Organizing your schedule, how do you do it?

[Mom2GirlsTX]

I am looking for advice on how to organize my homsechool schedule. I have basically done it by hand, printing out calendars and filling them in. I see those of you who have your lovely spreadsheets, etc.

 

I would like to be more organized and efficient. If anyone would like to add their suggestions, I think it could help others to be more organized with their schedules. So if you have a favorite way, a favorite program, a favorite book on organization, scheduling ,please let me know!

[Alana in Canada]

This is such a huge subject, I don't know where to start.

 

The two computer programs I rely on most heavily are 1) Microsoft works (for correlating reading schedules and making charts) and 2) the table function in Microsoft Word. (For making our weekly schedule).

 

hth.

[Sunshine State Sue]

I use the table function in Word. I'll copy and paste here, but it doesn't copy well. If you email me, I'll reply to you with an attachment. I write in pencil what lesson is to be done each day.

 

 

 

Week of ________________

 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Algebra

Analytical Grammar

Write Shop

Lightning Lit

Megawords

Science

History Odyssey

Reading

Latin

Logic

Guitar

[Mom2GirlsTX]

These are good starts, thanks!

 

Sue, I sent you a pm!:001_smile:

[MamaT]

I make a weekly overview schedule for each child in Word, then I also have daily planner sheets (have them put together as a book at the beginning of the year) where I pencil in their specific assignments for each day. I do this in Excel.

[Mallory]

My weekly schedule is similar to Sue's except I write the assignment in the first column, and then write what we actually get done every day under the day column.

 

We only plan a 4 day week and I do two weeks on each paper, landscape orientation. It also made a huge differnce for us when I started numbering the days instead of naming them. If we don't get school done on Monday and Tuesday, then day 1 can just be Wenesday. Before I switched to numbers I was much more likely to just skip the whole week.

 

So when I plan every other Sunday, I write the assingment right under the subject. For example Reading will say 82, meaning he will start with lesson 82, and as we work each day, I write down what actually gets done. Then next time I do the daily plans, I look at the old sheet and write down how far we got.

 

I also do a calendar from time and date. That way I can make a years worth of months starting from whenever I plan. Then I write in two colors of highlighters weeks I know we will take off and weeks we can probably school.

 

I also do a table for a yearly plan. It has the months across the top and the subjects down the side. It isn't very detailed, I just look at my calendar and see how many weeks of school we will do that month and write in simply the chapter or lesson I would like to be at by the end of each month.

 

Those are my three main planning tools. A yearly calendar, color coded by days on and off, a yearly plan, to keep us on track, and a bi-weekly daily lesson sheet.

[Laura Corin]

I used to have quite strict schedules but with experience have become much more free form. Each boy now has a list of work to be completed during the week. I mark the previous week's work and make up lists every Sunday. Calvin works quite independently, coming to me when he wants help or for me to teach him lessons. Hobbes chooses what order to do things in, but I supervise him much more.

 

There are some fixed points in the week: we start almost every day with French, both boys run for half an hour around mid morning, and Friday morning is taken up with the subjects we all do together - music theory, art and memorisation.

 

Best wishes

 

Laura

[Sunshine State Sue]

I used to have quite strict schedules but with experience have become much more free form. Each boy now has a list of work to be completed during the week.

Yes, I think ds will be ready for this next year (8th). I'd like to just give him an assignment sheet for the week and allow him to organize his week himself. He would not have been capable of that this year.

[Suzannah]

I kept my schedules/ lessons plans all on paper until the very end of last year when I downloaded the free version of Homeschool Tracker http://www.tghomesoft.com/ . I did some mega planning over the summer (thanks to recommendations by Kendra over on www.preschoolersandpeace.com ) so really all I do during the week is check things off. Then Sunday night I'll look over my plans for the upcoming week, deleting or moving things around as necessary.

 

I print out an assignment sheet each week for DS so he can see what he needs to do and can (fingers crossed) work ahead if he is so inclined. He usually isn't, but sometime in first grade I realized that he thought I was just piling on the work and there was no end in sight. He needs to see what's expected of him and feel the sense of accomplishment in checking things off once it's done.

 

I'm notoriously cheap, but I do think I'll spring for the full version of HST since I've not only enjoyed it for a year now, but I want to take advantage of some of the other features in the full version.

 

Best wishes!

Edited May 4, 2009 by Suzannah

[Samiam]

I use the free program from HomeSchool Tracker. It does everything I need it to at this point, although I know many prefer the paid version.

 

I schedule week by week. This way I can look at our activities for the upcoming week and know which days I might need to not schedule so much work as compared to the days where we are home all day.

 

I put in each of DS10's subjects, the page number, the assignment, how many points the work is worth (just some formula I figured out, so DS can have his "report card" he likes to get at the end of the semester).

 

I print out the schedule by the week, it's all listed there, so I don't forget what we need to do, and the subjects that he works independently, he doesn't need to wait for me to get started on it.

[Greta]

I've started experimenting with online scheduling programs lately, and I'm liking it MUCH better than my pen and paper method.

 

http://www.myhomeschoolplan.com/

 

http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/cm-organizer/

[Mom2GirlsTX]

Okay you ladies rock! You are making me feel better. I need to familiarize myself more with Excel and consider that. I'm such an oldie, pencil and paper kind of gal (at least I'm not a stone tablet with a mallet kind of gal;) )

[FloridaMomTo5]

I've started experimenting with online scheduling programs lately, and I'm liking it MUCH better than my pen and paper method.

 

http://www.myhomeschoolplan.com/

 

http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/cm-organizer/

 

Thanks GretaLynne!! This cm organizer looks great!

[Peela]

I have bought many a scheduling tool. I have used online ones. I love them all. And none fit me! I just want it the way I want it, and no one else's tools seem to work for me at all.

 

So I go back to Microsoft Word's table tool over and over again. I must have made hundreds over the years.

This last fortnight I have now made 3 different schedules for my kids. The first one, didn't work for me. The 2nd, didn't work for them. The 3rd seems to be just right! I actually like scheduling so I am ok with changing it. I find it makes all the difference the way it is presented, even though its all the same work.

For example, I got all gung ho and decided we need to do more work this term, than last term. So I wondered how to motivate the kids to do that. And I decided we would try, again, a strict time table (rather like in Managers of their Homes). Now, my son hated it at first, then warmed to it and now likes it (that was all over one day). My daughter was open to it and by the end of the day, she didn't want to homeschool any more and she hated anything to do with school and she felt she had no life any more. So....we discussed it and she told me precisely what she wanted- she likes it all laid out daily, but no times, and with the understanding that it's her job to finish the whole week's work and she can shuffle anything around. She doesnt like to stop in the middle of something- she would rather finish it than watch the clock, so if she didnt get to Latin today, she will do extra tomorrow.

Not that we havent had the conversation before, but they are getting older and things change.

Making my own tables feel creative to me. I enjoy it.

[Christine]

I am looking for advice on how to organize my homsechool schedule. I have basically done it by hand, printing out calendars and filling them in. I see those of you who have your lovely spreadsheets, etc.

 

I would like to be more organized and efficient. If anyone would like to add their suggestions, I think it could help others to be more organized with their schedules. So if you have a favorite way, a favorite program, a favorite book on organization, scheduling ,please let me know!

 

Are you looking for daily schedules, or for course schedules?

 

I have schedules available on my blog for free. I have some based on certain courses, and some blank for you to fill in.

[Greta]

Thanks GretaLynne!! This cm organizer looks great!

 

You're welcome! It IS great. I told myself not to get hooked when I saw the price. But I watched the video demonstrations, and I was hooked. :D I've been using the free trial period, determined that I'm going to work this into my budget.

 

ETA: Hubby says the cost is too high for what you get, which I had pretty much come to believe anyway. I'm going with My Homeschool Plan instead. It's great, and really easy to use.

Edited May 9, 2009 by GretaLynne

[MamaofTwo]

Check out www.donnayoung.org She has tons of forms and ideas for scheduling anything and everything to do with homeschooling.