Planner recommendation

[Homeschoolmommy44]

I need help choosing a planner! There are so many can someone recommend one that has worked for them? I was looking into "A simple plan" homeschooling planner. It does seem really simple and inexpensive. What do you use???

 

 

 

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[happypamama]

I use OneNote for most things, partly because it's easy to make changes.

 

I did print out a simple paper planner that I am intending to use this year -- just a table I made in OpenOffice -- to help me keep track of the small subjects, like group work, geography, and art.

[MerryAtHope]

That's pretty, I hadn't seen that before. I make up my own Teacher Binder, so that I can have just the pages I need.

[TheAttachedMama]

Check out etsy.   https://www.etsy.com/listing/201426160/homeschool-planner-editable-digital?ref=hp_rv

 

[mmasc]

I tried A Simple Plan last year. I liked it, but found it a bit too bulky coming from what I had used the previous years. I'm going back to my even simpler planner that I had used the previous 2 years, which is one from Confessions of a Homeschooler blog. It doesn't have dated, so I just print it out year after year! Then I take it to Staples to spiral bind at the top. I use mine as more of a record of what we accomplish for the day. It's easy, and it works for me. :)

[kolamum]

I use the Plum Paper Large Teacher. It's very roomy & has very little excess that goes to waste. Next year I'll likely move to the Plum Paper Large ME planner. They didn't have it in a large when I ordered the Teacher planner. The differences will be minor but the very few pages I don't use won't be there & I can have extra note pages added. 

 

I love that it's very customisable to have this or that added in. If you prefer a 3-ring binder type planner you can simply ask them not to punch or bind it up & they'll sent it to you so you can hole-punch if it you like. I didn't do that, I had mine bound as normal as I prefer a spiral bound planner to be honest. My kids use small ME planners for their student/life planners. Works great. :)

[carriede]

I discovered FiveJ's planner recently. It's in black and white for low cost printing and it's FREE!

http://fivejs.com/free-printable-homeschool-planner-over-200-pages/

 

That said, I usually end up writing all my big picture thoughts and yearly planning on regular paper. I also keep a One Note notebook for both ideas and detailed plans. It's quite the paper-digital hybrid.

[RootAnn]

I make my own. I found that a week-at-a-glance for all subjects doesn't work for me, so I plan each subject individually on their own do-the-next-day type plan. (Some are 3x/week and some are 4x/week, so I put them on either a 3 or 4x/week spreadsheet so I can quickly see how many weeks we have left.) Then, I tab the subjects, have the kids' schedules & calendars in front. It has worked great for me for the last several years.

 

I wish I could find the type of binder thing I use to link for you guys because it is like a binder (pages removable) but it is almost flat & has a spot for you to put your own cover in plus a pocket in the back.  :001_tt1:  I don't remember where I bought it and can't find another like it to link.

[mmasc]

I make my own. I found that a week-at-a-glance for all subjects doesn't work for me, so I plan each subject individually on their own do-the-next-day type plan. (Some are 3x/week and some are 4x/week, so I put them on either a 3 or 4x/week spreadsheet so I can quickly see how many weeks we have left.) Then, I tab the subjects, have the kids' schedules & calendars in front. It has worked great for me for the last several years.

 

I wish I could find the type of binder thing I use to link for you guys because it is like a binder (pages removable) but it is almost flat & has a spot for you to put your own cover in plus a pocket in the back. :001_tt1: I don't remember where I bought it and can't find another like it to link.

Would you mind giving some more details on how you do the 'by subject' method?

[TKDmom]

I've realized that pre-made planners don't work for me.

 

Right now I'm using Plan Your Year by Pam Barnhill. I'm printing pages as I go and adding them to a binder. She has some free printables, but the full program has been worth every penny this summer, as I set up the new system.

[Jess4879]

I haven't been able to find a planner that I love, so I just do my own thing.  I did a lot of browsing online to see what kinds of pages I wanted, then I tweaked them.  Some I found printables and used as is.  I love these pages:  http://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/free-printables/7-step-curriculum-planner/

 

In the past I have put all my record keeping pages in a basic binder, but this year I am going to have them bound at Staples. 

[RootAnn]

Would you mind giving some more details on how you do the 'by subject' method?

 

I've attached a REALLY simplistic version of what I'm talking about. This was my FLL4 three-times-per-week plan. (Note:  It never goes exactly like this, but it has enough room for me to make notes when I need to add some review, note who will be doing which poem recitation first since I had two kids doing this together, or schedule in a pop quiz (on say, contractions) later. We also sometimes did two days worth of lessons in one day, but I could just note the date like '8/15' on both days slots and move on.) I date each box when we finish it.

 

Edited to add: Here's my US History for my two youngest from last year as another example. This one is in a 4x/week format. The original files are in OpenOffice format, but they won't let me upload those type, so I switched them over to PDFs.

Edited June 29, 2016 by RootAnn

[freelylearned]

I have A Simple Plan and I really like it. It's sturdy enough that it doesn't slouch over when I put it upright on a bookshelf, it has plenty of room to plan out the year and then to plan week by week, and the paper is nicer quality than printer paper. The only thing I wish it had was a grade log, but I have yet to see a homeschool planner with a good grade log. I just print up my own grade book and put it in the back pocket.

 

I have made my own planner in the past but I don't like using a binder. I prefer bound notebooks across the board. I also don't love the quality of the office store's binding.

[3 ladybugs]

I haven't been able to find a planner that I love, so I just do my own thing.  I did a lot of browsing online to see what kinds of pages I wanted, then I tweaked them.  Some I found printables and used as is.  I love these pages:  http://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/free-printables/7-step-curriculum-planner/

 

In the past I have put all my record keeping pages in a basic binder, but this year I am going to have them bound at Staples. 

I am printing this out as I type! I don't know if it is perfect, but I had to try it. I like that it is completely customizable. I also like that it goes by school days and not by the calendar. So if we miss a day, I don't feel like a complete slacker.

[Hobbes]

I haven't found a pre-made planner I like, so I use Drive and my own spreadsheet forms. I have a page for weekly household planning and behind another tab in the same binder I have a sheet for any subjects I need to do within a schedule. I like one-page spreads for everything. I make weekly checklists for the kids to keep track of our daily stuff.

Edited June 29, 2016 by indigoellen@gmail.com

[Slache]

Have you considered a bullet journal?

 

Website: http://bulletjournal.com

 

Blog post on HSing with a BJ: http://www.passionthemedlife.com/2016/03/17/the-bullet-journal-for-planning-your-home-school/

[Citrusheights5]

I've going to try and use Google Drive this year and a spreadsheet. I'm toying with Google forms to make checkoff lists for the kids daily work and going all digital this year

[Aretemama]

I love the simple Whaley Planbooks available from Rainbow Resource:

 

I used this 4/8 subject planner for when my kids were younger. It was a simple and flexible. It kept them accountable. It's fun to look back at these. Yes, I kept them!

https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl.php?id=010057&subject=Home+School+Helps/1&category=LESSON+PLAN+BOOKS/128

 

When they got into high school we switched to the 7 subject version:

https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl.php?id=010058&subject=Home+School+Helps/1&category=Whaley+Planbooks/131

 

We switched to the Whaley planbooks when our favorite Charlotte Mason planbook stopped being printed. There is nothing fancy about these, but they do the job.

[kesmom]

I use the DayTimer Family Plus planner - it's only $15 at Walmart.

[3 ladybugs]

I am printing this out as I type! I don't know if it is perfect, but I had to try it. I like that it is completely customizable. I also like that it goes by school days and not by the calendar. So if we miss a day, I don't feel like a complete slacker.

Here is a video of my finished product: https://youtu.be/FpcqGkes6no

 

I like how it turned out.

[MamaSprout]

I do a spreadsheet for what I want to cover each week for each subject using a form I have from Donna Young (I bought her CD back when she sold them, but it's really just a 5x36 grid)

 

DC gets that written into a week-at-a-glance teacher planner. Target has nice, but basic ones for $3 right now up with their dollar bins. I only write in a week or so at a time. This is the one we are using this year: https://www.amazon.com/House-Doolittle-Teachers-Leatherette-HOD50907/dp/B003FMRS46/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1467508310&sr=8-3&keywords=doolittle+planner

 

I'll use the 5J's grade book this year, but I've used ThinkWave before, too.

 

ETA- I keep a version of a bullet journal that I build each week with a print out of my google calendar in a dollar tree notebook. I could never carry around my calendar stuff and DC lesson plans all in one book. I'd need a mule.

Edited July 3, 2016 by elladarcy

[mom31257]

I like this for individual students because it has a great grade recording section.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ya/ref=yo_ii_bia_view?ie=UTF8&ac=bia&reorder_params=B00Q4Z946G%2C105-1265583-5552243

[Freedom]

I usually make my own planner and attendance log but I did not like using a 3-ring binder like a couple of other moms here. I also did not like paying for binding at the office supply stores. Since I bind a moderate amount of things like notebooking pages, math mammoth PDFs, copy work books, etc I bought a Proclick binding machine and it has been well worth it. I bought it 3 years ago and it has paid for itself in the money I've saved versus the office supply store. What is also nice about these is that you can open the binding and add sheets or remove sheets then re-bind it!

 

https://www.amazon.com/GBC-ProClick-Desktop-Binding-Machine/dp/B00006IAS3/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1467548604&sr=1-1&keywords=proclick

[Sammish]

For the past two years I've used a planner from A Plan in Place customized homeschool planners (and I'm getting read to order a new one for next year). You get to pick out how many boxes you want, what you want them to say, areas for daily checklists, etc. Plus, you can get two pockets in the back, which are super useful. I use the first pocket to hold my plans for individual subjects, and the second folder is where I keep completed schoolwork that I want to keep. Instant portfolio! 

 

I can't recommend these planners enough - I love them!

[Cynful]

Here is a video of my finished product:

 

I like how it turned out.

 

Thanks for sharing  this.  I loved seeing how it turned out too.  I've liked a lot of Tina's sheets and have been considering using them.  Let us know in August how you're liking it.  :)

 

I waffle between a planner (paper and pen) and an online planner yearly.  Drives me crazy.  :)  

[Tiramisu]

Now I want to design my own planner, too.

 

How would I get a cover with a llama on it?

[gerka528]

Limelife has an excellent homeschool planner!

[3 ladybugs]

Thanks for sharing this. I loved seeing how it turned out too. I've liked a lot of Tina's sheets and have been considering using them. Let us know in August how you're liking it. :)

 

I waffle between a planner (paper and pen) and an online planner yearly. Drives me crazy. :)

I did it in excel last year and I found that it always took me longer then it should. It also separated me from my family.

 

I am not using the planning school pages till September. My son is only doing math and Latin over the summer. Both of my children are also using Mother Goose Time as a camp. So I am putting all of that on the weekly calendar pages in the front. So far so good with that. 😉