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Home education is a legal alternative to school education in Australia. State governments are responsible for regulating home education.
Different states have different requirements, however homeschooling families are able to develop curriculum and learning programs
to suit the individual needs of their children.

© Beverley Paine, Nov 2007

Early in our homeschooling I prepared a relatively structured learning program for each of my children which included the setting up of learning centres in our living space. Each child had their own tray within which they kept their subject related work and text books. To monitor progress I created personalisted checklists designed to be completed by each of the children.

The checklist was used as a guide to the type of activities expected to be completed each week. This was a 'contract' between the child and myself, and formed the 'backbone' of the children's educational program. Other activities also happened and 'fleshed' the curriculum out. These other activities and learning tasks were recorded in a homeschooling diary and on our family calendar, together with anecdotal information about the type of learning happening. Each child also had a portfolio folder in which we kept samples of their work, as well as scrapbooks in each subject area.

This checklist below is extensive and reflects a very structured approach to home education.

Although preparing a personalised checklist is quite a task, filling it out only takes a few moments each day. I printed blank ones and kept them on file for future use. The children kept copies of past checklists in their evaluation portfolios.

Checklists can relate specifically to skills, activities in different subject areas, content or knowledge, attitudes, chapters or sections in text books, excursion ideas.... almost anything to do with your learning program.

Checklists are quick and convenient ways to monitor the type and amount of work done, but seldom reflect the true learning experiences occurring. The example offered is a simple tick sheet, but they can include space for comment if desired.

Most checklists are an important part of the evaluation process, but they still need to be used in conjunction with more detailed recording. They are most useful for helping you to remember specific learning events when you don't have time to write in your journal, or recall specific learning situations to record as anecdotal accounts at the end of the day. Working from a checklist such as the example shown, with its lists of types of activities in the different learning areas, are particularly helpful in this way.

Checklists can be used by the children as a planning and recording aide. They can help children remember what tasks they need to do, and when. They help children learn self discipline and organisation, and encourage responsibility for their own learning programs.

Roger - Week Ending 20/5/94

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES CHECKLIST - Roger

Maths - at least two activities each day

Reading - at least two activities each day

Game

Aloud

Computer

Silently

Problem Solving

Review

Maths Text

Retelling

Activity Card

Story telling

Other

Other

Writing - at least three activities each day

Diary

Story

Newsletter item

Jokes

Post Card

Recipe

Letter

List

Coded message

'My Word'

Scrabble

Wordsearch

'Reading Skills'

'Sentence S'th'

Crossword

Computer

'Vital Signs'

Project

Art/Craft Activities - at least three activities in a week

Sewing - Plain

Marbling

Bead Making

Sketching

Kites

Embroidery

Rock Painting

Play dough

Painting

Puppets

Applique

Windchimes

Paper Making

Oil Pastels

Masks

Candle Making

Collage

Tie Dyeing

Woodwork

Pinata

Clay Work

Printing Art

Press Flowers

Dancing

Model making

Knitting

Mandalas

Carving

Role Playing

Music

Society, Environment, Technology and Science - at least eight explorations a week

Electronics

Mapping

Computing

Chemistry

Weather

Geography

Mechanics

Gardening

Culture

Rock Collection

Museum Friends

Permaculture projects

Game

Excursion

Light

Television

Natural History

Sound

Human Body

Animals, etc

Liquids

Space

Materials

History

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