Vida Winter Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 did it take you to become proficient? I am finding the interface so confusing with its multiple ways of entering data. I think I am doing it right and then I can't manage to view what I've done (using lesson plans to create multiple copies of a lesson with increments). I'm going to call tech support tomorrow but on the off chance do you know if you can only view the next day (say tomorrow, Monday) of the lessons in a student's agenda because it doesn't know what to put into Tuesday yet (say an assignment doesn't get finished)? Am I being clear as mud? Getting ready for the funny farm... Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Dana, I never could figure it out and ended up getting a refund. I tried several of the tracking/scheduling programs and finally gave up and just used Word to create my weekly schedule and keep records. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, but I'll take a stab at it. I'm assuming you're using the plus version. I make my lesson plans, then submit the assignments. You can submit as many at a time as you want. So, if you do math 5 times a week, and you want a week's worth of assignments, submit 5 lessons from the lesson plan. Once they submitted, you can look at all the assignments at one time. Make sure you are selecting all the appropriate days in the calendar on the left. It doesn't matter if the assignment is finished or not, you can view it. If you are talking about reports (assignment sheets you can print off, plus other things), you will need to give the appropriate date range before viewing it. Have you looked at the videos they have at their web-site? Also, the forums are extremely helpful. I usually get an answer back the same day. Let me know if I'm answering your question. HST has a bit of a learning curve, but it is well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in SC Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 HST has a bit of a learning curve, but it is well worth it. :iagree::iagree::iagree: Definitely worth it. If Rhonda's post has not fully answered your question, let us know. Between us and the fabulous tech support at HST, you'll be up and running in no time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 HST has a bit of a learning curve, but it is well worth it. I also agree. The learning curve was fairly steep for me (and I used to be a software engineer) because it doesn't "think" like I do. Or, rather, it is not built in the hierarchy I assumed. Once I got it, though, it's been great. Here's what I did, in the linear fashion in which I think: Make a school calendar - Under Tools -> School Year Calculator you can set weekly school days, holidays, etc. You can also do this in the attendance calendar on the Student tab, but I find that tedious. Create a schedule - specifically helpful if you only do certain subjects on certain days (i.e. we do science on T/Th). If you do every subject every day, this isn't necessary. Create lesson plans - I created the year's worth for each subject at one time. I then went back and eyeballed / tweaked the schedule based on the number of lessons I had. For example, I had grammar set up for 5 days/week, but realized we would finish Growing With Grammar 3, which has 110 or so distinct lessons, in early February, so I tweaked my schedule for 4 days/week and we'll just start 4 early. Again, if you're not using the schedule, then there's no need to tweak. Submit lesson plans to the assignment grid - it will give you the option of using the schedule or picking the days of the week, and whether to skip any holidays you've marked in your school calendar. As Rhonda pointed out, to view multiple days' assignments, you have to highlight multiple days on the calendar to the left of the assignment grid or specify the date range for your report. It defaults to the current week. Also, you may need to go into the report set-up and specify that you want to see outstanding incomplete assignments from prior dates, as well as the incomplete within the date range. It all just takes practice. You'll get it. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 and still don't feel proficient. It's still not intuitive for the the way my brain works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janna Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Hi Dana. I've had mine for maybe 5 years? I started out with the basic version and only upgraded to the plus version about 2 years ago. I don't think I was ever using the basic version proficiently, so I felt pretty lost with the plus version and gave up on it. When our schooling became more serious and diligent, I decided I really needed to get this HST thing figured out. What I learned for myself was that: -I can't try to figure it out in small chunks of time. I needed large chunks of devoted time -I needed to utilize the forums -I needed the manual in print form, so I ordered it -I had to realize that I should only use the parts that I need, rather than trying to get the most out of the program and using everything. The agenda, for example, is something I never use. Once I realized what I really wanted/needed in the program, I grabbed the stuff and headed to the library for about 6 hours of uninterrupted time with my laptop. I entered what I could, searched and read the forums, and asked on the forum what I couldn't find or understand. I felt like such a heel with some of the questions, but I really needed the explanation dumbed down. Katie always responded within about 10 minutes. Now I feel pretty proficient, but I am realizing that it takes a lot of devoted time to enter it all in (I like the lesson planner better than the weekly planner, but that realization didn't come until I understood - before I was always using the weekly planner). Knowing this, I will start earlier this summer in getting next year's stuff in. Use the forums. Seriously. Your question is probably already listed, but if it's not, or you need further explanation than what you saw given, ask and a response will be there almost immediately. It's uncanny really.... And like someone else said, we can help you here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janna Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I should also say that a good thing to do is practice using "default" as the student name. That way, you can see if it didn't turn out the way you wanted, or if it worked exactly right and therefore you can repeat it with one of your actual students. Practicing on "default" was really helpful to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jejily Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 HST has a bit of a learning curve, but it is well worth it. :iagree: And I'm only using it for one child! But I love it. I don't use the weekly planner right now -- the lesson plans tab (under "Teacher") is where I plan out our yearly schedule. I usually submit them once a week. Setting up my Saxon Math schedule for the entire year was a SNAP. Same with my Easy Grammar schedule. I've really come to appreciate the ease with which I am able to plan out entire subjects at one time, then submit the lessons weekly. (Learned the hard way that that method was better than submitting a year's worth at once, in the likely event that you have to reschedule.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I am still trying to learn the ropes. I perused the message board and it has been very helpful!! I have been using it for 6 months and I am getting better and better at it. This program is a keeper for me. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 My goodness, everyone, thank your for the hints and encouragement! I am ready to tackle it again today. I used to be a computer engineer so it has been frustrating to not pick this up right away - I agree, the program does not "think" the way I do at all. I also used to use the online planner at Simply Charlotte Mason which has a completely different underlying philosophy. I loved the SCM planner but it costs too much. What is bugging me now is that I may have messed up some items that are hard to fix (as in over a hundred lessons entered the wrong way).:tongue_smilie:I will try the forums and may even order the manual. While I appreciate the lovely videos they have produced, I can't seem to remember what I see long enough to apply it correctly to my own database. I am more of a "just hand me the manual" kind of person. Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Dana, I've found the customer service is just awesome. I'd e-mail them with an SOS for help. I did find the tutorials and printed guide very helpful. I agree with the other about using it to fit your needs. It will do so many things in so many ways...focus on what your basic needs are and then work from there. My goodness, everyone, thank your for the hints and encouragement! I am ready to tackle it again today. I used to be a computer engineer so it has been frustrating to not pick this up right away - I agree, the program does not "think" the way I do at all. I also used to use the online planner at Simply Charlotte Mason which has a completely different underlying philosophy. I loved the SCM planner but it costs too much. What is bugging me now is that I may have messed up some items that are hard to fix (as in over a hundred lessons entered the wrong way).:tongue_smilie:I will try the forums and may even order the manual. While I appreciate the lovely videos they have produced, I can't seem to remember what I see long enough to apply it correctly to my own database. I am more of a "just hand me the manual" kind of person. Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in SC Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I've found the customer service is just awesome. I'd e-mail them with an SOS for help.... I agree with the other about using it to fit your needs. It will do so many things in so many ways...focus on what your basic needs are and then work from there. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 I just went through and deleted all the assignments I created last night (I left the subjects and resources in!). I need to start over rather than force what I've already done into a format that may not be ideal...that is the perfectionist in me, I guess. So much of the program is extraneous for me -- attendance, tracking hours,... I added myself as a student so I can use the reading log for myself, too. And I found a bug in the reporting portion.:confused: This is definitely going to take me longer than an evening and a morning to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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