Penguin Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Anybody feel like talking about bullet journals? Anyone using one for homeschool purposes? I have been keeping one erratically since 2014. But I recently spent some down time watching YouTube videos and got inspired to make some changes. A lot of people are making videos that show lots of doodling and color-coding and washi tape. It reminds me of scrapbooking (which I used to do), and I have no desire to go down that path with my bullet journal. I love seeing just black ink on the white page :) I do have very nice handwriting, but I hadn't been bothering to use it. Now I am. Wow, what a difference. I love looking at neat pages, and I all I had to do was slow down a bit and be intentional about it. I am actually working out of several books. If you are not a notebook nerd, then that probably sounds nuts, LOL. (1) My bullet journal. It has weekly spreads but no forward planning. The forward planning is in Book #2. I am using an A5 Oxford notebook with grid lines. It is not anything fancy, but it has 90 gram paper and I love that. (2) A custom planner that I made using that thing that gadget that has the spiral clips. Shoot, I can't remember the name of it. (3) Daily homeschool log. This is an A5 Casebound Oxford notebook. I write down what we actually did each day. More 90 gram paper. (4) And I just started a new book. This one is an A4 Casebound Oxford notebook. I got inspired by Boho Berry's Blog and Business Bullet Journal and decided to make a version for our homeschool. I just started laying this out, but I can tell you more once I set it up. I do a lot of mind mapping when I am designing courses & I would like to do those in this book. Lists seem like a good idea: books read, field trips taken, skills to accomplish, types of writing assignments. Mission statement. Goals. Here is the link to the Boho berry YouTube Video and the blog post if you prefer. Maybe a blog and business journal seems like a world away from a homeschool journal, but it was the big picture, reflective POV that appealed to me and made me think about doing something with the idea. Domestik Engineering has some nice videos and she is a homeschool mom. Oh, and I should add that my son and I actually use a shared OneNote notebook as the true engine of our homeschool. But I like the way the paper complements the digital. Anyone else? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 Here is a link to the website by the creator of the bullet journal: http://bulletjournal.com/get-started/ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 That is interesting. Could be very useful for me. Right now I'm keeping everything in my planner (which is just a calendar) but on and off I've toyed with ideas of keeping everything in one area. This might be a good place to start. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 I do think I'd like a weekly module more than a monthly. I'd cram that second page full otherwise! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRobinson Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 No time now but I will be back when I have a chance to check out those links! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristie in Florida Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 My daughter has a checklist that she works from on a clipboard but I write things that require me in my bullet journal, like morning basket. I'm about to run out the door but I could write more about it later. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maela Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I keep a bullet journal - I love it! I put some homeschool stuff in there, but record what we do each day in a teacher's lesson planner book. Next year I was thinking I'd have a separate bullet journal for homeschooling stuff. Mostly just recording each day's learning (I don't plan much), but also for any journaling re:homeschooling and for keeping track of classes and things. I got a Leuchtterm 1917 with dot grid for 2016. I use black Faber Castell PITT artist pens in M, F, S, and XS and colored Staedtler triplus fineliner in 0.3mm size. I don't doodle much. I've used a couple of simple stickers and a strip of washi tape along the edge of my monthly spread pages so that I can find those pages easily. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Old thread on the topic. I heart my bullet journal. I overcomplicated mine last year so I went much more basic this year. I also got a Leuchtterm 1917 with a dot grid and I like it much more than my moleskin. For the most part I follow the old method except that I have a yearly calendar in the front. (not mine, but the same concept) My method last year: "1-3 Table of Contents 4-11 2015 Calendars & Lists 12- _ January I have a year at a glance (pg4), birthday spread (pg5), 2015 goals by month, list of spiritual goals, list of physical goals, list of financial goals, list of educational goals (pg6), 2 book lists, 1 master task list, and one list of minimalist attack zones (pg7). Pages 8-11 are blank because I'm sure I'll come up with more. January looks like the one in the video except that I have the month at a glace on the top, next to that is my 2 books and 2 tasks, and across the top of the days that are going down are the letters BWSALHBL. Each letter represents a task that I'm supposed to do daily. I put a check mark in the box each day that I do them so that I can see my problem areas at the end of the month. On the other side where the tasks are I have a little bills section at the bottom. My life functions much more on a week to week basis, rather than a day to day or month to month, so on the next page I have 1/4-1/10 across the top with Sunday-Saturday every 6 lines down the bottom. I use the page to the right of that to list my tasks for the week in bullet journal style. About half way through the journal I have pages taped like tabs. One for work, one for kids, a prayer journal, and a brain dump. Each has it's own Index. The very last 2 pages have 4 post-it notes in case I want to write something down, but don't want it in my journal. The little pocket in the back (who knew that was a thing!) has my master household duties list which I use to create monthly and weekly task lists." This year is much more casual and easier to maintain. I'm also more comfortable using it because it's not so ridged. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I'm too tired to gush right now, but I really do love it. I've converted 3 in real life friends. I do not intend to use it for school. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I'm a huge fan of my bullet journal!! Last year I kept a bullet journal for household stuff, to-do lists, kind of intruductory year of bullet journaling. But I also kept an art journal where I followed the prompts form No Excuses Art Journaling. I also used the art journal for daily log, keeping track of start and end dates of books I read and the start of a commonplace book. Then I also kept a three-ring binder for homeschool planning. Future plans, current plans, calendars, reading lists, etc etc This year I decided to combine all three into one (except the Art Journal which was more of an experiment last year), all done bully journal style and I'm with ya - not a lot of doodling or scrapbook-type stuff. It doesn't come naturally to me and I also like the neat tidy, black and white look. I even write the "weekly plan" which is approximately how far ahead I detail-plan on a two page spread for everything that needs to be done in a school week. Reading lists (to-do and accomplished), personal plans and goals, future planning, ubiquitous capture of all kinds, it's all there, and indexed on the first three pages. After a month, this tryout has been a success. I love having all my "stuff" in one book! I've even been common;lacing in it. I'm really burning through the pages, but it's been worth it so far! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemongoose Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I love my Bullet Journal!!! LOVE IT!!!! I recently made myself a leather cover in the style of the Midori Travelers notebook. I made a different size utilizing the Rhodia Dot paper because I love using fountain pens. I made it so I can get the Rhodia bigger dot pad, cut in half and get lots of pages for several notebooks. The system keeps me so organized! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRobinson Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I've been using the bullet journal method for years! Way before it was a "thing." I have a box of them that dates back 14 years. I think it started when I graduated high school and I wasn't given a free planner anymore from the boosters so I just bought a little notebook from the dollar store. Anyway, I thought I was tired of the bullet journal. I didn't have time to make a grid calendar anymore but I really like that layout. Plus, there are so many beautiful versatile planners out there. So I bought one. Guess what? Not even a month in to the new year and I'm back to the bullet journal! I am still using the planner for appointments, meals, and financials but nothing beats a bullet journal for ongoing lists, records, planning, general brain dumping. And now that I have the planner, I don't have to draw a monthly grid in my bullet journal anymore! Best of both worlds! :) I should add that I am the queen of cheap and not super tidy in the pages of my journal so I have never bothered to spend any money on one. My current one is a 20 cent composition book with graph paper pages. My planner is a Happy Planner I got on sale for $12. That's the most I've ever spent on a planning system! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 ** Newbie alert ** Aren't these similar to Ben Franklin's in some ways? I don't know much about bullet journals, but from the quick peeks I've taken, they look like various lists and hand-drawn calendars. What makes it a Bullet Journal? Is customization the key? What is new about them? (New as in recent decades/centuries... ;) ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Maybe just the name lol? I'm sure it's been around for eons, this is just a way to differentiate it from all the millions of pre-laid out planners. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Maybe just the name lol? I'm sure it's been around for eons, this is just a way to differentiate it from all the millions of pre-laid out planners. :) That's what I'm thinking. I just finished a video and I'm :huh:. I certainly understand wanting to customize, but the first video I watched was almost exactly the format of some planners I've seen... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingHope Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I use my bullet journal especially as a habit tracker. I make a 7 week habit checklist on a 2 page spread for personal, together homeschool subjects, and for each child's individual subjects and chores. I can see at a glance if I am consistent or not in any area. Why 7 weeks? Well, I am using a Leuchtterm squared notebook which has 28 squares across. A page divided in 4 columns with 7 squares across each allows me to use the first column for the subject or task and have 7 more columns. Each column has 37 rows of 7 squares. I use the first two rows to write the weekdays, S.M.T.W.T.F.S...one letter for each box, and the date numbers underneath the weekday row. This then gives me 35 items to track per 2 page spread. Seven weeks is also nice for my interval planning because I can divide the year into 7 intervals with 3 weeks left over for Thanksgiving week and a 2 week Chistmas break. Before each 7 week tracker checklists, I like to write down basic goals for that interval...very basic...like one goal each for personal, family, homeschool, marriage, and etc...only up to 5 simple things. And, I try to aim for 80% of the boxes checked off for each task/subject by the end of an interval (39 out 49 daily boxes or 28 out of 35 weekday boxes were checked off). Because this is my bullet journal (and not Lady Catherine De Bourgh's so she'll never know---from Pride and Prejudice), I am honest with myself and actually like seeing the reality of huge sections of blank boxes and very low % of them done. It helps me gage how my life is going...busy...distracted...good times. I also love to use my bullet journal to make collections for homeschool ideas and booklists. I like to break down lessons for a subject and check things off as we do them. These lists help me with my younger children's spiral notebooks where I write down daily assignments in a checklist, one day per page. For My older children, each uses a Blue Sky Spiral Weekly planner. I mostly use my bullet journal, come to think of it, for homeschooling. The beginning of my bullet journal has 2 page calendars for appointments. I do use a 2 page spread for each week for my to do list, meal plan, Project Life journal notes (my weekly photo scrapbook), and misc. stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 WMA, of course not everyone will be so enamoured. If, for some absurd reason, I had to choose between my bullet journal and OneNote I would pick OneNote. Slache, thanks so much for the link to the old thread! I can't merge my planner with my bullet journal. It's a size thing. I like the A4 (basically 8 1/2 by 11) month-on-two-pages spread that I got from Donna Young. But I like the A5 size (about half the size of the A4) for the bullet journal. The log records what we have done. Nothing else. No plans, no reflections, no grades, no to-do lists. I would be comfortable sharing it as-is with educational officials. The book that I am starting now (#4 in my OP) is actually pretty far removed from the bullet journal. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 ** Newbie alert ** Aren't these similar to Ben Franklin's in some ways? I don't know much about bullet journals, but from the quick peeks I've taken, they look like various lists and hand-drawn calendars. What makes it a Bullet Journal? Is customization the key? What is new about them? (New as in recent decades/centuries... ;) ) I like to think of it like this: there are Bullet Journals ©, which follow the methods laid out by the inventor, as well detailed on his website. He's a graphic designer, naturally. http://bulletjournal.com/get-started/ And there are bullet journals, which are inspired by the methods. At best, they are efficient management tools. At worst, they are ways to buy special pens and achieve an air of organization. My brain or my personality don't work the way that a Bullet Journal would require. I freeze up when it's time to migrate and index. I can't get the right amount of symbols for my lists. I would LOVE for it to work for me. Sadly, no. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingHope Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Penguin, I use OneNote for all of my planning. I have a OneNote notebook for lesson plans, one for books, and one for each child. love it...OneNote rules! I use the bullet journal as a physical accountabilty tracker, calendar, and for jotting down random weekly notes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) WMA, of course not everyone will be so enamoured. If, for some absurd reason, I had to choose between my bullet journal and OneNote I would pick OneNote. I'm just trying to understand what makes it different than list making, prioritizing, etc. :) I'm a fan of Ben Franklin's planning style, which seems similar to me. Some of Franklin Covey's planners actually work much like the Bullet Journal and have for years, so I was just confused. :) I am using Google Docs, Planner Pad, and a free-form Benjamin Franklin inspired journal. Not sure if the last one qualifies as bullet journaling or not, but maybe. I make lists and plans on blank pages... ;) Edited February 5, 2016 by Woodland Mist Academy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maela Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 For me, what's different between the bullet journal method and other planners is that I can have as much or as little space for each day as I want. Some days I want to journal about the day. Other days I just want write my to do list. I don't plan the next day until the night before. In other planners I've had there's always not enough space or space wasted. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I know the feeling. That's actually why I started my free-form planning journal. Weekly didn't always have enough room, but daily sometimes had too much. I keep the weekly planner going, but use the free-form for other planning/brainstorming/journaling. So far, so good. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I :001_wub: planner threads. Sorry for the slight derail Penguin! I'm curious to see how others are setting up their journals as well. Thanks for starting the thread! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I love using my bullet journal!!! My system has changed a bit over the years, but this is the basics of what I do to incorporate it into our homeschool: http://www.libertyhillhouse.com/2014/12/27/homeschool-bullet-journal/ Woah! That was written in 2014! Since then, I have found a way to view my daily and weekly tasks all at the same time without flipping pages all the time, and it makes me all kinds of happy. I'll try to get a newer version up soon. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Plink, I also put my index in the back. That way, I don't have to guess the number of pages. Eventually, the bullet journal pages meet the index and at that moment the book is done. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 I've been thinking about what appeals to me about the method. I love starting a new spread every week and changing the layout if tweaks are necessary. I love that it is pure pen and paper - not even any printables. I love the index. I love the disorder within the order. Packing lists and project plans are scattered between monthly and weekly spreads. I love that my books are not that big. They are A5 and only have 36 sheets. I get to start over fairly quickly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Plink, I also put my index in the back. That way, I don't have to guess the number of pages. Eventually, the bullet journal pages meet the index and at that moment the book is done. The index in the back makes the most sense to me as well. I always leave a few blank pages in the front for some unknown reason. Maybe because it seems so final to write on page one... :huh: I don't know.... for whatever reason those blank pages feel like a safety net... I've been thinking about what appeals to me about the method. I love starting a new spread every week and changing the layout if tweaks are necessary. I love that it is pure pen and paper - not even any printables. I love the index. I love the disorder within the order. Packing lists and project plans are scattered between monthly and weekly spreads. I love that my books are not that big. They are A5 and only have 36 sheets. I get to start over fairly quickly. Thanks! This is helpful. About half of those are characteristics I've seen in other planners - either as part of the planner or just the way I used them. As I mentioned up-thread, it seems the biggest difference is starting with blank pages and customizing. The index, disorder within order, and small size are things I've had as part of various pre-made planners, but a book of blank pages - that's only found in a book of blank pages! ;) One thing I love about a free-form planning journal is being able to pick the journal. There are so many more blank journal choices. It's so interesting to see how people choose! Thanks for listing what you love! I loved seeing it! ;) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Mine has a table of contents, but I put my collections in the back like you put your index in the back. It also has page numbers. :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I have a journal-but I don't use it like this. I'd like to. However, mine is in different sections. One for thoughts, one for my to do list, one for home, for school, for work, etc. I struggle to find the lists. Consequently, the best about this thread:wasbi tape. seriously why have I never thought of making tabs?! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I have a journal-but I don't use it like this. I'd like to. However, mine is in different sections. One for thoughts, one for my to do list, one for home, for school, for work, etc. I struggle to find the lists. Consequently, the best about this thread:wasbi tape. seriously why have I never thought of making tabs?!I use scotch tape. I can't see it, but I can feel it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I've been using colored pens to track thought processes. A recent example is choosing classes for next year and making tentative plans for the rest of high school. I wrote the date and time at the top of the page in one color. I then wrote my initial plans for the classes - just subjects (and providers, if outsourced) in that same color. When I have thoughts relating to the list or have adjustments to make, I write the new date and time at the top of the page in a new color and add the notes or changes with the new color. This allows me to see how decisions were made and how I arrived at the decisions I did because I can follow my thought processes in the order they occurred. Before I started doing this, I found I was reinventing the wheel each time I starting thinking about various situations that needed decisions. Also, whenever I ask myself, "What was I thinking when I decided to that?!?!?" :svengo: I can quickly go back and find out! :glare: :sneaky2: ;) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 You guys have inspired me to start a bullet journal! I went by Office Depot today and got a cute little spiral notebook that will fit in my purse and hopefully withstand some abuse. I read a book a few months ago, where she encouraged readers to pick either paper or digital for a planner/checklist/note-taking and use it for everything (so you aren't scattered across devices and notebooks and replicating work). I mostly use my phone for calendar and to do list, but while I was reading the book, I had to get out a notebook and write out my notes and ideas--I realized I'm very tactile. I have to hand-write things for them to be real to me. Typing on my phone just makes me feel like I've removed my brain. So I bought a paper planner, but it doesn't work for me at all. I can't make myself conform to someone else's organization. I love the ordered chaos of just writing things out as I think of them. I will still use my phone for calendar, because it's great for those recurring events and alarms. But the process of writing everything out a in one place and having to migrate tasks will make it so much easier for me to remember things. Because I don't always listen to my phone and I kind-of miss the brain I was born with. ;) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I did minor bullet journaling last year & ended up going with something different this year for school purposes. :D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn in CA Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I did minor bullet journaling last year & ended up going with something different this year for school purposes. :DWell don't just leave us hanging!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRobinson Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I am going to need more room to record what we do in each subject for dd's school this coming school year. This year I just use a weekly spiral bound planner. It has tabbed monthly pages, and a 2 page spread for each week. I don't really need the monthly pages and the weekly just doesn't give enough room for each day. 12 lines each day are completely full this year. I record reading, LA, math, history/geography, science, and quickly jot down piano lessons, physical activities, and any field trips. So, for those of you using a bullet journal for homeschool, is it just for goals, future planning, and reading logs or booklists or do you use it for actual records? If so, what is your layout? I'm thinking this might give me the space I'm looking for but it needs to be easy for school officials to read and understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I am going to need more room to record what we do in each subject for dd's school this coming school year. This year I just use a weekly spiral bound planner. It has tabbed monthly pages, and a 2 page spread for each week. I don't really need the monthly pages and the weekly just doesn't give enough room for each day. 12 lines each day are completely full this year. I record reading, LA, math, history/geography, science, and quickly jot down piano lessons, physical activities, and any field trips. So, for those of you using a bullet journal for homeschool, is it just for goals, future planning, and reading logs or booklists or do you use it for actual records? If so, what is your layout? I'm thinking this might give me the space I'm looking for but it needs to be easy for school officials to read and understand. I only use mine for goals, notes, brainstorming, future planning, etc. I keep books read lists and other official record keeping in a digital format, which I occasionally print - just in case... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Well don't just leave us hanging!! Haha, sorry.. I'm using the Large Teacher Planner from Plum Paper Planner for school purposes. It's awesome for my needs. :) For a more "personal" planner/journal I'm using another PPP ;) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRobinson Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I only use mine for goals, notes, brainstorming, future planning, etc. I keep books read lists and other official record keeping in a digital format, which I occasionally print - just in case... Rats! I really don't work well with digital record keeping/ planning. I am very tactile and if I don't write it in pen, it either didn't happen or won't happen, depending on what it is. I might just play around with a few different options and go from there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Rats! I really don't work well with digital record keeping/ planning. I am very tactile and if I don't write it in pen, it either didn't happen or won't happen, depending on what it is. I might just play around with a few different options and go from there. By all means, do whatever works! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine.more Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Haha, sorry.. I'm using the Large Teacher Planner from Plum Paper Planner for school purposes. It's awesome for my needs. :) For a more "personal" planner/journal I'm using another PPP ;) I love the PPP for homeschool lesson planning too. Now if only I could stick to my own plans... ;) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Haha, I stick to my plans these days, but then the kids are old enough to do their own work so we just check the planner to see what's "up next." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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