TheAutumnOak Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 This is my first time using some sort of filing system and this is how I am doing it... I have file crates set up with 12 weeks each in them...I have 4 crates because I am planning a 42 week school year...I am in the process of filing away worksheets, dittos, and a weekly printed out schedule into the hanging files...Each boy has a folder in the hanging file for each week and I have one, so there are 4 file folders in each hanging file... The boys work go into their folders and my stuff (like the weekly printout plan and printouts that apply to me) goes in mine... I am only filing printouts and worksheets that are to be done a certain week...I have a lot of stuff on PDF download (like Math Mammoth, Elemental Science, Writing With Ease, SOTW Activity Book) and I want to keep the weeks together since it is a bunch of print outs... I will take apart the Rod and Staff grammar workbook since the pages are made to take out, but other than that, I am not taking apart any books that are bound together...I simply have a sheet printed out (one per week) that tells me what pages I want to do with each boy that week...It is a word document I created... If I print out maps or anything that I want to use with a future lesson, I will just put it in the hanging file with the week it corresponds to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I am so intrigued by this filing system but I was nervous about us getting behind and then I would feel the need to reshuffle all of the folders...and I REALLY didn't want to do that. So I plan to do something like this...I think...instead of labeling my folders with dates, I am simply just going to number them starting with 1 and going to 180...that way it doesn't matter if I get behind a day because we will just do the next folder. Inside each hanging folder will be either 3 regular folders (one for each kid) or just 3 bundles of work held by a paper clip)...one set of papers for each school day. Still in the thinking stages, but I think this is what I will be trying for this next year. The 180 days of folders could work, but I'm afraid that much flexibility would have caused me to not stay on track on the date I wanted to end. I have a friend who doesn't plan much and goes with the flow on what days her kids do school, but she has ended up behind and can't skip days now to be finished by her end date with the school system. We report attendance here to our local system and have a whole year to do the 180 days. Finishing by a certain date may not be important to you, but I want a summer break. My dh teaches school, so I want to be off when he's off. I've stayed on track the most this year in all my 6 years of homeschooling. For me, if something happens during a week that throws us off, I just go through that week's folder and cross off review exercises, throw out any special things such as an art project, leave off some other assignments that aren't truly necessary, and do all the rest. We still get the week's basics done and our days in. I hope you find what works best for you. I just wanted to share some counterpoints with you to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I filed (modified of course!) last year and I love it. I view it more as an organizational tool than a pacing tool though. I map out each subject and write up a "course of study" sheet. For example, I went through our SOTW 2 book and AG and wrote out for each chapter which activities, extra reading, and maps/coloring pages we would do. For science I wrote out each major topic and which experiments/extra reading/projects we would do, in order. Then I filed all the loose paper I'd need in that order in a huge 4" 3ring binder. I filed things like AG pages, worksheets, project directions etc. I did not file math, grammar or latin, since they were already organized in "do-it-next" order in the workbook. I filed WWE pages, artist study prints, spelling lists, notebook pages, etc. Then, I wrote up weekly plans for the first 6 weeks and put the plans and the necessary pages into the proper 1-6 week files. I added lists of books and materials needed for the next week, and flashcards for that week. At the end of each six week period I can re-evaluate where we are and write up the next 6 weeks, but all the papers are there in my fat binder in the proper order waiting to be filed. If we get ahead we pull out a few more pages, if we get behind we just "shuffle" a few weeks (actually I usually just put the undone pages into the next week's folder without shuffling anything out. Maybe we will catch up, but if not I just roll it into the next folder and re-evaluate when we get to week 6.) I've loved having all the planning, copying and organizing done ahead of time. The 6 week evaluations take less than an hour. I refer to the course of study and assign days for lessons, then put pages into the weekly folders. It isn't "grab and go" since we still have workbooks, but it is all organized and in one place, easy to plan, easy to change pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I file 6 weeks at a time. That way, it's easy to speed up or slow down if we need to. Even if I have to adjust within a 6 weeks, it's not hard to do so, yet everything is all printed out and ready to go, so getting school done is very easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 The 180 days of folders could work, but I'm afraid that much flexibility would have caused me to not stay on track on the date I wanted to end. I was going to say this as well. I have a tendency to let things slide and slide, and the filing system forced me to keep mostly on track because I didn't want to have to refile everything! Like Amy, this has been our most successful year so far, and I'm hoping next year will be even better. However, if you don't need the help staying on track, then your idea may be best. I agree that it's all about finding what works for you! I file each week by number (not by date, since we school year-round and value the flexibility), and in each hanging file I have a manila folder for each subject. The paper clips didn't work for me and I hated digging through the stack to look for the pages for each subject or trying to figure out what I filed the scrap paper for, etc. Also, if I did get behind in something, it was much easier to refile a series of manila folder than to dig through and find the right pages to refile. This works better for me. Good luck finding your solution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 The 180 days of folders could work, but I'm afraid that much flexibility would have caused me to not stay on track on the date I wanted to end. I have a friend who doesn't plan much and goes with the flow on what days her kids do school, but she has ended up behind and can't skip days now to be finished by her end date with the school system. We report attendance here to our local system and have a whole year to do the 180 days. Finishing by a certain date may not be important to you, but I want a summer break. My dh teaches school, so I want to be off when he's off. I've stayed on track the most this year in all my 6 years of homeschooling. For me, if something happens during a week that throws us off, I just go through that week's folder and cross off review exercises, throw out any special things such as an art project, leave off some other assignments that aren't truly necessary, and do all the rest. We still get the week's basics done and our days in. I hope you find what works best for you. I just wanted to share some counterpoints with you to think about. I hear what you are saying..and I thank you for your ideas...I will most certainly take that into account as I am tweeking my plan....maybe I will plan in quarters instead of the whole year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I hear what you are saying..and I thank you for your ideas...I will most certainly take that into account as I am tweeking my plan....maybe I will plan in quarters instead of the whole year. I'm planning the whole year as well (weeks 1-34 hanging file folders with manila file folders inside labeled days 1-5). I think it depends on what you are required to do by your state. If you have to report a certain number of day by a certain time of year then the method I use would not work for me because I am more relaxed about how we get our work done. If I didn't school year round and wanted to be finished by a certain date because of husband's job or wanting a summer break, then it wouldn't work for me either because of my relaxed attitude. I think your system could work in any of the above situations if you are a disciplined, stick-to-it kind of homeschooler. I don't like to use dates either because of the shuffling of papers so numbers work better here as well. That being said we live in Texas where no reporting is required and we homeschool year round so we've got 52 weeks to fit in 34 weeks of work (even I'm not that off pace :D). I guess what I'm saying is don't give up on your plan...I think it's totally workable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I used it last year, but this year plan to bind my lesson plans. I do still plan to keep the folders to file ideas and projects that go with my bound lesson plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classics4us Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 This was our first year using the filing system. We loved it. Last summer my husband and I spent one week working about an hour or two each night on the files. It was totally worth it to me because I get burnt out every school year trying to keep up with scheduling. I found that if it was filed it would more than likely get done. I did a 36 week system divided into one week folders. Each child has their own crate and each week was labeled and filled with their worksheets, notebooking pages, maps etc. It was really nice having everything ready for the entire school year. The kids enjoyed seeing the files disappear every week, giving them a sense of accomplishment. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Last year I was all overwhelmed about starting our first year of homeschooling so I was aware of The Thread, but I stayed out of it for the most part. This year, I can look back at our year (not that we're done quite yet) and see what I want to change for this year. And a few subjects really got away from me last year and we haven't accomplished as much. I think this type of system will really help us stay on track and my kids will enjoy pulling out a folder with the week's work and being able to work through it. It also will give us the flexibility-within-structure feel that I like. They can do all their math on Monday, for instance, just so long as the week's worth of math gets done. I think it will keep us moving forward in subjects that tend to drop by the wayside. So, what do you use to cut off the spines of these books? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Last year I was all overwhelmed about starting our first year of homeschooling so I was aware of The Thread, but I stayed out of it for the most part. This year, I can look back at our year (not that we're done quite yet) and see what I want to change for this year. And a few subjects really got away from me last year and we haven't accomplished as much. I think this type of system will really help us stay on track and my kids will enjoy pulling out a folder with the week's work and being able to work through it. It also will give us the flexibility-within-structure feel that I like. They can do all their math on Monday, for instance, just so long as the week's worth of math gets done. I think it will keep us moving forward in subjects that tend to drop by the wayside. So, what do you use to cut off the spines of these books? :) Mine were already perforated or were small enough to remove middle staples and just cut. You can take books to office supply stores, and they can do it cheaply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginny May Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Here is a thread where people posted links to their blogs. Here is one with some photos. If you want to read more, do an advanced search and put filing in the box and choose "search titles only". Most of the major discussions happened last summer and early fall. thank you:):):lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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