I need help planning!

[Grantmom]

I need help and need to think out loud a bit here. We are moving into a different routine and rhythm here at our house, and I like it a lot. But I need to get on top of a system for planning out the days and the week better. I have two kids who are almost five years apart, so in most things, they are at different places. I want to be able to sit down at the beginning of the week and make a plan, but then also be able to alter or add to the plan as the week progresses. If we discover something we want to explore more for example, I want to make a note to remind myself. For example, go to XY website for more info on the cool history video we watched on Monday. And I want to be able to do the same for both kids, so I need to be able to make a plan that shows me both, but also is separate. Does that make sense? For example, if part of the plan is going to the zoo one day, that is the same for both of them. But then in other areas, they will be working on different things.

 

Also, I want to be able to maybe use this as a record for what we've done each week, and maybe have a place where I can write something additional, that will be a good memory of something fun we did that week, or something one of the kids liked or said. I've never been good about keeping journals like that and I really want to just do it. Better late than never.

 

I have tried various online and computer versions of planning and scheduling, but somehow, I always revert back to needing to make a list on real paper with a pen. I like the IDEA of something virtual, mainly because that way I can always find it and it's easily portable. But somehow I find myself always writing lists on paper, post-it notes, whatever. Maybe I need to just force myself to stick with the virtual options until they become habit, and then it will be a lot easier. OR maybe I need to go with my natural patterns and just use paper since that is what I fall back to. I'm thinking of just getting a plain old 2-page per week or even one page per day planner, and just using that. Draw a line down the middle of each day to make a section for each kid.

 

Any thoughts, or anyone want to share how you plan and schedule what your kids will do for homeschooling from day to day or week by week?

 

Thanks!

[Grantmom]

I'm struggling with this a bit with my own household and other organizing and list making too. I keep trying to switch to virtual solutions for this. I have a smart phone, I should be using it! But somehow I just keep falling back to making lists on paper. Do I just need to get over the hump and push through it? I think maybe I worry that the power will go out, or I won't have internet access, and then I won't have access to my calendar and lists.

[Grantmom]

I've been reading some other planning and scheduling threads here, and I think that what's most important to me is that I want to be able to basically have a place to write down the things we want to get to, and schedule them into the calendar, otherwise we never do them. Things like math and handwriting and things where we are using a specific curriculum that they do each day, we don't really need a calendar for that. We just do some each day, and move through it. But things like dissecting stuff, or things that the kids say they want to learn about or explore, I often, say, "Yeah, that's a great idea, let's do that." But then I forget about it or it just never happens. So, I want to be able to make a skeleton of a plan, and then as the weeks progress, be able to alter that plan, add something in so that we remember to get to it.

 

So, I am thinking that just a basic planner is what we need. The whole lesson plan thing just doesn't seem to fit for us right now. So the two things I need to decide are, do I use a different planner page for each child, or have something with big enough sections for each day that I write things down for both kids each day. And then the second thing to decide is paper or virtual. I want to use the virtual planning options SO bad, I want to get over the hump and just get into the habit of it. But somehow I always fall back to writing little notes on pieces of paper! Not that having a hundred post it notes is any better of a system though!

 

Just thinking out loud here!

[Mystie]

I use Evernote and treat it like a paper on a clipboard. I have a daily (I want to change it to weekly) template that I start the day with, then as the day goes on I change it to reflect what actually happens. So at the beginning of the day, it's the plan. At the end of the day, it's a record with notes. I have the notes for all the days of the week copied so I can also go and make a note for tomorrow on tomorrow's note.

 

I just keep each day all together with everyone's notes, but I don't have to do transcripts or show anyone my records, so I don't really see any reason to have separate lists for each child. For me, it makes more sense to have one list (note) for all I'm keeping track of in a day, and a record of what happened in a day.

 

I explain in a bit more detail how it's set up in my ebook Paperless Home Organization. I have moved all my organization digital for about a year now.

[LivingHope]

I love ultra fine sharpies and index cards. I have an ipad with great apps, but I always go back to my 5 x 8 index card file (I like this size because 3 x 5, 4 x 6, and 5 x 8 cards all fit). Here is an article that uses a similar approach: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/another-method-of-scheduling-the-file-box-system/

[Grantmom]

Thanks so much for the replies! I will check out those links.

[Aspasia]

 

So, I am thinking that just a basic planner is what we need. The whole lesson plan thing just doesn't seem to fit for us right now. So the two things I need to decide are, do I use a different planner page for each child, or have something with big enough sections for each day that I write things down for both kids each day. And then the second thing to decide is paper or virtual. I want to use the virtual planning options SO bad, I want to get over the hump and just get into the habit of it. But somehow I always fall back to writing little notes on pieces of paper! Not that having a hundred post it notes is any better of a system though!

 

Just thinking out loud here!

 

Maybe use the same planner page, but different color pens for each child?

 

I hear ya on the digital versus paper quandary. I was late to the digital party (I tend to feel like, if it ain't broke...), but then I switched all my home organization stuff over to my iPad a few months ago. I was really excited at first, because the apps are so awesome! And there's one for everything! Unfortunately, it was a complete failure. I just wasn't using my new system, and since I had basically scrapped the old system, there was no system! Which means nothing was getting done. I have since reverted to my paper based system. I still use my iPad all the time (obviously), and I do keep certain notes and lists on it, but my daily planning and organizing happens on paper. I just think better that way. I think you need to do what will get done.

[bobbeym]

I like the idea of a 1-day per page planner using different color pens for each DC. You could at least start with that, with a goal to use it consistently for X weeks and see if it's going to work for you.

 

I have a smartphone, tablet, and access to 5 PCs, and I still always find myself going back to paper for planning and tracking. Last year I made a great looking planner and had it spiral bound, but it quickly became obvious that it wasn't going to work. DS's skills weren't where they needed to be in order to make paper useful for both of us, so I switched to electronic for him. That's not working all that great either though and I've been working on new planner pagers for the upcoming year for a new paper spiral.

[KarenNC]

I do a combo of paper and the computer. For each year, I make a separate word document for each subject. I insert a table then list out all the lessons, along with any supplementary items I have or am considering using (checking out from the library, etc) for those lessons and where to find them if they aren't in the house. There are always more things listed than we could possibly get to ;) . Each week, I transfer the week's worth of activities to our paper planner (I use the Homeschooler's Journal by FergNUs http://www.christian...541309/pd/97152 and like it very much). I often find that I am adding and subtracting materials from the online file as the year progresses. We will either not need as much as I have or I find a new resource during the year that I want to add. Once I fill up the journal, I stick it on the shelf and we have a record of the year. It's very easy to note down extracurricular things that come up as they happen, notes about changes in directions, etc in the journal. We go year-round, so they don't line up neatly, but it works out.

 

I also have more generic files labeled "high school literature," etc where I can note things I come across that I'm considering for the future. I keep the computer files for the current year in my Dropbox account so that I can access them from my iphone if needed, and I keep an Amazon wishlist labeled "school" where I note any books I'm looking for. That way I have the information readily at hand at the used bookstore, thrift store, or curriculum sale if something looks likely.

 

ETA: I realized the link is not the best view of the journal. It's a week per 2 page spread, 6 subjects across (4 on left page, 2 on right) with a half width of the right page for notes, 5 days from top to bottom. I note weekend activities in the notes section.