HomeWorks by Precept Consultant Jennifer Lont MI

11/04/2026

We've made it to the bottom of the transcript! This is where you, the homeschool administrator, place your signature.

Start by typing a brief line to summarize what you're signing. It can be something like "I do hereby self-certify and affirm that this is the official transcript and record of (insert your student's full name) in the academic studies of (insert years)." Then sign and date the transcript.

Note that you'll want to sign this document in pen each time you print it off to send to someone. This is called a wet signature. Also note that you'll use a different date each time you print this off to send somewhere.

Your transcript should fit on the front of one page. If you have trouble fitting it all on one page, make sure you aren't adding any unnecessary information. You can also change the formatting of the page, but don't get fancy. This document isn't supposed to be pretty like a scrapbooking project; it's supposed to be a straightforward, clear communication of your child's academic record.

11/03/2026

My son is taking American Government with BJU Press Homeschool this year, and he can't wait until he's old enough to vote.

He has been researching candidates this semester. He has even had the opportunity over the past few years to meet several of our representatives, both at the state and national level. He has attended events where he was able to listen to them speak, and he has shaken their hands. When my son sees signs in yards along our local roads, he is thinking of the men he met, not just their names.

My son isn't quite old enough to vote yet, but I can. Will you join me at the polls today and vote for candidates who uphold parental rights, including the right to homeschool?

11/02/2026

When my older son started high school, the word “transcript” was constantly on my lips and in my thoughts. I didn’t just want my son to be accepted into college. I wanted him to earn as many scholarships as he could. This was less about creating the actual document and more about planning which courses and experiences we would include in the high school years.

Of course, I wanted to homeschool with excellence for my son’s sake. What he did during those four years helped to shape what kind of man he would become. But if I could also keep records that would help him win money for his college bill, that’s a huge plus!

Once I went through the process with my older son, it was easier to know what to do for my younger son.

Start with solid academics. We trusted BJU Press Homeschool to provide quality instruction. Our goal in taking the SAT was to score high enough to earn an academic merit scholarship, if possible. A high enough score may also let your child skip certain general courses during his freshman year of college.

Then think about helping your student become well-rounded. For us, that meant joining a karate school. My boys were already taking string lessons, but they needed something active. Karate was a great fit, adding physical fitness to academics and fine arts. Keep a running list of all of the activities in which your child participates.

You may want to start a box where you can start collecting certificates and awards. Keep some paper in there where you can list special honors so you don’t forget any of them. You may think you’ll remember, but you might be surprised. Don’t risk forgetting any of your child’s achievements when it’s time to apply for a scholarship.

Encourage your child to start volunteering in his church or community, if he doesn’t already. Options include things like cleaning the church, tutoring, working at a youth camp, mowing lawns, and helping at the local library. Whatever your child is doing to help others, start jotting down those hours.

You’ll also want to take note of any leadership positions your child fills. Consider starting a binder or notebook with tabs for academics, activities, awards, volunteer hours, and leadership positions. If you give yourself one place to write all the different things, it will make your life so much easier!

10/31/2026

Looks like we have time to do one more load of laundry today. Just kidding! I hope you enjoy one more good conversation, one more chapter of your read-aloud, one more family game, or one more hour of sleep. Make time to rest!

🍂 Fall back! Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday night. Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, November 1 at 2:00 a.m. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep! 😴

10/30/2026

A high school transcript does not need an activities list. When my first son graduated, I listed all awards, activities, leadership positions, and volunteer work on a separate page.

However, when I created my second son’s transcript with a different word processing program, I realized that I had a little extra space at the bottom of the page. I decided to include an abbreviated list to showcase my son’s most notable achievements and activities.

I listed his most recent and largest accomplishments first: his remote pilot certification, an academic commendation, a cello award, and his black belt in karate. Then I highlighted a few leadership positions. This was by no means an exhaustive activities list. In four lines, I tried to give a good picture of how well-rounded my son is.

If you do decide to list some achievements and activities, keep it brief. The purpose of the transcript is to provide an academic record.

You will want to keep records of awards, leadership positions, activities, and volunteer hours. You’re going to need those when you apply for various scholarships. I guess that’s what we’ll talk about next time!

10/29/2026

Quick transcript post today. Your transcript needs a key. It should include a grading scale so the reader knows what constitutes a 4.0, a 3.0, etc.

It should also include codes for courses that were taken at other schools and courses that were audited.

If you need to send in a six-semester transcript, you’ll have to mark courses from the senior year as being in progress.

This key allows the reader to decode your transcript. Don’t forget to include it!

10/28/2026

Those who take music lessons are often motivated (at least in part) by enjoyment. We love to make music. Even though we take pleasure in certain parts of music practice, pleasure is not the goal for that time; practice is.

We do scales and learn theory. We use math to figure out intricate rhythms. We practice style, vibrato, and dynamics. We have even done exercises to strengthen our finger muscles.

We often use a metronome. We don’t always love it, but it helps us mature. And then when we do play through a song, we play with greater skill.

Things we learn in school can be like this too. Reading is a great example. Many kids love to read books but hate those reading workbooks. (I was one of those kids.)

So why do we use them? Because they contain skills that will make good readers become even better ones. Good exercises in workbooks assist us as we study phonics and plot and idioms and poetic devices. They are useful tools that we use for a short time to accomplish a larger goal.

Training with discipline allows able to do things like read and make music with greater skill and therefore greater pleasure.

Yes, we do want to nurture a love of learning. We also need to be skilled. As a homeschool mom, you can encourage both!

10/27/2026

On the last line of this example transcript, I listed a reminder for you to include delight-directed learning. When my older son was in high school, he picked up his dad’s Greek textbook and started studying, so my husband bought a Greek course for him.

That son also started teaching himself to play the piano in 2020. By the time he graduated high school, he had spent many hours at the piano. Instead of giving partial credit each year, I just gave him one credit in his senior year for all of those accumulated hours.

My second son bought a nice drone and then worked to get a recreational license. My husband gifted him with a course that would help him get a commercial license. Once my son worked his way through ground school, he took the test through the FAA and got his certification. He has also taken photography courses. All of this work will be grouped together for credit.

The HSLDA says that 60 hours of work is enough for a half-credit in an elective. If your student has completed at least 120 hours in an elective, you can award a full credit.

Every student will have the same core courses: math, history, science, and language arts. Delight-directed learning helps colleges get an idea of who your child is and what he loves. My older son’s transcript showed that he loves language and music. My younger son’s transcript shows that he loves music and aerial photography. What does your child love?