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SCM and meeting Pennsyvania state regulations
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Hello all!
Ok, so I am in the process of working through the “Planning your Charlotte Mason Education” workbook.
I have a TON of questions..
First, my DD is currently attending Connections Academy – workload overload! Way, way too much work and time.
However, the end of the semester is the 22nd of this month, so I am trying to plan our new curriculum now because we will not be enrolling in the new semester.
We will soon be relocating back to Pennsylvania this spring and I am a little concerned with meeting the state’s homeschooling requirements for elementary aged children. I did look them up through the HSLDA website, but I am still confused and concerned. I tend to be extremely analyical and so I read way too much into things, instead of taking them at face value.
Will someone who is familar with PA homeshooling regs walk me through this, or would any of you be willing to look them up and translate them for me (lol). I am new to homeschooling and I am so afraid of screwing it up.
Also, how would I do “My Year” and “My Term” starting this late? I would like to stick with a traditional schedule if we can, as my child’s natural father has visitation based on a traditional school calendar.
My DD is in 2nd grade. I am so far following the recommended 2nd grade curricula: History, Bible, Geograpy – Creation through 332 B.C w/all of the recommended listed resources, Bible – Scripture Memory verse pack 1, and Bible study w/ Our Family Reading Bible, Math- Math U See, Science – 106 Days of Creation Studies, along with the recommended resources, Reading- Busy Times, More Busy times, Literature – Book Group 1, Picture study – Velazquez, Constable and Rembrandt, Music study – Bach, Choplin and Beethoven, recommended Hymn Study, Poetry – Robert Louis Stevenson, Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Citizenship – Laying Down the Rails and Character First.
I’m pretty much following the SCM “Free Curriculum Guide” step by step plans for 2nd grade. Because this is so new to me and if I don’t “follow” something right now..I will not get a thing a done.
I suppose I’m just freaked out about the state’s regs,testing and SCM not meeting those requirements, especially for LA but I don’t want to add anything to it if I don’t have to – since we’re in the process of packing, moving and doing school – with a 2 year old thrown into the mix lol.
Also, how should I plan my “terms” starting now but also taking off June,July and August? Am I able to run it Jan (February?) through March, April through May and then September through December…or how would I do that with June, July and August off or should I just plan for Feburary through May and start a brand new year in September as “3rd grade” ? If so, what should I order and what shouldn’t I, as far as curricula goes..where do I start right now?
Help! Lost..
Thank you for reading my book!
I’m in PA. We loosely follow the SCM guide, too. My girls are in 4th and 2nd and K grades.
http://www.a2zhomeschooling.com has a lot of good info, searchable by state.
To start homeschooling in PA, you need an affadavit – you can google one and use it. Or make up your own. Or if you’re brave (I wouldn’t advise it) get one from your local school district. Fill it out, attach your objectives for the year (vague, be very vague), and your “proof” of vaccinations and medical treatment (for me, the proof is “Because I said so.”)
Basically, in PA, we need to “prove” we’ve done 180 days of school — I have a calendar (From Donna Young’s site) and I just check off the days as we do them. I keep track of little things we do (field trips, odd things done here or there, feeding puppies, etc., whatever) and when that “adds up to a school-day” (totally subject to MY idea of a school day) I check off a day. When we get 180 of them (between July 1 and June 31 – note that) we’re done for the year.
You can divide your terms or semesters or quarters however you choose. Just start on July1 or after and end on June 31 or before. I personally ignore all references to terms, semesters, etc. and we do school as often as we can and take off when we have to.
Then, you need a portfolio — just a collection of things the student has done. A sampling of what has been done. Some samples from the beginning, middle and end of your school year. Include a book list of books you’ve read to her, books you use as “textbooks”, books she’s read on her own. Pictures are nice.
http://www.nancextoo.livejournal.com has some great posts on what she does for portfolios. And objectives (to be handed in with the affadavit before you start each school year). I like poking around her site. And I used her idea of a summary last year and included fewer examples and it worked fine. The district was fine with it.
Homeschooling in PA is more annoying than in other states, but it’s do-able. Just remember to use honey, not vinegar when dealing with your local school district….and use HSLDA to double-check anything the district tells you.
I hope this helped! If not, keep asking questions, I’m sure there are others from PA who can explain it better than I can!
Hi. I am also in Pennsylvania. I don’t know how old your daughter is, but you don’t even have to register with your school district until your daughter is eight years old. I would also be more than happy to answer any questions that you have. My daughter is in seventh grade so we have been doing this for a while.
Last year our booth at the Pennsylvania homeschool convention was right next to a group that helped others walk through the PA requirements. They loved CM! I can’t think of the organization’s name right now but maybe soeone else knows.
Thank you Karen and LydaF! My daughter is 7, will be 8 in a month.
Karen, I read about the affadavit..but I’m confused on the “vague Objectives” part lol. I am trying to only do SCM , at least for this year..and I am trying to follow the SCM 2nd grade guide as as far planning academically. So how vague should I be? Also, how do I know it won’t be too vague to send red flags? lol…I’m sorry, this is all so new to me!
I realize I have to send in my affadavit prior to homeschooling in PA, but how do I do that when I’m out of state? Can/should I mail it in a few weeks prior to relocating to the specific county?
Also, if I were to follow the SCM 2nd grade guide as far as planning her year, academically – do you feel that would be enough to suffice the LA testing? Which test should I go for, by the way?
So sorry, tons of questions I know. Please don’t feel like I am not trying to do my own research, I am but I am nervous and with my DD still attending CA right now, she has a minimum 4 hour a day attendance requirement, 5days a week that must be met. Read – must be “logged” in and completeing 4 hours worth of lessons a day Monday thru Friday. However, she has anywhere from 3- 8+ subjects a day, we’re averaging 1 1/2 -2 hours per lesson. That’s right, anywhere between 4 and 10 hour school days! It’s a nightmare. Add in the two year old, and the house hunting,packing, blah,blah,blah…I have so little time for research on this. I feel like I will never figure all of this out lol. Sometimes I’m still up when my DH wakes up @5…
Thank you for all of your help, so appreciated!
Blessings ~ Nichole
*Completing
P.S… please excuse any and all typos ony may/will find in my posts. I tend to type way too fast and do not proof read prior to sending. Horrible habit!
When I write my objectives they read something like this:
English: This year we plan on working on writing skills to include handwriting and composition. My daughter will continue with dictation to improve spelling and grammar. We will also be reading a variety of literature.
I am not sure if that helps, but I list every subject in that way.
I wouldn’t worry about the affidavit until you have finished moving. You don’t need to worry about testing until third grade.
This site even has blank sample forms for you to use. They are specific to PA. http://home.comcast.net/~askpauline/index.html
She has a ton of info on her site.
I’m just registering my dd7 this coming year so I understand the intimidation with the paperwork. Good luck with your move. Where in PA are you moving?
As far as vague objectives, there’s a sample at nancextoo.livejournal’s of her objectives and that’s what I used. Something like this: Language Arts – student will demonstrate ability to read and improve reading skills throughout the year; student will improve spelling skills; student will improve…..
You get the idea? Student will improve….. (*L*)
I wouldn’t worry too much about testing. You only test in grades 3, 5, 8, and 11. I bought the Calif. Achievemnet Test from Seton Testing (google them) – by PA law, you only have to test LA and Math. So that’s all we did. The test was $25 or $35, they sent precise directions, I mailed it back to them and they had it graded and back to me within 2 weeks. I was very much pleased with Seton’s service. You can order tests from other places, too. I just picked Seton out of a hat, basically.
There are also other tests allowed to be used in PA. However, PA requires that the test NOT be administered by the parent. Since I didn’t want to pay a homeschool evaluator to proctor the test (or anyone else) and didn’t have someone with a bachelor’s degree handy (some tests – note TESTS, not PA- require that the test be proctored by someone with a bachelor’s) I chose the CAT. The CAT can be administeered by anyone (no degree req.). My mother-in-law took my daughter two days and did the test.
It was such an eye-opening experience for me. I photocopied my daughters answers (the directions said to) and matched up her answers and “graded” the test myself – enough to figure out where she was struggling with grammar and syntax (punctuation, etc.) and then used that to go over those things with her. It was also affirming as I found out that even though we’re “gently” homeschooling, she did quite fine in the comprehension, etc. areas and was fine in math. The pesky punctuation stuff is where we had trouble!
I actually plan to test all my children as they come of school age every year. I won’t turn all of that in – just use it for my own info. In my opinion, the $25-$35 per child assessment and the practice they’ll get taking a standardized test is well worth it.
I’m glad someone mentioned the askpauline site — I knew about it ,but couldnt’ remember her name!!!
There is legislation that would omit the requirement to turn a portfolio into the school district…..I don’t know how that’s coming along, but things might get a bit easier for PA people in the future. There’s always hope!!
Best wishes, Nichole.
I looked up the organization that was next to us at the convention. It was the Mason Dixon Homeschoolers Association. I also just noticed over at the CHAP website they have a Getting Started menu that helps you learn about the requirements.
Thank you all for your help and support! I appreciate it so much.. Those links have been very helpful!
Doug, thank you for taking the time out of your wok day to those up for me. That was very nice of you and very helpful.
This is a little intimidating, but because of all the great posts and links from all of you it it is becoming less so..which is fantastic!
Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on PHEN.org? However, I love that Doug mentioned CHAP – thank you so much, such a great resource!
Also, we’ll be moving to Western Pennsylvania ( where we’e from) , Does anyone know of any scm homeschooling groups or co-ops out that way they can recommend?
Blessings to you ~ Nichole
Hey Karen.. so I forgot to ask, any ideas on how I should do my terms for this year? I know you were saying ending by June 31 or before and starting July 1 or after, but how should I do my terms if let’s say I wanted to start end of January this year, run until June and start back at the end of August beginning of September?
This is the trouble with me being so analytical..I over analyze everything!
By the way, did you notice that Sonya will speaking at the CHAP convention this year? We attended for the first time last year and it was a great convention. I highly recommend going if you are able.
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