I had our portfolio review today. This fulfills our state requirement to have each homeschool child's work assessed each year for progress. I'm copying the summary that I write for our evaulator, a fellow homeschool mom (graduated 4) and licensed teacher. I find that completing this summary for her helps me to see where we've been and where we will go for next year. I need to plan on doing mini-summaries more frequently throughout the year to assess how we are doing towards our goals in homeschooling our boys. In all, "we" passed and I reported to Hugs that he could go on to 3rd grade  .
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Our year did not go as planned! We moved which put a major kink in our progress through our history, science, and Latin studies. During the time of our preparations to move as well as the moving itself, Ben continued his math and language arts materials. Other subjects slid a bit, however.
Hugs completed the Let’s Go Learn Diagnostic Online Reading Assessment (DORA), which he has completed each year since kindergarten (attached). Hugs continues to be an excellent reader. He is able to read for factual comprehension quite well; he does have more difficulty with inferential questions that require him to “read between the lines.” Hugs also requires cues sounding out multi-syllabic words that he has never seen before (usually 3-4 or more syllables); I usually have to remind him to slow down, break the syllables down, and he can usually do fine with it from that point on. While he made progress in his spelling, it was less than I thought. I do see that he is having some trouble carrying over spelling skills to his writing, and am open to suggestions on how to change our current program. I am considering Spelling to Write and Read (by Wanda Sanseri) or another program that looks more teacher friendly: All About Spelling by Marie Rippel (formerly known as The Complete Guide to Teaching Spelling).
We continue to use narration, dictation, and copywork for his written expression skills. Hugs is able to provide a detailed narration of his history and science work, which gives him practice putting ideas into his own words. I have begun to gently introduce the idea of summarizing a history reading. Dictation exercises give him practice writing with a focus on spelling and grammar; copywork gives him practice with well-written sentences of varying structure and length. We have begun paragraph construction (explaining how to do something; writing his morning routine) and will continue with narration, dictation, and copywork as his primary writing program into 3rd grade. Additionally, he has begun a journal for his own writing; through the next year I plan to formalize it’s use a little bit more.
We are at the beginning of our Singapore Math 2B book, working on mental math techniques for multiple digit addition and subtraction. Hugs continues to progress in his ability to handle these facts and we have begun to work on multiplication and division facts (2s and 3s). Our math studies have also included telling time and weights and lengths.
Our “dessert” classes (history, science, Latin, art and music) continue. We will continue our study of plants, animals, and habitats into the summer. We will pick up the SOTW 2 in the fall (followed by a two year study of American History). We will also continue with Latin, piano lessons, and art appreciation and expression.
It was very helpful this year to remove the hat of “piano teacher” from my head. Hugs is taking piano lessons with a young teacher, and is flourishing. I am considering removing the hat “art teacher” as well.
Spiritual Studies: Hugs is reading his Bible (NIrV) as assigned, and we have started a semi-independent Bible study Choosing Obedience. We did not participate in CBS this year, but are considering it for 3rd grade. Issues of character continue in our homeschooling and as necessary become more of a focus than the “dessert” studies.
Areas of note for 3rd grade:
Ø Improve our efforts in memorization of a variety of material (geography songs, Bible verses and passages, poems). Goals for memorization include (1) learning good linguistic patterns (2) practicing public speaking skills (3) hiding God’s word in our hearts (4) enjoying poetry and prose
Ø Improve our consistency with Bible study and discipling our sons.
Ø Monitor our spelling program/ make improvements
Ø Continue to follow a classical writing program, with an increased emphasis on having Ben take over the copying of his narrations
Ø Work on comprehension of inferential material in read-alouds and readers.
Ø Re-discover the “natural curiosity” in our studies again (we seem to have lost a little of the wonder in our studies this year). | 
