How do you determine grade levels? I have always just had my kids at the level they would be in if they went to a traditional classroom. I don't let that grade level determine what work they are ready for though. I have seen some homeschoolers go with the child's ability level. Is there an advantage to that?
Sorry... novel coming. *usually* We go with whatever he's doing on a per-subject basis, and then his "grade level" is the lowest of those (meaning, if he haaaad to go to PS for some insane reason, I know he could at least work at that level). He's 4, but he's finishing up 1st grade in about 1/2 the subjects, has already started 2nd in about 1/4 of them, and is WAY beyond 2nd in the rest. Right now, I'm calling him 2nd, because that's what he's classified as for summer camp and Sunday school (transitions happen in July based on the following year's level). We recently had him tested, and he falls into 3rd grade according to TX standards, however, standards are low IMO, and I know what his processing speed is. Just because he knows 11-6=5 doesn't mean he's ready to spout it off the top of his head snap, snap, snap. I don't want him moving on until he's at a mastery level - especially in math. It'll only cause frustration later when simple concepts take forever to work out on his fingers. *however* (1) When I fill out anything "official" (like the standardized test he took), I always list his grade according to his age. Meaning... he's in preschool right now. The reason is that if he ever wants to compete in any contests (like the national spelling bee, for example), he'll have to fall into a certain age/grade category. Same thing with Cub Scouts. He's not old enough for cub scouts yet, so they won't allow him to join, but he meets the grade requirement. That means when he's transitioning from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, there will be a period of about 3 years that he isn't allowed to participate. Stinks, but those are the rules. (2) When doing anything that is primarily social, I call him K or 1st, because those are the kids he works with the best. When doing anything physical, I call him preschool (or sometimes toddler), because his physical milestones are 1-2 years behind. He's in therapy for that, and his therapist has recommended that we don't involve him in organized sports or anything like that yet. He also can't participate in co-op type classes because he can't write. He knows "how" to form letters, but he's physically unable to do it legibly and with any speed, because he still holds a pencil in a fisted grip. Yeah... that's probably way more than you wanted to know. Long story, short - I teach whatever he needs to learn. He has a very driven personality and is constantly asking questions. I don't blow him off no matter how tough the question. If he asks for z and I have to teach x and y to get there, I'll do it.
I think I get it So you personally go with his ability level in case he goes to public school? It is my understanding that a public school won't necessarily accept a child functioning several grade levels higher than his peers in his ability grade. Is that not true? You son sounds quite similar to my oldest ds. He is very driven and constantly asking questions and reading reference-type books. His fine motor skills improved greatly around age 6, but gross motor skills are still an issue. I started teaching him typing last school year and that helped him. He writes most of his papers on the computer now. I hesitate putting him in organized sports because he would really stick out. But he wants to be a football player when he grows up so I'll probably get him in soccer this year in a group where he is the oldest in his age range.
When I am able to home school full time, I plan on our home school being delight directed. My daughter has advanced skills and would probably be considered gifted. In first grade, she is in an accelerated reader program and is testing on the 4th-5th grade level in comprehension. Her math skills are above grade level as well. So, while we are still part time home schooling, I let her use materials that are 1-3 grade levels above first grade. For instance, she's really interested in multiplication and knows some of her facts already. If she is interested and can do it, I don't really worry about grade levels.
I asked the PS here about free testing for things like disabilities or grade level assessment (his psychologist suggested he might have either dyslexia or a tracking problem because he reads large words fine, but small words like to, the, an, etc. are missed as if they're not even on the page. He skips them entirely.). I didn't mention we're homeschooling to the PS (so they wouldn't bias him). They told me it didn't matter how the test came out. All 5 year olds are put in K and not allowed to accelerate based on performance. Figures. Another reason (of many) that we're HS'ing.
My experience with public schools is that acceleration is rare and is usually only for one grade level. Having classmates at the same age level seems very important to them.
My children are at the "grade" they would be at if they were in public school. Having said that, it doesn't mean a thing to me. Faythe is "8th grade" this year, but is doing 6th grade R&S Language. Her math book is pre-Algebra (so doesn't really have a grade), which Rachael did in 6th grade. So I will give my children work that I feel is appropriate for them, regardless of "grade".
I don't do grade levels at all, but if I did my daughter spans three to four depending on the subject, mostly because I am not interested in adhering to our state standards for each grade. I even had to think hard what grade my daughter would be in if she were in public school because we are required to begin standardized testing at third grade. Advantage? I believe so. That is how it works here. My daughter learns whatever she is ready to learn.
I have to list a grade when filling out my affidavit. With that said, at home Ems doesn't work at a specific grade level. She is working between a 6th-9th grade level, depending on the subject. History doesn't have a subject because I put units together. Neither does history. Math and language arts come with a grade level, but this is where she is working at different levels. Some of her books say 6th grade and some are 8th and 9th.
I am not really a fan I guess I'd say of giving my dc grade levels, but I do because they ask, and it does make it easy for conversation as this is like the #1 question folks ask. "So what grade are you in?" LOL, just makes it easier to have an answer LOL. I used to base grade level on their LA and math, as that is the only thing I used that is leveled really. But now each year come December we finish up our year, take holiday break, end our year with a ceremony with family, then start up the next school year come January in the next grade up from where they were the year prior. What we use now is not really anything that is divided by grade, just ability. I do use the worldbook as a guide the end of each year, but don't live and die by it. In some areas my 3rd grader has mastered 5th grade things and my 1st grader 3rd grade things. I just check off and date for my own box checking tendency.
I generally call them the grade they are mostly doing if it is too many mixtures then I write like 7/8th, but mostly ds is 7th doing some 8th, so I call him 7th cause thats how many years he has been doing school past k ,
I just go by the grade level they would be in if they were in ps. Grade levels mean nothing to me & have no bearing on the materials I pick out or create for the year. They work at the levels they are capable of working at in each subject. This year, they are in K & 6th, that doesn't mean that those are the levels they're working at. They're both at several different levels, depending on the subject. In fact, until high school level, we don't use much that has specific grade levels, most have grade ranges. So, I find that it's easier to just say that they are in whatever grade they would be in in ps.
This was our experience with our local public schools until we spoke to a charter high school. It is grade 8-12 with an accelerated curriculum. They let my then 10 yr old enroll part-time (by their paperwork an 8th grader) and take high school classes - biology, spanish 1, geometry, and algebra 2. They were amazingly flexible. My now 11 year old has enjoyed her year, but she wants to homeschool full-time next year. Despite their flexibility with class choice and enrollment age, they are still stuck with endless standardized testing, state-mandated (and in some cases truly horrible) textbooks, etc. It was a nice culture that valued smart kids, but she missed her freedom!
yeha, for me its basically for the other people who ask my kids what grade they are in that I even give them a grade level, other wise it woudl be year 1, 2 3 and they would be up to 13 when they graduated, counting K
Yep! Everyone always asks "what grade are you in?" Spouting out a grade level is much easier than explaining why grade levels are unimportant or listing off what grade levels they are doing in each subject.
I view grade levels as what year they are in school. What level of work they do doesn't have to relate to that at all.
True. However, if someone asks what grade your child is in, and you say 2nd, chances are that they automatically assume that the child is doing 2nd grade level work in all subjects. Most people, especially public schoolers, associate grade level with level of work. If you read my first post, I said that grade level doesn't matter at all to me & has no bearing on the level of work my kids are doing. Honestly, I don't even think it's important as what year they are in school. To me, it doesn't matter how many years they are in school. What matters is how much they learn. So, in my opinion, it's pointless to count how many years they spend in school. I have a very different view of education, though. So, the only reason I do grade levels is because everyone expects a child to know what grade they're in. Both my kids know that their grade level means nothing, has nothing to do with the level work they do, what they study, etc. They know that it is just a number, assigned to them according to age, that we use only because that is what society is used to & comfortable with, but is completely useless when it comes to their actual education.
I've always assumed that those asking aren't asking because they want to know what level work the child is doing, but what year they are in school. This is beside the fact that most people probably don't remember much of what they did in second grade or most other grades. I personally don't want my children graduating from high school before they are 18. If they are ready for college work before then that is fine. Some community colleges will allow high schoolers to take classes for college credit.
To each their own. You are completely entitled to do it that & many others probably agree with you. My kids won't be allowed to go away to a 4yr university before they turn 18. However, if they fulfill the requirements I have set for high school graduation before the age of 18, I will not force them to do more just so they don't graduate until other kids their age would graduate. They will attend community college, do college classes online, do internships in their chosen field, do community service, or some combination of these options. Then, when they are 18, more mature & emotionally ready to be away from home, they will be allowed to go to any college they choose. I will not hold them back by forcing them to wait until 18 to graduate, though. The requirements I have set for their graduation come to about twice what the ps here require. Once they have completed all of that, it would be cruel for me to say "No, you can't graduate yet, even though you completed all the graduation requirements, because you aren't old enough."
I view graduation as a right of passage to adulthood. Attending community college, doing internships, or college classes online is not restricted to only high school graduates. It isn't holding them back to have graduation at age 18. I feel it will allow them to spend the extra time to explore their interests in depth. There are so many options for kids and teens now and so many things to learn and explore. Adulthood comes quickly. My son is trying out an online college video class in a few weeks because it is a topic that he loves and is thirsty for. He isn't a high school graduate. I think we have similar positions, but we disagree when a piece of paper should be given.
