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When your children are younger, you might be completely confident about avoiding tests and simply focusing on learning in your homeschool. When they reach high school, you may think you have no choice. You need to give grades and include them on a transcript! Don't panic. Did you know that you don't have to test to give a grade?As a home educator, you have the option of evaluating your children with methods other than tests. You...

When faced with courses such as math or spelling, most homeschool parents feel pretty confident in their grading methods.  But what about those more challenging courses, like fine arts, or even creative writing--how do you grade those things?  If you were teaching culinary arts, think about a yummy piece of chocolate dessert, and how you would grade something like that! Of course, grades definitely have their place, but an equally useful method of evaluating your child’s...

Homeschooling isn't cheap.  We pay for our own curriculum, supplies, and teacher manuals.  It doesn't get cheaper as kids get older, either!  For some families, finances are a HUGE issue, even while they are committed to homeschooling through high school.  Here is some helpful advice for these parents who are thinking about college admission. Two important truthsHomeschoolers tend to be single-income families.Homeschoolers love to save money.Two important expensesSAT and ACT tests are required for admission, and...

I posted a public school student's valedictorian speech on my newsletter, and it brought up an interesting question about cramming for a test. I love that speech! But now I'm concerned because we're thinking of using CollegePlus (recommended on this website). Doesn't CollegePlus do just that - train people to cram for tests and then forget? I totally see the value of getting through college in high school, but please give some input about how to...

In spring and summer parents may look back on the year and feel VERY discouraged.  They see how little they got done, they notice what was not finished.  They clearly see the difficulties and traumas that got in the way of  formal education.  But all is not lost!  You can't actually PREVENT a child from learning.  That's where standardized tests can help.  They can show you how much your children have learned while you weren't even...