Purpose of a Planner? Also, would you use it with Homeschool Tracker?

[Kathie in VA]

I never used a "student planner" back when I went to school and somehow everything got done. So I'm not sure why they seem so popular now. Are assignments more confusing then they used to be?

 

Also, I'm going to try to use my Homeschool tracker software program again to help keep track of hours and grades (oldest entering 9th!!). Once I get this set up it can print out daily or weekly assignments or I think I can set up an account for my kids to update directly. So is there still a benefit to getting her one of these planner books? With my oldest going into 9th grade I gather it's time to prep the right tools.

 

tia

[choirfarm]

Well, I didn't use a planner in school either but my teachers pretty much told me what was due when. I use homeschool tracker and my boys also have their own planner for the week. Now the planner is useless for things like algebra and logic where their daily assignments are planned out. However, for things like Chemistry. I have in homeschool tracker: read the chapter, module summary, practice problems, test. I just have read the chapter in their once, but it normally takes him a week to do. How long and how much is up to him. Same thing with TOG. I have read week 1 materials. He has to schedule the multiple books is up to him, but his questions are due on Thursday afternoon. Soes that make sense? Even for English, he likes to do all of his Vocabulit on one day. My other son likes to do one exercise a day. Same thing with Analytical Grammar.

 

Christine

[Kathie in VA]

Christine,

 

Thanks this is helpful. I wasn't sure if there was a way or even a need to use a student planner if I was already planning to use software like HT (or EduTrack, etc.)

 

Usually I pick the subjects/courses and then the curriculum. Then I organize them in a way that I can bounce between 4 kids to give instruction while considering their preferences (math first or math last). But then they end up shifting the order anyway... ug. So this year I was thinking of something like what you are doing, just lining up the courses/curriculum with ?days & amount of time and then making the basic assignments (& I guess I'll need to set when they are due also). So is this what you do? Then would I print the assignments for her? If I do all that then how does her planner help? She probably won't write out a daily order as that will change with her mood as the day goes on. :D

 

Oh wait a minute, I just re-read your message again. Perhaps I don't tell her which days and how long to spend on it... leave that to her?? Why does this feel sooooo wierd, scary, and yet right?? Since this is 9th grade and hours count toward the credits then should I give her estimates for time? She'll also have two outside classes: Biology and art. So I guess she can also write down or transfer her assignments in there. The point of all this is a hidden lesson for her, right? How to juggle your time... something I've been doing for her. hmmm.

 

We aren't doing TOG but I'm familiar with it. This year we will be trying the WTM method for Ancient history and WTM/WEM for GB study of a couple of books. We will also be doing Classical Writing which will cover some more GB/lit, plus composition, grammar, and vocab. So I print the assignments/due dates and she transferrs that into a planner to ... determine when to do what and how long to spend on it? We are so used to just using a spreadsheet and checking off the subjects.... part of this feels like a great idea and then part feels like more paperwork then is necessary.... maybe that is just Screwtape or Wormwood messing with me.

[bugs]

I want my 8th graders to practice time management skills so I am having them use a planner. I do use HST+ so I will give them a list of assignments to do for the week and they can decide when they complete these. I do have to grade subjects like math and grammar before they go on and some items must be done everyday - such as Spanish.

[Rhea]

I've purchased a planner for my 9th grader to use this year. Prior to this she's always had a daily list of things to get done, either given to her that day or a week at a time. She didn't have to plan her time at all. This year she's taking 3 classes outside the home and I think it will help her to have one place in which to write when assignments are due and when tests will be. The last reason is that she wants to attend a private school next year and if she gets accepted there will be no mama telling her what is to be done when for any of her classes. She's never been in school and never experienced having to budget her time.

 

I didn't use a planner for H.S. either, but then I'd been doing school for years and my parents never kept track of what was due when or anything. So I guess I'm saying no planner was needed because I was used to keeping track of it all. A planner and instruction in studying might have helped though. :001_smile:

 

Rhea

[mschickie]

I use hst+ for sd(12th this year yikes). She also has a planner. She used that last year for long term assignments. She liked the print out but her time management still needs work. We are going to use the planner this year for her to set times each day to schedule her work. When she knows she is doing math from 10-10:30, hist 10:30-11 she does much better. I know that tracker has this feature but since the order will change each day we figure it would be easier in the planner.