If you are planning to homeschool your child through high school, you need to concurrently compile their homeschool portfolio. Too many parents spend the bulk of their child’s junior and senior years pouring over years of projects and family photographs to find information that may be of interest to the college admissions officer. Instead of taking that route, I suggest you start recording your children projects in middle school.
Compiling a homeschool portfolio does not have to be tantamount to preparing for a tax audit. You do not have to save boxes and boxes of everything your child touched since ate 11 to have a decent homeschool portfolio. In fact, you can make creating the homeschool portfolio fun! Here are some ideas you can use.
Homeschool Scrap booking: Many homeschoolers know scrap booking is a fun way to create a nature journal, or to have a child record their experiences using pictures. However, you can also scrapbook with college in mind. This homeschool scrapbook (for college admissions) would have photos from competitions, charity events, speeches, plays, displays, and any other event you can think of. Next to the photos, you can summarize that experience and add winning ribbons and things of the like. As your child gets older, he or she can take over their homeschool scrapbook, so the recruiting officer can see the students writing ability as well. You may want to do a different scrapbook each year so growth from year to year is apparent.
Homeschool Webpage or blog: Why not compile your students high school experience on a website so that when the time comes to submit a portfolio, all you have to do is send a link. A blog that also catalogues entries by category is a good way to do this. You would have chronological educational experience as well as educational experience by subject. It would work very much in the same way as a scrapbook, only it would be compiled online.
Homeschool Movie: If you record, everything your child does on video, then a homeschool might be up your alley. You can take the camera to all events and activities, and have your child read their essays out-loud as well. My son loves using the camcorder and editing film, and may very well go to a college with a film program. It only makes sense that his homeschool portfolio or at least part of it is in movie form. Therefore, whenever we go to any homeschool event, I am sure to bring the camcorder along and hand it to him.
Therefore, whatever form you choose to use for your homeschool portfolio, just be sure you start now so that by the time your kids get into high school, it will be second nature for you to record that event, project, or assignment.
2006 homeschool blog at a glance