This post is from contributor, Judy Hoch.
This is the time of year when many of us are counting down the final days of the homeschool year. Amid all the excitement, it’s easy to overlook some key ways to finish the year well.
3 Ways to Wrap Up the Homeschool Year
1. Be sure you have met all the requirements of your state’s homechool law.
Each state has its own homeschool laws. Some states have few or no requirements, while others–like my home state of Pennsylvania–are highly regulated.
Check to see if any of these things are required in your state:
- Physical/dental records
- Standardized testing
- Attendance records
- End-of-year portfolio
- Evaluation of student progress
2. Make notes about materials used throughout the year.
A few basic notes about the curricula and resources used this year can be a huge sanity-saver when it comes to future planning. Avoid repeating the same mistakes–and find ways to increase your homeschool success–by asking yourself these questions:
- What worked for us?
- What didn’t work for us?
- What was our favorite part of ________?
- What books and activities did we use with ________?
- Which resources am I keeping to reuse (and where are they stored)?
- Which items will I be selling or giving away?
3. Preserve some memories of your homeschool year.
Although it may seem hard to believe at the moment, this homeschool year will soon be a distant memory. While you don’t need to keep every paper or project your child has completed, a few keepsakes will bring back precious memories in years to come.
It’s a great idea to create a portfolio of your child’s best work. This can be as simple as a stack of papers in a manila envelope, or as involved as a full-fledged scrapbook.
Things to include in a keepsake portfolio or scrapbook:
- Worksheets and creative writing samples
- Pictures of projects and activities
- Artwork
- Grades and records (if applicable)
- At least one photo of your child
- Pictures and/or autographs of homechool friends, co-op instructors, etc.
- Audio recordings or videos of public speeches, music recitals, etc.
- Any awards received
- A letter written by your child, detailing his favorite subject, best memories, biggest accomplishment, etc.
Take a little time to relish the achievements of this year and gather inspiration for the new homeschool year to come!
How do you wrap up your homeschool year?
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