The Happy Homeschooler Podcast

There’s curriculum to choose, schedules to keep, lessons to teach, and papers to grade! How can anyone do it?! Your hosts Melody and Holly have decades of homeschooling experience and they’re here to save the day with their homeschool survival guide! SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook! The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Gillum, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin. If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Every homeschooler wonders how to choose curriculum. Holly and Melody can help! Our resident experts go over every type of curriculum, their pros and cons, and how to know which one is right for you! SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook! The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Gillum, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin. If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Some people are visual learners, some people are auditory, but what does it all mean? Melody and Holly explain all about different learning styles this week. How to know which learning style your child has, what subjects may be more favorable to them, and how to teach those tricky subjects in ways can work for any kid! SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook! The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Gillum, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin. If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

You’re not new to homeschooling, but we all know it’s different this year. Join your hosts Holly and Melody as they discuss how veteran homeschoolers can adapt to the new challenges this school year. SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook! Send us your homeschooling questions! Scholastic Book Club Wild Explorer’s Club Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Gillum, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin. If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Everybody knows education is expensive… or is it? Holly and Melody share their years of experience finding low cost and no cost homeschooling solutions to help you live your best learning lifestyle! Wondering how to afford books and curriculum? How about everyday learning opportunities? Maybe you’re looking for some great online resources? Holly and Melody can help! SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook! Send us your homeschooling questions! Rainbow Resource www.rainbowresource.com Educational resources for Pre-K-12th grade for homeschoolers, educators, and parents. Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org Self-paced interactive content for students in every grade and in most content areas. Crash Course https://thecrashcourse.com A variety of courses geared toward junior high and high school. Crash Course Kids https://www.youtube.co/user/crashcoursekids Educational videos geared towards 5th grade and younger. PBS Kids https://pbskids.org Educational tv shows, games, and activities. Starfall Education Language arts and mathematics for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. Home membership is $35/year. Prodigy Math https://www.prodigygame.com/ Free online math for 1-8th grade. The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Gillum, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin. If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

You weren’t planning on ever homeschooling… And then the pandemic hit. Fear not! Your hosts Holly and Melody are here to help, with discussions on reasons people might want to try homeschooling this fall, how to make time for it, and even how to respond to family and friends who disagree with your choice to try pandemic homeschooling. The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Gillum, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin. If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts. SHOW NOTES: Follow us on Twitter! Home School Legal Defense Association Send us your homeschooling questions to [email protected]

Sometimes the kids just won’t sit down and learn! In this episode, your hosts Holly and Melody discuss resistant learners. You’ll hear about the six ways you can cut through the resistance and help your child to keep loving learning. Beyond Transcripts is a digital support group for everyone interested in a learning lifestyle. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Gillum, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our theme music is by The Great Pangolin. If you’d like to help our podcast grow, leave us a review on iTunes.

Stress! What is it good for? Your hosts Melody and Holly discuss homeschool stress, how it can impact your learning lifestyle, and how to combat it. Beyond Transcripts is a digital support group for everyone interested in a learning lifestyle. Our program is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Williams, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our theme music is by The Great Pangolin. If you’d like to help our podcast grow, review us on iTunes.

Holly and Melody discuss something that is on everybody's minds right now. Just how on Earth do you work and homeschool at the same time?

Holly and Melody discuss how to find success on your homeschooling journey.

Your hosts Holly and Melody discuss the joys and challenges of homeschooling. In this episode, how to teach all your kids at the same time, no matter what ages they are.

Your hosts Holly Williams Urbach and Melody Gillum discuss the joys and challenges of homeschooling your highschooler. In this episode, we discuss how to be a school administrator as well as a teacher.

Your host Holly Williams Urbach offers advice and considerations through some of the challenges and joys of homeschooling a high schooler.

Motivation is a complex process, and as a parent, you might wonder what you can do help improve your homeschooled students’ motivation. In this episode of Beyond Transcripts we’re joined by Transcript Maker founder, Matt Bass, to talk all about student motivation and tips for enhancing motivation. What is motivation? Motivation can be defined as the direction and intensity of effort; it’s important to understand that your student’s interest and passions may change, that motivation can go up and down, and that there is a lot that can influence someone’s motivation. What motivates one of your children may do nothing for another, but don’t worry- there are many ways to help enhance someone’s motivation. Keep in mind that there are two general sources of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is using internal sources for motivation, such as interest in something, the love of learning, or the excitement of improving. Extrinsic motivation is utilizing external factors for motivation, such as praise, awards, or money. We want to try to foster intrinsic motivation, but keep in mind that extrinsic motivation isn’t bad- these sources can be used appropriately to help build excitement and interest. Tips for improving motivation When it comes to helping motivate your homeschooler, we discuss a number of ideas including: Understanding your student’s interests and learning styles Giving your student choice (within reason), such as which subject they want to study first Using incentives to create some excitement; remember that these don’t have to be big or over the top Encouraging your student to set goals: as they work toward them, the progress helps to create motivation Giving verbal feedback that praises their effort or hard work rather than the outcome of what your student does Changing up your day: Try starting with a different subject or start later. When you homeschool, you can often adjust to meet the needs of your kids Remember that there will be ups and downs with motivation and when you homeschool you have the flexibility to work with your child’s needs and that can be great for motivation. Resources Mentioned: Learn more about student learning styles Setting goals helps with motivation Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

On this episode of Beyond Transcripts we’re joined by Holly Urbach, long-time homeschooler. Today we tackle an important topic: can you homeschool and work? Previously, families may have had a stay-at-home parent who took on the responsibility of homeschooling the kids. Today, however, many homeschooling families have two working parents. How can you work and homeschool? The reality is that many households need or want to have two incomes. They may also want to homeschool their kids and do it well. Though it may feel like more of a challenge to work and homeschool, it can be done. If your job is flexible, or has non-traditional work hours (for example, part-time, working on weekends, or shift-work of several longer shifts and then several days at home), then homeschooling and work is definitely doable. Even if you have a more traditional job, homeschooling can still be an option. When Holly’s husband worked later in the day, she worked in the morning. This worked well for her teens who liked to sleep in and took their time in the morning getting ready and doing chores. When she was home from work, they could then start their homeschooling lessons and finish later than a typical school day. When you’re homeschooling, as long as you’re hitting your state’s requirements, you can be flexible with when the homeschooling occurs. Working from home is another option for homeschooling- Holly has found this to be a good fit for her family now, as she is homeschooling her kindergarnter. Other tips for working and homeschooling including getting organized at home and looking into enrichment programs where your child can be in an activity during the day and then you can work. There are many great options, from considering the type of work you pursue, looking at how you schedule your day, and using community support to help you be successful at working and homeschooling. Resources Mentioned: Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

When you’re homeschooling your kids, it’s helpful to understand as much about them and their learning style as you can so that you can best meet their needs. On this episode of Beyond Transcripts we’re joined by Holly Urbach who has homeschooled for many years and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to homeschooling and learning styles. 4 Learning Types We’re talking about Wiggly Willys, Perfect Paulas, Competent Carls, and Social Sues. By learning about this framework of learning styles, and typical characteristics, you’ll be able to apply this information immediately in your homeschooling. We discuss some classic characteristics of these different learning styles: both the strengths and some of the challenges. Chances are, as you listen, you’ll be nodding your head as you start to see your kids (and yourself) within the descriptions of these learning styles. Understanding these learning styles will help you choose curriculum that will best meet your child’s needs. For example, Holly had used one particular reading curriculum for reading for several of her children but found that another was very resistant. After considering his learning style and looking at the options, she found a curriculum that would likely better meet his needs. When she introduced it to him, he was excited about- it was a game-changer. Even if you can’t change the curriculum, you can make adjustments of the assignments and the way you teach so that your students are best able to learn. When your kids are younger, you probably won’t be able to determine their learning style but as they get older, you’ll notice their tendencies. As they continue to develop, you can also help them understand that while they do have tendencies and preferences, when they enter higher education, instructors may not be as accommodating or teach to all styles, so it’s also important to be flexible. Holly has a few suggestions for books and resources, if you’d like to learn more about these different learning styles. When you homeschool your children, you have the ability to make adjustments, so using their learning styles to improve the way you homeschool can improve the experience for everyone. Resources Mentioned: The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias Making the Most of Your Child’s Learning Style by Cynthia Tobias Get support as you start homeschooling with Smoothing the Way Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

College is an exciting time for students and parents, but if your student isn’t careful, they can end up in college for longer than 4 years! At first thought, this may seem fun, but when it takes longer to graduate from college, this will cost you more and delay the next steps for your student, whether that’s into the workforce or another degree of study. Founder of Transcript Maker, Matt Bass, is covering tips to graduate from college in 4 years (or less!) Can you graduate in 4 years? Though it seems that many students end up taking longer, you can still get a degree in 4 years, or less. However, this won’t just happen on its own because it’s very easy for students to get off track with the classes they need or the timing of those classes. These tips will help your student graduate from college on-time, or possibly early, saving money and time. 7 Tips to Graduate On Time (Or Early!) Create a plan: Students need to know what courses you’ll take and when. Plans can change, but be aware of what the degree requires, talking with the college counselor if needed: that’s what they’re there for! Consider your major: Choosing a major you already have interest in will help you be happy with that choice- changing majors can mean that you need additional courses which can slow you down. If students do want or need to change majors, try to do it within the same broader area of study. Be wise with your selection of courses: Hopefully you follow tip number one and have a plan. But then, you need to stick with it. Make sure that the courses you select fulfill requirements. Electives are fun, but don’t take too many; be aware of how demanding the classes are when you plan your semester or quarterly schedule- you don’t want to have to drop classes or change plans mid-way through the term. Don’t change schools midstream: If you change schools, chances are some credits will transfer, but not all, so you end up needing more time to make-up classes. It can also take time to get used to a new school, people, and living arrangements. Try your best not to change schools, unless it’s a part of your plan, like starting at a junior college and then going to a 4-year University. Don’t work too much: We’re very supportive of having a job to help make college more affordable, but if you work too much and this gets in the way of taking classes or studying for them, then you’ll end up taking more time to get your degree. Earn college credit while still in high school: Dual-enrollment is a great option, as well as AP classes when you’re in high school, so take a look at what courses might count for college credit. Get credit for previous work experience: Depending on the work you do before high school (or even those summer jobs while you’re in college), you may be able to get credit for college. Talk with your counselor to see if any past or current work experience can get you college credit. With all of these tips, it becomes much more realistic to graduate from college in 4 years (or less!). Resources Mentioned: How to Make College More Affordable Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker

Achieving goals is exciting, but there is more to setting and accomplishing goals than you might think. On this episode of Beyond Transcripts, Matt Bass, founder of Transcript Maker, is back to talk about goals and share information to help you improve your ability to set and accomplish goals! Why set goals? Setting goals is important because once you set the goal, you know what you’re working on- you have direction and an aim, and there’s something exciting about seeing your progress! For students and parents, goals can be set in areas of school like getting assignments done, at home, such as doing chores, or even in life like getting healthier. But, as we talk about, not all goals are created equal! And, with the New Year comes lots of talk about resolutions so we share our thoughts about resolutions, how those compare to goals, and how you can toss out the idea of goals if you’re put off by the word. How can you accomplish your goals? There are a few different ideas that can help you set goals in a way that you’re more likely to accomplish. Think of goals like a staircase- where you’re at now is at the bottom and where you want to go is at the top. The top of your staircase is the long-term goal: a goal for the future. The steps in between are the short-term goals that are going to help you get there. When you set these goals, you want to make them SMART: Specific, Measurable, Adjustable, Realistic, and Timed. By following the SMART acronym when you set your goals, you give yourself a much better chance of accomplishing the goal. You also want to come up with strategies to help you get there. Getting support and accountability for your goal can also be useful, along with writing it down and putting that goal somewhere where you can see it. For homeschooling families, you can set goals around academic areas, life skills, and even organization, like getting your transcripts organized before you need them ready for college applications. Remember that these tips are applicable to all areas of life! Resources Mentioned: Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

As a homeschooling family, being organized is critical. Organization has to do not only with your space in your home: where you do your homeschooling and studying and where your materials are kept, but you also need to think about your records. Are you as organized as you want to be? Most people aren’t, so we’re covering tips and tricks for homeschool record keeping and organization. Why organization is so important You probably already know the answer to this, but if you’re not organized as a homeschooling family, you run the risk of losing information, being stressed, and scrambling when it comes time to compile all of your official records for college. Being organized saves you time and mental energy and probably creates a better environment to homeschool in. Our tips to keep more organized as a homeschooling family Have dedicated spaces: For where the schooling happens, for where your students keep their materials and work and for where you, as a parent keep your information. Keep your materials and records together: Your student probably has binders or folders for each class (or if they don’t, they should!) so keep your information together too. Put materials for each course together and have something like a filing cabinet where you’re keeping records like grades for coursework. New to homeschooling and not sure how to set up your spaces or get your materials and records organized? Pinterest is a great resource and will give you lots of visual ideas and links to articles for how to create your space and get organized. Start how you want to end: you don’t want to scramble as your kids complete their college applications, so make sure you’re keeping track of things like grades and course titles from the beginning. As your kids get older, they can take more responsibility over organization and record keeping, but even from early on, if your kids are involved in deciding how organization happens, they’re taking more ownership over the process and are more likely to follow through with it. Use technology to your advantage: online spreadsheets and software programs like Transcript Maker can make your record keeping much easier, especially when it comes time to finishing up your transcripts to send to colleges. Organization of your space and your records is important as a homeschooling family. Use these ideas to help you get more organized and check out the blog for more of our favorite tips for organization. Resources Mentioned: Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

College is an exciting time for students and you probably already know that the thoughts and plans for college start well before applications are sent in. One of the biggest considerations (and sources of stress) for families can be the cost of college. On this episode, we go over more than a dozen tips to help you and your student make college more affordable. Remember that the costs are more than tuition Even if you and your student are thoughtful about the college that they attend and saving for tuition, there may be costs you haven’t considered. Yes, there is room and board and books, but what about travel to and from campus (that could be car rides or flights), “fun money,” and other incidentals when you’re living on your own. Since college costs continue to climb, we rounded up our best tips to help make college more affordable. How to Make College More Affordable In our blog series, 36 easy life hacks to make college more affordable, we give you numerous tips related to planning ahead, saving money, and ways to live life more conscious of money to make college more affordable. On this episode, we chat about some of our favorites: Graduate on time Reject the party lifestyle Don’t dismiss the value of a part-time job Consider alternatives to a dormitory or campus apartment Weigh price and value when evaluating schools Buy used textbooks Consider dual enrollment Consider distance education Apply for a high-school honors program and/or pursue scholarships Take a hard look at your expected earnings from your degree—before you begin school Test out of routine courses through CLEP Find a cheaper smartphone plan Brew your own coffee Begin using a budget Seek out experiences, not things Most important of all—pay attention! College is still a big investment, but these tips will help make college more affordable. Resources Mentioned: Check out all 36 of our tips in the 6-part blog series Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Extracurricular activities are important for high schoolers as these activities help them develop personally and prepare them for future endeavors like college and beyond. An extracurricular activity is anything that isn’t required for graduation, so the options are endless when it comes to what is considered an extracurricular activity. What activities should your teen pursue? Allow your kids to consider what their passions are and find extracurriculars that align with those. They can look to existing clubs and activities, even if they’re traditionally considered for adults. Your student may be able to start their own club or chapter of an organization if they’re not finding what they’re looking for. As a parent, you can help find the opportunities, or work with them to do research, for example, checking out local youth civic organizations, but allow your students to pursue their interests. This helps develop those interests and allows your child to become clearer on what they might like to pursue in college or for work. These activities also allow your students to become more well-rounded, which they can then show on their college applications. These activities are where students can set themselves apart from other applicants in the college admissions process. Using extracurriculars for course credit Even though these activities are taking place outside of school, there may be times where they can be used for credit. For example, a physics club might be used for a lab requirement and sport team participation could be used for PE. Be sure to check what your student’s requirements are and see where their activities may fit in- this is an extra benefit of these activities. So, your students’ extracurricular activities could show up on their transcript as extra activities or as part of a course! Resources Mentioned: Learn more about civic youth organizations Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

High schoolers have a lot going on- from expectations and normal pressures of high school to extreme feelings of stress, understanding how to manage the stress they feel is an important skill for your students to have. Stress is normal! With all that your high schooler is likely to have on their plate (classes, assignments, college applications, extracurriculars, a social life, and more), it’s normal that they’ll experience stress from time-to-time. Homeschooled students may experience less stress than students in traditional schools because they have more time available to them, more flexibility, and are less likely to compare themselves to others. How do you know your child is stressed and what can you do? If your high schooler is experiencing more extreme levels of stress, you may notice this from their increased irritability, less ability to focus, stomach issues, headaches, and more illnesses. Your student may also complain of stress or talk about how much they have going on. Even at “typical” levels of stress, there are ways that you can help your student. Getting organized and creating routines can be useful, along with tools like using breathing intentionally to calm down, and monitoring their self-talk, changing it when needed. We cover details on these ideas and a few more ideas in the episode. Resources Mentioned: Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Our guest on this episode is Dr. Annise Mabry, a woman who spent years in public education as a teacher and administrator. When the public-school system failed her children, again and again, she took her knowledge, passion, and experience to create a solution that worked for her family, and for others. Tiers Free Academy was born out of the need for an alternate model. When Dr. Mabry realized that a different model of education would be best for her children, she researched what she needed to do; she learned about the laws and was inspired and empowered by what she learned. But, she didn’t just stop at helping her children, she continued on to create a program that would support others in their homeschool journey. She pursued non-profit status and created a school and system that allows her to not only help students of all ages receive their high school diploma, but also empower families to support their children in their educational pursuits. Dr. Mabry Practices Educational Disobedience Thankfully, Dr. Mabry doesn’t get bogged down by people telling her she can’t do something, and she doesn’t stop when something gets hard. When she was told she could be a great administrator if only she was obedient (our host, Sara’s jaw dropped when she heard this!), she realized that she was going to practice educational disobedience in an effort to do what was right for the students she worked with. She has a book out that talks all about Educational Disobedience and shares more about her story and experiences. Dr. Mabry has created an academy that not only supports students, but also their families. When she started homeschooling, there weren’t the number of groups and type of support that you can often find now. We’re thankful that she’s developed one of the programs that really aims to help students of all ages (she recently gave honorary diplomas to individuals in their 60s!) and the family members who support them. We love the passion that Dr. Mabry brings to everything, and she has that much passion for Transcript Maker too! If we had a fan club, she’d be the president. We know that people have questions or concerns about moving away from their usual ways of managing transcripts, but Dr. Mabry reminds us of the reasons manual transcripts don’t really work and she shares what she loves about Transcript Maker. All members of the Transcript Maker team blushed while making this episode! Resources Mentioned: Learn more about Tiers Free Academy Pick up Dr. Mabry’s book, Educational Disobedience Why you probably want to move away from manual transcripts Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Online education is a fantastic option for high school students because it’s flexible, can allow for students to learn at their own pace, and helps to meet the needs of different learning styles. Online learning options are a good choice for private schools and the students they serve. Defining online education and the benefits for high schoolers When we say “online education” there’s actually a spectrum of what that might mean. Some classes will be 100% online, with students never attending onsite or meeting in person. Then, there may be hybrid courses where students do some portions of class online and other parts in a traditional classroom. There are other classes which may meet together for everything but exams that happen online. And there are certainly other models besides these. You may have concerns about the quality of education in an online course or degree program, but the truth is, these online classes can actually be harder for students because instructors often expect a lot of the students to show that they are participating and learning. If you’re researching online courses and programs, be sure to check if the program is accredited. Giving high schoolers the option of online learning can be great: it takes away the barrier of physically getting to campus. Whether a student has a health, transportation, or time availability issue, online options make school more accessible. Additionally, many colleges are moving toward online offers and many careers require employees to be tech-savvy, so online classes in high school prepare students for their future. Why might your school want to offer online classes and how can you do it well? In addition to giving more options for your students, you expand your reach to who you can serve when you offer classes online. Your students (and faculty) are no longer bound by geography. Even if your students are close by, giving them flexible options increases their satisfaction. If you decide to move forward with online classes, be sure to have the technology to do it well, set clear expectations for your students and faculty, and remember that even though you want your students online to learn what they would in a traditional classroom, how they learn it and show their understanding may be different than the face-to-face environment. Resources Mentioned: Confirm an online program’s accreditation Orion High School is a premier online school for a reason Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

When it comes to high school transcripts, consistency is of the utmost importance. Whether it’s large details like GPA or course name, or small details like a comma in your school’s name, consistency in your high school transcripts is critical! Matt Bass, founder of Transcript Maker gives insight into how to create consistent transcripts in an efficient way. Where should there be consistency? When it comes to your high school transcripts, there are a number of areas you want to have consistency, including: School name (Being consistent between transcript, website, business cards, etc.) Course titles Branding Formatting (making sure all transcripts look the same, but also within one transcript, for example, the column widths are consistent) Why are there inconsistencies? Often times schools will notice a lack of consistency when doing transcripts manually. It becomes almost impossible to keep data consistent across different student’s transcripts, and your final product may not always look the same. If you’re doing your transcripts manually (which we don’t recommend, in part, because of the lack of consistency), you’re going to use a lot of time trying to get all of these details addressed, and you might still miss some. Why is consistency so important? You want your transcript to represent your school and your students well. When you’re sending transcripts that have issues, you do your students a disservice while also losing credibility with the schools your students are applying to- you don’t want that! We know that schools and families would like to have consistency within their transcripts, but it may not feel like the biggest priority, so we’ve made Transcript Maker easy to set up and have taken care of these areas where consistency matters. When you have a system that’s easy to use, you become more efficient, your transcripts improve, and your school and students are represented in the best light. Resources Mentioned: 7 ways you know it’s time to move away from manual transcripts Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Holly Urbach is a virtual assistant who homeschooled her five older kids from elementary school through high school, graduating four of them. Beginning September 2018 she will be homeschooling her 6 year-old-son, so she is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to having insight into tips and ideas for a strong homeschooling experience. Meet Holly Urbach Holly’s homeschooling journey began many years ago and has been a very positive experience for her kids and family. She now has five grown children and is looking forward to homeschooling her youngest son. Tips for parents and students As Holly has spent many years homeschooling her kids, she has learned a lot along the way. She highly encourages families to find their community for both support and knowledge: she used to find information in magazines and now it’s accessible online, but the ability to find information and connect with other families has been invaluable. Once she began homeschooling, she quickly realized that her children would be able to have so many positive experiences within the community at large when they’re not in a traditional classroom. So, for any parents who are concerned about the perceived lack of social interaction, she sees that there are more opportunities for homeschooled kids, and with a variety of people. Holly also encourages involvement in civic youth organizations like 4H, cub scouts, and girl scouts to add to a homeschooler’s experience. For the students, Holly reminds them that this is their journey and to take ownership of it to make the most of it. Being homeschooled allows many opportunities to manage your own time, develop strategies to stay organized, and she encourages students not to depend on their parents to manage it all. The gifts that homeschooling has given her family are more than she can count, but Holly also knows that homeschooling may not be for everyone. She also reminds parents that you can be a successful homeschooling parent even if you don’t see yourself as the most patient person and that you only need to be one step ahead of your kids. So, don’t stress yourself out too much if you’re thinking of homeschooling your kids and this is new for you. We’re so glad that Holly shared her experiences and tips for homeschooling through high school with us. Resources Mentioned: Visit the Home School Legal Defense Association for more information about homeschooling laws and support in your area Learn more about civic youth organizations Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

You may not have heard the term “youth civic organization” but you’re probably familiar with organizations like 4H, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts. Holly Urbach, mom of 6 homeschooled children, shares about why involvement in these organizations is a fantastic choice for students. Involvement prepares students When someone is involved in a youth civic organization like 4H or the scouts, they’re given the opportunity to learn, explore new areas of interest, and develop leadership skills. Not only are they likely to get more comfortable talking with people and gain confidence in themselves, but the relationships they make with others are hugely important as they continue through school and beyond. Involvement doesn’t always lead to scholarships, but students who participate through high school usually have strong letters of recommendation for college from some very impressive people. Holly shares stories about her family’s positive experience with involvement in 4H, and the benefits she’s seen for other kids. She also helps you understand how to highlight this experience on a college application. How do we get started? You can use Google to find organizations near you, or utilize families in your community to help you get started. One of the great things about organizations like 4H and the scouts is that they allow kids to explore so many of their interests, so there will be something for everyone. For all students, but especially homeschoolers, involvement creates another community to be a part of. Resources Mentioned: How to write a high school resume More tips for writing your resume for your college application Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

We know you’re busy. You’re running a school. Maybe you don’t have enough staff to help support you, or your school has been growing and it feels harder and harder to manage your time. It’s critical for administrators to use their time as effectively as possible so that you can focus on the core responsibilities of your job and not waste your time. Our best tips for time management Batch your tasks: Take the tasks that are similar to each other and do them at the same time rather than spread out. When you shift your focus from task to task, you become less efficient. As an example, instead of checking your email throughout the day, spend dedicated time checking and responding to all emails, and then don’t revisit the task until your next dedicated time. Delegate: Though you might feel like you save more time when you do a job yourself, it can be worth it to delegate certain tasks so you can focus on your critical roles. Yes, you might take time to create and train someone else on other tasks, but in the long-run, you’ll save yourself time. Look at how you schedule: Get everyone on your team using the same tool, and try scheduling tools like Calendly or YouCanBookMe. These tools allow people to schedule meetings with you when you’re available. Also be sure to schedule meetings with yourself (for example, that hour that you’ll be checking email) to protect the time you need for tasks. Use technology: There are many tools that can help make your job easier from fully-loaded School Information Systems to software like Transcript Maker. There are many options when it comes to utilizing technology to improve your time management. Make time for self-care and personal development: It may feel hard to make time for yourself, personally, when you’re so busy from work, but if you don’t prioritize yourself, your work can suffer. Save time with your transcripts: We make it easier and less time-consuming for you (or the person you delegate to!) to deal with transcripts. This is an area where people can spend more time than is needed, and we want to help you be more efficient. Take action now There’s no need to waste more time. You’re busy, we know, but pick just one of these time management tips and work on applying it in your routine. Then, enjoy the time you’ve saved and pick another idea to try. Resources Mentioned: 5 Time-Saving Tools for Private High School Administrators Try Calendly or YouCanBookMe to get your meetings scheduled Trello can help you get on the same page with others, and save time. Feeling like change is hard? Check out our podcast where we help you push through the challenges. Laura Vanderkam reminds us we have 168 hours each week (and other great time management tips) Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Marketing is not just for business! As a school, it’s easy to think that the students will come to you, and then you serve them. But, as alternative forms of education grow, it’s important that you consider marketing, not just to help your school grow, but to ultimately reach and support more students. How can a school market themselves? If you’re looking to reach more students, you need to start where people are: online. Most people are going to use Google to find information on potential schools and programs, so, at a minimum, your school should probably have a website. Make sure that you have pages that discuss your school, it’s approach, and what makes your school unique. Be sure to consider what people are searching for and have that on your site, for example, “Private School [Your city and state].” From there, you can add on content, like blog posts about your school, profiles on students, or information that people would find useful. Not only does this give people more ways to find you when they search online, but you can then use these articles to send out in your mailing list, and also within social media: two other significant ways to market your school. What is the transcript’s role in marketing? Anything that your school produces can potentially be a source of marketing, and your school’s transcript is a marketing tool, whether you’re using it that way or not. When your students share their transcripts with colleges, that’s creating more awareness of your program: you don’t want your school or your students to get a negative reputation because of errors, inconsistency, or an unprofessional look. Your school can use its transcripts as a helpful marketing tool by not only making sure the content is accurate but also by creating a branded look. Transcript Maker makes it easy for you to accomplish this. Not only can we help you create a template that meets your needs, but when you print your transcript, it will look great. You can kick it up a notch with high-quality paper and emboss it with a seal- what a great marketing tool that students will be proud to share! Resources Mentioned: Our blog post that covers a few ways schools can market themselves Learn about 3 great schools: Orion High School, Texas Success Academy, and Dartmoor School Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

We live in a world where there are so many options to save us time and make us more efficient. However, it’s also easy to stick with habits we know well- one of those may be creating your transcripts manually using spreadsheets or (gasp!) a typewriter!! Even though change can be hard, when you’re noticing errors, lack of consistency, or you’re frustrated, it might be time to upgrade from manual transcripts. 7 Ways you know you need to step away from the spreadsheet Check out the episode to learn more about each of these signs that you need to put the spreadsheets away and try out a transcript app like Transcript Maker: Mistakes are happening too frequently: Typos, spelling errors, or missing information are all signs that the manual process may not be working for you. You’re struggling with GPA math: This type of math is no joke; it’s hard, and it needs to be correct. Math mistakes are easily made when you’re using spreadsheets, and dealing with weighted and non-weighted GPAs manually can be tedious. You’re losing your work: If you don’t have a system that backs up, you run the risk of losing your work. You waste time (and money) trying to get all of it back. There are inconsistencies: The transcripts that you create for your school should be consistent from the information on them to the overall look; this is hard to accomplish manually. Changing something renders old transcripts obsolete: Your manual system doesn’t allow you to change information in one place (like a class title) and have it apply to other transcripts. You’re wasting time: It’s time consuming to produce a transcript when you’re entering information piece by piece and transcript by transcript. Your time is probably better spent somewhere else. Printing problems: Once you’ve created your manual transcript, you still need to print it and have it look the way you want; sometimes that’s easier said than done. Feeling ready to upgrade? Though it can be overwhelming to make changes, Transcript Maker aims to make the transition easy for you. During your free 14-day trial, we’ll get you onboarded and set up to try us out; since we’re focused on transcripts, you don’t have to worry about making lots of changes at once. And don’t forget, we’re here to answer questions along the way. Resources Mentioned: Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Getting into college is tough these days- there are so many students seeking admission. It’s important for students to do the best job they can to show that they are a good fit for the colleges they apply to. Parents and school administrators can support this process in a number of ways. In today’s episode, we share our best tips for helping your students get into college. Our Top Tips Application tips The application is a critical part of what a student sends to each college they apply to. It’s not just about highlighting your test scores and grades (though those are important too). The application, and more specifically, the personal essay is an opportunity to show who you are, that you appreciate different perspectives, that you can think critically, and that you’re a team player. That’s a lot, but it’s worth it to take the time to create a great personal essay that stays true to who the applicant is. When colleges have a huge list of applicants, you want to highlight how you stand out as an individual with varied interests. Schools can help students become more aware of what to put on the application to help show the applicant in the best light. And, in order to be seen positively, a social media check (and clean-up) is a must for college applicants. An additional step to standing out with your application is to have strong letters of recommendation; be sure to plan ahead (and talk to your students well ahead of time) about not only their letters, but all pieces of the application, as each school will have its own deadline, and you don’t want to miss one! Cover letter tips We don’t know when cover letters became the norm for college applications, but even if one isn’t requested, we encourage you to include it! That’s because it’s another opportunity to show who you are and help you stand out from the crowd. Be sure to customize each cover letter (don’t just cut and paste!), discussing why you’re interested in the particular school, and be sure that your application, essay, and cover letter are free from errors. And, if you’re an educational institution, or a homeschooler, be sure to think about sending professional looking transcripts along with your application and cover letter so that you can be a triple threat. Resources Mentioned: Not sure about what we mean by a professional transcript? Check out this episode of Beyond Transcripts Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Orion High School is a digital school whose mission is empowering learning, renewing hope. Our guest, Dr. Gallegos, founded the school over a decade ago and shares with us what he’s learned and what makes his school unique. It was important to him and the other founders to find a way of teaching that better met the needs of the students. The school they created hires experts in their field to mentor students, as opposed to being teachers. At Orion, there is no way a student can pass a course without interacting regularly with their mentor, there are no multiple-choice tests, students are given tasks and not homework, and expectations are clearly set early and often for students at the school. Trailblazers, right? Make sure your school is accredited Not only is Orion High School nationally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, internationally by AdvancED, and by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, but these accreditations are part of what gives Orion High School its strength. When digital schools are appropriately accredited, this makes it much easier for students to secure financial aid when they enter college. Students and families find this very important! Orion helped create digital standards of education Because Orion High School was one of the first digital schools to go through the accreditation process, the reviewers didn’t quite know what to expect! The typical onsite standards didn’t work for a school of this nature, so Dr. Gallegos worked with AdvanceED to create the standards that are appropriate for digital schools. Trends in digital learning There has been a shift away from the traditional learning environment over the years; this is positive because it gives students and families more choice and flexibility, and provides better learning opportunities. At Orion, students can be fully enrolled, taking all of their classes through the school, or they can take classes as needed. Since there are an increasing number of students seeking digital courses, administrators at the school are strongly encouraged to consider accreditation so that they can best serve their students, but also so that their school is appealing to those beyond their backyard. Orion has students from across the nation and outside of the U.S., and they have also worked with their home state of Texas to ensure smooth transfer of records between the schools. Dr. Gallegos began working with Transcript Maker not long after founding the school and has been able to create transcripts that lend credibility to his school while functioning in the way he needs. We are so glad that Dr. Gallegos joined us on Beyond Transcripts to share his insights, experiences, and tips about digital education. Resources Mentioned: Learn more about Orion High School Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Change may be hard, but especially in education, change is necessary. With the ongoing rise of distance education, the evolution of technology, and the continued desire for students to get into good colleges, high schools need to keep up with the times. Administrators in schools are typically the agents of change which means they are the ones who must push through the discomfort and take the steps to make the changes happen. What can administrators do to help make change happen? Part of why change can feel overwhelming is because of the size of the task and the number of people that the change potentially impacts. Administrators need to be prepared mentally and practically when it comes to making changes, whether that’s in how they’re running their school, the technology they adopt, or other decisions that affect their teachers and families. I encourage agents of change not only to be brave, because that willingness for change gives you an edge over other schools, but also want to remind you that you can start simple. Even 15 minutes a day of planning and executing can help make change happen. What if you’re making changes in technology As distance learning continues to grow in popularity, and more technology is developed, there can be uncertainty about adopting it. When you’re faced with this sort of potential change, look to others who have gone through it, asking questions and getting support, along with trying out the technology to see if it works for you. Transcript Maker not only gives you a 14-day free trial, but we’re also very supportive in helping you get up and running, customizing your transcript if needed. When it comes to making change, courage in leadership is necessary. On the podcast, we help you consider why and how you might want to take steps toward something new, even if it’s uncomfortable to begin with. Resources Mentioned: Sign up for a free trial of Transcript Maker Join our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

On the first episode of Beyond Transcripts, we talk about why schools need to care about professional high school transcripts. Not only does an organized, good-looking transcript solidify the image of your school, but it helps to create more satisfaction for your students and their parents. Who knew transcripts could do all that? With everything that could go into a high school transcript, I share what you probably want to include in your school’s transcript, along with what colleges would like to see. When students are applying to multiple colleges, it’s important to be able to have some flexibility with how you present the information, and it always needs to be accurate and error-free. If you’re curious about best practices for a professional high school transcript to help support your student’s goals of getting into college, this episode is for you. We also share about Transcript Maker and how we can help simplify transcripts for your school. When transcripts aren’t just about grades, but also help to create your reputation, you want to take them seriously.