As unschoolers it is hard to know what documents you will end up having for your homeschool learning records,your child might draw,paint ,write down lists or some maths things, ,they might make a project - throughout the year these are all excellent things to ad to your records- even anything that have written , - add these to a plastic sleeve folder (for the projects - that are to big - take a photo and print it of to add to this portfolio -if they have done writing on roblox or minecraft or made " creative virtual things " in online games - take a screen shot and print these of aswell - simply write on the back of any " hard copy work " your child has done the date / or month if unsure also write what subject or subjects it covered ! you will be surprised at the large amount of work that has filled the folders up over time, there could be 2 - 3 folder by the end of the year. If your child is helping out in the kitchen or with house work ,playing computer games, if they are helping with renovations , -or doing ANYTHING "hands on" - take lots of pictures! - this is a great way to document for evidence - at the end of each term print these pictures of and add to a " dedicated unschool learning album - note the month / date and any subject it covers also . This will also fill up quickly.If you go on a outing to markets,museums,sight seeing, hiking , anywhere really - also make sure to take some pictures and add them to the album.
At the end of each year you will have loads of documentation and evidence for your unchooling learning records - also if you fill out a learning diary each week with what your child has done, anything they have asked about that yous have had a conversation on, any new interests of theirs, any words they have asked to spell or the meaning for, anything ! - you can add this to your now - big stack of natural learning records your child has done .- all these " documents are a great way to reflect on your childs learning progress and experiences "
How to keep learning records
for your Unschooler !
I use a diary with the days in it for this year - last year i just used a simple lined textbook that i added the beginning of the weeks date in
I use a plastic sleeve folder
i write down anything the kids have asked about that we have discussed, any words they have asked to spell or what the word says and means .I add anything "school like "that they have done - sometime drawings, workouts, youtube searches . I also add that they played online gaming (roblox, minecraft) - as that covers like nearly every subjects .If we go on a adventure i add where it was, what we discussed and add that there is a photo of it in( portfolio) - as i love taking photos of the kids " doing things for my records " - i also add any interests they may have for the week - example my daughter became interests in Pilates - she researched youtube videos , looked out workout clothing that she purchased with her own money - she followed the tutorials and even learnt some of the stretches proper names - all in a week , the following week , the following week her interests changed , MAKE SURE TO ADD WHAT SUBJECT EACH THING HAS COVERED
i have clear plastic sleeve folders that i put anything that they have written drawn or painted in , anything school like "could be a workout plan my son has written with how many pushups and situps to do, or a piece of paper my other son has written the codes to hacks for fortnite he just seen on youtube on . I also take screen shots of their roblox builds,anything they have written online i print of and add it to this sleeve folder, my daughter and eldest son have there own youtube channels i take screen shots of some of the videos they have created and add this to their portfolios by the end of the year we have 2-3 of these folders filled each with various subjects covered naturally by the end of the year
I use a plastic sleeve folder
or (you can use a photo album with lines to write on)
Check out my blog post , How we Unschool to view some of our previous Unschooling photo albums.
This is my favourite, , throughout year whenever the kids cook in the kitchen , help with house chores, or house renovations i take a photos, I take photos of them riding bikes at the local jumps, swimming in the pool, bushwalking and hiking , i take photos exploring the rockpools and caves .I take photos if we go on a excursion somewhere . I take photos of everything " schoolish they do ". - i add this to a separate plastic sleeve portfolio , i usually use free apps like pic collage to create a scrap book thing i put all the similar photos i took over the term together- like all the cooking photos of my child, and write cooking - short description what they made and the subjects it covered also i add the month - i print it of and stick it in this folder. - ( you can just add them to a photo album if you like )
Beginning of each year i write down in my book (this is a simple lined textbook ) - what subject outcomes my child can/cannot do,
anything they are interested in &, at the end of the year i write down what they can now do, reflect on what the have achieve naturally throughout the year and what interests they had, example start of the year i wrote -
my son can : maths
do double additions - makes a quite a few mistakes ( eg - 22+24)
knows his 10%
has been advancing in 2 x multiplications
know all his money skills and some time reading skills
at the end of the year i will reflect and write
my son now can : maths
do triple additions getting them all almost correct eg - 233+240 - he also now can do 3 sets of additions in the double digits eg - 22+21+35 with little to none mistakes
masters his 10% and now knows all his 50 % as that means half he says - also we have been practising 20 % as that is double 10 % and easy to remember.
under stands half past now and is remembering how to read analog clock
interests - my son has been interested in rocks and minerals this year - especially crystals and gems - we have went gem hunting multiple times at diffrent spots were he has found his own amythyst,quartz and gem rocks using a pick axe and slothe.He went to the gem shop with dad and they observed all the various gems the guy had found , we have had various discussions like the healing propieties and prices some crystal bring - through out the year. We also went to the local gem fest in November.He wants to turn some of his crystals into key chains for nana and grandma - we will do this next year
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There is various ways you can keep your child's home-school / Unschool records - chose which ever way is easiest and suits you .Home school departments state the choice is up to you!
some of the other methods home schoolers / unschoolers use include :
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create a learning blog
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use online apps / software
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follow a tailored home-school record keeping journal like the mulberry journal
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print of weekly home-school learning record worksheets
