Using Tabs in HomeSchool Boss Journal

Step by step instructions for using tabs

Getting to know tabs

When you look at the bottom left of HomeSchool Boss Journal’s home screen, you will see all tabs for entering information and files:

  • Summary — just that! A quick emoji and text sum-up of how the week went.
  • Curriculum — a place to track what curricula you used that week, for which lessons, complete with page number references.
  • Book — if you’ve used a book as source material for a lesson, you can add the title and page numbers covered here.
  • Resource — track miscellaneous resources your student has used for learning here such as a Prodigy website, video, location, or person.
  • Work Sample — like the label says. Samples of student work turned in that week.

Summary

For a quick snapshot of the week, select the summary tab.

  1. Select an emoji that sums up the week.
  2. Write a few lines of detail.

(For example, this family has had better weeks.)

  1. Select the ‘Add Summary’ button, and you will see the summary at the top right of the screen:

TIP: you may add multiple summaries for the week; perhaps Bartholomew had a terrible week but Harriet pulled it together! They will appear side-by-side in the week’s snapshot.

Curriculum

To track curricula completed during the week, select the curriculum tab.

  1. Begin to type the name of the curriculum in the text field.

TIP: if you have already inputted a specific curriculum, a dropdown will show you a list of curricula you have already used that contain the text you typed, and you may select it. This helps to speed you up and prevent duplicates.

TIP: if you have never inputted the name of this week’s curriculum before, you will see an option drop down that reads ‘Create.’ Select ‘Create [name of curriculum].

  1. After you have created a new curriculum record or selected a previously-entered one, input the progress by page number.
  1. Then, select the ‘Add Curriculum’ button, and the curriculum information will appear with the rest of this week’s data.
  2. (Optional) Add new curricula as you use them this week.

Book

If your students used a book or books this week, select the book tab.

  1. Begin to type the name of the book in the text field.

TIP: if you have already inputted a specific book, a dropdown will show you a list of books you have already used that contain the text you typed, and you may select it. This helps to speed you up and prevent duplicates.

TIP: if you have never inputted the name of this week’s book before, you will see an option drop down that reads ‘Create.’ Select ‘Create [name of book].

  1. After you have created a new curriculum record or selected a previously-entered one, input the progress by page number.
  1. Select the ‘Add Book’ button, and the book will appear with the rest of this week’s data.
  2. (Optional) Add new books as you use them each week.

Resource

To track resources your student has used during instruction or for research, select the resource tab.

  1. Input the name, URL, or address of the resource
  2. Input brief notes
  3. Select ‘Add Resource’ button, and the resource will appear with the rest of this week’s data.
  4. (Optional) add new resources as you use them that week.

Work Sample

Remove the need for bulky paper files with the work sample tab.

  1. Prepare the work sample. This can be a photo of a paper, worksheet, or drawing, a .pdf, or even an MS Word document. You’ll need these files on the hard drive of your computer.
  2. Select the work sample tab.
  3. From the ‘Upload file’ section, select ‘Choose file.’

5. From your desktop or laptop, find the file you would like to upload.

TIP: You may upload a .pdf, any image file, or a .docx document.

  1. Select ‘Open.’
  2. At HomeSchool Boss Journal, input a description of the work sample.
  3. Select ‘Add Work Sample,’ and the work sample will appear with the rest of this week’s data.

TIP: the system provides images of each work sample you upload, including .docx files. You may read the entire file in miniature using only scrollbars without having to download anything.

9. (Optional) Add new work samples as students supply them each week.

Finished Week

Here is what a finished week looks like!