One of the things that most experienced homeschoolers will recommend is doing a mid-year evaluation. But what should you evaluate and how? There are many ways. It doesn’t have to be fancy or formal if you don’t want to but it is good to evaluate a few things mid-year so you don’t get too far off track.
Preschoolers
There are many online sources for analyzing preschool skills. If you are doing a preschool program, it is likely there is a mid-year or year-end evaluation available. However, if you do not find something you like, make sure you evaluate how you are doing and what progress you have made. You can compare to a beginning of the year evaluation. If you did not do one, that’s ok, just do one now evaluating skills your preschooler has been working on and then you can evaluate at the end of the year what you have accomplished.
Elementary School and Middle School
Many elementary programs have evaluations or a syllabus that states what you will be learning throughout the year. You can use these as a basis for a mid-year review. There are some online resources available as well, that can help you analyze and evaluate where you on with skills for your elementary of middle school student. However, the most important step for a mid-year evaluation for your elementary and middle school student is what is working and what isn’t. This is the best time to make sure that changes are made if necessary.
High School
With high school, you will probably want to make sure that you are evaluation according to your high schoolers long-term goals. If he or she has sights set on college, you will want to make sure you are on the right track to meet college pre-requisites in addition to making your way through personal goals for accomplishments. In many cases, your high schooler can complete a self-evaluation to help you out first. Again, it is important to evaluate the curriculum or plan you are using during this mid-year review and make any changes necessary.
Charlotte Mason
If you are using a Charlotte Mason style of education in your home, you will likely be doing an end-of-term oral exam. This is an excellent way to evaluate how your student’s skills are developing and what needs additional attention. You will also be able to judge if they are comprehending the material and know whether you need to slow down or speed up on your material.
Classical
As a classical educator, you may wish to have a mid-year exam to see where you student is in his or her studies. Keeping track of these exams can help your child see what he or she is accomplishing and help you figure out if there are areas that need additional attention.
Other Methods
Many other homeschooling methods have mid-year evaluation built into their programs as well. If yours does not, there is no reason you cannot make your own. This does not mean you need to give grades or worry about getting to a specific point in your curriculum if your student isn’t ready. It just gives you some guidelines to work with and helps you see what you have accomplished so far this year.
Overall
One of the most important aspects of a mid-year evaluation is to evaluate what is working and what is not. If you have tried a new methodology or curriculum, how are you and your student enjoying it? Are you progressing? Have you hit a standstill? Is there something that is a fight every day? If you are fighting through a particular subject every day, is there another program, curriculum or method that might work better for your student?
Your mid-year evaluation is an excellent time to make changes and see what needs tweaking. It’s also an excellent time to give your kids some much needed accolades for what is going right. If you don’t give grades, a mid-year review is a good way to give a certificate or reward for good work to help them continue to be motivated.
Resources
Here are some online resources that you might find helpful in putting together a mid-year evaluation.
What do you do for a mid-year review?
What’s working and what isn’t…. that is a good one because I think many homeschooling moms forget to toss the stuff that isn’t. I had a mom in a forum the other day saying
“I am using Time 4 Learning with my 11 year old but I can’t get him to sit down and do it. He has ADHD and asking him to sit down to do his work (on the computer or off) is a huge struggle”….
What did I tell her? While T4L works great for some children, it is not working for your son. If he doesn’t want to sit, let him stand, if he won’t focus on the task in front of him, try using a program that incorporates the world around him. After all, he is being distracted by it anyway, you might as well use it to your advantage!
That is the joy of homeschooling that we often forget IF IT DOESN’T WORK, CHANGE IT! 🙂
I agree. I think one of the biggest benefits (and joys) of homeschooling is that you can adjust the curriculum to fit your child’s personal learning style and needs. I love that we can do that, we just need to remember to do it when something isn’t working.
Tawnee recently posted…52 Homeschool Tips for Every Homeschooler – #3 Do a Mid-Year Evaluation
I love the half way point. this year we realized things are just not working. So it is great to step back, re-evaluate what we are doing and try something new.
We did the same. It can be hard to admit something isn’t working but, at the same time, starting something new can give school a new, fresh feeling.
Tawnee recently posted…52 Homeschool Tips for Every Homeschooler – #3 Do a Mid-Year Evaluation
Mid year is a great time for me to evaluate myself as a teacher. I like to spend time reading more and brushing up on my teaching technique. This also gives a new and fresh element to our homeschool, keeping the winter doldrums at bay.
Thanks for sharing the great resources.
So true. Midyear be a winter downer so I think doing a review and trying something new can give it a fresh spin that we all need. Thanks for the comment.
Tawnee recently posted…Studying Volcanoes
I like the mid-year time to review what’s working and what isn’t. Sometimes it’s hard to be honest with myself that a curriculum I spent a lot of money on just isn’t working.