Here’s how to evaluate homeschool high school progress mid-year.
How to Evaluate Homeschool High School Progress Mid-Year
Each year of high school should have a “State of the Homeschool” meeting about this time. High school is filled with so many varied endeavors as our kids build a strong transcript. Keeping tabs on all of them means stopping to take a close look from time to time.
Jonah (11th grade) and I had this meeting yesterday; here’s what we did:
Review the contract.
I find it very helpful to have a contract on which we have listed each credit Jonah will earn and the method of study we’ve chosen. We agree on the number of books he will read, the number of essays he will write, the number of research projects he will complete, etc. He signs the contract that includes a “half-way done” date and an ending date. That way, if we have fallen behind in an area, he is reminded that HE agreed to this plan last August; it is not just a matter of mom’s nagging, but instead it is a goal he himself wants to achieve.
Check the book list.
Have books been read that didn’t get recorded on the list? What reading is on the horizon for the next few weeks? Are you on track for completing your target number of books?
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Check the writing list.
Sometimes essay assignments emerge organically from particular subjects we are studying; other times we need an essay curriculum to keep us moving forward honing those skills. Short papers (including poems, journal entries, scripts, song lyrics, letters, and pretty much anything else!) are easy for Jonah to churn out, but its rewarding to list them at mid-year. Research is starting for him right now on his BIG paper (he’s tackling a 20-page APA style examination of the various approaches to bodybuilding and their pros and cons).
Check the textbook subjects.
Various subjects may use a traditional textbook. Simply divide the number of lessons or chapters in half, and you will see where you should be around the mid-point of the school year. Have you fallen behind somewhere? Don’t panic, but create a plan to get caught up.
Check the log sheets.
Subjects that are experience-heavy (phys ed, technology, the arts, etc.) can be tracked by logging hours of activity. If you are trying to earn a full credit in a year, you want approximately 135 hours by year end, or 67.5 by mid-year.
Take everyone’s temperature.
How is your child feeling about the year? Overloaded? Bored? Out of balance? How is mom feeling? Have life events cropped up that you did not anticipate? How can you factor in appropriate adjustments to your plans?
Pray.
Thank God for getting you this far. Trust Him to see you through!
