Beginning Our Journey - Questions I have been pondering

Beginning Our Journey

Jun. 16, 2006

Questions I have been pondering

So I know in PA you get evaluated. Here are my questions. Kids in public schools have subjects they are great at and ones they just do not grasp. (Like me and spelling!) What if your kids just dont get something? Do you get in trouble? What if on standardized tests they do poorly? What if they are failing a subject? Do they say you are unfit to homeschool? Do you guys honestly stick in the bad grades and papers as well as the good for the school to see?

Sonlight users - I THINK I am going to combine cores for Alyssa and Tristan. Although I really would like to start with Alyssa. I will wait if I have to. How do you fit in time for more than one core? It seems like all I would be doing is reading ALL DAY LONG. And then math and other subjects added. The only reason I think to combine the cores is time management. How is it really like doing more than one core at a time?

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Comments

Jun. 16, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by DanielleW

Great questions. I hadn't thought of the evaluation verses not getting it a public school. Very interesting thing to think about.

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Jun. 17, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by DanielleW

WOW. I saw your comment on my blog about letting me borrow your astronomy and out JF books. What year are you thinking of starting them? I'm not sure we would start that this year but I definatly do what to look through them and possibly use them because I LOOOOOOOVE JF.

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Jun. 19, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by KayinPA

Hello, this is kayinpa from Homesteadblogger.com! Ok, my oldest is going into 3rd grade this year so I will have to have this done this year. According to my friend, I believe they have to be at least showing progress in the subject each year....like they could be a couple of years behind in math, but they would have to show a new grade's worth of progress each year. Like in 3rd grade they are at 1st grade, then in 4th grade they need to be at least at 2nd grade leve. This is my understanding of it! I am sure a more experienced PA mother can answer your question.

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Jun. 19, 2006 - about evaluations

Posted by StonyHillHomeSchool

Evaluations are just to see that you are indeed doing what you say, and homeschooling your children. They do not have to be on grade level. They do have to show sustained progress, but I do not think that it has to be a full grade level, just sustained progress, ... more than they knew last year or at the beginning of the year, has always been my understanding. So, when you put your portfolio together, I would show some that are not perfect and have wrong answers towards the beginning of the year, and then they should be making progress as the year goes on. They don't have to have any perfect papers, everyone makes mistakes. No, you don't get in trouble if there are mistakes on your students work.
The standardized tests are just for comparison to see where they are compared to other children that age/ grade. They are not required to score well on them, and if they score extremely well, they do not move ahead, unless you decide to do that yourself :0) The standardized tests, although required for grades 3, 5, and 8 are not to be used to determine if there is a proper education taking place or not. ( I could be wrong but I think I read that in the law somewhere, but check on one of the links I gave you before for CHAP homeschool website.. the law is on their site I know) Besides, some kids just do not test well wether they know the material or not.
Some evaluators, have their own preferences as for what they like to see, so you should probably call around and interview several evaluators to see which ones require only what is in the law, and which ones require more.... When I was looking for an evaluator, I made several calls... one wanted a strong math program, everyone is required to do math, but it does not say in the law that I have to have a "strong math program" and who's definition of strong are we going by anyway?? But my daughter did not like math, she could do it, but she didn't like it, so I didn't think that that evaluator would be a good fit for us... one evaluator wanted me to bring in every book that we used for the whole year... the law says that we are to show them a portfolio with samples... it doesn't say we must show everything. Cross that one off the list... You see what I mean? You have to call around and find one who you think will work for your family, and you have to know what the law says, so that you will know if they are asking more than the law says or not. You are paying them, so remember to find one who is willing to work for/with you.

I don't know anything about the sonlite stuff so I can't help ya there. School for the youger grades should not take all day, if you do, you could all get burnt out before middle school. (Just something to think about )

Ps. I love your daughter's artwork on the father's day gifts she made!

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A place for me to gather thoughts, keep memories and gain sanity as I embark on the homeschooling journey. Also a place to update my friends and family on my son's journey with fighting a.l.l. Leukemia.

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