Some have wondered why on earth I keep the records I do since our state doesn't have homeschool requirements.  It stands to reason that probably a lot of homeschoolers don't use any form of grading system.  I guess I'm a bit more traditional in that sense.  Several reasons come to mind like incentive, improvement, documentation and real life preparation.

I've found that my kids really like the incentive of acheiving a passing grade.  I've also found that by grading their “citizenship” during class, their behavior is better overall.  It gives them a mark to strive for.  If one of the kids scores poorly in an area, we work on that until they have a firm grasp on the concept or skill. This affords us the opportunity to track their improvement and gain confidence.  Watching my son's eyes light up as he moves from a “C“ to an “A+“ through hard work is well worth the extra time.  We do not strive for perfection but rather excellence through gradual improvement.

Documention is something I find important as well.  We've moved several times just during our marriage and the potential is always there that we could move out of state.  If that were to happen I feel great records will aid in the transition to the new State requirements.  Of course, there is always the possibility that at some point the kids could be in a traditional school setting and these records might come in handy then as well.  Even with staying in our state, someone could question whether I'm actually teaching these kids or not, I have documented proof that they are getting a more than adequate education.  It's not just the grades I keep but the work they've completed also.

In life our abilities, successes and failures are constantly measured.  I kind of see grading as a small way of preparing them for that.  Hopefully through marking their improvement and seeing what it takes to get there, will ready them for their future workplaces.

I'm certain there are homeschoolers who can accomplish these same things without keeping the kinds of records that I do.  I'm one of those who is more visually oriented.  It helps me to know they are on track if I can see it in black and white and instantly detect areas requiring extra attention.  This is my style, and we all know that where education is concerned there's no such thing as “one size fits all“.  So, there you have it, a brief synopsis of why I keep track of grades.