Questions for those who did the infamous "filing" system

[Runningmom80]

How did it work out? Did you find it was worth the time? Are you still using it now?

 

I already have a crate, and target has cheap Manila files and hanging files, so I'm thinking of giving it a go.

 

I feel like I deserve some sort of badge under my name since I read all 85 pages of that thread. :lol:

[misidawnrn]

I tried it and gave it up. I liked the idea of it but some workbook pages are for day 1 on one side and day 2 on the other side so then the folders didn't have the right stuff in them. Now I just have my planner all filled in and we do the pages for that day.

[Runningmom80]

I tried it and gave it up. I liked the idea of it but some workbook pages are for day 1 on one side and day 2 on the other side so then the folders didn't have the right stuff in them. Now I just have my planner all filled in and we do the pages for that day.

 

 

Yes, that was a big topic in that thread. :D I think some made photocopies of the back of the worksheet, or just moved it to the next day. It seems very time consuming I must admit.

 

It seems like a lot of work on the outset, but like it would save time in the long run. I'm just not confident I'd stick with it. I guess if I spend about $10 and end up hating it, I won't be out too much money.

[Amy Jo]

I liked it when I used it. We've stopped because I'm trying to figure out what we are doing, and because it's impossible to schedule anything right now. I really want to get back to it though, it really kept me on track. I'm trying SCM's organizer again, and I like it but I still have to hunt down papers. I don't use a lot of workbooks, and the ones I have are PDFs, so I didn't have some of the two-sided page problems.

 

Anyway, you could always do a 'test run' of 6 weeks or so, then evaluate. And yes, you should get a badge for reading the whole thread, LOL.

[Runningmom80]

I liked it when I used it. We've stopped because I'm trying to figure out what we are doing, and because it's impossible to schedule anything right now. I really want to get back to it though, it really kept me on track. I'm trying SCM's organizer again, and I like it but I still have to hunt down papers. I don't use a lot of workbooks, and the ones I have are PDFs, so I didn't have some of the two-sided page problems.

 

Anyway, you could always do a 'test run' of 6 weeks or so, then evaluate. And yes, you should get a badge for reading the whole thread, LOL.

 

 

I'm having a hard time even picking curricula, let alone planning, so I completely understand! :tongue_smilie:

[happy-hs]

I suppose we do a "filing" system, but I've never thought of it that way. It's different than the system outlined in those threads, but I only read the first few posts. ;)

 

Each child has an accordion-style file that holds all their work and assignments for a 12-week semester. There are 12 tabs in the file and each tab has a week's worth of materials behind it. Each day within the week has a cover sheet detailing every assignment for the day. It includes all the books they are using, boxes for the kids' to check off their work, a place for grades if needed. Each cover sheet has all worksheets, copies, etc paper clipped behind it.

 

It's a giant pain to put together each semester, but it saves so much time over the course of the semester. It's well worth all the time and effort spent in advance.

 

Melissa :)

[krisperry]

I learned that I don't care for having my main subjects filed. I play too much by ear. But I LOVED having all the "extras" already done.

 

I plan on gathering science supplies, art supplies, read-alouds.... that type of thing and filing it. Basically all the odds and ends that I'm constantly searching for. If I plan on starting Typing halfway through the year, then I put the cd-rom in at week 18. If a supply is needed later in the year, I put a sticky note on it to refile into x week.

[Runningmom80]

I suppose we do a "filing" system, but I've never thought of it that way. It's different than the system outlined in those threads, but I only read the first few posts. ;)

 

Each child has an accordion-style file that holds all their work and assignments for a 12-week semester. There are 12 tabs in the file and each tab has a week's worth of materials behind it. Each day within the week has a cover sheet detailing every assignment for the day. It includes all the books they are using, boxes for the kids' to check off their work, a place for grades if needed. Each cover sheet has all worksheets, copies, etc paper clipped behind it.

 

It's a giant pain to put together each semester, but it saves so much time over the course of the semester. It's well worth all the time and effort spent in advance.

 

Melissa :)

 

Thanks for the idea! That sounds like pretty much the same set up, just in smaller chunks. I did find a cute small file box at target, so maybe I'll try that way.

[Wheres Toto]

I tried it but ds kept moving faster in math and slower in writing and mid-level in reading so I was constantly having to refile or pull from multiple folders. It was too hard to plan that far ahead and know exactly how much work he would do in a day. Plus we take fairly random breaks for various reasons.

 

I modified in that I did tear up most workbooks (not HWT and now not our Spectrum workbooks) and filed by subject. Even our history and science topics I made folders and put in everything I have for that topic along with a lesson plan when I get around to making it.

 

Each weekend I go through and set up a binder for my son with 4 tabs (since we usually do school 4 days a week) with all his work and pages inserted for stuff that wasn't filed. One says "Do marked pages in yellow My Printing Book" and one says "Do marked pages in Spectrum Language and Spectrum Reading". He also has stuff he can do semi-independently first with a page at the end saying "If Mom is still working with Vicki, Do: Mad Libs, play with magnetic words, read a book from bin, draw a picture from Draw Write Now". This has worked really well since he can see exactly how much he has to do each morning and he doesn't end up running off if I'm not ready to work with him yet. DD has 4 folders for her stuff but all of hers is done with me.

[Runningmom80]

I tried it but ds kept moving faster in math and slower in writing and mid-level in reading so I was constantly having to refile or pull from multiple folders. It was too hard to plan that far ahead and know exactly how much work he would do in a day.

 

 

This is my fear too. I'm thinking that I'll just plan 6-8 weeks in advance, but I love the idea of planning the whole year in one sitting and then just pulling from a folder all year!

[Captivated]

Yes! I've filed for the last two years (out of 12 years of homeschooling) and they have been our most productive years. I find that it really helps us to keep on schedule. If we need to work ahead I just grab the next weeks work, not biggie.

 

I don't file everything and it might not work each year but for now it has been a God-send.

[ondreeuh]

There's no way I could keep on a daily schedule all year. I do something else that is organized yet flexible.

 

I keep a small hanging file box on my desk. I have a hanging folder for each subject, and I pop in a manila folder or a packet of materials that we're currently working from. For things I've planned in advance, I just transfer a week at a time to the hanging file box. We have been behind schedule, but this way I don't have to re-file anything.

 

History is my most involved subject. I made folders for each week of history (which is pretty much a topic a week) and filled the folders with the resources needed for that week. Next year when we are doing a full science program, I will do the same. Create folders by week or topic, and just pull out the current folder to work from.

 

I keep a chapter's worth of GWG in the writing folder, stapled together, and we do a lesson each day. I also print a chapter's worth of writing lessons at a time. Some things take us longer to get through than others, and this way I don't skip ahead before my kid is ready.

 

I do the same with my preschooler's themes - I collect resources that match themes as I find them, and then just work through a folder at a time.

[WIS0320]

We used a modified version of filing for first grade (I used binders and filed by unit topic) and it worked well.

 

I am starting with the actual filing system for second grade just because I've scheduled our year for history and science and all the sheets and craft plans, task cards, etc. are easily filed by week. I've also got Evan Moor Daily Language Review, Word A Day and Daily Science filed. Now that our year is scheduled, I know that week 13 is the one with Thanksgiving and week 16 is the week leading up to Christmas break, week 22 is V-Day, etc. and I can put in fun holiday stuff in those folders. It is nice for all the "extras"!

 

I just don't see how to file L/A or math. Progress is too variable for my kid (so far, she's little!) and I'm happy to just do the next thing based on her progress.

[LunaLee]

I'm only using it for one dc now, but doing everything over the summer for the whole year made life so much easier. Actually, I did it the first year and it was such an amazing productive year, but last year I was only able to do a modified version of it because of my work schedule and book funding, and this year hasn't been that great. I've already made plans to take two weeks off over the summer just to do this, so hopefully next year will run smoother.

 

Also, I only file by week for English. Science, History, and electives are done by chapter and I don't file anything for math as that's just do the next thing.

[TracyP]

I did it the year after The Thread and it worked GREAT! We moved 4 times in 4 months (not a typo:001_huh:) and had a baby last year. The filing system is what saved the year, school wise.

 

I ditched it this year, but plan on trying it again next year. Filing math does not work, my kids work in fits and starts when it comes to math. There is no way to plan for that. Filing for history, science and crafts for my littles does work. I plan to just file those things next year.

[ErinE]

I don't file for math and reading and writing don't require worksheets, but for the extras like Spanish, history, grammar, and geography it makes life so much easier. I do a big push just before our official school year start to file everything. I try to purchase workbooks with a full day's work per sheet (front and back) or pdfs so I can print out a weeks worth of work and staple it as a packet. My kids also have 5 file folders in their milk crates labeled Monday through Friday and a daily pocket folder where I keep that day's work.

[Mom25girls]

The filing system didn't work for me:confused:. I tried it last year with my four younger daughters. I had a problem with loose paper EVERYWHERE. I think that if you are extremely diligent in "paper transportation and filing" it might be a system that is very freeing. We travel 70% of the weekends between December and April/May and I just couldn't make it work. There were always papers "floating around" in the school room (usually completed). Sigh...This year I \ purchased a ProClick binding system and bound almost everything that didn't run away. The girls have been extremely organized, the school room has stayed clean and it's worked really well. I bound large volumes (like WWE ) into Quarters (we have to report to the school district quarterly) and work has seemed manageable.

[alisoncooks]

Can someone link "the thread" that explains all this?

I'm curious! :)

[Runningmom80]

Can someone link "the thread" that explains all this?

I'm curious! :)

 

 

Let me apologize in advance. I'm sorry for the hours of life you may possibly waste. :) http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189482

[jpklehm]

Each child has an accordion-style file that holds all their work and assignments for a 12-week semester. There are 12 tabs in the file and each tab has a week's worth of materials behind it. Each day within the week has a cover sheet detailing every assignment for the day. It includes all the books they are using, boxes for the kids' to check off their work, a place for grades if needed. Each cover sheet has all worksheets, copies, etc paper clipped behind it.

 

It's a giant pain to put together each semester, but it saves so much time over the course of the semester. It's well worth all the time and effort spent in advance.

 

Melissa :)

 

I love this idea because then if a spur-of-the-moment vacation comes up, or some other event that puts you a little behind, you don't have the rest of the year to "fix," only a few weeks. Then you start fresh for the next semester. Great idea!

 

I plan on gathering science supplies, art supplies, read-alouds.... that type of thing and filing it. Basically all the odds and ends that I'm constantly searching for. If I plan on starting Typing halfway through the year, then I put the cd-rom in at week 18. If a supply is needed later in the year, I put a sticky note on it to refile into x week.

 

:iagree:

 

These are the kinds of things I need to find and put aside at the beginning of the year, too, so instead of putting off reading a book that hasn't come in from the library yet, or a science experiment that I don't have litmus paper for until I run to the store, I can do these things because it's all there, in my house and ready to go.

 

Also, I would almost rather buy reading books used from Amazon a few at a time and have those on the ready than relying too much on the library, although I adore interlibrary loan and use it all the time. I just know myself and know that I'll be a lot more relaxed if all supplies and plans are ready and waiting at each 12-week period.

 

Great ideas!

[Runningmom80]

I decided to just plan 6 weeks in advance. That way I can tweak as necessary. I'm still going to file by subject for the year, but I won't lesson plan that far in advance. (split it into weeks I mean.)

[Mimm]

I didn't do it the first year people posted about it on here. It was our first year homeschooling and even though the thread was kind of on my radar, I ignored it for the most part. But I did do it last year. I was also being all ambitious and trying a bunch of new curriculum. And at first it was really great. Then my year totally fell apart. Some of the stuff I chose really didn't work for us. The filing system makes the most sense when you are doing lots of workbooks that you cut apart. And yes, I also had a problem with loose papers everywhere. The Filing Thread mentioned this issue so I thought that if I had a system in place for how paper was to be handled, no problem. I had the system but the system was not followed. :p

 

After much struggle this year and lots of thoughts about what I want our homeschool to look like, we are leaning away from workbooks this year. Lots and lots of books. Singapore math is pretty much our only workbook curriculum that I have planned for next year. Possibly Latin, if we pick that back up. I may find a way to incorporate filing as a way to organize in the future, but for now, I don't plan to do it for this upcoming year.

[Runningmom80]

I didn't do it the first year people posted about it on here. It was our first year homeschooling and even though the thread was kind of on my radar, I ignored it for the most part. But I did do it last year. I was also being all ambitious and trying a bunch of new curriculum. And at first it was really great. Then my year totally fell apart. Some of the stuff I chose really didn't work for us. The filing system makes the most sense when you are doing lots of workbooks that you cut apart. And yes, I also had a problem with loose papers everywhere. The Filing Thread mentioned this issue so I thought that if I had a system in place for how paper was to be handled, no problem. I had the system but the system was not followed. :p

 

After much struggle this year and lots of thoughts about what I want our homeschool to look like, we are leaning away from workbooks this year. Lots and lots of books. Singapore math is pretty much our only workbook curriculum that I have planned for next year. Possibly Latin, if we pick that back up. I may find a way to incorporate filing as a way to organize in the future, but for now, I don't plan to do it for this upcoming year.

 

 

We aren't doing a ton of workbooks either, so I'm just going to type up lesson plans for the week, and put the few random worksheets we'll do in there. I get what you are saying though, I doubt I'm going to have enough paperwork to actually make this worth it, but we will see.

[alisoncooks]

Let me apologize in advance. I'm sorry for the hours of life you may possibly waste. :) http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189482

 

Thanks. :)

I got about 15 pages into it and my eyeballs rebelled. Piqued my interest, though... but then again, I think I just like excuses to buy office products and start new projects.

[*Jessica*]

The filing system didn't work for me:confused:. I tried it last year with my four younger daughters. I had a problem with loose paper EVERYWHERE. I think that if you are extremely diligent in "paper transportation and filing" it might be a system that is very freeing. We travel 70% of the weekends between December and April/May and I just couldn't make it work. There were always papers "floating around" in the school room (usually completed). Sigh...This year I \ purchased a ProClick binding system and bound almost everything that didn't run away. The girls have been extremely organized, the school room has stayed clean and it's worked really well. I bound large volumes (like WWE ) into Quarters (we have to report to the school district quarterly) and work has seemed manageable.

:iagree: It worked well for me for a while, and then I got busy and filing completed things fell to the wayside. I ended up with papers everywhere! For the last year we've been using the Proclick to bind everything and going with the "do-the-next-thing" method. I am so much happier, and no longer drowning in random bits of paper!

[Mimm]

We aren't doing a ton of workbooks either, so I'm just going to type up lesson plans for the week, and put the few random worksheets we'll do in there. I get what you are saying though, I doubt I'm going to have enough paperwork to actually make this worth it, but we will see.

 

That's my hesitation. It's a lot of work. Typing up weekly plans is fine, but I may as well just put them in a single binder. I do like the idea that some people had (possibly in that thread) of gathering up art and science experiment ideas and throwing them in separate ziplock bags, labeled for each week, so that you have all your supplies ahead of time, all laid out. I think science experiments might actually get done if I do that. :)

[Runningmom80]

That's my hesitation. It's a lot of work. Typing up weekly plans is fine, but I may as well just put them in a single binder. I do like the idea that some people had (possibly in that thread) of gathering up art and science experiment ideas and throwing them in separate ziplock bags, labeled for each week, so that you have all your supplies ahead of time, all laid out. I think science experiments might actually get done if I do that. :)

 

 

I definitely want to try to do this, since I'm not usually motivated to do experiments or art for that matter!

[k3bzr18]

Forgive me ignorance, is this in the well-trained mind book ? I read about the binders,but what is the filing system ?

:lurk5:

Lynn

[kpnick in nc]

I did it for my first-grader and loved it - didn't cut up workbooks, but I had planned for the entire year for those as well. I tried to make library lists, but I found that wasn't worth it. I just ended up putting post-its listing which library had which books onto the appropriate page in the SOTW AG.

 

I didn't plan the extra crafts as much this year, but I plan on adding those as well for next year.

[Runningmom80]

Forgive me ignorance, is this in the well-trained mind book ? I read about the binders,but what is the filing system ?

:lurk5:

Lynn

 

No, it's just from a massive thread someone started 2 years ago. I linked it on page 2. :)

[Ecclecticmum]

I'm not sure I'm thinking of the right thread :001_huh:, I got confused about OP stating something about double sided worksheets lol.

 

I assume you mean the File Crate System inspired by dawn. We used it last year, I liked the general idea of it, but I'm going to do it differently this year, I'm figuring out my own setup with binders.

 

Reasons for straying away from file crates:

 

- I hate file folder metal bits screeching. It has that fingers on chalkboard feel.

-My 2 archive boxes (see above reason for why I chose heavy duty cardboard) still couldn't handle the weight, even when moving into 2 separate boxes.

- They are HEAVY and I needed to store them on the top shelf, trying to pull one down could of resulted in a very bad accident

- The pages in the folders would bend, crease, fold easily.

 

Basically the system would be good for what Dawn uses it for, weekly ideas, magazines snippings, the odd bit of paper etc, but for homeschooling? it just wasn't suitable for us, and I didn't actually cut up any workbooks, if I did that, the folders might of burst! lol

 

I looked around, researched the finer bits of SL, workboxes, file crates, and also looked into School Teachers ways of organizing and planning, so I think I have come up with a system that will actually work for us here. I'm hoping I will be finished with it soon and will be putting up photos and details on my blog, I don't want to mention anything now, as I may still change a thing or two before I am done with it. :D

[WIS0320]

:iagree: It worked well for me for a while, and then I got busy and filing completed things fell to the wayside. I ended up with papers everywhere! For the last year we've been using the Proclick to bind everything and going with the "do-the-next-thing" method. I am so much happier, and no longer drowning in random bits of paper!

 

I guess I just assumed that I would trash what we didn't need to keep and just put everything else back into the weekly file folder completed when we were finished? I'm not sure I understand the paper everywhere?!

[kalanamak]

I learned that I don't care for having my main subjects filed. I play too much by ear. But I LOVED having all the "extras" already done.

 

I knew it wouldn't work for us. I use a six tiered on of these:

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73338416/tiered-industrial-metal-letter-tray

 

in "legal paper length" (scored it at a thrift store). I have my nearly-daily subjects in it: SM text, and work book and extra practice and the Boogie Board on the bottom shelf, GWG books next up, Latin on the next, WT or WWE above that, spelling the next, and my record keeping book on the top. I keep colored sticky tabs in texts so I know where to flip open to, and for workbooks, like WT or GWG, I snip off the right lower corner if the completed pages, so one just puts one's thumb on the first "full" page, and flip the book open. The clipped pages flip back.

 

We just work our way up the trays.

[Halcyon]

We sorta tried this at one point, but my take away was the idea of using filing crates for subjects. Now, everything except for larger books goes into the appropriate file, and in the front of the file is the child's schedule, which is a "fill it in after it's done" type schedule. We use a loop. So where it has really helped is that every single book and file and piece of paper needs to be in its correct file. Sometimes, I use 3 ring binders or pro-click books and those slide right into the heavy duty file folders as well. It's made our day run more smoothly for sure.

Edited April 2, 2012 by Halcyon

[Runningmom80]

We sorta tried this at one point, but my take away was the idea of using filing crates for subjects. Now, everything except for larger books goes into the appropriate file, and in the front of the file is the child's schedule, which is a "fill it in after it's done" type schedule. We use a loop. So where it has really helped is that every single book and file and piece of paper needs to be in its correct file. Sometimes, I use 3 ring binders or pro-click books and those slide right into the heavy duty file folders as well. It's made our day run more smoothly for sure.

 

 

I think this is what mine will mainly look like. I'm going to file by subject, and just separate out 6 weeks at a time. I also bought a little notebook with 6 folder pockets for the week we are currently in. Hopefully I'll be able to keep all these straight. :001_huh:

 

We have papers everywhere now, so I can't imagine it will be any worse.

 

PS, my DH is at Target right now buying me an exacto knife and a metal ruler. :lol::lol::lol:

[*Jessica*]

I guess I just assumed that I would trash what we didn't need to keep and just put everything else back into the weekly file folder completed when we were finished? I'm not sure I understand the paper everywhere?!

It was my fault, not a flaw with the system, but it definitely didn't work for us for long. Also, we live in NY, so I like to keep most of our work from the year in case we need it for the fourth quarter assessment.

[FO4UR]

Another thought: The younger the dc, the harder it is to plan in advance. Filing may work well when your oldest is 8-10yo, but 5yo's are pretty sporadic sometimes (take 10 weeks to get one thing, 1 day to get another...).

 

That said, filing by subject is not a bad idea. You can then make up a folder/workboxes/whatever on a weekly basis. Weekly is good for a 5yo. (Even then I find myself tweaking my own plans.:tongue_smilie:)

[KrissiK]

Ha! I failed. With a capital "F". We'd get behind or whatever and then... it just didn't work. Nice idea, though!

[Runningmom80]

Another thought: The younger the dc, the harder it is to plan in advance. Filing may work well when your oldest is 8-10yo, but 5yo's are pretty sporadic sometimes (take 10 weeks to get one thing, 1 day to get another...).

 

That said, filing by subject is not a bad idea. You can then make up a folder/workboxes/whatever on a weekly basis. Weekly is good for a 5yo. (Even then I find myself tweaking my own plans.:tongue_smilie:)

 

 

Yes, and I already messed up, so I'm shuffling around papers. Im at least going to keep filing by subject, because ds hates writing in a workbook, I never thought to cut the pages out.

[Wheres Toto]

Another thought: The younger the dc, the harder it is to plan in advance. Filing may work well when your oldest is 8-10yo, but 5yo's are pretty sporadic sometimes (take 10 weeks to get one thing, 1 day to get another...).

 

That said, filing by subject is not a bad idea. You can then make up a folder/workboxes/whatever on a weekly basis. Weekly is good for a 5yo. (Even then I find myself tweaking my own plans.:tongue_smilie:)

 

:iagree:

Yes, and I already messed up, so I'm shuffling around papers. Im at least going to keep filing by subject, because ds hates writing in a workbook, I never thought to cut the pages out.

 

:iagree: My son doesn't like writing in a big book either. When he was younger, he would always want to flip ahead or behind. We kept HWT intact because it's always a 2 page spread, and our Spectrum workbooks are the same way. He definitely prefers having all the work for one day in one packet so he can see how much he has left.

[TKDmom]

I spent a week last year printing, and cutting up workbooks, and filing all my material for the year. It lasted maybe a month. :001_huh:

 

I ended up dropping several of the programs I had partway through the year, and I never was good at doing all our subjects at a constant pace, so I was constantly stressed and "behind" in one thing or another.

 

Now, I have a smaller file system where I have individual subjects for each child. I print off or copy things in 6-week increments. Not every subject has a file--just the ones with papers that I need to keep track of. I'm not cutting up workbooks again. I use workboxes, so I didn't need the files to help me remember what to cover each week. My filing system now just gives me a place to keep papers in a single place so that I can fill dc's boxes more efficiently in the evenings.

[Runningmom80]

Oh no! I was reading that thread and the whole time wondering how many actually stuck with it, figuring it was probably not a lot. It's hard to stay organized!

 

I'm really hoping I can make this work, I'm planning on starting grad school sometime next year, so my DH will have to take over some of the schooling. I would love a system so he can just grab the day's work and not have to call or text me a million times. :lol: I know I can just plan by the week, but I'm not sure how feasible that will be.

 

So can everyone just think good successful filing crate thoughts for me? :lol:

[ClassicMom]

We used it this year and it worked out really well. I also put a library pocket in the front and planned out books that I wanted from the library. This all helped to keep us on track this year.

[melissel]

It worked well for me for most of that first year, but it kind of fell apart toward the end of the year. This year I'm using three-ring binders and Scholaric.com instead. That's working much better for me.

 

I didn't cut up all my workbooks this year, but I keep everything for each subject in a labeled drawer, so the workbooks are right at hand. If there was something I wanted to be able to separate page by page, I bought the PDF and printed it out instead. For things like that (WWE, for example), I keep the teacher's pages in front, the student pages in the middle, and the completed pages go in the back. Each week, I pull the week's pages and put them in the pocket at the front of the binder (WWE, since we do that together) or put them into a separate binder that travels around with DD's independent work (Evan-Moor Daily Geography, since I teach the lesson and she spends the rest of the week completing the assignments independently).

 

The most important thing I took away from my filing experiment was the value of the printing and copying EVERYTHING up front! That was where my year fell apart--when I got to the point where I was supposed to copy and file the last quarter of the year. Also, I'm not particularly organized by nature, so having that structure really helped me see how important it is in our homeschool. Plenty of our materials are "do the next thing" materials, but I'm not a "do the next thing" kind of gal. It's too easy for me to tell myself we can skip a day and be just fine later--and suddenly, we're weeks and weeks behind.

 

Good luck with your planning! It's really so much trial and error until you find what works for you. In my case, it was not Excel, HST+, workboxes, "do the next thing," or filing--it was binders :D

[mommytobees]

How did it work out? Did you find it was worth the time? Are you still using it now?

 

I already have a crate, and target has cheap Manila files and hanging files, so I'm thinking of giving it a go.

 

I feel like I deserve some sort of badge under my name since I read all 85 pages of that thread. :lol:

 

::delurking::

 

I've done it for several years and still do.

 

I love it! Filing means it takes me 5-10 minutes to get both kids school week ready to use.

 

I have a post on my blog, it is a bit old, but the concept still holds.

 

http://mommytobees.typepad.com/mommy_to_bees/2010/08/organizing-homeschool-kyler.html

 

http://mommytobees.typepad.com/mommy_to_bees/2010/08/organizing-homeschool-lori.html

 

Kris

[mommytobees]

This is my fear too. I'm thinking that I'll just plan 6-8 weeks in advance, but I love the idea of planning the whole year in one sitting and then just pulling from a folder all year!

 

This is why I don't put math into the files. Math is at the child's pace. I get a few week's worth out at a time, usually 6 weeks out when I fill the current weeks sets. Then, if there is any speed up I just pull from the next week's file and if there is any slow down I just push the pages ahead.

 

Kris

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

We sorta tried this at one point, but my take away was the idea of using filing crates for subjects. Now, everything except for larger books goes into the appropriate file, and in the front of the file is the child's schedule, which is a "fill it in after it's done" type schedule. We use a loop. So where it has really helped is that every single book and file and piece of paper needs to be in its correct file. Sometimes, I use 3 ring binders or pro-click books and those slide right into the heavy duty file folders as well. It's made our day run more smoothly for sure.

 

Can you explain what you do a bit more? We are going back to the loop and also using the file system for planning. I'm doing 6 weeks of planning at a time, since we do 6 on and 1 off. I really, really need to have everything ready to go ahead of time to stay on schedule, so the filing system works for me, but I'm still trying to blend it with the loop scheduling. :D