Does anyone incorporate a filing system for lesson plans?

[MyLittleWonders]

 

(and I just found out i'm expecting baby number seven in APRIL!! :D so I guess I'm really glad that I am filing this year or who knows if we'd ever finish)

Congratulations!!! :D

 

YaY! you're almost done!!

 

Remember don't fret too much about it being perfect. Do the parts that you know you'll be SO GLAD to have done and leave the rest for when you have more time... like finding library books etc... you can always do that on the fly. Lots of times I make up these great lists for library books and then when I go to pick them up, i find all these other really great ones too and we never get to half of them because there are too many of them LOL.

 

Thanks ... I have a habit of thinking I have to have it all done perfectly and if I can't, then I just don't do anything. :001_huh: I will get the subjects done, and if that's all I get done and we only do what I have planned/photocopied, it will end up being more than we've done in the past, and probably way more than I ever thought I'd get done with having a baby mid-year.

 

I am the same way with library books/read aloud books. I always end up with way too may and end up not reading most any of them. This year, if I write down a book for a particular subject/week/lesson, I'm only writing down *one* book. :lol: Then we might actually get to it! For science, it's actually working as there isn't an assigned text that goes with the program, but each "unit" has a variety of books listed as ideas with some asterisked as high priority. So far I've had the ones I've needed on our bookcase, so that is helpful. And the library seems to have most anything else I need (I do love our library and despite its flaws, our city has made a commitment to keep our library as fully funded as absolutely possible).

[Flaura]

 

(and I just found out i'm expecting baby number seven in APRIL!! :D so I guess I'm really glad that I am filing this year or who knows if we'd ever finish)

 

Congratulations! What wonderful news.

[Nancy in DC]

Quick question: If anyone has a thought I'd be very grateful.

 

I'm going to do the filing system. I'm in. Does anyone use this system with Biblioplan? DD (7) will be doing SOTW 2 and DS (11) will be doing MOH 2. Just found out about Biblioplan and am wondering if it's worth the mental change-up to school them together on history. And now, without a hanging folder to my name, I'm wondering if it's FILEABLE?

 

Thank you all for this fabulous plan and helpful posts.:001_smile: Where do we pay for the T-shirt? And does it come with undereye cream for dark circles?:001_smile:

[Closeacademy]

I've set up 2 weeks now with the file system and setting up the workboxes has been so easy. Everything is together and the first week ran so smoothly. I think the second week will as well.

 

Great idea.:001_smile:

[catholicmommy]

How did I miss that?! Congratulations Melanie!

 

Thanks guys :D:D Now all the filing seems really worth it. AND i finally finished designing, planning and filing our history for next year. :tongue_smilie: that was such a big job as I was combining three programs (WHY do I do this to myself??). I think I'm almost done everything now. :):):)

[catholicmommy]

Me too, starting much earlier. Thank you so much though...your blog was so incredibly helpful.:)

 

I'm so glad I could help. I never imagined one little post on here would turn into such a huge thread :lol: I was just trying to help someone else. I had this idea in my head that most homeschoolers were so organized and so motivated that they didn't need things like filing systems to keep them motivated and going forward each week. I sort of thought that I was one of the few people who just NEEDED the structure of the files because I couldn't rely on my own stick-with-it-ness. (that's a great word :lol: and -I- even have a linguistics degree!)

 

I hope it helps everyone as much as it has helped me, and brought confidence back into my role as teacher.

 

The only danger in filing, is that you don't allow yourself to let things go when they aren't working, and feel like you have to -finish- -everything-. I am going to have a file at the back of my box this year for anything that we didn't get to and I chose to skip. That way I can keep those items and place them back with their respective books and either give them away when I resell my books, or reuse with upcoming kids.

[catholicmommy]

Congratulations!!! :D

 

I am the same way with library books/read aloud books. I always end up with way too may and end up not reading most any of them. This year, if I write down a book for a particular subject/week/lesson, I'm only writing down *one* book. :lol: Then we might actually get to it! For science, it's actually working as there isn't an assigned text that goes with the program, but each "unit" has a variety of books listed as ideas with some asterisked as high priority. So far I've had the ones I've needed on our bookcase, so that is helpful. And the library seems to have most anything else I need (I do love our library and despite its flaws, our city has made a commitment to keep our library as fully funded as absolutely possible).

 

:D I always spend so much time creating book lists, and looking for the -perfect- supplements for what we are studying... only to go to the library and find that they have five more really good books there too, and probably didn't even need to make the list in the first place, because we too have a great library.

 

It's so fun to make lists though. I love planning.. i'm just really bad at the -doing- part. I guess that's why filing works so good for me because I do all the planning at the beginning of the year and then all I have to do is open a folder for the rest of the year.

[violinmom]

Thanks to everyone for their fantastic ideas and inspiration! I have been lurking here since the beginning of the OP.

 

So many great things came from me doing this. First, I made an actual calendar that reflects our days off, etc. We take into consideration the local PS because there are a lot of friends in the neighborhood that only get the time to play during holidays. Next, I was forced to make my decisions earlier and order everything needed.

I have 3 school-aged children. Each child has 36, 2-pocket folders. Inside each folder I have library pockets with a 3x5 card. 1 for supplies (science experiments, etc), and 1 for books needed from the library or our family library. Then I spent countless nights filing :) Inside each folder is a master page with a list of the subjects for the week. I have my lesson plans there. It may just be what chapters we are doing, etc. Each child has a laminated page on colorful cardstock that has the schedule for each day. This will hopefully be sturdy enough to last the year, and will get passed onto the next folder each week. They can use a dry erase marker to mark off subjects if they want to. We used to do 3x5 cards for every day. Then I ended up with cards all over the house. Hopefully this will make it easier.

 

Our school shelves are in the kitchen area. Each child has a shelf with all their stuff. I got some wooden, unfinished media files from Ikea and the kids got to paint their own. I have 18 weeks of folders in each one. The rest are stored somewhere else.

 

Thanks for all the great ideas!

[catholicmommy]

Each child has 36, 2-pocket folders. Inside each folder I have library pockets with a 3x5 card. 1 for supplies (science experiments, etc), and 1 for books needed from the library or our family library. Then I spent countless nights filing :)

 

Thanks for all the great ideas!

 

I am so intrigued by the idea of these pocket folders. I saw them mentioned earlier in the thread. They sound like a very nice alternative to file folders. I hope it works well for you!! My grass-is-always-greener personality wants to do it your way, but I will resist the urge to spend any more money on school supplies this year.

 

I also like your idea of a laminated schedule. I'm going to borrow that one.

Thanks for the ideas!

[MyLittleWonders]

 

The only danger in filing, is that you don't allow yourself to let things go when they aren't working, and feel like you have to -finish- -everything-. I am going to have a file at the back of my box this year for anything that we didn't get to and I chose to skip. That way I can keep those items and place them back with their respective books and either give them away when I resell my books, or reuse with upcoming kids.

This is a good idea. Dh had to skip a couple lessons this week while I was out sick - once I decided if we are going to do them anyway (one is a science lab and I want to decided if I'm going to pull it or pull the one this next week), I think I'll file it back in our science curriculum binder for the next go-around. I even felt good this week telling him to feel free to skip it - I know we'll get tons of science done this year having it planned and filed, and I knew in the bigger picture that this one lab/lesson was okay to skip.

 

 

It's so fun to make lists though. I love planning.. i'm just really bad at the -doing- part. I guess that's why filing works so good for me because I do all the planning at the beginning of the year and then all I have to do is open a folder for the rest of the year.

Oh my goodness! This is so me! :lol: I have always love planning out everything but then often lack the motivation to actually do what is planned. I have seen already, though, how much easier it is with the files right there in front of me - it's like I can plan to my heart's content, but I also don't have to think about how to implement my plans because that part is already done too.

[mommyto3boys2girls]

Quick question: If anyone has a thought I'd be very grateful.

 

I'm going to do the filing system. I'm in. Does anyone use this system with Biblioplan? DD (7) will be doing SOTW 2 and DS (11) will be doing MOH 2. Just found out about Biblioplan and am wondering if it's worth the mental change-up to school them together on history. And now, without a hanging folder to my name, I'm wondering if it's FILEABLE?

 

Thank you all for this fabulous plan and helpful posts.:001_smile: Where do we pay for the T-shirt? And does it come with undereye cream for dark circles?:001_smile:

 

I will be using BP Ancients this year with my kids. I print out what I will need for each week and into the weeks folder it goes, then what I am doing is each kiddo has a binder and in the binder I put tabs for M-F. I will be doing history M/T and TH so their papers will go in that days section. Make sense? I also will have my binder set up the same way.

[sleepymommy]

Congratulations Melanie!!:party:

 

I'm so thankful for this thread and your advice, Melanie and to all others who have contributed, and I'm glad I actually made myself read it! I had no idea how much I needed this kind of organization.

 

I'm still slogging away, the sad part is I'm still in the lesson planning stage! We've been in and out of town a lot so staying focused has been a challenge. I'm almost done with that part though and will hopefully get to the fun stuff (ripping apart workbooks:tongue_smilie:) soon enough.

[Mom2boys]

For anyone who still wants to purchase paper cd sleeves to attach to folders - Staples has a pack of 50 on sale for $3 this week. You need the coupon from their ad. And, if you are using the colored-paper-as-a-folder idea, their reams of colored paper are on sale for $4. The multipack has five colors, so 100 sheets of each color. Again, you need the coupon from their ad. :001_smile:

[Mom2boys]

I had this idea in my head that most homeschoolers were so organized and so motivated that they didn't need things like filing systems to keep them motivated and going forward each week. I sort of thought that I was one of the few people who just NEEDED the structure of the files because I couldn't rely on my own stick-with-it-ness.

 

Apparently, you are one of the many. :lol:

 

I too need the accountability that structure provides. Thanks to everyone for giving me great ideas for organization in my homeschool. I'm really looking forward to this school year!

[MyLittleWonders]

Ok, I just returned from Staples (a lot of good sales in there; it was already packed with parents, children, and school supply lists, which I thought was interesting to watch). I bought my plain manilla folders for inside my hanging files, so I think I'm out of excuses to not get the school year done. :lol: Latin is tonight and will be done. That leaves science & art, which should only take about 2 days, and then I want to go through all 36 weeks of lesson plans (well, weeks 7-36 really as we are already starting week 4 tomorrow) and make any notes on the Post-Its I bought of books and supplies that need to be purchased/ordered ahead of time.

 

Then I need to stop reading on the K-8 curriculum board so I don't get tempted by any. other. curriculum. :lol: I like what we have going this year. I already feel good about the prospect of finishing things like history and science and getting art done on a regular basis.

[Nancy in DC]

Cheryl, thanks so much. One more question: is it more complicated to FILE Biblioplan than it would be to file SOTW and MOH separately? (I don't own BP yet so am still somewhat in the dark about how much it adds to those two curricula.)

 

Nancy (I could also have used Mommy to 3 boys and 2 girls!)

[mommy4ever]

well, I'm back from holidays! And I am NOT getting my 5 kid free days. My youngest came home with me. So that'll cramp my plans a little, plus there is a homeschool gathering at the park tomorrow.

 

THAT said, I was planning on setting up for all 3 girls. But the 2 eldest are with an academy and they are releasing their curriculum (lesson plan etc) until end of the month. I can do some for them. Their health, religion and art. But the rest is locked yet. Arghh. I was told I'd have full access as of the 1st to plan the year. Oh well, misunderstanding. So I'll be only filing for 1 child and a smidge for the 2 older.

 

SO, we have to go pick up a new fishtank for the distressed fish with the leaking tank :lol: at least we only lost about 2 cups of water before we discovered it. And a couple other items and my afternoon is dedicated to filing. DD6 is just happy to be home playing with her dollies etc. So she will be busy and I can file and chat with her.

[mommyto3boys2girls]

Cheryl, thanks so much. One more question: is it more complicated to FILE Biblioplan than it would be to file SOTW and MOH separately? (I don't own BP yet so am still somewhat in the dark about how much it adds to those two curricula.)

 

Nancy (I could also have used Mommy to 3 boys and 2 girls!)

 

Nancy, I don't think it is complicated to file BP. I print out the week schedule, coloring page, parent companion, cool history and map and filing it into each kids folder (except parent companion). I think what i will also do is in my folder put a post it to have the weeks books/supplies ready so I am not searching for books when they are needed. Why I choose BP was for the fact I can combine my kids. I love that!! Did you print out the sample on the site?

[Heather R]

Hi! I'm new here, a lurker mostly. I happened to stumble upon this thread, and it caught my eye, as I had been considering doing something like this. I've actually been following the thread since the beginning, and have (gasp!) read every post!

 

Anyway, I've been hard at work on my filing since the beginning of July, and it's still not done! I guess that's not entirely accurate, as lots of what I am doing is planning, more than actually filing. I'm using HST+, which I think I will like, once I get the hang of it. Right now, the thorn in my side is History. We're using SOTW 1, with the activity guide, timeline, and a review lapbook. Between setting it all up in HST+ and then printing, printing, printing, I'm ready to be done! Tell me I'll be glad not to be scrambling for lapbook elements every Sunday night...

 

Lots of our curric is not really "file-able" so I'm using the Progress Chart idea mentioned earlier in the thread. I'm also filing stuff for my little guy to do, such as "Slow and Steady Get Me Ready" which I've owned for a while but haven't used. I set up weekly files (numbered 1-36) and then a file for each month for date specific stuff. I've also added a few files at the back for blank notebooking paper, lined paper, etc.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to say hi and say thanks to all who have contributed their great ideas to this thread. Oh, here is one idea that I think hasn't been mentioned yet... I printed/cut out all our timeline figures and then put them in a library pocket on each file. Keeps them from getting lost at the bottom of the pile! :)

 

Heather

[MyLittleWonders]

Ok, Latin is finally done. Oh man ... it was so easy in the beginning because I was so motivated. I'm going to do art tonight because it requires no photocopying or filing. ;) That'll leave science (the one I'm dreading the most!). Plus I have massive organization to do. And I still need to work on loose ends like what to have them do for independent work and tweaking ever so slight our daily schedule (I have the skeleton done with our loop but now I need to look at when to do other things like read-alouds, chores, etc.). I know I'll appreciate this as soon as it's done, but I'm having to dig deep to find the motivation to finish.

 

I was joking (with myself - dh would think I was insane) that I should just do next year while I'm at it! :lol: Then my sane side set in and I vetoed the thought immediately.

[JoyfulMama]

I know I'll appreciate this as soon as it's done, but I'm having to dig deep to find the motivation to finish.

 

 

File!

Say what? Say what?

File!

That's what we do!

We File!

We do for you!

We turn around, touch the ground,

Get back up, and File it down.

 

Woot! Go Filers!!!!

 

Hustle (clap)

Get to it (clap)

Filers (clap)

Let's do it!

[Nancy in DC]

Cheryl,

 

Just ordered Biblioplan in hopes of understanding it better. Don't think I ordered the Parent Companion, however....or Cool History. Someone on these boards mentioned that she missed using MOH by itself, however, because the tests/quizzes are cumulative, so skipping around in the book makes them less effective or useful.

 

Do you have any thoughts on that? Many many thanks.

[MyLittleWonders]

File!

Say what? Say what?

File!

That's what we do!

We File!

We do for you!

We turn around, touch the ground,

Get back up, and File it down.

 

Woot! Go Filers!!!!

 

Hustle (clap)

Get to it (clap)

Filers (clap)

Let's do it!

I love it! :D

[Giraffe]

OK - you all suck:tongue_smilie:. I have to start filing now. Just because I read most (not all) of this thread and now I'm super motivated.

 

I have a preschooler. Going to Montessori this year (she needs outside school). So what on earth do I file? :glare:

 

The answer is up thread - BFIAR plans. Mudpies to Magnets plans (for DH to do as daddy/daughter activities). Reading lists. :D

 

Off to Staples or Wal-Mart in the AM. :auto:

 

Oh - I'm doing a modified WEM myself and have been struggling with plans for myself. Think I'll be doing a set of files for me. :ohmy:

[mommy4ever]

So I've started. I have all of dd6 math set up. Along with my sheets and her tests filed in my folder. GOod. This is taking longer than I thought as nothing was printed yet..lol. My doing.

 

I have started on dd11 and dd13 math project(My Business Math from SCM). It will be filed tonight. But I found out.... I NEED ANOTHER FILE BOX! 36 hanging files with 4 folders each is nearly full without the curric inside..lol. I have one down stairs holding some items to be dealt with, so I will deal with them and use it. Will likely need more hanging files though.

 

Now I'm looking at the next subjects. DD11 and DD13 do not want me to cut their workbooks, these are their FIRST ones. So I need to make them weekly checklists. With dd6, some things will require a checklist too. AAS, FLL, OPGTR. Not things I can easily put in a filing system..lol. But it's coming.... time consuming, yeah, but it will save SO much time later.

 

I need another 40 pages printed, and I'm calling it a night... need to be up in 5 hours(oops)

[*Jessica*]

We've started school and I am LOVING this system! We have accomplished so much! I can't believe how many resources I had that were just sitting on the shelf that we are actually using now that I've ripped them up and filed them! I only have the first 6 weeks done at this point. It does take a lot of time initially, but wow! does the work pay off.

 

I'm using the two-pocket folders with the 3-prong fasteners that I found for $0.15/each at Wal-Mart. I filed all of the work in the left pocket and as things are completed they go into the right pocket.

 

I've seen comments about not liking the idea of having to empty the completed folders at the end of the week. I'm lazy enough that I decided I'm not going to do that! All completed work will stay in the folders, except for history and science which he automatically files in his 3-ring notebooks when he does them. I like the idea of having a nice progression of their work to look back through. I'll have to buy new folders every year, but at $10.80 for both boys it's an expense I can manage. And if it ever gets to be an expense I can't manage, I'll just empty them at that point to re-use them.

 

I had other thoughts I wanted to touch upon, but my mind has gone blank. I'll be back to edit my post if I remember what they were! lol

[catholicmommy]

YAY! I'm so happy it's working out for you. We aren't starting school until after labour day. I need to get excited about it soon :D I'm still enjoying lazing around LOL.

[mommy4ever]

Jessica, that is inspiring! Good to know it's working well!

 

I'm currently filing. So far, I have filed *for the year* the following:

 

DD6:

 

 

• math
  
• AAS(entailed a checklist with dates so we stay on track, and her sticker chart)
  
• FLL
  
• WWE (made custom copywork with Writestart)
  
• French
  
• Science
  

 

*need* to finish:

 

 

• SOTW
  
• sticker chart for art, religion and OPGTR.
  
• Various lapbooks we want to tackle.
  

 

DD11 completed:

 

 

• Math
  
• math supplements
  

 

Waiting on the rest of her curriculum, the academy has lesson plans that we may or may not follow, waiting for those to be accessible.

 

DD13:

 

 

• math supplements
  

 

The rest is as above, waiting on the academy.

 

The waiting is killing me..lol. But it won't be a big deal. Anything I needed printed is done for them already, so it will be breaking it down and filing it. DD11 has already started messing up the schedule by wanting to work in math, I wasn't starting school until next week, and now it is minimal due to the academy. But that's ok. Being ahead a few weeks, isn't a big issue. A nice buffer for the sick days that lay ahead, inevitably.

[mommy4ever]

So I've been filing like a wild thing. I've filled 2 file boxes, and will need a 3rd! Arghhh.

 

I have repurposed one, but I think I need to buy the 3rd....

 

This is funny. Dh can't figure it out, all he sees is the printer going non stop. But once we get into it, I'll be thankful I'm sure. I still need to SOTW. then dd6 is completely done.

 

Still waiting on academy to get the older girls lessons....

[mommaduck]

I have my box set up. Just need to date the folders and fill them.

[MyLittleWonders]

I need to go back and label file folders for history, US history, and the older two boys - the papers are filed but they are just paper clipped together, and after dh "subbing" for me when I was sick, I think it's easier to have things like WWE and such filed by child so it is easier to know which to use (I'm thinking ahead to my "maternity leave" when he'll probably sub another week for me). Plus, I still need to do science and art. But, I have a lot done now for ds#3, which makes me happy, because we are doing more PreK things together. :)

[mom31257]

I don't remember and can't find who it was on the thread, but someone talked about when something happened and your weren't able to finish everything that you could just quickly go through what was left in the folder or even decide to drop some of it.

 

I want to say thank you to that person. I have a sister who has been disabled for 6 years. She has had a rough summer, so we've not been able to spend much time with her. She got feeling better last week, so we were able to go and spend time with her. It was so nice to just quickly go through what was left and not worry about not completely finishing everything.

 

So, whoever you are, thanks so much! :001_smile:

[Guest Hous of Joyful Noise]

Mommy4ever, It was nice to read your post and I was encouraged as it appears we are at the same point in the process! I have been a bit discouraged as I had hoped to start school this week but the printing and filing has taken longer than I anticipated. :) My husband keeps watching the ink cartridge refill bottle and asking how close I am to being done. My family is more than ready to stop eating at the coffee table and reclaim the kitchen table - in fact my youngest the other day asked if we were always going to eat in the living room! I hit another delay when I figured out that 6 kids folders for 36 weeks does not fit in 2 file crates. I had reconfigure and divide the folders into 3 crates (12 weeks each) to hold everybodies stuff... just a few more things to finish printing then we'll be ready. All that said though, I already am more together and prepared for the year ahead than I think I have ever been in the 8 years I've been hsing!

Edited August 18, 2010 by Hous of Joyful Noise

[sleepymommy]

I'm still chuggin along. :driving:

 

I've finally gotten all my plans up on Homeschool Skedtrack and went to Staples tonight and got file folders and a file box. I admire you all that have multiple children to plan for. It's taken me this long for just 2 and I'm not even doing much for ds3, I hardly think he counts for even 1% of the time I've spent planning! Maybe I was doing something wrong?? It took me 5 days of 4 hours per day just to input into HST.

[mommy4ever]

Mommy4ever, It was nice to read your post and I was encouraged as it appears we are at the same point in the process! I have been a bit discouraged as I had hoped to start school this week but the printing and filing has taken longer than I anticipated. :) My husband keeps watching the ink cartridge refill bottle and asking how close I am to being done. My family is more than ready to stop eating at the coffee table and reclaim the kitchen table - in fact my youngest the other day asked if we were always going to eat in the living room! I hit another delay when I figured out that 6 kids folders for 36 weeks does not fit in 2 file crates. I had reconfigure and divide the folders into 3 crates (12 weeks each) to hold everybodies stuff... just a few more things to finish printing then we'll be ready. All that said though, I already am more together and prepared for the year ahead than I think I have ever been in the 8 years I've been hsing!

 

It does take time. I'm thinking, that I will start sooner next time..lol. At least for the littlest, as I know our path. The older 2 is a little trickier. But I can get her stuff filed starting in the spring as we wrap up.

 

I'm having to pick up a 3rd file box! :lol: There is NO way around it. DD6 alone needs a full box to herself. I just spoke to the academy and I can start printing from the website :) So dd13 stuff starts today too. EEK. We start school in.... 5 sleeps. 2 of those we aren't home! So I gotta get at least a few weeks done for the older 2.

 

We're all in this together. I can see how simple it will be. Take the week folders out, break into days, and give them daily ;) it will free so much time to TEACH, rather than seek and find.

[cjbeach]

Oh wow... I just caught up with this.

When I first started homeschooling I found Dawn's blog that someone posted earlier (by Sun and Candlelight). I never did well doing our weekly file crate but I do have a weekly scheme that I try to keep to. It it is one of the best homeschool blogs I have read and I believe she is writing a book. I first learned of a home management binder on her site and I use her themes and plans!

 

+ Themes and Plans for each month of the year link.

 

She has a lot of posts on organizing.

 

And she wrote an infamous, swoon-worthy post on A Year in a Baker's Kitchen. Yum!

 

 

Glad to read I'm not the only fan of Dawn's blog!!!!

[Guest]

.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Guest

[mommy4ever]

More progress made and to be made. Thanks to the filing system, we discovered the academy missed sending us some resources. So that is taken care of. As well, I realized I didn't have some of the books for a few things that I think are good to have as reference.

 

I'll have quite the library in a few years at this rate..lol.

 

But I'm glad I caught it or we'd be frustrated in a few weeks when we get there.

 

The academy also said that I can get things from the website now, but I'm going to contact the teachers first to be sure.

[Guest]

.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Guest

[Xuzi]

We're on Week 3 now in our file box, and I am SO LOVING THIS!!! :lol:

 

It makes writting up a weekly lesson plan so quick and easy! I can see exactly what we have coming up for the week, and what I need to start prepping for. I also love that I can physically SEE whether we're ahead or behind in a given curriculum for finishing for the year, so I don't feel as much pressure to do as. much. as. possible. as. soon. as. possible.!!! If we finish the weeks' work in a given subject early, then I pull out my supplimentals (like Math Mammoth worksheets to suppliment MUS, or extra library books for science or history) and we do those to fill the time until next Monday, instead of jumping right ahead into the next thing for that subject. We have time to linger in Egypt, or learn a bit more about a given animal or animal trait, or we can read a few more chapters in our read-aloud book without feeling like we're "falling behind".

 

I'm lovin' it. :D

[mommy4ever]

We're on Week 3 now in our file box, and I am SO LOVING THIS!!! :lol:

 

It makes writting up a weekly lesson plan so quick and easy! I can see exactly what we have coming up for the week, and what I need to start prepping for. I also love that I can physically SEE whether we're ahead or behind in a given curriculum for finishing for the year, so I don't feel as much pressure to do as. much. as. possible. as. soon. as. possible.!!! If we finish the weeks' work in a given subject early, then I pull out my supplimentals (like Math Mammoth worksheets to suppliment MUS, or extra library books for science or history) and we do those to fill the time until next Monday, instead of jumping right ahead into the next thing for that subject. We have time to linger in Egypt, or learn a bit more about a given animal or animal trait, or we can read a few more chapters in our read-aloud book without feeling like we're "falling behind".

 

I'm lovin' it. :D

 

Oh, I'm getting so excited for school to start!!! You make it sound glorious! I'm nearly there!!!!

[MyLittleWonders]

I finally started science today and can I just say ... I LOVE LOVE LOVE eBooks!!! Our REAL Science Odyssey is on my computer and I also have a hard copy in a binder (I printed it at home). I am flipping through the hard copy (I don't like reading books on the computer) and as I get to the next lab I'll need printed, I just click print on the computer. I don't have to sit at the printer or gather and then re-file master copies of anything. :D I think next year's history is an eBook, which will make that so much easier. I swear, from now on, I'm buying my curriculum as an eBook when at all possible or feasible. If only Latin was offered as an eBook.

[MrsKriknav]

I'm just getting started with Homeschooling and I just wanted to say thank you so much for this thread! I have learned so much and I haven't even begun! I'm so thankful for all of your advice and wisdom! ;)

[Closeacademy]

This will be our fourth week of prepping school with the file system and I have to agree that it makes things a breeze. As for things falling out I made a master list for each subject so I could easily look and see where things went.

 

I've really been able to pull in all the fun stuff and not just touch on the basics but really dig into the work and everyone seems to enjoy it.:001_smile:

[tiffijo1]

What a great idea

[MommyOwl]

Okay, I'm jumping on the bandwagon a little late and I am very impressed by you ladies who were filing back in June:tongue_smilie:. As soon as I started reading this thread earlier in the week, I fell in love with the idea and have been filing for the past 2 1/2 days. It's a huge job, but I'm hoping to be done by Sunday night so we can start schooling full-time on Monday. History and Science are the two biggies looming - each year, I putter out in these two subjects - but not this year - we're going to have a good year in History and Science!!

 

Thank you to all the posters with the great ideas - and the encouragement to rip up those workbooks. I asked my ds11 what he thought and he likes the idea - it's much easier to do work on a single sheet of paper than write in the workbooks as a whole.

 

I have been mulling over what to do weekly and have settled on modifying our workboxes (crashed and burned on those last year. Still love the concept - I'm just not disciplined enough to fill them every night.) - I'm going to label the top 5 drawers Mon-Fri and put the work in there. The boys will have portable baskets with books, non-rippables, paper, pencils, etc. I toyed with both the pocket folders and binders and knew I wouldn't keep up with them - I'm too lazy. Drawers are easy - I can just drop the stuff in.

 

So far, my favorite part of this program is that I've been able to take the extras and drop them in the files to ensure they are done - usually, we just never seem to get to them. I have monthly lists for myself for things I need to gather and will include games on there as well - I couldn't believe how many great games we have that we haven't played yet.

 

Thanks again to all for the inspiration! Happy schooling:001_smile::001_smile::001_smile:

[truebluexf]

It's so great seeing everyone's success so far!!! We start Monday and I'm getting nervous LOL! I just filed 3 weeks of MM for DS though, and a couple weeks of Latin so we can get started and see how they go. I'm getting MM3 in the HSBC so I won't have it til Sept, but I had already bought the add/subtract book from 2nd grade to help DS get caught up in subtraction since it wasn't solidified for him last year. Because of filing though, I discovered we can cover the whole book in 3 weeks and jump into MM3, and probably skip the first 20-40 pages so we won't really be behind at all. :) I can't wait to see how it all falls into place next week!!!

 

Oh, and while I was going through old papers from last year, I found stuff I'd printed for Presidents' Day (And never did, of course). The wonderful thing is instead of shoving it away somewhere to be forgotten about again, I put it in my "February" folder. :D Love it!!! It stands a chance of making an appearance now!

[Oak Knoll Mom]

I just want to give a big "Thank You!" to catholicmommy for all her posts and her blog. I think I've set my files up most closely to hers. We've just finished our first week using the files and we *loved* it.

 

I've shared her blog with several other homeschool moms and several of them are busy setting up their files too!

[JenniferB]

I just want to give a big "Thank You!" to catholicmommy for all her posts and her blog. I think I've set my files up most closely to hers. We've just finished our first week using the files and we *loved* it.

 

I've shared her blog with several other homeschool moms and several of them are busy setting up their files too!

 

 

:hurray: Yes, me too. I posted about our setup and linked to her site. Thank you CatholicMommy!!! I'm so grateful for you and for sharing this system with us.

[mommy4ever]

I have been filing for over a week! It is insane..lol.

 

Now, I have completely finished dd6, with two exceptions:one workbook that I'm not sure how much we'll do it in a sitting, so it's a play-it-by-ear project and lapbooks, I am only printing a couple at a time, as they are bulky in the file box, and if after a couple she doesn't want to do some for a bit, we'll set them aside. And I won't have wasted the paper.

 

My 2 older girls not as much done. But I have their first couple weeks complete, but I'm waiting to hear back from the academy for timelines, if they have any, I don't want to plan something out to find out I am planning it too slow for them. I already found out what I had thought to do for spanish wouldn't work, as I only received 1/2 of it. Some subjects have specific items they want done and we needn't worry about a good portion of the spine.

 

DD6 was the biggest concern for me because her curriculum was all on me. I'm planning it all. AND I DID it!

 

I even made index cards for SOTW filing them 3 weeks prior. I decided what projects we'd do, and recorded what supplies we'd use. I spent time on our library website and found which of the recommended books are available in our system, and recorded that. It takes a minimum of 2 days to get the book in, and they'll hold it a week. So we'd hopefully have it in time, and if it came in right away, we would have it for the time we plan. I also planned the lapbooks that way too, in fact the library currently has all the books requested ready for me to pick up tomorrow for the first 2 weeks of school! I forgot to check science for and supplies needed. But I have my art supplies for those first lessons too. DD is looking forward to that.

 

Now I need to decided where to house my fileboxes as they are taking up premium shelf space. We only have one book shelf in our common school area. And it's FULL.

 

I have THREE file boxes. DD6 has COMPLETELY filled 1 on her own. DD11 has a semi full box, and dd13 and I are sharing a box, her files fairly empty. It is more likely she'll get more of a weekly to do check list.

 

So, I am doing workboxes with dd6. She loves it.It's nice for her to find surprises in her box, little games or treats to do through the day. While filing by the week is helpful, i do need to break hers down to the day for workboxes. That is the next step. But that will be a breeze now that it's all decided by week.

 

Here is what her day looks like(In no particular order).

Listen to SOTW cd, track 1

2 math pages - MM

AAS - 10 minutes

FLL 1 lesson

WWE - 1 line copywork

OPGTR - 10 minutes(we will work up to 15-20 minutes by mid September)

Lapbook - afternoon project with her bf(she's in the home daycare for the week so they are doing it together. Her bf is working on her math, reading and spelling, mom sending her work).

 

Next day:

Read alternate history book(library) do the project

2 math pages(MM)

FLL 1 lesson

WWE - narration

OPGTR - 10 minutes

Pianimals. 15 minutes

Science - read pg 8-9, color picture, narration.

Lapbook with bf.

 

 

LOL.. looking at this.. this isn't bad at all! I was concerned that I would be overloading her. But broken down... there isn't that much at all!

 

Next week there is a little more. We get started in French - 1 lesson, each day is about 15 - 20 minutes, it includes games, cd, songs, silly sayings, we have art that week, and our religion starts. Oh, and working on character building, but it's a short story twice a week and a discussion. The stories are cute and will just be quiet cuddly time for us. A subtle way to do it.