What planner for a child?

[simka2]

I think dd10 is ready for her own planner/checklist. I mean putting it together (with my guidance) and making sure she completes it.

 

Does anyone have something like this?

 

I guess I am looking for a student planner :tongue_smilie:, but I thought I would check and see if you had any creative ideas!

[Mom2Tess&Gus]

Funny...I was just thinking the same thing! I will be paying attention to this thread 

[1Togo]

The planners from urthemom. They can be used independently, with mom planning, or a combo. The homeschool mom who put them together used them both ways.

Edited August 11, 2011 by 1Togo

[Sweet Home Alabama]

My kids in grades 8 and 6 use AOTAP08 from Elan Publishing.

 

http://www.elanpublish.com/k12-dated-student-planners.cfm

[Punks in Ontario]

http://rainbowresource.com/product/sku/035534/df2ee24e6d19483e7171880a

 

This is the elementary version of the one we're using. I liked the secondary one better, but they don't have a pic of it. It has a space for each subject so the assignments can be written in.

 

http://rainbowresource.com/pictures/035535/df2ee24e6d19483e7171880a Ah, here's the one we use. I like having the days go vertical.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Punks in Ontario

[jpklehm]

I'm just curious...

 

Do you have your students write in their assignments, all of them, every day? These look like special planners, for this purpose, but do your students write down all their assignments each day (instead of you, or as well as you?) plus all other misc planner items, or just assignments?

 

I wrote a Study Skills course and teach it to my local hsing group and co-op, and I have my students use a daily planner that they purchase from our local Target or Staples store. These cost under $10 and contain monthly pages, daily pages, list/notebook pages, and misc information pages and yearly calendars.

 

My concern about students writing down all their assignments is consistency. I focus with my students on keeping track of activities (sports, special/daily chores, pet sitting/baby sitting commitments, etc.), events (birthday parties, sleepovers, campouts, homeschool dances, family dinners, etc.), and school-related/academic information such as due dates, test dates, planning out long-term projects/papers, SAT/ACT dates, dual credit classes, online classes, co-op classes, etc. I also find that if I ask them to keep two on-going lists in their planners (think reading lists, goal lists, idea brainstorming lists, etc.), then they're more likely to pull out that planner daily to write in it and keep the lists current, and therefore get more used to using it on a daily basis.

 

I'm trying to get my students so accustomed to using their planners that it becomes second nature. We want it to become an important life tool, not a chore. Like I tell them, I want them to actually get upset if they lose theirs! Which I suppose will happen if they write down all daily assignments, but will the activities, events, classes, due dates, and reading lists get lost in all the assignments that are also included?

 

I'm interested in hearing how other parents have their students use their planners. :bigear:

[Kathie in VA]

I'm thinking of getting the ones from the Well Planned Day

http://www.wellplannedday.com/shop.php

 

Anyone use these?

[TC5]

I made a weekly lesson plan grid in Excel. 8.5x11 vertical. M-F dates across the top, subjects down the left side. Each weekend, I fill in the assignments for each subject. I print one for myself for my binder and an identical copy for my 10yo son. He keeps it in the front of his binder and crosses off assignments as he finishes them. I keep mine, but he recycles his at the end of the week. He knows what he has to do and now is much more independent because of it. He reminds me of subjects I have to help him with because he wants to finish.

 

At the beginning of his 5th-grade year (last year), I printed my copy of the schedule but gave him a blank one -- subjects and dates printed but no assignments. He had to fill in the assignments. I was doing this with him daily, so I could be sure he was actually looking at and understanding his assignments. But I soon felt this was a pointless waste of time for him. He just needed to see what to do and ask questions if needed. It was too hard for him to write as small as I could type, and we'd have to do this daily instead of him having a weeklong picture. (too much writing to do a week at once) With the whole week in front of him, he does much better with time management and even working ahead.

 

BTW, it took me months of trying free planners online and making my own before I discovered what I liked and needed. I have had to alter it a little bit as my boys get older and need their own scheduling space, but for now I can fit my four oldest boys on 2 facing pages. As the younger ones get older, I'll probably need to have 3+ pages or rethink the whole layout. Eventually, they may each need their own page, as the oldest has now. My long-winded point is that you may not love what you choose at first, so be prepared to make a change -- maybe very soon. That's one reason I made my own or used free ones until I knew what I needed. Now I sometimes am drawn to the ones for sale, but I also don't need those anymore -- for now. ;)

[smillard00]

I put our lesson plans into Homeschool Tracker Plus as well as a daily schedule for each child with chores and that sort of thing. I can print out a daily sheet for my older ones and they know what is expected and can check things off as they do them. If something is past-due, it will print out on their sheet and they will be able to see that too. It keeps our grades and attendance and pretty much anything else I need it to.

[jpklehm]

I put our lesson plans into Homeschool Tracker Plus as well as a daily schedule for each child with chores and that sort of thing. I can print out a daily sheet for my older ones and they know what is expected and can check things off as they do them. If something is past-due, it will print out on their sheet and they will be able to see that too. It keeps our grades and attendance and pretty much anything else I need it to.

 

I'm using HST+ this year for the first time. I'm excited to get it started but have been waiting for all of our curriculum to arrive so I can input it all. I'll be printing off copies for myself (hard copies for planner notebook) and copies for my two boys, so they can keep track of their assignments and cross them off as they get them completed, as other posters above have noted.

 

There are definite advantages for them having their own copies: I don't have to continue telling them what to do next; they begin developing self-reliance, motivation, a sense of accomplishment, and time management skills; and, I think they feel more in control when I'm not there all the time, hovering and telling them what to do.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is a win-win. ;)

[khall]

I like the looks of the independent student sheets from the winter promise program guides (look at any of their samples on their website to see them). I made my own modeled after them. I just inserted an excel spreadsheet into a word doc. One page for each week. Across the top is day 1, day 2,....5 days on each page, all the way through day 180. Down the left side is list of materials/curricula and I spread the assignments out throughout the year. Sent it to Staples, printed and spiral bound for less than $5, and I don't need to sit down every week to make an assignment sheet, and the kids know the expectations for the year, and are free to work ahead if they want to. Downside is it took forever to make it, and if we change something midyear it will be a pain

[WishboneDawn]

I had my daughter use this one a year back and it worked really well. It's very cheap and straightforward.

 

Here are some free ones that look quite similar to the above one.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I'm thinking of getting the ones from the Well Planned Day

http://www.wellplannedday.com/shop.php

 

Anyone use these?

 

I have bought my dd (8th grade) the NYPL student planners in the past but this year picked her up a copy of the Student Planner. She thinks it may be more flexible for her to track activities and events as well as planning her week's reading/assignments. She wants to have planning sessions with me weekly to keep track of her work. We don't have much of a field test in yet but it did get good ratings from her on an initial look over.

[Mothersweets]

The planners from urthemom. They can be used independently, with mom planning, or a combo. The homeschool mom who put them together used them both ways.

 

This is what we use http://www.urthemom.com/

 

I love how it is set up. It has been a real sanity saver for me as I can just look over each child's planner and can tell what needs to be done.

[simka2]

I went to go scope out planners today. That was disappointing :glare:. I will probably be making my own.

 

I'm thinking of getting the ones from the Well Planned Day

http://www.wellplannedday.com/shop.php

 

Anyone use these?

 

This was the one I was most disappointed with. I loved the look and setup. I was just about to buy 3 of them when I started to take a closer look at the quotes and the Q/A at the bottom of the page. I was pretty shocked at how theologically heavy it was. Quotes on the nature of man, sin and the wrath of God. Q/A on the same. Page after page about our fallenness, sinfulness, and so forth.

 

I think it would be fine in certain denominations, but this would have really turned me off as non-denominational. Now, that we are heading towards EO it is a definate no go.

[Socalmom]

I have this in my shopping cart for my 8th grade DD.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SCD8BG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=AMQMYDSI54YJQ

 

I really want her to work on being more independent this year.

 

 

Margie

[cloversandlions]

I cannot find a link online anywhere (not even on Mead's site, and amazon doesn't even recognize the barcode!), but today I bought two different Mead student planners: one for elementary-aged kids, and one for middle school.

 

The label for the Elementary calendar said:

 

-Interactive Content

-Space for Assignments

-Monthly Reference Calendars

(Middle School changes the last line to -Capture Extra Activities)

 

Student Planner Weekly with monthly pages August 2011 - July 2012

 

SAP# 745069

 

Barcode 0 38576 14272 5

Item # 608061-10

 

9 7/8" x 7 3/4"

 

The cover is a thick Tuff!Cover (guaranteed to last until July 2012 :tongue_smilie:)

 

I've used all of the above as search terms (well, except for the dimensions) and come up empty-handed, but I do know they are available at both Staples and Office Depot. Maybe other places, but I've not checked.

 

I like them because they are colorful but not overwhelming, have spaces for writing subject assignments including blank spaces, as well as a numbered and lined list at the bottom (chores? other reminders?). They also have a variety of fun and/or educational and informative sidebars (one per 2-page spreead). There is a reasonably sized rectangle on each 2-page spread for doodling, but this is NOT Mead's Doodle Calendar). They have hall pass info (??) and schedule/grade tracking. Each page which includes a monthly calendar also has a more in-depth 'article' that would be of interest to many (most?). The calendars are a nice size, and the graphic layout just appeals to me - it's the right combination of color and style while still keeping it clean.

 

They retail for $14.99; not sure if Office Depot has them on sale, but Staples did not. Target does not carry them.

 

HTH someone!

[SkateLeft]

I use the Catholic student planners from Pflaum. I prefer the intermediate ones. We've used them for years and have been really happy with them!

[SailorMom]

As an alternative....

 

So - I've tried planners with DS13. He uses them for about two weeks and then stops...

Anyway - this year (8th) I'm trying something new -

I bought a huge desk calendar with spaces big enough for major assignments (i.e. - booke report due, math test, etc). We're going to hang it on the wall. I think if it is in front of him, he will have more success with it.

I have my own planner, but I do really want him to get used to having his own that he is reposnsible for. I think maybe this will be a good transition to a mroe traditional planner for high school next year.

[Jyniffrec]

We just started having our dd12 plan her own week this year. I send her everything I expect to get completed for the week over email and then she decides what she is going to do each day based on our schedule for the week. I just found a generic planning page that can be printed out every week. She keeps it on her clipboard. We aren't that busy with outside things so having a monthly calender isn't that important for her.

[ZooRho]

I have used this one for years with my boys.

 

It is by Rod and Staff, there is a scripture verse on the front but that is it, there are just blank spaces nice size for writing and plenty of space for everything I have ever used with my boys.

 

It is less than $4.

 

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-65680/?list=Teacher_Helps

[PollyOR]

This free planner is probably meant for the parent, but you could use these free pages to make one for your student....probably.

 

http://new-bintexas.webs.com/freecurriculumplanner.htm