Binding Work, Preserving Memories
At the conclusion of each year I bind all of our children’s academic work into a keepsake. The reason for this is twofold; firstly we wish to demonstrate to the children that their work is precious and worthwhile keeping, secondly in an effort to tame the paper tiger.
Finding a workable system to keep track of loose papers over the years has been a challenge, finally we have hit upon a solution that works for us. Each of the children has a clip board which holds not only has their ‘expectation sheet’ of work needed to be done each week/term, but any loose sheets, handwriting, maps, colouring etc
At the end of each week, I simply unclip the loose sheets and pop them into each child’s hanging folder in this file case or secure them in a two ring binder.
I enjoy that this file case is attractive looking, the lid can be clipped down and it is easily transportable.
At the conclusion of the year it is simply a matter of pulling these folders out, unclipping sheets from ring binders and ripping sheets out of the children’s spiral notebooks.
Working on one child’s paper collection at a time, I sort their work into sub-groups. Faith, Grammar, Composition, Dictation, Maths, Science, History, etc. Having saved title pages in word, it is an easy matter to print out again each year.
My comb binder was an ebay find, alas it can only do 10 pages at a time. If I was buying again I would spend a little more and chose one with more capability.
After punching holes onto each sheet, the next step is to thread the pages onto the comb.
On the front of each cover is the child’s name and the year. Behind each cover are any certificates gathered throughout the year, participation and sports certificates etc. Then each of the sub-groups follow.
The children enjoy browsing over their work. remembering and discussing,
a genuine solution to the paper tiger
and an easy way to showcase their work.
Something worthwhile to keep,
a true keepsake.
8 Comments
Catherine
Such a neat idea! I've got pages still in binders, but I think putting them in bound books like that is great!! 🙂
Catherine
Erin
Catherine
Really encouraging you to make a keepsake, our children love theirs:)
Amy
What I great idea! I even have a Pro-click binder but never thought of making a yearbook for the children.
Erin
Amy
is a pro-click different to the comb binder?
Laura Pearl
You are my hero for homeschooling all your kids! It's a lot of work, but SO rewarding.
Our oldest four attended Catholic grade school and high school, but we homeschooled our baby for five years, from 4th to 8th grade, before he went to the Catholic high school. I kept all his work from each year in binders filled with plastic sheet protectors, but I think your system is wonderful–so much less bulky.
The whole homeschooling thing really wasn't on our radar when our older boys started school. I sometimes wish we'd homeschooled all of them, at least through grade school. We had such a wonderful experience with son #5.
Mary @ Better Than Eden
Wow! you are organized and they look so professional! Nice job!
Sarah
These look great! I like how polished they are when you are finished putting them together.
Elizabeth C
I love the pro-click. Very nicely done and they'll keep for years.