can't decide on the organizer « SCM Discussion Forum: Charlotte Mason Method Homeschooling

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can't decide on the organizer

(14 posts) (13 voices)

Started 11 months ago by eawerner
Latest reply from LDIMom

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eawerner
Member

To use it or not. That is the question. I would take it for a test run but I signed up for the free trial last year at some point just to poke around and get a feel for it but I didn't have any of our curriculum set or planned out at that point so I didn't get to do much with it or figure out if it would actually work for us. Sigh. Now I'll have to pay if I want to try it out and I'm worried it will just add another step in planning my weeks instead of streamlining it.

I did all my yearly planning using 'Planning your CM education' and we actually are almost half way through our first term which runs May-August for us. I go through the lessons for the week and write what we will(should) be doing on a paper chart so I have a referece for our goals for each day but it ends up being such a pain to go through each of the guides and workbooks to see what lesson is next in each one. Plus we never actually do a normal week of school so if I want to use my paper sheets as any kind of record I have to do alot of erasing and re-writing. I *think* the CMO would help alot with that but does it give any more details than 'do lesson 37' for History on a given day? Because then I still have to drag out my guides each day to find what exactly lesson 37 is.

Also, does anyone access the CMO through their ipod, and do you have any issues with that? Usually web pages come through pretty straight forward on my ipod but I was just curious about that.

If anyone has any thoughts I would greatly appreciate it!

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
Misty
Member

Well I know that for me I love it. I used and then tried to not use it for a year , that was last year and I fussed and cried all year. I never knew what I had next, I was always feeling like I was leaving things out (which I did cause I would forget things).. etc. etc.

I love that it does keep all the chapters in there and ready. I love that it moves it along ONLY if I actually say we have done it. I love that I can print it out daily if I want and each of my kids (6 using it plus me) can see at a glance what I need to get done today. I also like that at the end of the yeat I can print it all out and have GREAT records.

I know that the set up time is very timely. But it pays it self over and over through the year especially when you are tired, or sick etc. I love it, am always telling others about it and it makes me dance and sing! . Just my 2 cents. I actually plan for that now before anything else with school! Thanks again SCM team

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
LDIMom
Member

I am thinking it would be great, but I just couldn't figure it out. I am also someone who admittedly likes a piece of paper or a few. As I type, I'm typing out master lists of all of our board games, math maniupulatives and tools and living math books, our home library, etc. It will all go in page protectors in my notebook. I am also typing out a list of things to do (school time only) for our 2YO thanks to that other thread.

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
Sahmamma
Member

I just signed up myself for the free trial. We will see how it works for us!

Good luck deciding!

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
sheraz
Member

I really like it too. (I feel kind of funny posting that after I did the blogpost of the SCMO alternative that I came up with when I didn't have the funds to renew my membership while we were moving.) It isn't all that difficult when you watch the videos about how to use it and then spend the time to figure out, which can be the trick for some of us less techy mama's. ;)

I ditto Misty's post and also wanted to gently remind you that no matter what the planner form takes, you will always have to look up chapter 37 for the lesson unless you do WAY more detailed planning than I do. LOL

However, the ability to save me those hours of erasing and re-writing are totally worth it to me. To make hunting up that elusive chapter 37, I had the backs of my quides cut off and spiral bound so that I can just flip the pages as we go and always know where we are. It did help - a lot - with my hunting it up. I also just leave all my guides and in a crate that I can move from room to room if I need to.

Using the SCMO has revolutionized and streamlined my homeschool and life. It takes me a few hours to put in our entire year's worth of curriculum for family and individuals. I don't even have to bother to re-think about my daily schedule unless we run into the occasional need to tweak something to our needs.

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
Doug Smith
SCM Team

@eawerner, We would be happy to reset your trial so you can have another 30 days to work with the CM Organizer at no cost. If you'd like us to do that please send a note through our contact form so we can get your name and e-mail to look up your account. Thanks.

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
LyndaF
Member

I did the trial too. I was never able to figure out how to work it either. I would be careful about paying that much unless you are sure you can use it.

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
amama5
Member

I personally don't find it useful for the way I do things, but it looked like it would be a great tool for those who work that way. I use the SCM guide books, so our history/bible/geography is already scheduled for me on paper that I print out from the ebook, then my kids each have their own schedule that is very simple (Mon: math, mom checks, copywork, etc). They know where they are in the book so I don't to write that out. I have my own simple block schedule for the family on the fridge to keep me on track: Mon: history/spanish/etc., Tues. picture study, etc. I have a spreadsheet with their hours recorded on it (those don't change usually) that I print out each year for recordkeeping.

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
rbevans
Member

I used it last semester to finish out Kinder with my DD and get my feet wet with SCM curriculum. then for whatever crazy reason I moved to a different curriculum. spent a month planning/ purchasing. We are now at the end of week three with this CM curiiculum that has daily box checking to accomplish. :( My husband will probably want to strangel me but I have re activated my SCM organizor and am taking a two week break to re evaluate first grade SCM style :) missed you guys these past three weeks and am so VERY happy to be back lol. all that to say IMO the organizor is a Godsend :)

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
binky
Member

I have never used it myself but it is on my "do I use it?" list as well. So I am reading with interest. As I read I am wondering- couldn't you pay monthly for a few months and see if it works (maybe for the first term of your school year and if you liked it sign up for the year. Someone correct me if that is not an option or if for some reason that wouldn't work.

Just wondering-
Binky

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
Bookworm
Member

I really, really love the Organizer. I would spend much, much more time planning without it. During school weeks we are so busy--it makes my life so much easier. I really can't imagine getting along without it, especially for several children in different levels. A few weeks in the summer and we are all "done" except for checking off the boxes as we go, and checking off those boxes is very satisfying! We don't even question doing it any more. As far as we are concerned, it's just part of the cost of doing business.

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
Janell
Member

My dh convinced me that I needed an ipad last year and dragged me to an Apple store for the sales rep to show me how cool the CMO works on an ipad. There we were gazing down at the green glowing screen (the SCM website) in awe as our seven children crowded the entire store. It was a sneaky trick of my dh to get a cool gadget for the house, but it definitely was love at first sight for me to see the organizer so portable. I can have my ipad on a stand on the table as we work and click...click...click...away we go in the organizer.

Paperless.

Say that again.

Paperless.

One of the best organizer features to me is the "worked on" button. An assignment doesn't have to be totally completed to get a thumbs up...you did something today...feeling.

Yes, this was an informercial for both an ipad and the organizer because one is bread and the other butter.

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

Paperless is probably one of my many reasons for using the SCMO. I believe I am rather organized by nature (or I want to be), but when it comes to paper, I lose it. I have binders that I use faithfully but it's the remembering which binder/notebook I wrote that very important idea down in. And, that's with me only allowing myself 1 binder/notebook...it still gets a little messed up. I can't mess up the Organizer or lose it or have to rewrite anything I put in it or, or, or. The only thing I am missing is an ipad...I really need one of those.

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
LDIMom
Member

@Janell, wow, my DH would NEVER have to convince me to get an iPad, but he thinks they are useless. He doesn't like electronic stuff. I have it on my wish list though. And now that you mention the SCM organizer on it, hmmm.

I have spent countless hours organizing us, but my trouble is the organizer would not help in the area where we most struggled last year I don't think, and that is children not completing individual assignments. We were adopting (paperwork galore; nothing paperless about adoption) and then we brought her home ... imagine having a 2YO "newborn" ... anyway, I need them to be more accountable so each of them has their own assignment sheets.

I can see how the organizer would be a great asset. I just can't justify it at the moment. Maybe if I could convince my DH we need an iPad so I could get that organizer?

Posted 11 months ago # Report Post

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