180 Days

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Most of us are finishing up the school year.  Some of us (well, me) are counting down the days to go until we have finished our 180 days and can take a long (and much deserved!) break.  We do get a number of questions throughout the year regarding the requirement to school for 180 days and exactly what that entails.  Here are the answers to some of them.

Q: Do we have to do school for a certain number of hours each day?  Unless you are registered with your school district, the answer is no.  You are free to set the length of the school day.  So a child in early elementary may very well only take an hour or two to complete each day’s assignments. 

Q: How many days of school does my high schooler need to do to receive a credit in one subject?  High school credits are based on the number of hours worked and subject matter completed, not the number of days completed.  Each credit requires 150 hours of time spent on that subject (spread between lecture, research, study and other assignments).  To complete on credit in 180 days, the student would need to spend 45 minutes on the subject each day.  Keep in mind though that different students take longer to grasp the material.  If a student takes twice as long to grasp Algebra 1, it is still only one credit.

Q: Do we have to cover each of the required subjects in order to call it a school day?  The law requires you to teach certain subjects (Reading, Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies, and in 7^th grade and above Literature and Composition).  When and how you teach them are up to you.  I teach most subjects each day – our curriculum is laid out that way and it seems to work pretty well for us.  My mom used to switch off science and social studies so that we had a little more time for science experiments and map studies that we might have if she was trying to cover both subjects each day.  So plan your days so they work best for your family, but make sure you document that you did teach each subject. 

Q: Do we get any sick days?  The law requires 180 days and we do have to complete them.  If you have one child sick while everyone else is working and you later work in the missed work into the school days to ‘catch up, you can leave your lesson plans showing the work as you made it up.  If everyone is out with the flu, you just have to put those days in elsewhere.  Doing Math review once a week during the summer is a good idea to keep those math skills sharp.  Add reading a novel to that day and it will also give you 10-12 ‘make-up’ days for any sick days you missed.

Q: What if my student is really sick and we can’t complete 180 days in a calendar year?  It is possible to do home schooling with a student who is really sick.  The details of how that works is complex and too long for this post.  I will post a more detailed answer to that question later this week.

Q: 180 days, are you kidding me?  How can I keep my kindergartener busy that long?  Your child may be so eager to learn that you breeze through all the books and workbooks in half a year.  If you have an eager learner, consider moving on to the next grade level even if you are in the middle of the year.  The freedom to move at the child’s pace is one of the great things about homeschooling.  If you don’t want to start on next year’s books, find other educational things to do with the rest of your time.  Try some science experiments, or take some field trips.  Even if you don’t use Sonlight, I highly recommend checking out their book lists for each year.  Most of the books can be used apart from the curriculum, and many of the titles are available at the library.  Their website has a list of readers, history books, science books and read-alouds for each grade level.  Mix and match, pick and choose as needed!

Some (Belated) Thoughts on Motherhood

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   I know Mother’s Day has passed – I meant to get this out last week, but it didn’t happen.  Still, I’d like to throw in my two cents and say something about motherhood in general and motherhood as a homeschool mom in particular.  As I’ve spent the last couple of weeks thinking about what I wanted to say, and watching my kids play, I’ve decided on this:

  One of my favorite things about being a mom, and particularly a homeschool mom, is that I get to teach my kids, and then see how my teaching influences their lives.  This ranges from the mundane – “Hey Mom, I just figured out, four plus two is six!” to the slightly embarrasing - “Hey Mom, I’m your slave!  Tell me what to buy.”  Which happened in the middle of Walmart, and I was not able to explain to the world in general that we were learning about slaves in Ancient Egypt and had yet to get to the American Civil War and its implications for our own times. 

  Generally if I think about it I can tell where an off the wall comment or question is coming from.  My five year old and I had a very serious conversation the other day about whether or not pirates will be in heaven.  But I could trace his logic from our discussions about sin and the need for a Saviour to his thoughts about pirates; after all pirates are sinners right? 

  And those are the times that the little daily struggles over addition and subtration and identifying past particples are worth the trouble.  Those are the times that I can tell, no matter how much they are wiggling or appear to be daydreaming while I’m teaching; at least some of what I’m saying gets through to them.  And when I can see my children growing and learning, I know that all the time and energy I put into homeschooling pays off.

  And by sharing these little anecdotes, I know I’m not the only one with these kind of stories.  Every mom has had similar experiences.  So in honor of Mother’s Day, or maybe just because every mom needs to hear this sometimes, watch your kids – and see how you are influencing their lives.  You are doing good work. 

Used Curriculum and Book Sales

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  The rest of my family thinks I'm a bit crazy, but I love this time of year.  We have twenty-two days of school left (not that anyone is counting...), and I am busy planning for next year.  I have instructors' guides and catalogs spread across the house, and raids on both grandmothers' libraries are pending.
  At least part of my planning mania is fueled by the fact that May is book fair month in the Upstate, and I want to be prepared.  I love books and I love to be able to purchase books at a good price.  I try to use the book fairs to get a good start on what I need to purchase for the next school year.  Here are some tips for making the most of the upcoming book fairs:

• Know what you need.  I check my library and those available to me (the Greenville Library system, and the libraries of various family members) to see what I have, what I can borrow and what I need to buy.  I make a list of the books I need to buy and bring it along to the book fairs.  This keeps me focused amid a sea of beautiful books.
• Have an idea of how much you can spend (and bring plenty of small bills).  Some years I set a dollar limit for myself.  Other years I add another column to my "shopping" list with the price I would pay buying the book new.  This allows me to decide whether to buy the book new or used.  Most of the sales are cash only so plan accordingly.
• Check the publication date and decide whether an older edition of a book matters to you.  I was somewhat amused by the model computer in my daughter's science book.  The book was a late 90's edition and pictured a computer with a floppy drive.  We used it as a springboard to a discussion of how quickly technology changes and then completed our own drawing of a more modern computer.  But another time I might look for a more recent copy of the book.
• Keep your eye out for unused or lightly used workbooks.  I often find copies of the workbooks I need for just a dollar or two.  When you have more than one child in elementary school (where every subject seems to have its' own workbook), this can be a real money saver.  Be sure to thumb through each workbook though.  Some books have only a few used pages (easy enough to erase), but I have bought one or two that needed a good hour of erasing to be useable (not worth the savings in my opinion).
• If possible leave little ones at home.  Most of the book fairs do not allow strollers, and the rooms can be fairly crowded.  And it is very hard to look at books and keep an eye one a toddler.  If you can find a babysitter you will find the shopping experience much easier.  That said older children can be a real help buying books -their sharp eyes are good for spying something you might have overlooked.
• Look for one or two books that can be read right away.  I use the book fairs as my major stock-up for next year, but I always try to pick up at least one or two books that we can enjoy immediately.  Everyone at our house loves books so it is something akin to torture to bring home a stack of books that must wait until the fall. The books I get for immediate reading are usually a dollar or less so they don't take up much room in my budget.
• Book fairs are a two way street.  So far I have only been on the buying end of book fairs, but they can be a terrific opportunity to clean out your own shelves and maybe make a little money (so you can buy more books!).  Check the website for each book fair and decide where you want to sell.  Each book fair has its own setup and specific rules for how to sell you books.

There are three book fairs (that I know of) coming up in the next month or so.  Here are the details:

1. Family TOUCH's Annual Used Curriculum & Book sale will be held Tuesday, May 13th from 3:00-6:30 PM at Taylors First Baptist Church in the Fellowship Hall.  This is a one-time consignment sale.  Books will be arranged by subject and grade to make your shopping experience easy!  A great place to get most of your curriculum needs!

Buyers, this is a CASH ONLY sale.  No strollers are permitted. Rolling carts and backpacks are fine. You do not need to sign up to buy at the sale.  Doors will open at 3:00 pm.

Seller registration up is open until May 11, 2014.  You must sign up in advance to sell books. For sign up information visit:http://www.homeschool-life.com/sc/touch/

2. Upstate Homeschool Co-op Book Sale: Monday, May 19, 2013 from 5:00- 8:00 PM in the Taylors First Baptist Fellowship Hall.

To sell your material: Sign-Ups Start May 1, @ 8:00 AM at the UHC website: https://www.homeschool-life.com/sc/upstatehomeschoolcoop/

When reserving a table you are agreeing to:

Pay fee for the table (correct change preferred) upon entering (Fees: Upstate Members: $5 per table; Non-members: $10 per table).

Be ready to begin clean up at 8:00 PM sharp

You will need clean your table and the area around it before leaving

Someone on the book sale team must check your table before leaving

You can bring your items anytime between 3:00-4:30 pm, but after 4:30 the outside doors will be locked until 5:00 when the general public will be allowed to enter.

Persons selling items @ the sale will be able to “shop” from 4:30-5:00

You may share a table but only one person should register. To avoid confusion discuss with your partner who will register. You will be in charge of your own table and can label your materials in whatever way you deem best.  If you have any questions, you may contact Kendra Alexander at jandkalexander@hotmail.com

3. EHE Used Curriculum Sale: Thursday, June 12 from 4:00-7:00pm in the Rock Springs Baptist Church Gymnasium.

This year's sale will be yard-sale style.  Each family is responsible for selling their own merchandise.  Tables will be provided by the church. 

Please adhere to the following guidelines:

EHE members can sell for free. Non-EHE members: there is a $5 rental fee.  All proceeds will be donated to the Rock Springs Foster Care Ministry.  Educational Material ONLY may be sold...that includes CDs, DVDs and Computer games.  Reading books may also be sold.  The seller is responsible for set up and clean up of your table.  The seller is responsible for their own sales, which includes bringing starter funds to make change for customers. EHE is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged material.  To sign up visit: http://www.homeschool-life.com/sc/ehe/

Making a Portfolio

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  The 2013-2014 school year is winding down for most families.  The ladies in the PHEA office are hard at work getting all the transcripts updated and ready for the mad dash to the finish line - all the transcripts and the class ranking must be finished by June 15th.  We are also hard at work folding and stuffing and labeling the renewal applications. 
  While I spend a lot of time planning and counting and calculating our 180 days of school, and making sure I have met the requirements to complete all our days with accurate lesson plans, I don't spend a lot of time thinking about another requirement - the portfolio.  Usually I just dump all my kids' work into a box with the lesson plan book and figure I've done well enough. 

  At it's most basic, a portfolio is a sampling of the work your student has completed throughout the school year (or in my case a file box with everything we did that year).  While we are required by law to keep a portfolio, a portfolio can go a long way toward validating your grades and your homeschool if they are ever brought into question.  We know of at least one case in our state where a family was charged with educational neglect because they did not have any records to show for the work they had done.  Even though the students tested at or above grade level the family was forced to put their students back in public school because they had no records to show that they actually were homeschooling.
   I attended a workshop last year on making a portfolio which encouraged us to do a little more than just dump all our files into a box.  I wanted to share some of that information with you.
 At the workshop we were encouraged to evaluate our student's work each week and pull out one or two pieces of work that were representative of the work done that week (both good and bad).  We were then encouraged to go through those papers once a quarter and again select a few representative samples.  Those samples should then tie in with our semi-annual grade reports to help show why our student received the grade he or she did.
  For example, my third grader struggles with spelling.  We have tried a different approach this year and her spelling while still a bit wobbly is greatly improved since the beginning of the year.  My progress report at Christmas noted that while she did well learning the rules, she didn't have much of a feel for when a certain rule would be used.  At this point she seems to be getting some idea of when a rule will be used and she is also starting to recognize when a word looks wrong.
  The examples in the portfolio should bear this assessment out.  I will include both spelling tests and examples from her writing showing many misspelled words from the beginning of the year.  Other examples of her work will show improved spelling as well as multiple eraser marks where she attempted various spellings and realized that they were wrong.
  Similarly for other subjects the examples I choose should go with my assessment of the work done over the course of the year.
  At the workshop, it was suggested that we might want to include an explanation telling why we included certain items in the portfolio - pictures from a field trip for instance.  Together with the semi-annual reports the portfolio gives a good picture of the work accomplished in a school year.
  It was pointed out to us that another benefit of making an organized portfolio was that it is encouraging to the students as well.  The speaker and his wife stored their portfolios in three-ring binders on a shelf in the schoolroom.  Their children liked to look back through the portfolios from time to time and see how much progress they had made. 
  I haven't been pulling out examples for the portfolio very consistently, but I have plans to take some time at the end of the school year to make a well-organized portfolio. 

Think about taking some time to make a portfolio this year.

Legislative Update from SCHEA

Many thanks to South Carolina Home Educators' Association for passing this along!
 

Tax Bills - H4624 & S279

There have been several questions about two bills that are currently in the legislature in South Carolina--one in the Senate and the other in the House.  There are some differences in them--one is a credit against your taxable income, the other is a deduction against your taxable income.  One would go into place this year, the other next year.  Neither one of these bills is tied to family income.  Since both of these bills are deductions or credits, they would not have the strings attached that a voucher would have.  Essentially they would allow you to keep what is rightfully yours anyway and would help to offset some of your expenses. Here is the problem.  S 279 was introduced in January of 2013 and has been sitting in the Senate Finance Committee ever since.  H 4624 was introduced in February of 2014 and is currently sitting in the House Ways and Means Committee.  In order for either one of these bills to pass, they need to be passed before this legislative session ends in May of 2014--just two months from now.   After that, they are null and void and the process will need to begin again in January with a new legislature.   That means the bill needs to come out of committee, be voted on on the floor, be sent to the other chamber, go through committee and be voted on there.  All of this is possible--but not likely unless our legislators begin to feel some pressure.   If you like either one (or both) of these bills, this is the time to do something about it. Waiting until Home School Day at the Capitol will be too late.  You can go to www.bosticlaw.com  to sign and share a petition.  There is also a Facebook page for H4624. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SCHomeandIndependentSchooling/. Either send your representative an email thanking them for their support or an email to encourage their support; ask them to sign onto this bill as a co-sponsor.   Your legislators need to hear from you!  They value your input.   You can find more information at www.schea.net/legislation   H 4624 Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a parent or legal guardian who teaches one or more qualifying students at home as authorized pursuant to Section 59-65-40, 59-65-45, or 59-65-47 may claim a credit against their State of South Carolina taxable income of up to five thousand dollars but not to exceed amounts spent on instruction-related expenditures. The credit allowed by this subsection may be claimed fully for the tax year in which the home school term begins provided the qualifying student completes the school term for that school year.   S 279  Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, a parent or legal guardian who teaches one or more qualifying students at home as authorized pursuant to Section 59-65-40, 59-65-45, or 59-65-47 may take a deduction against their State of South Carolina taxable income of up to two thousand dollars per home school student for instruction-related expenditures.  This deduction is limited to a total of two thousand dollars per child per year regardless of the number of taxpayers incurring home school instruction-related expenses on behalf of that child. The deduction allowed by this subsection is fully deductible for the calendar year in which the home school term begins provided the qualifying student completes the school term for that school year.

South Carolina Home Educators Association
PO Box 2707, Irmo, SC  29063
803-772-2330
schea@schea.net
www.schea.net