Homeschool State Reporting
This post is for the masses... for mamas that are contemplating divorce and for those who have to report to the government each year.
First... those contemplating divorce... look at your state laws. What do you currently have to do for homeschooling? If you live in a state that requires you to report then you are probably well covered in a divorce situation, the law already requires that you inform the state of your actions, this will likely help you in court, just know the law and be prepared for a judge that doesn't so that you can quote it to him or her should you need to. This becomes an issue when soon-to-be ex's are getting cranky about homeschooling. If the state requires you to report, I suggest you just give your ex a copy of everything you are handing in for the state. Make your life easier.
Now if you live in a state where there are no laws, you also need to be ready to let your judge know. Many just assume that homeschooled children take the same tests that their school counterparts do, educate your judge... the best time is on the stand when you are being questioned, ask your attorney to put this line of questioning into his or her case so you have that chance to talk about it - otherwise you might just end up with a ruling that doesn't match the law or that surprises you.
If your ex wants to fight about homeschooling, you might want to come up with a compromise to suggest to the judge. Perhaps you are willing to do some testing after a certain age or you are willing to do a portfolio for him/her (yes there are some Waldorf homeschooling dads!) It is helpful to research what other states require so you can give your judge some ideas for his/her ruling. It is likely that your judge will not know or understand Waldorf when explained, it is a tough cookie to fit into a nutshell! The description I have often used is that it is an arts based curriculum with a strong academic back bone that allows children to excel beyond their public schooled peers by about grade 3, before that time it is very sensitive to the child's other needs.
In our court situation, I simply handed the judge a copy of our curriculum, the gr4 and was complemented in open court for the complete nature of the work - so when possible SHOW THEM, take a copy of the curriculum with you. Take the opportunity to show therapists and anyone conducting testing. If your ex is being especially hard to deal with then this will be a real help to you, the courts want to see amicable parents, do not give them a reason to call you uncooperative. If you are forced into a situation that has you testing, request that the testing not begin until third grade - this is the standard for many states and public school systems.
Something that really worked for us was a schooling blog. It was a blog that was only accessed by my former husband, Erik and myself, this allowed me to track just how often he looks at it and also allows me to give stats to my legal counsel if needed. It kept my former husband informed of the children's progress and became an easy way for me to communicate without having to interact unnecessarily.
How to report if you are reporting to the government:
Remember that comparing Waldorf to any other curriculum is like comparing apples and pears... both have flesh, both have seeds, but they taste totally different. While many of us feel that Waldorf is superior... some folks still like the other fruit and that is ok if it works for them. When dealing with anyone official, be sure to not make that other fruit look bruised and rotten, lol - that won't get you far. As Waldorf is becoming more known in the homeschooling community, there are chances that you will find someone *official* in your area that knows something about the method. What you need to keep in mind is that what ever grade level the system wants to put your child at, this doesn't have to be the level of Waldorf they are on. Many states are now requiring 6yo's (even brand new ones) to start first grade, this is still so young and a 6yo with a February birthday will do much better than one with a September birthday!
The school district is likely not going to care, even if you plead your case, so what do you do? Get yourself a copy of the scope and sequence they require for each grade in your state, this is easy to obtain and should be readily given to you if you ask. The scope and sequence will go through each topic they expect a child will learn in a public school setting, based on their state standards. Now their standards and the Waldorf standards are going to look pretty different for kindergarten and first grade, maybe even parts of second grade, don't worry. Many children will appear behind those first couple of years, just work to make your plan fit their scope as best as you can. For a 5-6 yr. old kindergartener, teach the colors, work on art, you can start letter recognition if you *have* to - remember that just because it says so in the scope and sequence (S&S) doesn't mean that you need to feel pressure from it - MANY main stream children do not leave kindergarten knowing all of their letters!
You can always just say that you are working to cover it more in depth in grade 1. Do not let these frighten you. I work with many families to help them lay this out for their state. Some states only require a portfolio at the end of the year so make sure you have specific examples on what they want, this will be an asset to you as you are going through your year and setting aside samples for them.
Remember that Waldorf isn't about excelling beyond standard grade levels, it is about age appropriate material presented in the proper manner. Even if you have a reading and writing 5 yo, you would still use the Waldorf system of development for story and lesson material and this 5yo would still be in kindergarten until she is 6 going on 7 or fully 7. Also remember that you can soar ahead in math as your child is ready, this portion of the curriculum is not as fixed as some other portions.
Learn your local homeschool laws HERE.
