Who's filing for next year already?

[shehmeth]

This is a great idea - thanks for sharing... I'm here like "Why didn't I think of that?" LOL

[Year Round Mom]

Just started yesterday!

 

Cleaned out my pantry, too!

 

:D

[ThelmaLou]

I'll be starting in a couple of weeks.

 

I've had fewer papers all over the place than ever!

 

Here's what I did:

 

Each child had a working 3 ring binder stuffed with everything they needed for the week. It was a federal offense to remove any papers from this binder. All daily work was done in the binder. I did tear up Saxon Worksheets, R&S Grammar Worksheets, Maps Charts and Graphs, Vocab Workbooks, and Science workbook pages (Apologia Elementary). I also stuffed each binder with blank notebook paper for daily math work, daily grammar work, and daily spelling work. The front of each binder held a pouch for pencils, notecards, rulers, etc... The only additional books my kids used were their actual textbooks (Saxon, R&S, literature reading, etc...)

 

As far as the files went, I filed by child and subject. So my 5th grader had a file for math worksheets and tests, grammar worksheets and tests, vocabulary, etc...

 

Every two weeks, I printed daily assignment sheets for each child using HST Plus and put them in the front of each binder. Then I would remove any previous work from each divider and either toss it (for daily work) or file it in the back of each subject's file in my file crate (for tests and important papers). Then I would pull 2 weeks' worth of work from the front of the file and stuff their notebooks.

I even put tests in their notebooks for the coming week (in sealed envelopes) to be opened by me when they were ready to take their tests.

 

Between actually using HSTPlus this year and cutting down on all the separate workbooks that each child had to juggle, I simplified our school year immensely. Filing was a huge success for us, and I'm hoping to improve on the system even more this summer!

[Mimm]

Between actually using HSTPlus this year and cutting down on all the separate workbooks that each child had to juggle, I simplified our school year immensely. Filing was a huge success for us, and I'm hoping to improve on the system even more this summer!

 

I'm so glad to hear that filing works out for some people. I was starting to get discouraged. :)

[Food4Thought]

I started filing two weeks ago, when DS finished 1st grade. I still have to get spelling figured out, and then we're starting 2nd. He's chomping at the bit!

 

I keep telling my DH (who is being driven crazy by me in my "planning mode") that the entire year will go more smoothly if I do it all right now. Last year was fabulous - just grab a folder and go. If I didn't feel like getting ready for school, it didn't matter. It was already there. :)

 

Last year, I didn't actually have history and science in the folders - and there were a few weeks that we were behind on those. This year, I'm doing those subjects (which require spines and library books or experiments) on index cards. I write the supplies needed, then file in the proper week. Super easy. DS has even helped me with the filing this year.

[mom31257]

I will tell you what I did about the loose papers. I kept the week's folder (I had made 36) in the back of their planners. As they finished work, I put it in the folder and put the folder back in it's place at the end of the week. This summer I will be going through all 36 and throwing away things I don't want to keep as samples of their work. I will be doing that later this month, then begin filing for next year in July.

 

It's just an idea, but I had the least problem with loose papers than I've ever had before.

 

 

Okay...I couldn't wait. I've already cleaned out the 36 folders and began filing!