Grading in the World Geography Guide. . . .

[momtofive]

I have lots of questions right now, regarding how to "exactly" go about giving grades for the World Geography guide. I know I've read here on the board about how some are using online assignment tracking programs for keeping records, and others are just making a copy of the introduction and suggested grading pages from the guide. In looking over the introduction and suggested grading (from the guide), I'm still unsure as to how "exactly" I should use them. Should I record individual grades for each section/assignment separately, and then fill in all the final grades in the blanks at the end of the year? Or should I be recording on those lines as I go? Is there anything else I should be doing to keep records?

Please forgive me, as this is all new to us this year! We've been homeschooling from the start, but this is our very first year of high school, so I want to make sure we're doing everything right, keeping good records. Our state doesn't require much from us, but I know later for college we'll need good records for transcripts and proof of what he's learned. I'm in the process of making myself a plan book of sorts to keep organized with what all the kids are doing each day. I'm planning on including pages to record his grades.

Just trying to see what others have done -or- are doing with this! Thanks!

[glperky]

Great question. Looking forward to the responses.

[little1stwo]

Do any colleges actually want to see your records or do we just have to show a transcript? I'm trying to figure out this grading thing too and am not sure how detailed our records have to be. I'd rather not grade for every little thing if that is not necessary, know what I mean?

Thank you!

Lynn

[Motherjoy]

Colleges may ask to see writing samples, a list of books read, course descriptions, or a portfolio. Often they do not ask for these. What they will look for is whether or not the child's grades match up with his SAT/ACT scores. If they see a huge discrepancy, they will ask for more info to make sure that the "mommy grades" are accurate.

But no, they will not usually ask for a record book of individual grading.

[momtofive]

Thanks, ladies!

Since originally posting this.....I've been reading through a book I just got called Transcripts Made Easy by Janice Campbell. It's actually exactly what I was looking for, as far as guidance in record keeping. I hope it's okay to post that, as it definitely enhances our HOD high school journey. They even quote Charlotte Mason in the book !

The book's only a little over a hundred pages, but has a lot of good information and includes blank forms you can copy and use to record course information, grades, and guidance in making transcripts, etc. I think it will go along very nicely to record all the great resources were using this year in our World Geography guide! Carrie did such a great job writing the introduction to the guide, the information's all right there. (As well as writing amazing guides, of course! ). It, and my introduction in the guidebook should make creating transcripts a snap!

Anyway, I thought I'd share, as it's pretty much just what I was looking for in learning about high school record keeping. I'm realizing its not as scary as I thought. Basically, your transcript along with SAT or ACT test scores are what you really need. I feel like I'm ready to dive into high school now!

[little1stwo]

Thank you so much for sharing this Lisa! I'm going to look at it right now. You have made it sound so easy now : )

Thank you!

Lynn

[Carrie]

Ladies,

This is a great thread! I just wanted to let you know that I own and refer to the Transcripts Made Easy book myself. It is one of the books we may consider carrying at some point, although I wouldn't want families to think they must go through all of the steps that Janice lays out (since much of that is already done for you in your HOD guide). Also, the website http://www.teascript.com is a great place to go to actually make your transcript if you prefer not to go through the work of making the transcript the way Janice lays out in her book. We used this site for our own son, Cole, and it makes a very nice transcript. This is another thing we will likely be advising as one possible way to make your transcript.

Blessings,
Carrie

[8arrows]

Teascript is what we used for both of our graduates. They both already hold an associates, and one is working on his BS. All the colleges thought it was fine. One even complimented me on it.

[my3sons]

I too am planning on using teascript, as Carrie and 8arrows did and found it to be very successful, and I highly value their advice! I am all about NOT making more work (or stress) for myself than necessary. Our daily midpoint meeting times in WG last year kept me on top of everything Wyatt was doing, and I used the WG Introduction informally to set high standards for his work before calling it 'done.' By diligently staying on top of his work daily, I felt sure about his solid academics in his WG guide. Whatever you decide to do, keep in mind that if it involves a lot of daily tracking and upkeep, more than likely no one will ever look at it and you may never even reference it. Just a kindly reminder to be good to yourself as the busy homeschool mama too! Keep records so you feel at peace about it, but don't focus on them so much that you are overwhelmed. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[quiverfull]

………..Also, the website http://www.teascript.com is a great place to go to actually make your transcript if you prefer not to go through the work of making the transcript the way Janice lays out in her book. We used this site for our own son, Cole, and it makes a very nice transcript. This is another thing we will likely be advising as one possible way to make your transcript.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you so much for this, Carrie! It is exactly what I need for my upcoming senior. I love this board!

[momtofive]

………..Also, the website http://www.teascript.com is a great place to go to actually make your transcript if you prefer not to go through the work of making the transcript the way Janice lays out in her book. We used this site for our own son, Cole, and it makes a very nice transcript. This is another thing we will likely be advising as one possible way to make your transcript.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you so much for this, Carrie! It is exactly what I need for my upcoming senior. I love this board!

My thoughts, exactly! Thank you!!

[Tiffini]

I enjoyed reading this thread. My oldest just finished the WG guide. She is basically a straight A kind of student, so grading is fairly simple with her. I LOVE the course descriptions that Carrie included. I just copied those right into the ongoing list of course descriptions that I'm keeping in her high school portfolio. Made it so easy!

I did use all of Carrie's forms in the front of the Guide for grading and that was very helpful. However, I have a question for those who also used the guide last year. How did you keep track of daily things like written and oral narrations, etc.? Since my oldest is an easy student, that was not too much of an issue for me this year. I will have twins using the guide next year for 9th grade and I don't feel like I can look back each quarter and give them an overall grade for those types of things without having more of a daily record. But I also feel like recording daily grades on everything like that will be overwhelming. Just wondering if any of you others had ideas or could share how you did that?

Thanks!

[momakhomeschool]

Good question, Tiffini. I would love advice on that as well!

[Tidbits of Learning]

I plan to do our grading daily but not extensively. I have some forms that CHC used to sell called grading masters and I have a check rubric that I use. So I will take the check rubric and compare it as dd does an oral narration or written narration to HOD's teacher guides in the appendix for the narrations. Then I will put the daily grades on the grading masters as we go through the school year.

Check Rubric

History Grading Master Sheet

Blank Grading Master that I can put the HOD grade topics from the introduction grading scale.
Of course, I base their check rubric grades off of the narration guides in the appendix. BTW, the check rubric came from a teacher's site years ago and is no longer available online and CHC no longer sells the grading masters...so if you want to use them, feel free to click on the picture and enlarge or create something similar in Word or Excel for the grading masters.

[momakhomeschool]

That was very helpful. I am visual so I especially appreciate the pics. Thanks again!