Grading for homeschooling can be a tricky task. Of course the teacher in charge is always the one to assign grades. In the case of homeschooling, the teacher is usually mom or dad which can create some difficulties. Naturally, parents find usually find it difficult to assess their children objectively. It’s instinctive for parents to always see the best in their children and to minimize their flaws.

Another grading problems arises when the teacher has no benchmark against which to evaluate a child’s performance. You have little awareness of how your child compares to other children in his/her grade level. These factors have led me to conclude that the traditional grading method may not be best way to go while grading for homeschooling.

When grading a homeschooled child, it is most important to assess whether or not the child has grasped the subject you are teaching. You are not looking to ensure you’re your child has memorized a certain number of facts, but that they have actually understood and internalized their meanings. Inherent in this is the fact that if the child has not understood something, you will go over it again. This will work in your child’s favor because your child knows that if he or she fails to catch on, that you will explain the topic again and again until they fully understand. In public school what often occurs is that a percentage of students will not understand the subject but the teacher will have no choice but to move on for the sake of the majority. One of the great benefits of homeschooling is that you can ensure your child will master each subject they are required to learn before they have to move on to another subject.

If you live in a state or province that requires yearly testing for homeschooled children, this will help you compare your child’s abilities to his peers. Even if such testing is not mandatory where you live, you should encourage your child to participate in the tests for this very reason. These tests will also give you an idea of how well you are doing in your job as a teacher. If your child scores well, then congratulate yourself for a job well done. If you child scores poorly, then it is an indication that you may have to make some changes either to the curriculum or to your teaching methods. Standardized tests will also help point your child’s areas of strengths and weaknesses. This will also help you tailor your child’s education to better suit his/her needs.

Normally student evaluations entail report cards. Although grading for homeschooling does not have to follow exact grading methods of public schools, there are benefits to creating report cards for your children. Report cards will help you and your children track progress and get an idea of how well your children are doing in each subject area. In some states and provinces, homeschooling parents are required by law to submit report cards.

Therefore, you should keep an organized record of your child’s assessments and grades. Remember report cards often track character development such as discipline, initiative and punctuality along with grades for each subject. Another important item report cards track is the number of days the student attended or missed class. Since homeschooling offers the benefit of a flexible schedule, you may want to keep track of how many school days your child attended at the end of each semester or year. It’s a good idea to look at public school report card templates for ideas on what to include in your homeschooling report cards.