Creating a check off list or spreadsheet....how do I do this?

[Michelle O. in MO]

I want to create a weekly check off list for my 12yod, specifically for her reading assignments in history and science. She has a lot of reading to do this year and I'd like to break it down for her on a daily basis. Example: book a) 8 pgs, book b) 3 pgs., book c) 5 pgs., book d) w/mom 5 pgs., etc....so once she finishes her reading for that book on that day she can just check it off and move on to the next thing.

 

I have not used Excel for 14 years, so I'm rusty at creating a spreadsheet to say the least. I need instruction and I don't want to spend hours/days trying to figure it out on my own...can anyone help me solve this sooner rather than later? I was over at Donna Young, but so many options made my eyes gloss over.

 

Also, if someone has an idea for helping dd organize for this 7th grade year, I'm all ears! I really could use some organizational help - I'm thinking along the lines of "this is what you're doing today" (Mon-Fri) type of thing. Perhaps the reading check off list could be incorporated into a larger spreadsheet? I want to transition her into more independent work so she's not relying on me to "assign" every single thing. I need to maintain my sanity this year. :tongue_smilie:

 

Thank you!!

[angela in ohio]

I always recommend making them do the scheduling as soon as possible. So about 7th grade, I start moving them to a system where I assign them larger "chunks" of work (a few days or a week.) I help them write them in their planners in daily amounts. Eventually, I quit helping and just check up on them at the next class meeting time (once to a few times a week, depending on the subject.) I give them a syllabus for each class, and that lists the schedule we will be following.

 

So my suggestion would be to get her a planner (I like to make my own) and have her write down the reading assignments for the week. Then she can write all of her other assignments in it, also. You will also want her to have a place for long-term reading/projects (I use the right-most column,) a yearly calendar, etc.

[Deb in NZ]

I have a 3 day / week checklist of assignments for Apologia General Science & Apologia Physical Science (1st editions) if you are interested. I think I found them in the files on the yahoo groups for those books. PM me if you want me to email you a copy. The word file is too big to attach here.

 

Blessings,

[Irishmommy]

You have this optipnwith HST+, which is why I am going to be more diligent with it this year.

[Arch at Home]

I give my daughter (11 year old) a list of work that she needs to do for the week and a calendar of our week's events. It is her job on Monday to block out how she will spread her work for the week on planner sheet I downloaded from the web Some of the work she divides between 5 days while others she chooses to do all in one day. I do give some imput like I don't want to leave all if her reading/discussion to Friday. We have been doing this for two years. Though she still doesn't like making the effort, I think that she is starting to see the advantages.

[RootAnn]

If you just want an eXcel "weekly planner" that has check off spaces, this is it. It really is pretty easy to figure out & fill out.

 

The other posters have given you good ideas for helping your kid get more independent. My oldest isn't that old yet & when I've tried checkoff lists on a one-week trial basis, she "learns" a lot. (She learns not to do all the easy stuff the first day & leave all the hard stuff for days 2-4. She learns not to leave all the "mom has to do this with me" stuff until the last minute. Etc.) We're not there yet. ;-)

[karensk]

I made an Excel spreadsheet based on Sonlilght's week-at-a-time schedule. You can see it at googledocs here (sorry, I don't know how to make it show up here). It took time to fill it out every weekend, before Monday, but it really helped the kids know what to work on. If you're interested, I can email the excel doc to you.

 

:)

[Trish]

If you just want an eXcel "weekly planner" that has check off spaces, this is it. It really is pretty easy to figure out & fill out.

 

The other posters have given you good ideas for helping your kid get more independent. My oldest isn't that old yet & when I've tried checkoff lists on a one-week trial basis, she "learns" a lot. (She learns not to do all the easy stuff the first day & leave all the hard stuff for days 2-4. She learns not to leave all the "mom has to do this with me" stuff until the last minute. Etc.) We're not there yet. ;-)

 

I downloaded this last night, but could not figure out how to get it "started." What do you do after you download it, and you're looking at the original page, but you can't revise it because it's "Read-Only?" Is there something else I'm supposed to open, or create new?

[Hunter]

Karensk, thanks! :-)

Edited July 5, 2011 by Hunter

[readinmom]

Instead of Excel, I started using a table in Microsoft Word. I use the same form over and over, just change the info each week under each category.

 

You can ajust the size accordingly, as well as the number of categories you would like.

 

HTH

[Michelle O. in MO]

Thank you all for the suggestions and ideas. I really, really need to have her transition into more independent work. It's just time. I like the suggestion of a student planner, and thank you to those who shared links to spreadsheets. I'll definitely follow up on those.

 

Michelle

[HSMom2One]

I always recommend making them do the scheduling as soon as possible. So about 7th grade, I start moving them to a system where I assign them larger "chunks" of work (a few days or a week.) I help them write them in their planners in daily amounts. Eventually, I quit helping and just check up on them at the next class meeting time (once to a few times a week, depending on the subject.) I give them a syllabus for each class, and that lists the schedule we will be following.

 

So my suggestion would be to get her a planner (I like to make my own) and have her write down the reading assignments for the week. Then she can write all of her other assignments in it, also. You will also want her to have a place for long-term reading/projects (I use the right-most column,) a yearly calendar, etc.

 

This is what we do as well. Dd has been writing in her own planner for the past 2 years. I personally believe that writing out the information by hand is an important skill that should be learned and practiced before using a computer spreadsheet. In high school I'll teach her about spreadsheets and give her some office type computer training.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda