I'm new at this, so I really need to make sure I'm organized. A couple of weeks ago I received an awesome planner that I love and know I'll definitely use, but I was wondering if others use planners. If not, how do you organize your plans?
I use a basic day planner and then I have Homeschool Tracker for the kids assignments. I went through all of dd's books and divided them up over the length of the school year and did her's that way. DS is enrolled in Seton which provides lesson plans, so I look those up and go from there (we don't have to do everything - so I can edit and go through as needed) THEN for the family we have a wall calander.
I do not use a planner. Actually, I do use a planner but not to plan my day or weeks. I just write in it as we go. I use it to keep track of what we already accomplished. I do not write out plans in advance because we are always changing things as we go.
So...what planner are you using??? I use a MomAgenda for me and family stuff. I also use iCal for a monthly calendar that I print and hang on the fridge. Changed this year to using an assignment book for the kids. I scheduled out each of the subjects and figured out how many "days" each would take. Then the kids assignment book has what they need to do each day. I plan on updating their assignment book about once a week. I find if I plan too far ahead with them and we don't get done when we want, I get frustrated, etc. This way...I know what NEEDS to get done, but until teh week we're doing it - it's not on a calendar.
I bought a planner at Target...Unfortunately I discover the darned thing only covers 130 days! I needed 180 or more. So I hope the still have a few left.
I don't really use a planner in the strixtest sense of the word. It's more like a recorder -- it's actually a spiral notebook. I put the subjects' names down the left margin of the page (Bible, Literature, Grammar, Spelling, Math, Science, H & G, LAE (language arts enhancement, which includes anything extra like penmanship, little reading comprehension stories, thinking puzzles, Daily Grams, or whatever else), and Other. Other might include behavior notes, meds given, or whatever else needs to be noted. I use my ruler to make columns, one for each child - either on a single page (I can put up to five), or a two-page spread. Then I write in the assignments for the day. If the assignment is a quiz or test, I put the score in a circle in red. Absence and tardiness are easily noted. I can put a check mark in the box when the assignment is finished, or a diagonal line through the box if it didn't get done. Homework is usually marked by an H in a green circle. Upcoming quiz or test tomorrow is also green; test today is written in red. I seldom write pages for more than two or three days at the most, because as soon as I do, somebody doesn't get something done....and it has to be rewritten. It's not fancy or anything, but it has served our purpose for eight years now, and we're beginning our ninth.
I use a planner for myself (as I run the whole house - bills/school/everything) - have 2 family calendars (one will be the area we do hs - for dates/month stuff and 1 where everyone can see it - bathroom). I schedule out the kids' assignments on a sheet and its in a 3-ring binder with attendance sheet so I just check both at the same time. They're convenient, if you keep up with them.
Krista, what is "iCal"? I am looking for something to do for my drama class set up to be sure I have ds homeschooling doing the right thngs on the right day, but I want it to be on my computer so I can do an at a glance, and print it up for refrence when not here? I am one who has the personality who loves to organise and one that says Lets WING IT! so I fight myself! I have so many paper planners , dollar store, teacher store gifts etc, but trying to figure it into organised fashion I am so far using a "student planner" style and wrote in color highlights for Drama and ds, and co op will be added in there too!
It's called The Well Planned Day and I LOVE it! It has ample planning room (for more than one child), daily/weekly/monthly/calendars and includes space to write grades, weekly menus, grocery lists, and weekly priorities. There are also tear out report cards and space to jot down field trip information as well as book reading lists. I love that it directs me to Bible passages to read each day. It was about $20, but it'll keep all of homeschooling info in one location on my desk. I decided to get a planner so I wouldn't have to keep all my homeschool stuff inside my already stuffed Household Organizational Binder.
I have tried to use a planner for school and for outside the home and I still don't stick to them. I even bought cute ones and mini ones for the purse and even a big desk one. Nope still don't work out for me. I have given up and just do a list for the day and an outline for the week. I took the lastest planner and put the cover onto my Homeschooling Binder.
is that the red one? I think thats what I picked up too.. havent entered in yet but maybe the preschool teacher will want it instead?
Although I do not use a planner to plan our homeschool lessons, but rather to record our completed lessons as we go, I am starting to get into the habit of carrying the small planners around for daily life. We have a lot going on during our week and I need to make sure I do not overbook our days. I was doing this a lot this past year and finally bought a small planner for my purse. Now if I would use it failthfully, that would be great! LOL
I have boxes of half used planners...what is working at the moment: a spiral notebook that I write out the boys assignments on...with instructions. preprinted planners never had the right # of blanks or the space where I needed it. (I save these in a file folder after) I even tried home made planning pages but the boys like the handwritten ones better. I have a wall calendar that I use for everything for the family...I also put most of that stuff in my phone too. (because those 15 min before alarms make all the difference in the world) I tried little books for my purse but I don't coordinate them enough. I am thinking about getting a smarter phone...maybe one that will interface with the computer. I had tried a pda but that was a long time ago and it wasn't sophisticated enough for me (read simple) I have a magnetic grocery list that I almost have everyone trained to use. (write from the bottom up guys so I can tear it off and not waste a whole page) and I have a notepad on the counter for my to do today list...I try to put everything on there...especially which stores or errands so I don't leave one out. This goes in my back pocket with the grocery list when I leave the house. not a great system...but it is what I am doing at the moment.
I don't use a planner but I bought DS, he's in first grade, one from the dollar tree. Every Sunday I write in it which subjects we will be doing for the week. If he has a good day he gets to put a sticker on that day in his planner and if at the end of the week his planner has 5 stickers he gets to get something out of our treasure box. So in essence I guess I sort of do use a planner through our reward system.
I also make my own planner or recorder because I couldn't find one that was large enough. A couple of years ago I found a really nice one that lasted two years and it had planty of space for completed assignments but the store I bought it from closed and I haven't found one like it since. So I just decided to use a notebook this year.
goodnsimple - thanks. "Bottom up" is brilliant and totally not in my brain 'til you said it.Woo-hoo!!
