Quick question for anyone who used the state review option. A friend of mine asked me if she could use her science kit with several experiments to double as art. She said some of the experiments could be art as well such as making soap making. Soap comes from a chemical reaction but it can also be art. She is wondering if anyone has done this when showing portfolios to the state. I have no idea because I use Calvert and I don't deal with the state. I'm not sure how to answer. To me yes, but to the state, I don't know. Anyone? We are in Maryland.
I do a "portfolio". I see no reason why you can't say that this was art and science. I mean, if I were to give a list of books done for Reading, most of them would deal with historical fiction for the time frame we're studying. And most of the copywork (language art) deals with history or science. When we do art, we often do art of the time frame or culture we're doing. I might add that the "state" doesn't do the review. A certified teacher OF MY CHOOSING does, and she's a good friend of mine. She signs a paper saying that she has reviewed the kids' work, and it is appropriate for their level. She does not go into any detail as to what exactly has been studied, where their strengths and weaknesses are, etc.
Cricut, I would tend to say that making the soap comes under Science, while making it into an artful shape (like soap carving or molding, maybe decorating it somehow) surely could come under Art! (But that's just me!)
ok thanks, I will pass the info along. The reason why I said soap can be art too is because I have a friend who makes soap in her "Art Studio" but I think it's science as well. I just didn't know what to tell my other friend. I know nothing about portfolios or reviews. I do know that here you have to go to a meeting, and show a bunch of stuff. Then they tell you what u are or aren't doing correctly. I've never had to do one personally but that's what I hear.
No, they don't tell you what you are and aren't doing correctly. They go over your stuff, just to be satisified that you actually "did school". They might or might not offer help as to what you might want to do next year, or answer any questions you have. They might suggest you might want to concentrate more on one particular area. But their goal is to make sure you did school. THAT IS ALL. YOU are in charge of what you do/do not teach. They have NO SAY in it!
Really! hmm...ok. Well I was only saying that because that is what I had been told by some (not all) homeschool moms here in Maryland. I have heard review nightmare stories. Which is why I don't deal with the state. Here in Maryland you can't pick who does your review, you get who they say, and if that person (who works for the state) doesn't like what your doing, they write you up and give you X amount of time to fix it. I have a friend whose 8 year old son loves chemistry, so she started teaching him the periodic table, her reviewer had a huge problem with it and instructed her to stop because she felt he was too young. Despite the fact that the little boy was still getting all that the state said he needed for his grade, they still wanted her to stick to teaching what was on his grade level. Granted I know some homeschool moms who have very relaxed reviewers & never had any issues but nightmare reviews happen all the time here. In the case of my friend they didn't suggest that she stop teaching him advanced chemisty, they told her that it could be considered child abuse because she could be putting more pressure on him than needed and then they told her to stop or they would file in court and motion for him to return to school. And this was even after having all the "Grade Level" requirments met.
WOW!!! Must be one of those things that are different by state. In Ohio, all I need is to have it signed by a certified teacher. I'm thankful I don't live in Maryland!!!
Yeah girl! You're making me wish I lived in Ohio. Not everyone has problems here but a lot of people do. This is what swayed me away from using the state option. However, 6th grade Calvert is a bit expensive. It goes from not so affordable to not affordable at all. sooo...we may be going the state route this year. Hopefully, if we have to go with the state we won't encounter those problems. We will see.
All I can say is... YIKES, Cricut!!! In Louisiana, we have the same option Jackie described (review by any teacher state-certified to teach at the grade level of the student), OR we can just give an achievement test (like the Iowa, Stanford, CAT, etc.) and send a copy of the results in.
Actually, Ohio is easy. I give them a list of what I intend on teaching, along with the books I plan on using. But this is NOT in stone! I am free to change it however my little heart desires if I find it's not working for me (and I actually put a disclaimer to that effect on the list I send in!). Then we find someone to do our portfolio review (and there's plenty of hs'ers who are former teachers, or current hs-friendly teachers out there to do it. That's it!
See here you have to either use an umbrella, a private school or do state reviews. I wish i could pick the person. I have a few teacher friends who are former homeschoolers who would be great choices. You don't have to give any test or even participate in the test the state gives to the students. The first year I gave my son the CAT just to see where he was, he did really well, but I haven't bothered doing it since.
