Repost. . Changing Questions. . .

I still remember when I decided to home educate.  It was a well thought through decision.  My husband and I talked about it extensively.  We extensively looked at  curriculum, we thoughtfully made sure our children had outside activities, and we made sure they had responsibilities at home.  We spent hours making things work.  But, the questions came.

Are you sure you can handle this?

I mean you were a teacher, but all the kids will be in different places?  

What about socialization?  Aren't you worried?

Don't you think your kids will hate it?  

What about high school?  How are you going to complete labs?  

They will never get into college or get a scholarship.  

So we answered these questions over and over again.

Are you sure you can handle this?  I am pretty sure.  I have been handling having  them since they arrived.  I think this is a great choice for them.  We have really thought through this.

I mean you were a teacher, but all the kids will be in different places?    Well, yes they will all be in different places.  Just like when I taught, and all the kids were in different places academically.  They will learn to be independent learners.  We feel like they will be OK. 

What about socialization?  Aren't you worried?  Yes, we are worried about socialization that is why we are home educating.  :-)  We believe that life is lived with people of all ages and that is why we are home educating to give our kids that opportunity.  We believe parents are great role models.

Don't you think your kids will hate it?  Right now they are pretty excited, and we will take it a year at a time.

What about high school?  How are you going to complete labs?    Well, we are going to take it a year at a time, but there are online classes, co-op classes, and distance courses.  About labs, well there are co-ops and online labs.  You can also buy lab materials for home use.  (you would be surprised what you can buy online)  We have dissected a cow's eyeball, a cow's heart, a pig, a frog, and we have our own microscope.  We have beakers, a fire blanket, and all sorts of chemistry items.  Our kids have completed most of their labs successfully in our kitchen.  We are good.

Well I guess. . it just sounds so risky. Plus you know. . . 

They will never get into college or get scholarships.    Well. . .that one I can finally answer. (Brag Alert)   Well our son got into University of Cincinnati, Ohio State, Duke, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech,  and MIT with scholarships and aid.  Plus scholarships from the Elks, Coca-Cola, Samsung American Legion, P & G, National Merit, and other organizations.  He was also one of 116 a Presidential Scholars for the United States, one of 3 for Ohio.  I feel like he did alright.

So I thought the questions had pretty much stopped. But, then I talked to my neighbor.

 I saw my neighbor and we were talking about graduation I told him our son was going to MIT and we had  homeschooled him.    The only question I got was. . . Can I send my kid down to your house to homeschool with you?   

As we graduate our students from high school I feel like I have some different things to talk about on the blog.  Let me know if there is something you would like to hear about.  

Since then our oldest with Autism has a job and our 3rd oldest received a full honors scholarship to Cincinnati State and continues with great grades and is the top of her class.  So we are  still doing well.    

Narrative Assessments for Ohio Homeschoolers

Updated for 2025-2026 School Year!     

You truly don’t realize what all has been accomplished until you sit down to fill out the portfolio assessment!
 ~ Homeschool Parent  

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Welcome! I complete portfolio reviews for homeschool families across the United States. Some families use a portfolio evaluation instead of having their student take a standardized test. It is one way to demonstrate that your student has made progress. Families keep these in their records as official documents for record keeping and verification of home education.   

Please sign up for a day to have your portfolio to me for review   Please check this link to see what is available. https://ohiohomeschoolassessments.as.me/  Please note I am only using a sign-up system this year, and you must sign up for a review.     You also must pay to reserve an appointment.  If you want to pay by check, then please email me.  

Your next step is to  download the Freestyle for unschoolers, the Self Reflection for K-8th grade, OR the Self Reflection for High School for families who follow a subject curriculum. Anyone is welcome to use the Freestyle if it works better for their family.  I ask that you fill out the documents, prepare the documentation, and sign them.   Please send copies of work samples as I do not return work samples if sending by postal mail. Please email me for an instruction sheet ohiohomeschool@gmail.com that tells you where to mail your documents, tells how to send the documents electronically, and answers other questions. I also have online guides.  Please email me for more information. 

Please note the Freestyle and Self-Reflection  are a simply guides to help you through the process.  I developed them to help families create portfolios.  If you have a way you love to present a portfolio let's talk. 

If you have trouble with the downloads, please email ohiohomeschool@gmail.com and I will email them to you. Below are links to the guides in Google Documents. I am happy to help you so please contact me with any questions.
Thanks,
Becky Boerner

Freestyle in Google Documents
Self Reflection for K-8 in Google Documents
Self Reflection for High School in Google Documents.
After Clicking and getting there you need to do the following. 

If you click on the arrow button on the left hand side of the page you can download the file. 

If you click on the print button you can print it out.

If you can not access these files please email me and I will send you the files. I am happy to do that! 
I also have an online form.  Please write me for a link. 

The pricing for 2026 portfolios (1) $45, (2) $75, (3) $105, (4) $130, (5 or more) $150 through July 31

I accept PayPal, Stripe, Check, or Money Orders (Contact me for more information. Many families send me checks or money orders through the mail. )

PLEASE DO NOT PAY UNLESS YOU HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT

 If it does not work try this link to pay. 

Repost: You could have done more. . . .

As we reflect on the 2019-2020 school year and get ready for the 2020-2021 year, it is good to rejoice in what we have accomplished.  This is post from earlier this year, but I thought it might be nice to read again.  

If there is one thing I hear over and over again from families is "I really could have done more this year."  Sometimes they say this to me before they send in their portfolio, after I complement them on all they have accomplished, or just when they see me out at the Greenhills library.

I have started responding, "Well you know, you could have done less."  Usually that gets me a sort of head tilting confused look. I then say, "Really, you could have done less.  You could have read less books to your kids,  you could have completed fewer math pages, you could have participated in not as many field trips, or had fewer learning conversations."  I tell families, you did have a lot of great learning experiences with your students this year, and you worked hard.

I often joke that I have to have very high self-esteem to look at so many portfolios each year.  I am always fascinated at all families accomplish, and the progress their students make.  I see families who take amazing educational trips to places I have never heard of, utilize community resources in unique ways, read great literature, integrate learning into their lives in so many novel ways, find apps and web sites that are incredible, and find resources I had no idea existed.

What I have learned through the years is that everyone is good at something, but probably not good at everything. You are good at something with your students.  There is something that you can do that someone around you admires you for and wonders how you do it. Are there things you could improve on. . well of course. . we all could. We are all people on a homeschooling journey who are constantly trying to improve, and that is fabulous.  No one wants to be stagnant.  It is good to set realistic goals to improve your home education, but still rejoice in what you have accomplished.

I think it is important to remember what you are good at and what you bring to your homeschooling world.  Celebrate your student's accomplishments, celebrate your accomplishments and maybe even ask your students what you do well.  I am willing to bet their answers will surprise you.

And  please remember as doubt creeps in. . You truly could have done less.   So celebrate what you did do!

Planning for Next Year. . Homeschool Planet

When two of my friends who quite honestly are vastly different told me that they used Homeschool Planet I thought that was interesting.  I should have stopped right at the moment and realized that this was something I needed to take notice of.  Instead, I foolishly delayed looking into it.

But luckily, I am no longer foolish.  This spring I took the plunge and did a free trial of Homschool Planet.   Within 3 days I purchased a year subscription which they added on to my 30 day trial.  It changed my life. Truly!

The Homeschool Planet is an online planning, calendar, and scheduler.  It is a way for you to post the lessons that your students need to complete AND more importantly at my house, know whether people have actually completed them!

I love this!  I pull up my view and say things like. . . Why is math not completed?  I am confused as to why you have not done that for two days?  Hmm, it looks like you will be doing math on Saturday.   I also say things like, WOW!  You completed all your work today. Look at how close we are to the end!  I am so proud of you!

The other part that has been powerful for my students is that it has the feature of moving all the assignments forward.  My students began to understand that not doing something adds it on to the end of the year.  It was a good visual reminder.

You can also add music practice, track grades, put your vacations in, send your students an email with their assignments, and much more.

So this would be a great time to try a free trial