Homeschool Evaluations Continued

A question was asked on an earlier posting relating to Florida homeschool evaluations. 

Question: "How do I find an evaluator such as you described. One who understands homeschooling?"

Reply: Do a lot of phone calls and ask a lot of questions. If comments come up relating to such things as state standards, attendance record, immunizations; or it is implied that you must have things like pre-made lesson plans, test grades, and specific subjects taught at pre-determined grade levels - those are big clues that the teacher does not understand the Florida home education laws. 

But it even goes beyond this. There are several evaluation options available to you in Florida. Be sure you understand all of them. If you chose to use the option of a Florida certified teacher to evaluate your portfolio - also realize that there are various ways that is also interpreted. Ask details of how the evaluator conducts their review. (Remember it is a review of the portfolio, not a quizzing of the child.)  - Some means used that I have encountered are:

1. The 10 minute approach. The evaluator meets the child, looks over the portfolio, certifies progress and you are done. A variation of this entails mailing your portfolio to the evaluator and the child speaks with them briefly on the phone after the portfolio arrives to the evaluator. I am not implying this is necessarily a wrong way - but it gives little assistance and assurance to the parent, which is a service our clients expect from us. If this style meets your needs it does fit within the scope of Florida law. 

2. The evaluator meets with the child, reviews the portfolio, and then writes a detailed analysis of the year on the evaluation form - including strengths, weaknesses, and expectations for the following year. While many parents want us to give specific helps to them personally - we feel it is a detriment to all home schoolers for this approach to be utilized on official forms and gives false expectations to school officials. The law never states this is the job of the evaluator.

Before you make any phone calls to an evaluator have a list of questions you plan to ask. Their time is also valuable, so keep the list fairly short, but target areas that are important to you. Some of the best evaluators are also ones who home school their own children. Decide if it is important to you if the evaluator is male or female. Ask other home school parents what they do. Decide if cost is a factor to you - how much are you willing to pay? Decide if distance is significant for you (we have clients that drive up to 4 hours - one way - to come to us.) Sometimes the county office maintains a list of possible choices. There are also a number of internet home school  sites that keep a database of evaluator choices - even if they aren't local to you, call some of these to gather information and educate yourself as to how you want your child's evaluation done. 

And finally - I pray over all my education choices for my child. What is God's best for that child? Direct me to the person you want me to use - that can best help both my child and myself. 

Meet the Husband.....and learn some American History too.

Go here for the story. On that page is a link to see the video - Yup, that is my Mister - Mr. History. 

And the Winner is.....

Kathy - the mom of many (10 children to be exact). 

I was going to do a fancy photo of the drawing - but alas, the battery is dead in the camera. I was going to have one of my family chose the winner - but they are all asleep of busy farming on FaceBook.  So I just put the 6 names on paper (Tobitha had two entries) and picked a name - and it was Kathy.

Kathy - do you still have my personal address? - I need your mailing address, but don't want you to put it on a public board. My blog address is fourkidnubians@yahoo.com.

Congratulations and thanks of all of you entering. While I had many, many hits - the homeschool curriculum was pretty specific to one group of people and I am pleased that books that helped me immensely will be loved in a new home.

My First Blog Giveaway!!!!

My blog theme is Poured Out - I don't cover one topic exclusively; it is a compilation of my thoughts and experiences as my life is poured into the lives of my family, friends, and community - both live and virtual. This is a small group, though for me, it has never been about numbers, but about touching lives. 

Okay - serious stuff done --- now the fun. Because I recently won a giveaway myself (thank you for picking #82 Debbie Cook!) - because I have actually broken the 1,000 mark for visitors - and because I am letting go of some homeschool curriculum that I have treasured, but no longer need, I am doing a giveaway. Simple enough - just leave a comment and you are entered. If you mention this giveaway on your blog or other web venue, then leave another comment telling me where you did so, and your name will be entered a second time. I will ship it anywhere. The winner will be chosen on The 4th of July! I probably should have a cut-off time, but I can't hang out at my computer until midnight - so I will just choose from all those commentators that have a date stamp between now and July 4th and announce the winner on, or about, July 5th. (precision is not my stong suit!) 

Soooooo......what is the prize? Homeschool books (4 of them), and one casette tape set from Barb Shelton.

1. Lab Science: The How, Why, What,Who, 'n' Where Book.

2. The Homeschool Guide-a-Log for Real-Life Home Education.

3. The Homeschool Jumpstart Navigator for Younger Children.

4. A Christian Homeschooler's Guide to Field Trips and Extra-Curricular Activities.

5. Casette tapes: Out of Fear & Burnout; Into Freedom, Refreshment, and (Re)Focus. A 2 tape set with handouts.

See them described by linking Here.

(**Note: though I keep my comments on moderation to prevent spamming - which has already been attempted once - I assure you that all comments will be posted and counted for the deadline.) 

Hand the Kids the Camera and You Get....

...and I love every one of them. Each picture speaks to me about an aspect of my child's personality. 

Home School through High School - Part 3

(I recently wrote a series of postings to a closed list on how our family manages high school using the ATI curriculum. Since most of that information is general to all home schooling, I am adapting and posting the information here on my public blog.)

Each of the following courses are listed on one sheet of paper and then filed in my one master notebook under the main headings I noted in Part 2 of my post. At the beginning of 9th grade these started as pretty much blank pages with ideas just sketched in. As the years progressed they were adjusted, changed, or added to as needed. (Remember I only update the notebook once or twice a year, so I don't spend a lot of time doing this once it is set up.) Now entering the 12th grade the pages are pretty well set for the most part - but some tweaking will still be done as we go. At graduation these pages will be the "proof" on which I hang the final one page transcript. These are just the barest of notes of what we have done. The "guts" of the courses are all kept elsewhere. Those would be the actual Wisdom Books, workbooks, text books, papers and such that are/were done. 

 
Note: You will see a line often repeated: WB #1 - ? This means that the Wisdom Book is a significant part of this credit. We started at WB 1 and I will write the final number of wherever we get to at the end (there are a total of 54, but we will probably only get to the 30's). I do not feel a need to make detailed notes on the content in the WB - if proof is ever needed, we have the WB's to show.
 
The course sheets are:
 
 Math -3 credits
(this one is a bit tricky for us - I will see how it ends up after this year (09/10) is finished. She was behind in math at the end of grade 8 - a tough subject for her to tackle, but she finally broke through the blockage about 9th grade when we changed to Math-U-See. So her first two years were spent catching up - which she did beautifully, but what to do about those two years of high school while she was catching up? Here is how I am categorizing it for now...)
 
*On the single page listed as General Math - 1 credit
This includes catching up in 4 levels of Math-U-See, and the Key To series of general math workbooks and Level 6 Complete curriculum book, math portion. I will also list WB's #1-? here since there are many practical math concepts learned in the WB's. 
 
*On the single page listed as Pre-Algebra - 1 credit
(finish Math-U-See book)
 
*On the single page listed as Algebra 1 - 1 credit
(finish the Math-U-See book) 
 
She really should have another math level - but we will see how it works out. This may just have to be where we stop for high school and deal with it from there - if all the rest of her studies are ready to be done, I won't hold her back from graduating just to do more math that won't really be needed for her field of study.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
English - 4 credits
Note: We don't do one level of English and then go on to another. All of the 4 English credits are worked on simultaneously, or in units, over the full 4 years of high school. I have just grouped them into yearly levels for the sake of convenience. (Speech would also fit under one of these credits, but this is not something that ever came about for us.)
 
*On the single page listed as English 1 - 1 credit
1. WBLA - Level Red books 1-8 
2. Spenserian Handwriting program - (5 or 6 books done with dip pens.)
3. Level 6 Complete curriculum book, English portion
4. Character Sketches Crossword Puzzle books, volumes 1 & 2
5. finish all spelling books not yet done
6. complete all vocab workbooks
 
*On the single page listed as English 2 - 1 credit
1. WBLA Level Green 5-8
2. ACT test prep book with 10 practice tests (very extensive work)
 
*On the single page listed as English 3 - 1 credit
Literature (some books need to still be logged on. Pretty much she just read these and we talk about them from time to time.These are pretty much student chosen)
Pride and Prejudice (video 2 hrs.)
Sense and Sensibility (audio book and DVD)
selections for the Aneid by Virgil
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Robinson Crusoe
Moby Dick
A Tale of Two Cities
 
*On the single page listed as English 4 - 1 credit
1. Poetry Unit
2. Short Story Unit

3. Play Unit - She was in a small play in the local youth theatre. (I plan to use that experience here rather than as a speech activity. We also viewed the DVD's of various plays and musical plays. I will list them on her paper later. There is some overlap here with Fine Arts - but I will divide it out - though it is also acceptable to count these experiences in both.)

4. Research Paper

(note: it is possible she will do a dual enrollment credit for Eng. Comp - so we will adjust accordingly.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Science - 3 1/2 credits
 
*On the single page listed as Creation Science (1/2 credit with lab)
Video: Evolution:Fact or Fiction from SM Davis
volunteer at the Creation Expeditions lab (about an hr/week - at least 40 hours)
Peace River fossil trip (8 hrs.)
Read:
The Answer Book
Men of Science
The Young Earth book
Wisdom Books #1-?
 
*On the single page listed as Chemistry (1/2 credit with lab)
1. Read Exploring the World of Chemistry by Tiner
2. Eyewitness book on chemistry
3. use of chemistry set
4. WB's #1-?
 
*On the single page listed as Physical Science (1/2 credit)
1. WB's #1-?
2. Read BJ Physical Science book (we do this as we do our WB, but probably won't do the entire book.)
 
*On the single page listed as Earth Science (1 credit)
1. WB's #1-?
2. Read the BJ Earth Science book (we do this as we do the WB)
3. Read The Astronomy book by Henry (probably also the Weather book as well.)
 
*On the single page listed as Biology (1 credit)
1. Wb's #1-?
2. (This item was deleted as the book was loaned out and never returned - on to something else....)
3. Complete the Horse Anatomy coloring book
4. Visit the Chattanooga Aquarium (4 hrs.)
5. Visit Sea World, Orlando. We had a pass for a year and went 5 or 6 times. (about 30 hrs.)
6. Biology for Christian Schools, BJ. We just read this as we do the Wb's.
7. Read Character Sketches books volumes 1, 2, &3. This is also done during WB time for us.

8. MOSI museum in Tampa, The Body Works Exhibit. (4 hrs.)

(note: it is possible she will do a dual enrollment credit for Earth Science - so we will adjust accordingly.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*On the single page listed as Health - 1/2 credit
 
1. WB's #1-?
2. Driver's License drug course
3. Read the following:
Fasting Can Save You Life
Your Body's Many Cries for Water
Nutrition Made Simple
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*On the single page listed as PE - 1 credit
 
Membership at Curves for one year
horseback riding lessons weekly for 2 years
weekly bowling for one year
swimming seasonally in our pool
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fine Arts - 2 credits (but may go to 3)
 
Right now I have all the music experiences listed on just one page - I have not yet broken it down into credit groupings. This is my daughter's focus and there is a lot here. I originally had a page for a music credit and a page for an art credit. We never did do much art, and I just tossed that page out last week, it wasn't even worth 1/4 of a credit. But the music page just keeps filling up. This isn't final - but I am currently thinking that I will make one page for a piano credit, and one page for a flute credit, and maybe one page for a band/orchestra credit. So that would be 3 credits for Fine Arts. With all the hours over the past 4 years it is certainly valid to do it that way. 
 
I won't list all the individual experiences, but there are piano and flute lessons for 4 years. Plays and concerts attended. Two years of a community band. Sound Foundations. And Hymnology and Hymn Worksheets as studied in the Wisdom Books #1 -?  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
History - 3 1/2 credits
 
*On the single page listed as US History (1 credit)
1. Wisdom Books #1-?
2. Books and events as noted in #3-9 
3. Seminar with former Tuskegee Airman (2 hrs.)
4.Seminar with Bataan March survivor (2hrs)
5. DVD (2 hrs) Freedoms Song, 100 years of black history
6. Visit Agrirama, Tifton, GA (5 hrs.)
7. Chickamauga Battlefield, GA (4 hrs.)
8. Video - Panama Canal (2 hrs.)
9. Visit The Hermitage, Nashville, TN (3 hrs.)
Read (in progress) A Greater Republic, A New History of the US, published 1899.
(Possibly list some chpts. from the BJ American History book.)
 
*On the single page listed as Geography (1/2 credit)
1. Read: Don't Know Much About Geography (done)
2. Wisdom Books #1-?
3. map work
4. Visit Rock City, Chattanooga, TN (3 hrs.)
(I think there is more for this - but I will have to hunt it down.)
 
*On the single page listed as World History (1 credit)
1. Wisdom Books #1 -? 
2. DVD - The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain (3 hrs.)
3. Read The Hiding Place

4. DVD - The Longest Day (3 hrs.)

5. The Story of the World by Susan Bauer (4 volumes.)

(There is a bit more for here too, but I will need to add it later.)
 
*On the single page listed as Economics (1/2 credit)
1. Read Whatever Happened to Penny Candy (and workbook)
2. WB's #1-?
3. Crown Financial Course (8 hrs.)
4. Financial Freedom Seminar (20 hrs.)
 
*On the single page listed as Government (1/2 credit)
1. Read Whatever Happened to Justice
2. WB's #1-?
3. Read The US Constitution
4. DVD: A More Perfect Union; America Becomes a Nation
5. DVD: US Constitution Study Series 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bible - 2 credits
 
*On the single page listed as Bible 1
1. Viewing SM Davis videos and Dvd's. I am not going to try to list them all here - we have done well over 30 of them. If I ever needed a list, they are on my shelf.
2. Way of the Master videos Beginner and Intermediate levels. (we have not yet finished these, but will be in the next year.
3. Rd. - The Good Shepherd and His Sheep by Phillip Keller (done)
4. Rd. Mary Jones and her bible by Mary Ropes (done)
5. WB #1 - ? Scripture Meditation Worksheets.
 
*On the single page listed as Bible 2
1. Camp Meeting, Valdosta, Ga (abut 30 hours - done)
2. Beth Moore Bible studies: Daniel, Jesus the One and Only, Esther, ? (two done, one in progress, and one more will probably be added this year.)
3. Visit the Ink and Blood exhibit in St. Petersburg, FL (a history of our Bible)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*On the single page listed as Computer - 1 credit
I don't actually have anything listed on this page as yet - but she does so much on the computer that I will make a list of the skills she has learned and call this a credit. It isn't something that we set out to do, it is just life and the things she has learned on the computer over the last 4 years. She especially likes to do art work on the computer, so that I will just list programs she uses as a one portion of this credit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*On the single page listed as Life Management - 1 credit
 
On this page I list all the conferences and such she has done. I may move these to other subjects, but right now my husband likes this as a separate course listing. On this page I list the Home school Conferences we went to and what my daughter participate in while there. I list the Basic Seminar. The Passion for Jesus Seminar. WorldView Weekend. The 10 part Courtship Series from SM Davis. I expect a few more entries by the time of graduation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Italian - 2 credits
 
*On the single page listed as Rosetta Stone Italian level 1
*On the single page listed as Rosetta Stone Italian level 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Home Ec. - 2 credits
 
*On the single page listed as Home Ec. 1
 Home Ec course from Christian Light (1 credit)
 
*On the single page listed as Home Ec. 2
1. Wholesome Food Preparation course form IBLP
2. Unit study on spinning and textiles
3. crocheted an afghan
4. make a quilt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There may be some errors - if you have a question feel free to ask. I had to type this over the space of several days, and had one section I failed to save and had to re-do it, so it is possible I have a gap or two - or a repeat. Remember - this isn't for someone else to copy - even in our own family each of my children's high school studies and credits looked different. I just know it helps me generate some creativity for my own use when I see ideas from others. 

Home School through High School - Part 2

(I recently wrote a series of postings to a closed list on how our family manages high school using the ATI curriculum. Since most of that information is general to all home schooling, I am adapting and posting the information here on my public blog.)

Using a 3-ring binder - I start with a Master Framework Page from the shf-l book. (see Friday, January 2, 2009 entry) On this one Master Framework Page, I list the categories of subjects and the credits earned (or anticipated to be earned.) This is adjusted about twice a year. 

As of now I have listed:
Math -3
English - 4
Science - 3 1/2
Health - 1/2
PE - 1
Fine Arts - 2 (but may go to 3)
History - 3 1/2
Bible - 2
Computer - 1
Life Management - 1
Italian - 2
Home Ec. - 2
 
Total (if I added correctly) - 25 1/2 credits
 
I define a credit hour as 150 hours of work, but I use mostly content focus, not counting actual hours. Actually by doing content credit, most of these courses are well over 150 hours of work. 
 
In FL a student needs 24 credits to graduate. I went to the FL DOE website and used their basic titles for the credits. Some of these that I listed above will be broken down into different course titles. For example, the history category will become Am. History, World History, Government, and so on. For now, on this Master Framework Page, I just keep them in generalized categories. 
 
After this one page of my Master Framework, I have dividers for each category. Under each category, I have one page for each subject that is in that category. This is my master list of each course name and the main content that fills that course. This is where the personalization comes in. We do not do one course all the way through in a semester or a year - they are pretty much all spread out over the 4 (or more) years we do high school. 
 
I will write a third part that has the course information under each main category.