and really never quite able to stay on top of my organizational skills.

Do you have a junior high student that is disorganized, scattered, messy?  Much of it is due to the fact that they are not mature yet. Here are some ideas to help them organize paperwork and supplies.

* Keep loose leaf notebook paper in a binder.

* Date papers for easy reference.

* Put a label on the edge of the binder with the subject clearly marked so it can be found easily. Label the front too!

* Choose one area to work in or if you have a student who likes to move around the house, ALL papers, books, supplies must be put away before moving to another location.

* Coordinate notebooks and binders to be the same color. For instance, if your student has a binder and notebook needed for history, choose red for both of them.

* Keep all supplies for class in a specific area. Train your student to put away the supplies when finished. It saves time and frustration if pencils are in a cup, on a desk, in a certain area.

* Find a home for things. (books, binders, notebooks, supplies, etc.) If there is not a home for it, the item will be put in a strange place and the hunting begins again 🙂 I know! It happens to me with my belongings.

* Have your student help decide where things should go. Perhaps they need you to verbalize the process so they can hear how you organize. Also, if they get to help they will feel their opinions are valued and they may have an idea of why they want to keep an item in a certain place- within reason of course!

Happy organizing!

Preparing for a Portfolio Review

May24

How do I prepare for a Portfolio Review?

Since you are preparing a portfolio of the academic year it is important for you to have a sampling of your pupil’s work in each subject area.  Samples should be from the beginning, middle, and end of the academic year.  The portfolio can include papers, workbooks, projects, pictures, artwork, test results, or any other items that show the student’s progress.

How should the portfolio be organized?

Ohio regulations require that a student complete work in all subject areas listed on the Home Education Notification Form. Organize the work in the order that they appear:

  • Language, Reading, Spelling, Writing
  • Geography, History and Government (U.S., Ohio, and local)
  • Mathematics
  • Science, Health
  • Physical Education, Fine Arts
  • First Aid, Safety, and Fire Prevention

What guidelines should I use to prepare the portfolio?

Follow the outline of your course of study that you sent to the superintendent.  This will be beneficial as a guideline to help you put your portfolio in order. Organize the paperwork in chronological order by subject and date schoolwork.  If traditional curriculum was used,take workbook pages or you can take the entire book. If other means were employed, take a representation to review. (pictures, projects, a narrative of your school year, etc.)

 Subject areas may be organized as follows:

  • Reading – A list of books and/or readers and other sources that were utilized for reading. (computer software, games, websites) You do not need to have a huge list, you just want to show progress is being made.
  • Language Arts/ Creative Writing – Samples of journals and compositions. (stories, poems, letters, etc.)  Handwriting, spelling, sentence structure, and grammar will be evaluated based on writings. If you have workbooks you may bring those.
  • Math – A representative cross section of daily work and tests to show mastery of concepts.
  • Geography, History, Government, Science, and Health – A list of the concepts covered  throughout the year. Workbooks, pictures, or projects can be provided.
  • Fine Arts, Extra Curricular Activities – A list of field trips, classes, music lessons sports activities, etc.

What will an assessor provide as a result of the Portfolio Review?

Your assessor will sign a state approved Academic Assessment Report you will take home with you at the conclusion of your personal appointment. This is to be sent to the superintendent when you notify for the upcoming academic year. You make a copy for your own records and send the original to the superintendent. If you are interested in having me do a review for you, please contact me so we can set up an appointment. schoolmarm@cinci.rr.com

To Assess or Not- that is the Question

May24

Spring is finally here and that means we as home school parents in Ohio must have some type of academic evaluation done for each of our children.

“Should I have my student assessed or have him take a standardized test?” is a question I hear quite often from home school mothers. There are many advantages to a portfolio review (also known as a narrative assessment). Here are some reasons to consider:

This is a terrific way of reflecting on all the work you and your student did over the course of the academic year. It causes you to evaluate your curriculum and your schedule and decide what worked well and what needs to be changed for the upcoming year.

  • It is a marvelous option for younger and older students alike. Younger students may not be reading at an independent level that is required for testing, while older students just don’t want to take one-more-test!
  • You may have used a curriculum that would not be covered on the standardized test such as in the area of history. It may have concentrated on ancient history instead of doing American history like all the rest of the children on your block. That is the beauty of home schooling!
  • You did not use traditional curriculum and would like to discuss your year with a fellow home school mom and certified teacher.
  • Your child is an individual. Nationally normed tests do not allow for any differences. Questions may be interpreted differently by your child and because they did not know what was being asked they get it wrong. It’s difficult to watch your student ask you about a test question and knowing you could clarify their misinterpretation of it, but not being allowed to do so under the testing conditions.
  • Test results only confirm what you know are strengths and weaknesses of your student. Narrative assessments can provide you with an opportunity to ask a teacher for ideas and resources to help your student. Feedback can be given on how your child is doing in school.
  • If you are a resident of Ohio this fulfills the requirement in order to continue to school your children for the upcoming year.

I believe in you and your role as a teacher. I  believe in home schooling and the opportunities we each have to teach our children according to their unique abilities and giftings. If I may be of assistance with your portfolio review please email me. schoolmarm@cinci.rr.com

Love, Hate, and Nothing in between

May16

I teach a terrific group of home school students- 7th and 8th graders to be exact. I love junior high students and here are just a few reasons:

  • They are passionate and not afraid to express it.
  • They have no middle ground- they either love it or they hate it. (whatever it is!)
  • They are excited about life.
  • They are exploring friendships and maker stronger connections with peers.
  • They think I am funny. (That endears them to me like nothing else!)

So, how can we take this exuberance for life and use it to help our junior high student with school, family relationships, and helping around the house? I think the biggest way to encourage young teens is to listen to them and to affirm them. Find some areas of their life where they are excelling and pump them up to the point where their egos are going to explode.
Maybe you think your child is already there when it comes to ego. Our kids put on a great front, but underneath they are longing to hear you say they are terrific. I remember my mom saying, “This too shall pass.” I thought she was talking to me, but in retrospect I think she was talking to herself as I went through puberty. I can recall being skinny, lanky, and clumsy and my dad commenting on how nice I looked when I got a new outfit. It made me know he loved me and I knew I could tackle the day.
Stop for just a moment and think about one thing your child does well- no, not pestering his brother and sisters! Let him know how much it means to you when he helps his little brother. Compliment her on her new hair cut or the friendship she is working so hard to establish. Your child needs to know that you love them- freckles, pimples, body odor and all! You have a rare opportunity to share your life with them and be there for them in these junior high years. It goes by all too quickly; remember, “This too shall pass.”

Ideas to encourage your junior high student:

  • Decorate their door with their name and write one quality or adjective for each letter. Example: Sensational Awesome Magnificent.
  • What is the meaning of their name? Write that on a card or type it on the computer in a fancy font. When I found out that my name meant “Consecrated to God” it made me think I was pretty special. I also thought that I should become a nun. (That is until I started to notice boys in junior high!)
  • Take them out for a date, just the two of you. If you can’t afford to go somewhere then fix their favorite snack and spend some alone time with them. I still do this with my sons. I know it is an awful saying, but I think it is true for teenage boys… “A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
  • Play video games with your sons. Guys love to beat their opponents and what an easy way for them to do it by you playing with them! I am lousy at games, but will attempt to play something just so the guys can see that I am willing to do something they like. They also gloat when they win. Oh, well!
  • Go window shopping with your daughter. I didn’t say you had to buy anything 🙂 Just looking is fun and gives you insight into your daughter. It is also a good bonding time. You could get a treat while you are there for some extra girl time.
  • How about a book store or the library? If you have a child who likes to read this is a great place to browse and connect.
  • Find a scripture or encouraging word they can reflect upon. My mom gave me a scripture one night at the dinner table. She had made name cards and had written down a scripture for each of us. I am sure she didn’t know the impact that would make on me, but I have used this as a guide throughout the years.
  • Work on a project together. Let your child pick something that you both can work on and schedule time to do it. Spending time with them lets them know you love them, you care, and you can show by example what it means to do your best. Perhaps you don’t have much time for a long term project- what about something that you can do in a couple of hours and you divide it up over a period of weeks? Clearing your schedule says more to them than anything else.
  • Help with chores. What?! I know the point of chores is so you get some help and teach responsibility, but don’t you ever wish someone would come to your rescue and help you? Don’t do it for them, but work alongside of them. Conversation will take place and by doing the work together you can set an example of how you want it done without lecturing. I bet your relationship would improve too 🙂
  • Make coupons to give to your child. Ideas to consider would be: a home movie night with popcorn, a back rub, one batch of brownies, have a friend over for a sleepover, one pedicure (or manicure), one game night- most importantly- spend time with your son/daughter and have fun!

Summer (School) Ideas

May11

Here are some great ideas to do this summer. Remember, our academic year in Ohio is from July 1- June 30 if you are home schooling.

Library programs are great incentives for getting your children to read. If you are not close to a library then make your own or see the reading programs in the next heading. Reading is a skill that should be practiced daily especially with new and young readers.

Summer Reading Programs and Challenges are available online for anyone who isn’t able to utilize the library or wants additional ideas.

Here is a free, public website run by Sylvan Learning Centers. Children read books and then take a 5-10 question multiple choice quiz on the book. Successfully completing the quizzes earns points and points add up to prizes!  Parents can set their own prizes too and can track the progress of the children. You also can set the grade level of books to be tested.

Park programs both local parks and state parks have great naturalist programs that you can attend with a wide variety of subjects that are science related.

Museums are a perfect way to spend a muggy summer day! You can arrange for a docent to give you a tour or you can do it on your own. We have enjoyed the children’s area of museums that most have in the building. Most museums have activities such as a scavenger hunt for families to enjoy while they are there. Just ask at the information desk and a knowledgeable employee will help you.

Play days at the park can be arranged for you to meet a friend and her family for a play date. This can count toward physical education and also time for you to deepen friendships.

Vacation This is the ultimate field trip! You can include science, history, reading, art, music, etc.,this is limited only to your imagination. My children’s complaints were that they just wished they could go on vacation without me always making it a learning experience- sorry- no can do when you have a home school mom involved!