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Barb.b
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| Posted: Sept 04 2014 at 8:54am | IP Logged
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OK - I couldn't find a good name for this post!
What are you must have things for organizing your teaching and homeschool. If your like me, you have tried various methods and forms through out the years. In the past some years I have been way too detailed and others not enough!
This year, I am thinking of either one organizer binder for each of my 2 kids. In it: A planner for the next week or weeks assignments, curriculum overview with books used, pacing . . . (the big picture - for ex. I will list the current history text and plan approx. 1 chap per week and say when about tests will be). Behind that I may have a checkoff type plaaner page. Sometimes I use this because the publisher nicely gave me one - like Saxon Grammar has a great one that lists by lesson day what is done - all in a nice checklist form. Then, I may have other things depending on the subject - like answer keys or for math: supplemental sheets.
Then I have a weekly planner template that I made. Its divided by day on top and subject going down. One each page I have 2 : one on the top half and one on the bottom so both kids are on one page for the whole week. That way I can quickly glance down on a particular day and know who and for what subject I need to meet with. This page doesn't have all thieir assignments ( that will be in my binder for them under the subject) but this is a calendar that lists the things the kids have to meet 1:1 with me. I think this will be my most valuable thing! Even though I only school 2 kids now - I find the day slips by and I forgot to meet with my oldest for something. That is how it happens - I spend more time with my youngest (because the younger they are the more we need to be near them!) and forget to meet with my oldest! This way it is written down! Be it math, lit. discussion or grading history answers together - we will meet on monday and plan what days we need to meet. I think this got harder too because as my kids get into high school - I don't meet with them daily at the beginning of each subject anymore!
So, today I am finishing this!
Forms I need: my weekly, 2 kid planner template; blank calendar forms for individual subject planning of assignments, as well as put any lesson check off type pacing guide given by a publisher and finally print and file the subjects course of studies I have.
Gee - just realized this post helped get me focused.
So, what have to, needed planning do you do at the beginning of each year!
Barb
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ekbell
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| Posted: Sept 04 2014 at 9:16am | IP Logged
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I do much the same with planners for each of the kids with their yearly schedules and a planner where each week I input the lessons for every child for that week (including material for communal morning time). I tend to use duotangs or report covers rather then binders as they fit better on my shelves.
I have additional planners for the liturgical year (trying to pull together all my resources) and history (as we all study the same time period, it's easier to have a separate duotang for that subject).
I also gather together a 'pile' for each child the night before with that child's daily work (I bookmark each book with instructions if needed). We don't have the room for baskets or drawers so it's just neat piles on the table but it helps both them and me to *see* what needs to be done.
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Maria Rioux
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| Posted: Sept 04 2014 at 10:31am | IP Logged
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Some people find scholaric.com helpful.
God bless, Maria
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jawgee
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| Posted: Sept 04 2014 at 12:05pm | IP Logged
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I use Homeschool Planet, which is on homeschoolbuyersco-op.com. I input all the various books and work for the whole year, and it generates a daily report for me. At the beginning of the week I fill in my kids' planners according to what is showing up on Homeschool Planet.
We've been using the Pflaum planners for years and I love them. They are thoroughly Catholic, and we get a group order together so that each planner is only about $5 shipped.
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Monica
C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
The Catholic Cup on Facebook
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Sept 05 2014 at 5:08am | IP Logged
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My main tools are my general homeschool binder, my clipboard and various types of assignment sheets or planners that my kids use, based on what works best for them.
While planning for the coming year I create a chart in word for each child. The farthest left hand column is labeled Week 1 Day 1, Week 1 Day 2, etc. (I just put 1:1, 1;2, 1:3, etc.) The rest of the columns are labeled for each title the child will be using. So, instead of Religion, I have columns for "Faith and Life", "Acts of The Apostles" and "Saint Joan of Arc". Then I put in what pages from each book the child will read that day, or just leave it blank if there is nothing to be read from that resource.
This chart is in my homeschool binder. It does get out of order because we move ahead more quickly in some things. But I just check them off as we go and it's not a big deal to keep track. I mostly use it when I am planning for the week.
From this chart I use a weekly assignment sheet for each child.
I've found various things I like for this. My older kids use what works best for them.
I also keep a checklist on my clipboard. This is another chart listing the various subjects to be covered each day (so here, just "religion" instead of specific titles). As they do a narration or hand me written work, I check it off. Then when I get the inevitable question, "can I play on the wii", or whatever, I can say yes or no based on whether or not the schoolwork, chores, and some "masterly inactivity" have been completed.
Other than the binder, my clipboard is my all important organizational tool. This year I even have tabs I use to divide the various things I use throughout the day. The first page is the checklist I described. Under that I have a tab for memory work under which the various poems and things the kids are memorizing are tucked, then I have a tab for "Morning Time Plans" where my sheets that list the plans for the various things we will read together as a family are kept.
Phew! I think that's everything!
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Sept 05 2014 at 7:46am | IP Logged
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I would say that the best thing I have done is make notebooks. If I did not have access to a binding machine at dh's work, I would invest in a pro-click. As it is, I bought my own coils and such that fit the machine I have access to.
I have tried binders, and they are useful for certain things, but the notebooks just help us all stay on track and keep all the papers contained.
I also have a lot of audio books and online resources going like xtra math daily, altar server responses. I have a private blog for each child with all their links laid out by day so it is easy for them to work independently. This has made a big difference for us. I sort of fell into this technique when I hit crisis mode last year with a new baby and wanted to use the Easy Peasy Homeschool to help my struggling reader, but since he was older, the lessons that weren't part of the phonics instruction were too young. I copied and pasted into my own blog and then modified it. I figured, if you can link to online books in that fashion, why not audio chapters? He's still a struggling reader  , but he is able to stay on track with his lessons. My goal in the next week or so is to fill his sidebar with links to librivox books he can listen to independently. I think that he and his little brother would love to listen to more audio books if I had selections easily accessible rather than the --"mom can we listen to a story"..."hmmm, let me see if I can find something"-- scenario that usually happens when the baby is crying  I am really grateful that the mother at easy-peasy shared this technique that I have been able to modify to fit our needs.
I never thought I would use the computer as much as I do, but I also never imagined I would have an 8 year old who couldn't read. I mean, I was always on board with the Better Late than Early mentality and it was all well and good in theory, but in practice, it is a challenge! I still don't use a lot of online games, much to my boys' chagrin (they loved all that stuff from easy peasy  ), but computer resources have been powerful tools for planning independent learning here.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: your must have planning/organizers
