Homeschooling High Schoolers-Organization

Fall is in full swing now and we are on our 7th week of Homeschooling. This is our last week of soccer, and then we won't have to worry about what time we finish. (mwaa-ha-ha-haaaa...*wink*).


Homeschooling your teen through High School always brings about organization concerns. The thought of credits and transcripts can cause a little fear in the most hearty of homeschoolers. But really, it's not as bad as it sounds. 


This year I am the most pleased with our organization. I think I have finally figured out what works and doesn't work for us. Having graduated one of my kids certainly helps in so many ways.


I've shown my bookshelf before but here it is again:

(The numbers are from a previous post.) I bought magazine holders for each subject. These are working like a dream. Last year we used a milk crate, one per student. This was *okay* but stuff still got lost. Having the magazine holder, one per subject is MUCH more effective and things only get lost if they are not put away and I am holding everyone extremely accountable to put everything away DAILY. 


So, for example, in the Science section is the student text, the teacher's manual, the student notebook, any flashcards (we make flash cards for vocab. words), and a calculator. 


In the Geometry section is the student text, the teacher's manual, the protractor and compass, the Math dvd's, the student notebook, the flashcards. 


For History and Literature, it is the current book they are using, the student notebook, the flashcards. Any books not currently being used are stored on the top shelf (section 4 on the picture). Any books we are done with are stored on a separate shelf upstairs in the house so that our shelf is as empty as possible. 


For most classes they use a ring bound notebook. All grades are recorded in the front of the notebook, on the inside cover (if it's not blank I attach a sheet with double sided tape). Then all I need to do to calculate grades is to look in the front of the notebooks and average them with my trusty calculator. :) You finish one ring bound notebook, you start a new one and they all stay stored in their subject magazine holder for the year.


They do have a loose leaf notebook for some classes. They are divided by the school week. All loose leaf paper is kept in there in order of the week. Grades again, are stored in the front. They each have one large loose leaf notebook. It is stored on the top shelf as it encompasses more than one class. Actually they have two. One is for current work and coming work. One is for completed weeks. Once stuff is graded, it can move to their "completed work" notebook in it's entirety (by the week). The grading sheet in the front is never moved. 


There are NO papers ALLOWED out of notebooks. You can use loose leaf separate and then place it in the notebook upon completion. I will ONLY grade papers IN notebooks. They are NOT allowed to hand them to me in their "loose" form!! That is how papers get lost. In the past I thought I would correct them and put them away or they would put them away and it DID NOT WORK. I would at some point get behind and end up with a big, messy, horrible pile!!


So, it's working. So far so good. I would love to hear other organizational ideas and tricks. :) I'll share them here.