One of the things most experienced homeschoolers will recommend is to do a mid-year assessment. 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’s good to evaluate a few things mid-year so you don’t stray too far.
preschoolers
There are many online sources for analyzing preschool skills. If you are doing a preschool, there will likely be a mid-year or end-of-year assessment available. However, if you don’t find something you like, be sure to take stock of how you’re doing and what progress you’ve made. It can be compared to an evaluation at the beginning of the year. If you didn’t make one, that’s fine, just make one now to assess the skills your preschooler has been working on and then you can assess at the end of the year what they’ve accomplished.
Primary and secondary school
Many elementary programs have assessments or a curriculum that lays out what you will learn throughout the year. You can use these as the basis for a mid-year review. There are also some online resources available that can help you analyze and assess where you are with the skills for your primary or secondary student. However, the most important step for a mid-year assessment for your elementary and middle school student is what is working and what is not. This is the best time to ensure changes are made if necessary.
high school
With high school, you’ll probably want to make sure you’re being assessed against your high school student’s long-term goals. If he or she has his or her sights set on college, he or she will want to make sure he or she is on the right track to meet college prerequisites as well as progress through personal achievement goals. In many cases, your middle schooler can complete a self-assessment to help you first. Again, it is important to evaluate the curriculum or plan you are using during this mid-year review and make any necessary changes.
charlotte mason
If you are using a Charlotte Mason style of teaching at home, you will likely be taking an end-of-term oral exam. This is a great way to gauge how your student’s skills are developing and what needs extra attention. You will also be able to judge if they are understanding the material and know if you need to slow down or speed up your material.
classic
As a classical educator, you may want to take a midterm exam to see where your student is in their studies. Keeping track of these tests can help your child see what he’s doing and help him determine if there are areas that need extra attention.
other methods
Many other homeschooling methods also have a mid-year assessment built into their programs. If yours doesn’t, there’s no reason you can’t make your own. This does not mean that you should give grades or worry about getting to a specific point in your syllabus if your student is not ready. It just gives you some guidelines to work with and helps you see what you’ve accomplished so far this year.
general
One of the most important aspects of a mid-year evaluation is evaluating what is working and what is not. If you have tried a new methodology or curriculum, how are you and your student enjoying it? You are progressing? Have you stopped? Is there something that is a fight every day? If you are struggling with a particular subject every day, is there another program, curriculum, or method that might work better for your student?
Your mid-year review is a great time to make changes and see what needs to be adjusted. It’s also an excellent time to give your children the much-needed brakes on what’s going well. 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 stay motivated.
What do you do for a mid-year review?