The Benefits of Homeschool Portfolio Evaluations – at a Distance!
Just this week I had several homeschooling moms ask me why I no longer portfolio evaluations in person. I did write about this on the old blog, and I think it deserves a place here in our new(er) space as well. Before I answer though, let me just say that I really would love to meet you, but I’d rather talk to you via Zoom or phone. 🙂 Let me explain why.
Introvert, Extrovert, Ambivert?
There has been a lot of talk on social media about personality types: introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts too. I have spent some time pondering this myself and I do find personality/learning style quizzes fun and interesting. I am most definitely an introvert. When I have too many places to have to be, too many people to talk to, and too many outside-the-home commitments, it can take me days to recover my energy. This is how introverts are: they recharge by being alone and quiet.
Because I am a homeschooling mom, I don’t get much alone time, but I can go outside and work in my garden, or go hang out in the barn with my horses for a bit. I need this. Fortunately, my family understands and lucky for me, my girls are also introverts so we “get” each other. Yet, despite not necessarily getting “energized” by our social activities, we trudge on and go to classes, meet with friends and live a joyful, full life. I couldn’t imagine living in a household full of extroverts!
I work from home as well, both as a homeschool consultant and evaluator, curriculum creator, and as a part-time teacher. Both of these provide me with joy and satisfaction, but I can get drained of energy. Can you relate?
The Need for Change
I began doing homeschool evaluations and consulting in 2007. My clients and I would meet in local coffee shops. Since the bulk of my evaluation requests come in during the late spring and summer months, I found myself spending all of my Saturdays and three to four nights a week away from my family. They started to feel the effects of my absence. My girls were littler then and I missed them! That was when I decided to change the way I did things.
Most of my consulting work was done long-distance anyway, and I had many clients from other parts of Florida and other states already doing distance-evaluations by emailing or snail-mailing me work samples, so I decided to ask my local clients to do their evaluations online too. I knew that this would make it easier for me, but I never expected that most of my clients actually preferred doing their evaluations this way as well. Maybe they are all fellow introverts! 😉 Seriously, though; the process is just so much more convenient and thorough for everyone involved.
Do Your Homeschool Portfolio Evaluation From Anywhere!
Online or distance-evaluations are super easy. You can upload work samples whenever you want to, and email them to me ahead of time. Of course, this is not the only way to show me the work that your students have done. Over the years I have had families share their work in these ways:
- Create a blog (I love these and many of my unschooling families do this)!
- Create a private Facebook page (Love this too)!
- Create a Youtube channel (some of my families who do this are amazing and I love to see and hear the students I am evaluating!
- Scan or snap photos or send videos of projects, field trips and send my email
- Snail-mail work samples to me (some people still prefer this option)
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Use dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or any preferred platform.
Florida asks evaluators to have a conversation with the student as well, and the way we fulfill this requirement is via a short phone chat, or Skype session. After that, the time is YOURS for whatever you’d like to discuss. Read more about how I conduct evaluations here.
The Time is for You, Too
A big perk of scheduling a portfolio evaluation with me is that you are able to ask me any questions you want to during our phone session. Yes, the phone session is for the student; however, that time is for you as well.
Book Your Appointment!
Are you ready to book your appointment! Just click here for my appointment scheduler, and choose the time that works best for you and your family. I look forward to talking with you! Read my testimonials page to see a sampling of what some of my other families have said about working with me!
Hello! Could I write an article for your site about the best practices for downsizing to a smaller home or apartment with your pet (or, pets!) in tow?
Please let me know if you’re interested!
Regards,
Cindy Aldridge
cindyaldridge@ourdogfriends.org
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