Below are the instructions for how to complete your program plan.
Families will receive an emailed link to a digital program plan upon registration completion for the current school year.
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Anything parents would like Roots to know: Optional
Whatever you write in this box goes to your facilitator and eventually goes into your child’s student record. The student record follows a student through to the end of high school. You decide how much information, if any, to include in the first box. Some students and families have benefited from information submitted here while other families chose to communicate personal details to their facilitator in other ways.
Subject or Goal:
Literacy and numeracy are the foundations for enabling further education, and parents must include details for these two areas annually (with the exception of some high school students). Combine multiple workbooks into one subject. For example, Reading includes readers, phonics, reader workbooks, a reading app, etc. For an older student, Language Arts could include reading, writing and spelling. Science and Social Studies are also highly encouraged, though you may want to combine them into unit studies. Consider also Physical Education, Fine Arts, and Life Skills.
The beauty of home education is the flexibility and freedom parents have to set their own goals for their unique children who are all made in God’s image.
Therefore, look at your child’s interests, giftings and challenges to think outside the school box! How can you disciple each of your children to be more like Jesus?
Resource Materials (Choose at least one):
Pay attention to this section since items listed here also guide reimbursement eligibility. To enable flexibility, use general terms as appropriate. Some examples of general terms are field trips, art supplies, Apologia resources, novels, readers, science experiments, etc. Parents may add to their PPs throughout the school year.
Instructional Methods (Choose at least one):
• Delight directed: studies guided by a child’s interest.
• Workbook approach: a child works through a workbook, completing the pages as the parent directs them.
• Textbook studies: a child reads and studies materials from a textbook.
• Unit studies: a collection of studies and activities on a particular topic organized by a parent or purchased as a program. For example, a family may study Mexico, studying the geography, history, culture, religion, language, a local missionary serving Mexico and food of Mexico. This study may also include spelling words, writing assignments, and art appreciation.
• Research-directed studies: students research an area as part of or as their entire program. Research may include library resources, the internet, or people knowledgeable on a topic.
• Learning co-op: two or more families get together for a subject with various parents participating in the instruction.
• DVD/CD/computer based: subscriptions, computer software, listening exercises. This resource may be the complete program or a part of a study.
• Tutored: one-on-one instruction by someone other than the parents. Examples include piano lessons, high school math support or private instruction in computer programming.
• Community classes: group instruction available in your community. This includes group instruction such as swimming lessons, Roots PE classes, classes for homeschoolers or classes at your local gym.
• Hands-on activities/field trips: activity-based instruction, examples include using math manipulatives, planting a garden, fieldtrips, science experiments.
• Oral narration: a child repeats what they have been taught, using their own words and including as much detail as they are able.
Activities Planned (List at least one):
This box is completely open to your unique, creative plan for your child. Consider thinking outside the “school” norm. Parents have included activities such as recitation, trips to the TELUS Science Centre, workbooks, research, drama activities, creative play, creative writing, experimentation, dictation, serving seniors, reading to siblings, playing math games and keeping a budget.
Evaluation Method and Frequency (Choose at least one)
• On-going informal assessments: if a child understands the concept, he moves on, and if he doesn’t understand the concept, he will continue to work at mastering it.
• Curriculum supplied tests: assessment where a student’s curriculum comes with a regular testing system, usually weekly or unit tests.
• On-going oral discussions: assessment based on oral contribution to discussions.
• Projects and/or reports: culmination project(s) or report(s) completed to show competence. For projects difficult to keep, such as a baking or service project, please take pictures to show the facilitator.
• Quality/quantity of assignments: similar to the on-going informal assessment, but more emphasis is placed on independent assignment completions.
• Regular participation: assessment based on participation instead of achievement, especially helpful for new or difficult areas where a child is uncomfortable with the process or expectations.
• Rubrics/lists: assessment by a predetermined set of expectations.
• Student self-assessment: a student periodically reviews his progress to assess his strengths and weaknesses, using that information to review his process and goals.
• Instructor/coach feedback: useful for community classes, tutoring, etc.
• Annual CAT-3/PAT test: standardized tests. The CAT-3 is available for students in grades 4 – 12 through Roots and the PAT is the Alberta Education assessment for students in grades 6 and 9.
• Oral narration: a child repeats what they have been taught, using their own words and including as much detail as they’re able.
Activities that Demonstrate Progress Towards Achievement of Learning Outcomes
The Alberta Education Home Education Regulations provide Learning Outcomes as goals for home education students. Recognizing that these outcomes are not subject-specific, this section is now placed at the end of the PP. Parents are asked to identify which outcomes their child will demonstrate progress towards in some way this year. A variety of ways are listed in the drop-down boxes, and one can further customize the blanks by typing in the margins.Please note that the default setting signifies that your child will not demonstrate progress in that goal. The emphasis here is on progress, not mastery. Progress towards a goal is expected according to your child’s ability.