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Mary G
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| Posted: April 07 2008 at 4:13pm | IP Logged
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As a follow-on to the year-round schooling thread, how do you log a day's work? Do you have the day all planned out and check off as you go or do you write notes on what's done during the day (and later check it against your plans, etc)?
Are you required to keep a record (as Leonie mentioned)?
Do you keep it on computer, in a lesson planner or rough notes in a notebook?
What's your best way of keeping track?
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I'm not required to keep records of what we do day-to-day other than just as a "reality check" for me. I don't like to plan more than a day or two ahead (other than general outlines) as I like to go with what works and be able to shift if something is just not working.
I keep track in a lesson planner I got from the $1 store and keep track of unitstudy resources and read-alouds on computer.
My St. Athanasius blog helps keep me "honest" about what we have done ... one of the main reasons I ever started blogging!
I'm still looking for my ideal record-keeping mode -- any suggestions?
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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joann10
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I have to keep records in order to fill out quarterly report forms for the state of NY.
I use a calendar book that I keep what we do day to day in. I add things as we go along
I posted here about it in the fall.
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Mary G
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Thanks Joann -- that's a great way to do it ... similar to what I do but looks neater, somehow 
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Matilda
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In the past, when the kids were littler, they loved checking things off so I made checklists for them. I admit that I haven't done much record keeping since then mostly because we are in a very hs friendly state but feel like I should.
Watching this topic for responses!
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
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Barbara C.
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We don't have any required record keeping either. I kind of keep a monthly diary in Word, though. Through the month I make notes of any special activities, playdates, accomplishments, books read, workbooks started or completed, and developmental leaps. Then at the end of the month I sit down and write it out in a narrative form. I've had some months be as long as one paragraph while others were a page and a half.
I started in January 2007, and it's been neat just to look back at last year. My husband really liked looking through it, too. Eventually I should start printing off each year and keeping a hard copy or two.
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Barbara
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Paula in MN
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I'm not required to keep a daily record, but I like to do this for myself.
I tried a lot of different methods, and I really like the "Record of a Learning Lifestyle" from Notgrass.com.
If you click on the link and then scroll down, you can see exactly what it looks like. I've used it for two years and am not missing anything we are doing.
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Paula
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JenniferS
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I like your planner, Paula. My record keeping is very haphazard. I am not required by the state to keep any records, but I'm finding it is best for my peace of mind.
Jen
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Willa
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I have found my blog the most flexible, effective way to keep records.
Right now I am logging on Every Waking Hour
I liked the way Faith did her unschooly Week in Review
Here is a fairly organized way of
Keeping Unschool Records
And here is a pdf unschooling record keeping form that I have used in the past to try to get my brain to retrieve and organize what went on in a day.
But again, I think the most enduring and simplest has been to just blog the day (sometimes keeping a log in a spiral so things don't fly out of my head)
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AMDG
Willa
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lapazfarm
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I don't. 
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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marihalojen
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This year I haven't either, basically. I loved, loved, loved using Tanglewood's Corebook last year. CM based, it has a two page spread, the first page lists Nature Walks, Memory Work, Copywork, Art Studies, Music, Theology, even the Habit of the Week! All the things that drew me to Charlotte Mason in the first place. The second page is set up traditional style, with little blocks for Math and Spelling etc. (but also comes in a blank version so you can fill in your own subjects). But even this page is totally CM-influenced, it has little bubbles to check off with N=narration, RA=read aloud.
But dd requested a different style planner this year, and since we've basically had a Low Tide year thus far I've been filling in stuff about once a month or so in a very basic and blah grid.
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Paula in MN
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lapazfarm wrote:
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Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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Mary G
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| Posted: April 08 2008 at 2:02pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer -- I really like that "corebook" and the price is pretty reasonable -- altho I'm sure I could jerry-rig something like it too.
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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marihalojen
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It would be very simple, you're right, Mary. I've about decided if I'd just sit down with a ruler and something to draw a line with, I'd save myself a whole bunch of time rather than searching, searching, searching for the perfect page to print!
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~Jennifer
Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading
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mariB
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On Monday mornings, I type in the computer a checklist for each child.(It takes me 5 minutes per child.) My oldest son made a folder for each child on our computer. I try to encourage the high schoolers to finish their list by Saturday. The younger ones usually finish what's on their list.
List looks like:
Mon.
_read Luke ch. 1
_do L 45 in math
_copy for 10 min. from Little House
_draw an insect from your field guide
_Practice latin decl. 1 and 2
_read ch. 10 in History of US
Tues.
etc.
We follow these lists as guides. If something moves us, we change it for the day because I also like to be spontaneous. Even with the lists, we are behind in some subjects and that is O.K. It has more to do with how often we don't have a school day due to family life and other activities!
I am working on portfolios right now because our state requires documentation each year. (portfolios and teacher evaluation such as a progress report or approved standardized testing)
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marib-Mother to 22ds,21ds,18ds,15dd,11dd and wife to an amazing man for 23 years
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allison
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Where we are we have to keep a record of number of days as well as a log. I found a great little form that lists each subject across the top (and you can adjust this to what your child is taking) and a column down the side for date or day #. Each day (i try - sometimes it's every few days and i rack my brain ) I just check off what subjects were done. Much easier for me than trying to write everything out for each day.  At the beginning of the year I just print out the number of pages I need front and back to equal 180 days and stick them on a clip board with a pen.
We also have a portfolio to do so I have a file for each kid, for each subject, and as I eventually get things corrected it goes in their folder. These are by no means buldging  ... Any workbook work (which there is very little of) stays in the workbook until I put together the portfolio.
~allison
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Molly Smith
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lapazfarm wrote:
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Me neither. For me, it's an overwhelming concept delayed by own personal sloth. I know I need to keep better records. We're getting ready to leave on vacation tomorrow, so it's one of those things I hope to flesh out a little on the 15 hour drive!!
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Molly Smith in VA
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DianaC
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We're not required to keep records beyond attendance, however, I like to see where we're going (and where we've been).
I use the blank weekly planner pages from Donna Young. http://www.donnayoung.org/index.htm
I keep them in a 3-ring binder with my other resources. At the bottom of each page, I can note whatever topics we may need to revisit or I list new vocabulary or ideas that I think we will need to review.
I try to look over the week's work sketch out the next week's work on Fridays while my daughter is finishing up her work.
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Mare
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I'm required to keep a daily log and attendance.  I like to plan out the school year in 9 week quarters with the 9th week as my catch up week. At the end of each day, I record what what we accomplished.
I've been keeping my log in a planner. I had thought about putting it in the computer and even set up an account at Home School Inc. I found it easier just to write the information in the plan book. This is my first year where I had to gather all the information for the portfolios. I have since realized that entering the information on a daily basis would have saved me a lot of time and effort at the end of the year. I wouldn't be running around making 2 sets of photocopies. I could've just printed off the sheets for the school district and the evaluator from the comfort of my home.
Mare
P.S. They do have a section in the Home School Inc. online planner for unschooling.
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DianaC
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I just received a flier from Pflaum for the student planners and they now have a teacher's planner as well. It looks pretty neat - it has info for each month on saints, feasts, etc.
Here's a link:
http://www.pflaum.com/catalog/childcat/studtplan2.htm#teachp lan
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PDyer
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I'm a very orderly person so this feeds my need, rather than my daughter's or the state's needs. I use Michelle Quigley's lesson planner pages. I plan for me as a organization tool rather than as a list for my daughter. Each two page spread is a week; I write Fairy Study, Faith, Math, Language, Reading and Other across the top, then scrawl (literally) what I'd like to (emphasis on LIKE TO) accomplish during the next week -- what fairy we're studying, what lesson/chapter we're on in math or Faith and Life, what chapter or pickture books I want to read, a reminder about violin practice, etc. If we read something I didn't plan (often!), or she runs off with a craft binge, I note that down when we do it.
At the end of the week (Saturday, if I'm following my rule), I look at what we did and decide what I'd LIKE TO do over the next week, and we start anew. So far so good.
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Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Log keeping
