Homeschool Portfolio Creation and Expectations

Here are some "sequential" ideas on portfolio creation. Sometimes a bit of a specific walk-through is best. If your portfolios have been working for years, great! If  not, some "nuts-and-bolts" ideas are listed below:

• Life is already crazy . . . don't overthink this. Just scan pictures of your paper portfolio and turn them into a PDF.
• Get your kids involved in the scanning process. Just make sure they know how to take clear, reasonably-sized photographs : )
• Use digital tools such as GSuite, Evernote, Seesaw, or Book Creator. Just remember: Your student's portfolio needs to be shareable with your evaluator . . . and shouldn't require them to login or download any special software.
• Just say "No." Keep kickin' it old-school! You can still get an evaluation by mail or meet me online. You'll just need a webcam and a cell phone or other camera-enabled device so that we can look at your materials together.
• Once your portfolio is complete, upload it (to Google Drive, Evernote, Dropbox, etc) and email me with the shareable link. I'll keep that link confidential, and you can delete your materials after our meeting.

• Choose an easy-to-update storage method for your portfolio materials: an expanding file is super-flexible and can be reused each year.
• Know where you're going: Set learning goals for your students, be they formal (finish this  textbook) or informal (master multiplication, division, fractions, and  percents.)
• Decide how you'll show progress in each subject area. Here's a great form to help.
• Consider keeping a Teachers Plan Book -- but use it to record what your family actually does each day.
• Every month or two, collect samples from each subject area and file them. Update your reading lists. Print  out (and back up) your computer work. Get those pictures out of your  camera!

• Reading: Can be easily measured by assessing your child's reading level at the beginning and end of the year. Progress can also be shown through a child's reading list or progression through a language arts or phonics curriculum.
• Handwriting: Curriculum samples, periodic journal entries, copywork, dictation... Date any random papers in order to show progress.
• Language Arts: Workbook pages are great, but a lesson plan book, curriculum guide, or reading list might work just as well.
• Mathematics: Workbook pages are a quick and easy portfolio addition, but a lot of early math learning just calls out for "hands-on" activities. Show progress with an annotated list of learning objectives, a lesson plan book or activity  summary, and/or sample activities and pictures. Make sure to accompany your awesome pictures with a written summary so your evaluator can  easily see your child's progress... if you're not a "math person" it can be tricky evaluating a stack of un-dated pictures!
• Science & Social Studies: Reading lists, field trip brochures, photographs, curriculum guides,  learning journals, teaching journals, mapwork, timelines, drawings, shutterbooks, scrapbook pages, writing assignments, blog entries...  almost anything works!

• Reading: What books was your child reading in September? In December? In June? Has their confidence increased? Speed?
• Handwriting: Curriculum samples, periodic journal entries, copywork, dictation... Date the random paper in order to show progress in your homeschool portfolio
• Language Arts: Reading lists (both teacher and student read), workbook pages, lesson  plans, teaching journal, learning journal, pictures of projects or activities
• Writing: Writing samples. Handwritten, typed, dictated to a family member... In a notebook, journal, or scrap paper... Keep samples.
• Mathematics: If you're not working through a formal curriculum, you really need to be clear about your goals and intentional in your teaching and documentation. Keep an annotated list of learning objectives, a lesson  plan book or activity summary, and/or sample activities and pictures.  Make sure that you're evaluating your child's retention and mastery...  the fact that they could perform a task on Monday does not mean they've retained it come May.
• History & Geography: Reading lists, field trip brochures, photographs, curriculum guides,  learning journals, teaching journals, mapwork, timelines, drawings,  shutterbooks, scrapbook pages, writing assignments...
• Science: Reading lists, field trip brochures, photographs, activity pages,  learning journals, teaching journals, drawings, shutterbooks, scrapbook  pages, writing assignments, blog entries... almost anything works. Remember: The goal is exposure, not mastery.

• English: Reading lists (both teacher and student read), writing samples (work that your child has authored -- this may or may not be handwritten), workbook pages, lesson plans, teaching journal, learning journal,  pictures of projects or activities, tests. Date items to show progress throughout the portfolio
• Mathematics: Tests, written work, and competancy projects are key. Shutter books, notebooks, pictures of activities, skills checklists...
• History & Geography: Reading lists, field trip brochures, photographs, curriculum guides,  learning journals, teaching journals, mapwork, timelines, creations drawings, shutterbooks, scrapbook pages, writing assignments...
• Science: Reading lists, photographs, learning journals, shutterbooks, projects, writing assignments, tests, lab reports...
• Other: Letters from teachers, certificates, printouts from online activities

• English: Reading lists and writing assignments are essential here. Tests, workbook pages, and study guides can also help.
• Mathematics: Tests, written work, and competency projects are key. Extremely  detailed skill charts are possible but incredibly difficult to maintain.
• History & Geography: Tests, reading lists, learning journals, mapwork, timelines, student projects and writing assignments all work. Mastery and understanding is expected.
• Science: Written work, tests, lab reports, pictures, learning journals....
• Health & PE: Activity log, journal, reading list
• Computer Science: Projects, data CD, completed checklist, typing speed test, quizzes
• Other: Letters from external teachers (detailing classwork and time commitment), grade printouts from online courses