Are you homeschooling successfully?
You may have confidently jumped into homeschooling with a strong desire to take the reins of your children’s education, believing no one is better equipped to guide, facilitate, and direct the development of their hearts, minds, and souls than you are. Though convinced of this as ever, you may still face questions like this from time to time:
- How do I know if I am doing a good job?
for what lies ahead for them?
- How do I know if my children are falling behind academically or intellectually?
While we homeschoolers treasure our independence, questions like these highlight the value of some accountability as well. In a workplace, accountability is built in to the culture, with workers participating in annual evaluations that provide positive feedback and constructive criticism. In a traditional school, teachers are observed by colleagues who offer guidance on ways to meet objectives and improve on current performance. Without intentionally pursuing it, homeschoolers can find themselves without a good resource in this area.
Homeschoolers have several tools to help with evaluating the effectiveness of their home schools. No single one is the perfect, comprehensive evaluation tool, so the Savvy Educator recommends using a combination of two or more.
1. Curriculum scope and sequence – Even if you’re not using a traditional curriculum, taking a peek at the scope and sequence of one can be helpful, allowing you to compare what you covered (or plan to) with what it covers. You may determine that what you missed is not important for your child. However, you may realize that something you never thought to teach should really be added to your program.
2. Standardized Tests – These can potentially serve as very objective evaluation tools, especially for reading comprehension and math. Often, they provide feedback about the grade level equivalent of your child’s work. If that is the information you’re seeking, these can help! You may also choose a standardized test that gives your child a percentile ranking in different subject areas. This can be helpful for identifying areas of strength or weakness or (for your high schooler) as a guide to your child’s ability to compete with other students for college placement or scholarship funds.
3. Professional Evaluation – A professional educator can evaluate your child’s academic performance by working with him one-on-one, administering tests, or viewing his portfolio of homeschool work and then providing feedback and suggestions. A professional evaluation can be especially helpful if you suspect your child may have a learning glitch or you need more information about specific teaching styles or methods likely to benefit your child.
4. Self-Evaluation – Ultimately, you are accountable to you! Any of the above tools can assist you in achieving your goals and ensuring you are truly giving your best effort as you educate your children. However, a customized self-evaluation that reflects your family’s education values, goals, and objectives may be the most helpful of all.
Visit the Savvy Educator next week for a self-evaluation tool designed to help you determine if your home school is successful according to your own standards. You can make it your own and use it to send you further on the pathway to homeschooling with confidence and assurance that you are an ever-growing, constantly-improving home educator.
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