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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 01 2012 at 4:17pm | IP Logged
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Sounds FANTASTIC, Martha! Love the idea of binding down the short side - that gives you plenty of room to maneuver on the page!!
Pockets are easy to add - make your own again using cardstock or pretty scrapbook paper and heavy duty clear packing tape to hold pieces together. Then just run the short side through your punching machine for binding.
Sounds like you are really on your way, Martha! Have fun building your planner! 
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Maryan
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| Posted: June 01 2012 at 4:50pm | IP Logged
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Martha wrote:
| Next I want a 2 page oversized spread of blocks. Similiar to the average blocks in most planners, only i need mine to have all the blocks on the typical 2 page spread on EACH side of the spread. That way I have plenty of blocks for each kid/day/subject AND they are big enough to stick a post-it. and I can bind it on the short side. It will open up like a squat, but very wide desk calendar. Did that make any sense? I think I also want to have some sort of pockets in it, so I can toss papers I need to have on hand for the week in ONE location. |
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Great idea! And I love the pocket and post-it ideas. 
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Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
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JamieCarin
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| Posted: June 01 2012 at 9:03pm | IP Logged
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Totally new to homeschooling (starting kindergarten in September). Somewhere early in this thread someone brought up using a table in a Word document rather than excel. What, in the long run, is the difference?? I thought Excel (which I have no clue how to use) was for creating formulas and calculations. Like for accounting etc??
Thanks ladies
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 01 2012 at 9:43pm | IP Logged
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JamieCarin wrote:
Totally new to homeschooling (starting kindergarten in September). Somewhere early in this thread someone brought up using a table in a Word document rather than excel. What, in the long run, is the difference?? I thought Excel (which I have no clue how to use) was for creating formulas and calculations. Like for accounting etc??
Thanks ladies |
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In the end, the only long-run difference is which program is easiest for you to work with.
Excel builds spreadsheets which can work as tables. In Excel, you certainly can tell a "cell" to complete calculations, but you don't have to. You certainly can use it to build a table and just add information to it. One of the pluses of using Excel is that you can tell it to sort by....something....one of your rows or columns usually. This is particular effective if you're building a long history book list and you'd like to be able to sort by setting or century. But, if you're building a lesson plan, you don't really want to sort information, you want to compile it and list it and print it easily. For this reason, a table dropped into a word processing document can be a really workable option. I also think that a table that is a part of a document can be more flexible. I can have a table and then I can have text or lists following in the body of the document, so I'm not limited to just the table.
Having said ALLLLLLL of that...in the end, it boils down to what's most intuitive for you - Excel spreadsheet or a table inserted into a Word document.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 01 2012 at 9:59pm | IP Logged
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you can also merge and center in Excel if you want text to extent the width of the table but not in the table.
Basically it's partially just what you like to work with. I find Excel to be much more flexible when I'm working with tables and lists than a word doc. But it will also depend on how much of any given document you want in a table.. if I want a small table as part of a longer document then word makes much more sense.. if I want the inverse then excel can make really nice table/lists.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: June 01 2012 at 10:09pm | IP Logged
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I am useless with excel. The only time I have used it is when I download schedules from the ambleside yahoo group and use them as my template!!
I tend to make a page with slots and titles and pencil things in. I also give my kids the blank sheets (especially my upcoming senior) and they record their learning on them. By this point my ds knows what is expected (at least he often does  )and it gives him some independence.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 02 2012 at 5:24am | IP Logged
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Excel can be useful, too, if you want to make multiple tables that are all related and reference them all quickly. You can add tabs for new "pages." So, if you wanted the tables for all your children in one place, or if you wanted to have one table with the basic outline and then separate tables for breaking down details, etc...
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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Martha
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| Posted: June 02 2012 at 11:21am | IP Logged
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Okay. Here is what I'm fiddling with so far. I can't figure how to get a picture on here without uploading elsewhere and them linking to it, which is more time than I have. I might try to get it on my blog later tho and link from there. :)
I made a monthly "guide" of sorts. There is a front sheet that is the overview of the month. Main concepts covered and booklist for the younger kiddies. All on ONE page for quick reference.
Then there is a weekly schedule of events and four pages for each week.
The first 2 page spread has Monday Meeting notes on the left and Monday/Tuesday blocks on the right. Monday Meeting page is where I will scribble in what parts of the monthly overview I will try to do that week and any other important info. The daily blocks have the days written across the top and down the left are these subject headings: reading, history, geography, science, writing, faith/latin, and arts. The second 2 page section has Wednesday/Thursday on the left and Friday/Notes for next week on the right.
I went in and wrote what CCM focus will be on which days and plan to fill in which children will need me to go over what as I go.
At the end of each week, I can go back and mark off completed goals/items on the monthly overview and plan for the next week.
Not sure that made any sense.
I *hope* this way each month is layed out, but my weeks are still flexible. And since I'm binding them in one month blocks with a pocket in the front and back, they are small enough to take on the go.
If anyone wants to see them, they can PM or email me. tho really I don't think they are anywhere near Jen's calliber. Jen rocks at being prettily organized!
ETA: I used excell if it matters to anyone.
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Martha
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JamieCarin
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| Posted: June 02 2012 at 2:52pm | IP Logged
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Thanks ladies. I had no idea all of this was involved in homeschooling! Why are there no lesson plan making excel learning workkshop at the homeschool conferences I go to?? How/When did you ladies learn how to use Excel? I am not even sure I could successfully add a table to a word document. :(
I had planned on getting a Family Centered Learning (Michele Quigley) planner with the lesson plan insert.
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Martha
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| Posted: June 02 2012 at 3:25pm | IP Logged
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Just play with it! There isn't any emotional or financial loss if you mess it up. Just delete or undo and play with another button. :)
I used to buy the FCP calendar and plans. And I used to use homeschool tracker +, still have it even. I used them both for years. But it's been many years since I used either bc they just don't meet my needs anymore.
I wager they don't do demos and seminars at the conventions bc that would rather undercut those selling there! lol
I'd like make mine prettier. Pretty always seem to be the last thing I never get to.
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Martha
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 02 2012 at 3:47pm | IP Logged
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Martha.. just get some pretty paper so when you have your utilitarian charts/lists/tables ready on the computer.. you can print on pretty paper and it won't take much more time than printing on plain paper.
Jamie, I learned both of them by doing as Martha says and playing with it. It won't blow up if you push a button and that "undo" button is just the bee's knees 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
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Marcia
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| Posted: June 04 2012 at 3:22pm | IP Logged
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Oh I love looking at your plans guys. I only have four I am homeschooling this year....and whew. It's getting complicated! :)
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Marcia
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Martha
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| Posted: June 13 2012 at 7:45pm | IP Logged
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I found these sites to have some nifty forms:
http://peacecreekontheprairie.com/large-family-homeschool-fo rms
I used the yearly and quarterly planning forms here too:
http://highland.hitcho.com.au/teacherforms.htm
HTH someone else!
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Martha
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Jenny
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| Posted: June 21 2012 at 9:14pm | IP Logged
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Following your progress Martha; this year I will have a baby, 4yo, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th. I too need something so I can keep track of everyone. Too many times during this last pregnancy I would tell a child, "I'll get to your spelling test later," and later never happened. Same thing happening now with a new baby in the house. I may not remember until we're already in bed 
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Jenny
Chris' wife and momma of 7. My blog: The Littlest Way--Bible Journaling, Inspiring Bible Quotes, Daily Affirmations, Prayer Journaling & photography
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Martha
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| Posted: June 22 2012 at 12:06am | IP Logged
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Yes. Many people say, "Oh let it go. You'll get to it later when your little one isn't so little. It's such a brief time!"
But it is not a brief time for all women. If I waited until I wasn't pregnant or had a nursing infant to buckle down - well I'm going on 17 YEARS so far. That's a long time to put off making sure I get them properly educated. There is always something going on. In a large family, nothing ever settles, it just keeps shifting in new ways.
Jenny wrote:
| Following your progress Martha; this year I will have a baby, 4yo, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th. I too need something so I can keep track of everyone. Too many times during this last pregnancy I would tell a child, "I'll get to your spelling test later," and later never happened. Same thing happening now with a new baby in the house. I may not remember until we're already in bed |
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Martha
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hsinfljmj
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| Posted: June 25 2012 at 8:11am | IP Logged
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I'm following this as well! I have #8 due in January and I have been pulling my hair out trying to get organized over this summer so that I will be ready for this school year. I don't have a comb binder, but I found out that my local UPS store will bind a book for $1.50, which, fortunately is in my budget. Please let us know when you have it all put together!
I can so relate to the fact that "later never comes" unless you plan for it when you constantly have a nursing infant!
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asplendidtime
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I read Managers of Their Schools by Teri Maxwell recently. It was a big help to me. I have seven "official" students this year. There's quite a lengthy section in the book about her curriculum choices but I really liked the "day before the first day of school" plan and how they would sit together and then with each student and discuss goals/progress. It helped me get my mind in gear.
I just wanted to offer it as a possible suggestion. JIC you hadn't heard of it.
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Large family planning?
