Report Cards

As we head into our more relaxed summer schedule, I like to take some time to look over our school year and make a more permanent record of the academic days gone by.


A few times each school year I like to sit down and go over the books. Look at test scores, homework accuracy, areas of growth and challenge. Although it isn't required in our state, and doesn't go anywhere except the file in the closet, I also use this information to compile a report card for each of my school age kids.


I searched around for ideas, and eventually used Publisher to put together my own report card personalized just for our school.

The back has our school name, year, verse and grading standards.

The front has the student name, grade, subjects with marks for each quarter, and a well used comment section. The comment section is the most important to me. I want to make sure I record their strengths, weaknesses, improvements, and even goals as appropriate.


It makes me laugh when teachers have their list of sample comments to pull from so the report cards don't all look pre-printed. My problem was finding a card format that gave me enough room to say all I wanted to. This card gave me adequate room, but kept me from being wordy or superficial.


Compiling report cards has been a great way for me to consolidate the learning picture for each year and give me a record of the academic progress. And, you can use them at places like Chuck E Cheese, Krispy Kreme, and other stores that offer incentives for good grades.


Other resources you might find helpful in formulating report cards:

• For a variety of sheets for recording grades check out Donna Young's site. She offers sheets for multiple subjects, single subjects, Saxon math, as well as more traditional report cards.
• Here is another printable report card made just for homeschoolers.
• If you want to print your own, but need more ideas, check out various school websites. Here are a few to get you started: here, here, and here.
• An article on pros and cons of grading.
• HSLDA has an article on grading at the high school level.
• Homeschool grading for dummies. :-)
• Homeschool Gradebook software available to purchase (lots more of these out there if you are interested)
  

Homeschool report cards have definitely worked for us.