New Year Review

Can you believe we have reached the new year? Time sure flies! Many SC families are reaching their mid-year mark, and there are a few things every SC Third Option homeschooling family should do.

First, your semi-annual progress report is due at 90 days. Semi-annual progress reports are a requirement under the Third Option Homeschool Law. TSCHAA members are not required to submit progress reports to TSCHAA; they should keep them for their records only. 

To learn more about semi-annual progress reports, check out TSCHAA's guide to semi-annual progress reports. 

Second, the new year is a great time to evaluate your homeschool. Take a few moments to answer the following questions:

1. Is your homeschool curriculum working for your kids? Are they enjoying school? Are you enjoying homeschooling?

If homeschooling isn't living up to what you thought, it may be time to shake things up a little. Unit studies, lapbooking, notebooking, and living books can bring the excitement back to your homeschool.

There are many free curriculums and resources available online that can help breathe life back into your homeschool. Check out some free resources here. 

2. Are you running around crazy all week and feel you don't have time for anything?

You may need to rethink your commitments. Part of the beauty of homeschooling is the time it allows your family to be a family. If you are low on time to actually homeschool, you may need to clear up your schedule. Make sure you are only choosing extra activities that add value to your homeschool. 

3. Do you have unrealistic expectations?

Homeschooling will usually not look like public school. Many families picture everyone sitting around a table and working quietly throughout the day. Or they picture a Pinterest perfect school room. The truth is, for most families, there will be noise, movement, and lots of messes. 

Students learn best by doing. So, let them "do!" Let them get messy and explore and have fun. They will remember more and learn more than you can ever imagine! Try some hands-on learning with them this year.

4. Are you pushing your child too hard? Not hard enough?

Some families try to keep their students learning at the same pace as a public school, however, this is not necessary. Homeschooling allows you to move at your child's own pace. Let them go as slow or fast as they need. You will find they will end up being just where they need to be when they graduate. 

Everyone develops differently and not every child is ready to learn skills at what schools consider the "perfect" age. (Math is one subject that everyone learns at their own pace. Check out my thoughts on teaching math here.)

Remember, as a Third Option Homeschooler, your only curriculum requirement is to teach reading, writing, math, science, and social studies, and, in grades 7-12, literature and composition. There are no specific topics or levels required within those subjects. You have flexibility in what you choose to teach and when you choose to teach it. 

5. Are you overwhelmed or worn out?

Don't forget to allow time for you. Take breaks and spend time just being a family without turning everything into school. Take a day off and just be. You need to take care of yourself, or you won't have anything to give to those around you.

Take time for professional development. Pick up a homeschool magazine or book and grab a cup of tea. Visit some homeschool sites or listen to a podcast to get tips and tricks.  Make a date with your favorite friend to talk homeschool and kids. 

Book recommendations:

Joy in the Journey by Lori Hatcher

Real Homeschool: Letting go of  the Pinterest-Perfect and Instagram-Ideal Homeschool by Karen DeBeus

Hope for the Heart of the Homeschool Mom by Jammerril Stewart

Encouragement for Homeschool Moms by Martha Washburn (email marcia@marciawashburn.com for a free copy)

Read the current Old Schoolhouse Magazine here.

Podcast recommendations:

The best homeschool podcasts for homeschool moms


Homeschooling isn't easy, but you can do it! If you need any assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to your homeschool association. That is what we are here for!

Happy Homeschooling!

Education Holes

Help! If I homeschool, won't my children have holes in their education?

Actually, yes, they will! But they will also have holes in their education no matter what path you choose. Public, private, charter, and homeschools will all leave children with holes in their education because there is no way they can learn everything they need to know for their futures. 

When my daughters were babies, my husband and I taught them how to use baby signs. They knew many signs and could communicate with us beautifully. However, as they learned to talk, we stopped signing with them and began using only words. Today, if you asked them to sign something, they would not be able to recall very many of the signs they once knew. 

Was our time wasted teaching them to sign? No. It was a useful skill at the time. However, as they have gotten older, there are more useful things to know, and they have replaced their signing knowledge with new knowledge.

The same goes for many of the concepts we learn in school. Think back to your school days. You learned many facts that were deemed important at the time, were tested, and then the teacher moved on to other concepts to learn. Do you remember everything you learned in school? I sure don't!

As homeschoolers, we have the awesome opportunity to educate our children in a unique way. We are not bound to the same state standards and curriculums that a school is required to follow. We can forge our own paths and choose what topics we want our children to learn, and we can tailor our children's education to their interests. Rather than focusing on checking off boxes, we can focus on giving our children the gift of learning.

Paul T Corrigan says in his article Preparing Students for What We Can't Prepare Them For,

"Perhaps we need to update the old teaching adage:
Give a person a fish, and they will eat for a day. Teach a person to fish, and they will eat for a lifetime. 

We should add:
Teach a person to fish, and they will eat for a lifetime. Teach a person to learn, and they will be able to do just about whatever they need to do in a lifetime."

Our goal in education should be to prepare our children for their futures, and the future will not look the same as it does today. Our world is changing fast, and the jobs available and the skills an employee needs to have may not be the same as today's when our children grow up. 

What if, instead of focusing so much on the concepts kids are learning, we start focusing on the skills they need to learn how to learn and foster a love of learning? Then, the "holes" in their education will not be quite so big, and they will be better prepared for their futures. 

Guide to Homeschooling High School

Homeschooling high school can seem like a daunting task for many families, but with a little planning, you can have a very successful experience.

When planning courses for high school, choose courses that are interesting to your student and have some fun creating meaningful courses for your high schooler. High school is also a wonderful time to set up shadowing opportunities for your child and find ways they can volunteer and make a difference in their communities. I highly recommend including your student in the high school planning process.

Record keeping in high school is essential. Do not put off keeping up with your course descriptions, grades, and transcripts because you will not remember everything your student did in 9th grade when his/her senior year rolls around. Plus, you are required by law to keep records of your student's learning.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact TSCHAA. You can do this!

What To Teach

In SC, Third-Option Homeschoolers are required to teach literature and composition, math, science, and social studies for 180 days each year. As the homeschool teacher, once your student has met the minimum requirements of the Third Option Law , you are able to graduate him/her. However, TSCHAA strongly recommends, at a minimum, following the SC diploma requirements for graduation.

It is very important to have a vision and a plan for your homeschool to ensure you are planning your courses accordingly. If your student is college bound, you need to make sure you are including the specific courses colleges require for entry. A two-year college and a 4-year college will have different course requirements.

Guide To Choosing High School Courses

TSCHAA offers a free high school planning sheet on the Applications/Forms page of the TSCHAA website. You can also access it here.

What Makes a Class

There are different ways you can count a high school course. Some families choose to count courses by the number of hours spent on the subject rather than the number of days. Others determine a course's completion when the curriculum is completed. HSLDA has a helpful article about determining how to count a high school course: https://www.hslda.org/highschool/docs/EvaluatingCredits.asp

Course Descriptions

It is recommended to make a course description for each high school course. If you purchase a curriculum, you can just make a copy of the publisher's description, syllabus, or table of contents. If you create your own course, make sure you are keeping up with an outline of topics covered and books used.

Transcripts

As a Third -Option homeschooler, you have been given the power to create and maintain your student's records. This includes transcripts. However, some colleges insist that your transcript comes from your association. Always check with a college before sending in a parent-made transcript so you do not miss important deadlines.

A transcript should include numerical grades, course level (college prep, honors, dual credit, AP), credit (.5 or 1.0) and course name. You should have your student's name, address, date of birth, and graduation date. In SC, you should calculate your student's grade point average using the SC Uniform Grading Policy (SC UGP). (More on this below.)

You can find many transcript templates free online. Let's Homeschool High School has many free templates available.

For members who need assistance with transcripts, TSCHAA offers a transcript service for $20. You can order one on the Application/Forms page of the website.

*Students must have a graduation date on or before June 15th to qualify for SC scholarships. *

New 10 Point Scale

SC adopted a new 10 point grading scale for the 2016-2017 school year. In order to qualify for SC scholarships, you must use this scale on your transcripts. Any classes taken prior to August 2016, must still use the previous 7 point grading scale.This is a requirement set forth by the SC Department of Education.

New 10 point scale:

A=90-100 B=80-89 C=70-79 D=60-69 F=59 - below

Old Scale - use on all courses taken prior to August 2016:

A=93-100 B=85-92 C=77-84 D=70-76 F=69- below

Types of Courses (Honors, AP, Dual Credit, and College Prep)

1. College Prep courses are high school level courses that prepare students for college. Most courses in high school are considered college prep.

2. Honors classes go above and beyond a college prep class. Adding more work does not make a class honors level. The work required should be at a higher level than a college prep course. SC implemented a new guide for determining honors level. TSCHAA will no longer validate honors level courses on our transcripts. You can learn more about the honors requirements here.

3. AP courses must be approved by the college board. A homeschool educator who wants to label the course as AP must create an account with the college board and submit your course materials for approval. To get AP credit on your transcript, you must have a copy of the approval from the College Board.

http://www.collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaudit/

Homeschoolers can take the AP test even if they have not taken an AP course. You can find more information about taking the test here: https://professionals.collegeboard.org/testing/ap/scores/prepare/homeschool

4. Dual Credit courses are taught at a college. A student takes a course at a college and the score earned in the course will also count on their high school transcript.

GPA using the SC UGP

(Please keep in mind if calculating GPA is confusing or more than you want to do, don't worry. TSCHAA has you covered. Our transcript service takes care of all of it for you!)

When calculating your student's GPA (Grade Point Average), you should use the SC UGP (SC Uniform Grading Policy) for scholarships and SC colleges. South Carolina has the uniform grading policy in place so that all students can be compared more accurately. *Students must have a graduation date on or before June 15th to qualify for SC scholarships. *

1. To calculate the SC UGP, you will first need to classify each high school course as either college prep, honors, AP, or dual-credit. Most high school classes are considered college prep. Honors, AP, and Dual Credit courses receive more weight on the SC UGP.

2. After classifying each course, you will need to assign each numerical grade earned a quality point as determined by the SC UGP. Classes taken prior to August 2016 must use the 7 point grading scale. Classes taken after August 2016 must use the 10 point grading scale. Use the charts below to determine quality points.

10 point scale conversion chart

7 point scale conversion chart

3. Next, multiply each quality point by the credit value (1 for a year class and .5 for a semester class) and add them up. Take that total and divide it by the total number of courses attempted. Do not round!

Follow this step by step example of how to calculate SC UGP (see page 5):

Calculating SC UGP Example

***make sure you substitute the new conversion chart linked above for courses completed after August 2016.***

TSCHAA Diploma

TSCHAA offers two diploma options for members. TSCHAA will create a diploma for your student as long as you have met all the requirements of a third option homeschooler.

You can order a diploma in a navy blue padded cover from Gowns4Good for $35. Gowns4Good donates dollar for dollar the amount spent on their graduation supplies to build wells in impoverished communities. TSCHAA has partnered with them for ordering our padded diploma covers.

You can also order a diploma that comes in a navy blue card stock folder for $15.

Both diplomas can have your homeschool name printed on them. Diplomas can be ordered on the Application/Forms page. As a 3rd Option homeschooler, you can also create your own diploma.

SAT and ACT

Colleges use the SAT and ACT to determine college readiness. These tests are also used as an option to qualify for SC scholarships. Visit the College Board to learn more about the SAT and ACT.org to learn more about the ACT.

You will be required to put in a school code and have proper id. For the SAT click here. For the ACT click here.

CLEP Testing

One way to earn early college credits is through CLEP testing. CLEP tests are designed by the College Board and allow a student to test out of a college level course. Your student will earn credits but not grades toward their college degree. Some colleges have a limit on the number of CLEP tests that they will allow. You can find more information on CLEP tests at the link below.

https://clep.collegeboard.org/exam

Scholarships and Ranking

South Carolina offers some amazing scholarships. In order to qualify for a SC scholarship for the following year of college, you must end your school year by June 15th. If your school year runs past June 15th, you will not be eligible for that year's scholarships.

The most popular scholarships are the Life, Hope, and Palmetto Fellows. You can only qualify for one of them. Colleges will let you know if you qualify for the Life or Hope, and TSCHAA is responsible for applying for the Palmetto Fellows on your behalf.

Since TSCHAA leaves record keeping up to the parents, it is your responsibility to contact TSCHAA if you think your child qualifies for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship. Reminders will be sent out as deadlines approach.

So, why doesn't TSCHAA rank? If TSCHAA ranked, every student taking high school level courses would be required to turn in grades by June 1st of each year. Each high school student would also be required to purchase the transcript service because every SC UGP has to be verified by the director. Not every family is interested in ranking, and TSCHAA wants to allow families to homeschool without adding requirements that go beyond the Third Option Law. If ranking is important to you, there are many wonderful associations that offer ranking. You can find a list with short descriptions of each association here.

Equal Access Interscholastic Activities Bill

The Equal Access Interscholastic Activities Bill allows homeschoolers to participate in extra curricular activities at their local public school. This includes athletics, music, speech, and other activities.

You must contact the school before the season begins. A homeschool student must meet the same requirements that a public school student is required to meet. Your student must have been homeschooled in the school's district for 1 academic year to qualify. Every school handles this a little differently. They will probably want a report card (and may insist that it comes from your association) and proof homeschooling. TSCHAA offers a report cards service for $8 and a free compliance letter on the Applications/Forms page of the website.

Earning High School Credits in Middle School

Your child can begin earning high school credits in middle school for core courses. In order to earn high school credit, your middle schooler must be doing high school level work. If you put your child in public school, the school may not accept your courses as high school level. It is at the school's discretion when determining the level of your child.

Helpful Websites

The South Carolina Homeschooling Connection

Let's Homeschool High School

HSLDA High School Resources

Donna Young Homeschooling High School

The HomeScholar - she offers a paid service, however, many of her resources are free

TSCHAA's Pinterest Page - College Bound Board and High School Board

Finishing Homeschool Curriculums

"Help! The school year is almost over and my children have not completed their curriculums! What do I do? " As director of TSCHAA, this is a question I get often. So, what do you do? Well, as a Third Option homeschool parent/teacher, you get to decide.

There is nothing in the Third Option law that says your homeschooler has to complete a curriculum or even a grade level. You are just required to teach 180 days each year and teach reading/writing, math, science, social studies, and, in grades 7-12, composition and literature, but there are no specific requirements to meet in those subjects.

The beauty of homeschooling is that you can move at your children's own pace. You may find that one year they struggle to complete their curriculum, and then, the next year, they breeze through it and finish early. They may even complete more than one grade-level/curriculum in a year. You are the parent AND the teacher. You have the power to decide each school year.

When you choose a curriculum to use in your homeschool, you are choosing what you want to complete in that curriculum. Nothing says that you have to teach every item in the curriculum. A curriculum is always a guide. If your children already know topics, you can skip them. If your children need extra time to learn a concept, you can spend as much time on it as you feel necessary.

If you have met the Third Option requirements but have not completed your curriculums, consider the following:

• Will your children enter public school next year and be expected to know certain skills?
• Are your children in high school and earning high school credit for college entry? (You can always extend your year if needed.)
• Are the topics left to learn prerequisites for next year?
• Do you, as the teacher, feel that your child has completed enough to close out the year?
• Do you feel comfortable ending your year without completing the curriculum?
• Are you happy to move at your child's unique pace?

You may decide that you will put away the unfinished curriculum and start new next year, or you may decide to pick back up with it the next year. You also have the option of working on it during the summer. The choice is yours. That choice is what makes me love homeschooling!

What Should Lesson Plans Look Like?

As a Third Option homeschooler, parents are required by law to keep records. One record you are required to keep is  "a plan book, diary, or other record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the student and parent-teacher engage" (Third Option Law). So, just what should that look like?

Luckily, the law is not specific, and you can choose a record keeping plan that works for you. Many homeschoolers are told that they must keep a 3-ring binder of all their student's records. This is a wonderful way to keep track of each year, however, it is not the only way to accomplish record keeping. The law says a plan book, diary, or other. The word "other" allows many options for creative lesson planning.

Here are samples of what TSCHAA families are using for lesson plans. Thank you so much to all the TSCHAA members who sent in pictures or offered ideas for lesson planning. 

One option is to keep a plan book similar to a public/private school teacher. Many homeschool companies sell plan books that are made just for homeschoolers. A plan book could look like this:

Some families choose to just use a spiral notebook and list out what they plan to do each day. When my girls were in elementary school, my lessons looked like this:

Note that the above method is tracking the date school was conducted and what day out of 180 the student is on. Including your number of days can help you keep up with the year and know when you have met the 180-day requirement. 

If you do not track your attendance in your lesson plan, then you can use a simple calendar to mark days that you conduct school, or you can use something similar to the free resources from My Joy-Filled Life. Subscribers get free printable record keeping sheets that include an attendance tracker.

Another example of using a spiral notebook is below.

Some families prefer to keep digital copies of their lesson plans. HomeschoolSkedTrack.com is highly recommended by several TSCHAA families. This site is free, and it keeps track of days, lessons, field trips, and allows you to print progress reports. (Semi-annual progress reports are another requirement of the Third-Option Law.)

FiveJ's Gradebook is similar to HomeschoolSkedTrack. It is a free downloadable program that helps you track grades, field trips, reading logs, attendance, course sheets, course lists, and extra-curricular activities. This program can be used in Open Office, which is also a free download.

Applecore is another online record keeping service that offers both free and paid subscriptions.

Another option for digital record keeping is Google Calendar. One cool feature with Google Calendar is that you can have a separate calendar for each student, and it can be shared online. You can also access it on any device. You can find an example of how to use Google Calendar here.

You can also use the lesson plans that come with your curriculum and just put the date next to each lesson. A TSCHAA member shared that she made a copy of the table of contents of her curriculum and marked each lesson with the date and day out of 180 to track lessons and attendance. 

As my girls got older, I started using school charts. I created them in Google Docs and shared the document with them online using the share option. They can either print it out or access it online. They mark off each assignment as they complete it. This option helps my girls work independently and gives me a record of lesson plans and the number of school days out of 180 they have completed. (For math, I keep a copy of the table of contents of their math book to show what they learn because we move through the book at their own pace. I don't always write the exact pages/topics on their charts.)

Some families are unschoolers, and they do not plan out each week. For those families, they can use any of the above methods, but they just enter their learning after the fact. An example of keeping lesson plans for unschoolers can be found on The SC Homeschooling Connection. 

Another fun way to keep up with what you are covering in your homeschool is through pictures. You can create a meaningful keepsake by snapping photos and arranging them in online albums or even physical photo albums. This method can prove very useful for unschoolers that don't plan out their days. 

My family has kept a web page that showcases what my girls are doing in their homeschool since we began homeschooling so many years ago. Many of the pictures show field trips, science experiments, and other learning experiences. Here are some shots of our web page from when the girls were in elementary school.

One recommended printable resource is Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus. You can print a wonderful planner to use for your record keeping purposes. Donna Young also has a similar planner available to print. The planner below is printed from Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus.

As you can see there are many options for your lesson plans. The goal is to document the learning that is taking place in your homeschool. Whatever method you choose, remember that you are required by law to keep a record of what your students are learning in your homeschool. 

TSCHAA Diplomas

Do you have a graduating homeschooler this year? Under the Third Option homeschool law, parents are given the power to create and maintain records. This includes creating and issuing a diploma.

There are many free templates online that can help you create a unique diploma, and you can also create one on your own.

TSCHAA is proud to offer our diplomas in padded diploma covers from Grads4Good for $38.

$1 spent at Grads4Good = $1 spent to build clean water well systems in impoverished communities. 

If you have named your homeschool, TSCHAA will feature your homeschool name on the top of the diploma. You can also purchase a diploma in a cardstock diploma cover for $18. Both the padded cover and cardstock cover are available in navy blue.

Actual diploma paper may be different than picture depending on availability. The wording may vary as well.

If you are interested in ordering a diploma from TSCHAA, you can purchase one on the Application/Forms page of the TSCHAA website. Diplomas can take 2-3 weeks for delivery, so please plan ahead. (TSCHAA diplomas are available for purchase by members only.)

To learn more about Grads4Good, visit their site at https://grads4good.org/.

(The diploma fee includes diploma cover, printed diploma, and shipping.)