When is the best time to start YOUR homeschool transcript?
I was wondering I have been told that middle school is the right time to start putting together a transcript. She is now in 8th grade and I have not officially started. How do I get started and is there a good software out there that is worth getting.
Thank you
~ Antonia on Facebook
Middle school is the BEST time to start putting together a homeschool transcript for two reasons! First, it will give you the practice you need to feel comfortable and confident in your new homeschool role as high school counselor . Because transcripts are so critical in high school, learning that skill a little early can help you become more knowledgeable and do a better job. Record keeping, particularly in some states, can come as a big surprise to homeschool parents. Although it isn’t difficult to learn, it does take a little bit of effort. Homeschooling will give you the edge in confidence and ability.
Second, learning how to make a transcript in middle school can be very important because some courses you are teaching may actually be high school classes that should be on a high school transcript. Because some middle school students take high school classes without realizing it, these courses may be mistakenly left off the transcript. By learning about the homeschool transcript now, you can be SURE whether classes should be on the high school transcript or not. Beyond just “for practice,” this kind of learning ahead of time is critical to making sure your child gets the credit they deserve, particularly if they are ahead of grade level in any course or standardized test.
Transcript software is about all the same. They all give you nice forms and templates to type on. When I tried transcript software, I quickly became frustrated that there was no template that I preferred – I had to fit my homeschool into their charts and graphs, and my homeschool didn’t fit!
I also found that while software is “nice” it actually requires some brain-ware to back it up. That’s what was missing! I didn’t actually know what to type – regardless of where I would type it. That’s why I worked to make my Total Transcript Solution . I wanted to teach parents WHAT to type. Then I give them 10 templates in a variety of looks and formats so they could choose to make it look any way they want it to look.
I will say that high school record keeping is really not that hard. There are easy strategies that can save you a ton of time so that you don’t have to tediously count hours, so don’t worry about that part. I hope that helps!
If you are curious about providing a great homeschool education for gifted children, check out my audio training, “Gifted Education at Home.“
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Christianbook.com Curriculum Page
Sharon says:
You mentioned above about middle school students taking high school courses and not realizing it.
How is that done? Wouldn’t a person know what grade level book they are using, typically.
My twins are going into 8th grade next year. Are there any courses that we could do to help us get a step ahead in high school?
Thank you for your help.
Sharon
April 27th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Becky says:
Thank you for the info on transcripts. My oldest will be in 9th grade this coming new school year. I am devouring everything high school I can find.
Becky
April 29th, 2010 at 4:19 am
Lee says:
Dear Sharon,
I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to you! I’ve been REALLY busy!
This is a topic I talk about often in my book: Setting the Records Straight
https://www.createspace.com/3408564
Not all homeschoolers use graded textbooks, so it can be difficult to tell when your homeschool student is doing high school work. The most common early high school credits are algebra and foreign language. However, math textbooks rarely say “High School Algebra” it usually says “Algebra.” And a foreign language curriculum may say “French” and a parent using it in middle school may not realize they mean high school level French.
If you are using a graded curriculum that is clearly labeled “WARNING: HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL” then it’s pretty easy, but it’s usually not that clear. As long as parents know that it can happen, that some junior high classes really are high school level, then they can keep their eyes open.
The best classes to prepare for high school are reading, writing, and math. Reading and writing are fundamental skills that everything else will hinge upon. Math is a skill that builds incrementally, so you have to be consistent in order to become successful.
Middle school is a time to focus on fundamental skills in some things, and work ahead at a high school level for other things. That’s the great thing about middle school – you really can’t be behind. Since the purpose is EITHER remedial OR advanced, and each subject can be taught separately, you can provide exactly what your child needs and still be at just the right level in everything.
Blessings,
Lee
May 4th, 2010 at 2:04 pm