Yesterday I defined the learning objective. Today we’ll talk a little bit about why you might use a learning objective. Learning objectives might seem a little academic, but they can be useful tools for parents and children.
Look at the learning objectives over many grade levels to get a sense of what conventionally-schooled children are learning and when. For some subjects, the learning objectives can seem quite arbitrary. Some subjects like writing have a logical sequence of learning, while others like social studies are much more arbitrary. It doesn’t particularly matter what year a student learns about early twentieth century history, although it is probably important to know about it. You’re the best person to gauge when your child is ready to learn about a topic, but it can be informative to know when others are learning about the same topic, especially if you plan to enroll with a school district in the future.
For families who would like their children to graduate with a formal diploma and register in a college later in life, tracking the children’s progress towards learning objectives is helpful to ensure that their studies are generally on track. This is especially important as the child approaches the later elementary and high school years. Although homeschooled children can move into university with a portfolio rather than a high school diploma, some families choose to go for the diploma to make it easier for their child to enter higher education.
Understanding grade-level learning objectives can also be helpful for the children who may want to be reassured that they are on par with their peers. As kids get older, they want to know that their skills are similar to those of conventionally-schooled children. This applies to unschoolers as well as to those who are homeschooled with a conventional or alternative curriculum. You and your child can look at the learning objectives for each grade to reassure your child that he is not trailing behind.
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