As any Local Authority will tell you, if you don’t write down everything your kids are doing, they aren’t actually learning anything. This is why school teachers have ever increasing amounts of paperwork – because it’s been scientifically proven, in a real lab, that children only learn if adults write things down. 

Okay, so I’m being sarcastic. But the fact is that at some point, you might be asked for ‘evidence’ of the education you’re providing, so I thought I’d give you my tuppence worth on keeping records. I’m even going to share my TOP SECRET, really helpful, real-life-to-school-speak-converting, record keeping sheets with you, because I’m a bit of a hippy and I think we should all do our best to spread the love.

The only record-keeping method I prefer to this is my kids themselves. A five-minute chat with either of them should reassure most people that they are fully functioning, literate members of society. But, should they not wish to chat (because you are a stranger, LA person, so why would they want to?) my DIY record book will have to suffice.

A Million Ways To Keep Home Ed Records

Personally, I feel that the snail farms, giant barrel-horse in the garden, our collection of computer innards, and that laminated ham are all the records we need that my kids are learning, but I understand that sometimes we have to do a bit of adulting, too.

I’ve come across a million ways we can use to keep a record of what our Home Edlings do every day, and they each have pros and cons. Here are the most popular.

PHOTOS

Most of us carry a smart phone these days, so this can be a really convenient way to capture learning on the go. It’s also easy to snap pics of ideas, event posters, books and anything else you might want a reminder of.

But beware! Make sure taking photos doesn’t get in the way of learning. If you crank up the flash every time Billy gets interested in something, he might start feeling the pressure and want to keep his interests to himself. You might also find that taking pics brings your attention away from the moment, and I really believe that one of the biggest parts of our job as Home Educating and Unschooling Parents is to be present with our kids.

PROS

• Easy
• Quick
• Convenient

CONS

• Lots of pics can quickly become disorganised
• Taking pics can take you out of the moment 
• You might get on everybody’s nerves!

DIARY/NOTEBOOK

Filling in a diary or notebook with observations at the end of the day can be a good way to keep track of what you’ve done. It can also help you focus on what things you could do better and what you might be able to offer your kids to pique their interest in future (there’s more about Strewing, here). 

PROS

• Fill the diary however you like – quick notes or essay style observations
• Easy to do
• Cheap and cheerful

CONS

• You might prefer to spend evenings eating industrial-sized chocolate bars and watching Netflix. Not reliving your wonderful but exhausting day of full-on parenting.
• Are you really going to look back through all those pages ever again? 

PURCHASED RECORD BOOKS

If you do a quick search on Amazon, you’ll come up with plenty of ready-made record books people have put together themselves and offer for sale for Home Educators. Many of them were designed to meet the criteria of various American states, so they are sometimes irrelevant to UK folk. They also tend to suit a structured approach to Home-Schooling, so if you’re set on an autonomous or unschooling approach, they might not suit.

PROS

• A good excuse to buy stationery
• Helps support small businesses

CONS

• Designs are often very rigid and may not suit your family
• Can be expensive

SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES

Loads of us use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and all the rest everyday, so why not record your Home Ed life on there too? Many families have a secret social media page which is open to close friends and family only. This can be a great way to show doubtful family members all the enriching things your kids get up to, and also lets other carers add to the record, too. A bit like a modern family album that updates in real time.

PROS

• Mum, Dad, and anybody else who looks after the kids can add to the page
• Cheap and convenient
• Add videos, comments, pictures, events, etc.
• Organises itself as you post 

CONS

• You may worry about privacy (but you can have secret groups/pages)
• You could lose your records to a technical hitch
• Might be hard to show to ‘the authorities’ if you ever need to 

BLOGS

Another fantastic way to keep track of all the fab things you do. You can start a blog for free, so you just need access to the internet and a device of some sort. Blogs can also be great for kids to have – blogs and social media are part of how I know that my kids have got a really good grasp of the English language, and life in general, without making them sit down and write essays. 

It’s easy enough to share a blog address with your family, or even the LA if they want to know what you get up to. Whether you agree with doing that or not is a discussion for another day!

PROS

• Cheap
• Creative and fun, if you like writing!
• Might inspire the kids to get blogging
• Easy to share
• Could connect you with like-minded people

CONS

• Not as easy as a Facebook page to run collaboratively
• Can be time-consuming
• You’ll need to find time to sit down and blog

DIY RECORD BOOK

This is my personal favourite. The only record-keeping method I prefer to this is my kids themselves. A five-minute chat with either of them should reassure most people that they are fully functioning, literate members of society. But, should they not wish to chat (because you are a stranger, LA person, so why would they want to?) my DIY record book will have to suffice.

It’s a mishmash of various books I looked at when I started Home Edding. I took bits I liked and junked what I didn’t. I can print out my pages when I need them and add them to a ring binder. They can cover one kid, or multiple, and they’re quick and easy to fill in. They have the incredible property of helping you de-school, which I think is priceless. What’s more, you can download them, totally FREEEEEEE right here. You lucky thing!

PROS

• Suits an autonomous or unschooling style
• Can help with de-schooling
• Print them as you need them
• Adapt to suit your style

CONS

• Printing things at home can be soooooo annoying
• You’ll need to figure out the best way to fill them in (see my way, here)
• You can’t add your photos and vids

What’s Your Favourite Way to Keep Records?

Are you a seasoned record-keeper or a total noob? Or perhaps you think we don’t need to bother? Have I missed a perfect way of keeping everyone happy that you think I should know about? Get in touch and tell us about it!