{Planning Discussion} Blank, Printable, TERM Planner?

I have a planning obsession and may need over planners annonymous

Unfortunately, I’m a much better planner than implementor of my plan

Last year, I thought I was going to be smart and lay off planning a bit.  I didn’t create a weekly plan, just a big picture plan that I tried to wing week by week.  It was a disaster!!!  I spent more Sunday afternoon/evenings trying to pull together last minute details than I spent with my family.  I was majorly stressed and never felt put together.   Thankfully, our kids still learned and lived through it.  

Vowing never to do that again, this year I’ve fallen back into the planning trap.   However, thanks to the Learning and Living DVD series, I’m slowly climbing back out, learning to simplify and relax.  I’m building charts much like Christie’s example as a base.  I’m down to two school age children this year so I have a bit of a lighter load. 

Did I mention, I’m also a curriculum junkie and unfortunately, I’m raising a dd just like me?  There are things I want to cut, but she wants to keep so we’ll start with a full schedule and tweak as we go.  Even though, I have a plan, I’m not afraid to scrap things that aren’t working or make changes where necessary.   I could never aford to hire someone and really don’t think I’d be satisfied with that since I really like planning (although $50 doesn’t seem unreasonable).   Besides, the more I learn about Charlotte’s methods, the easier it’s becoming.  I’m really excited about trying some new methods this year in our homeschool.  I LOVE having a plan!!

Amber – I pulled up the chart and cannot find what you’re referring to with NPH. BOC is book of centuries. Give me more info where it is and I’ll look again.

Greenebalts – I hear you. I can easily become an over planner, but without a plan to start from, I fail. I paid someone to help me whittle my choices from the Truthquest Guide. I know myself and I’d buy three times the books that are realistic. 

MLIP – There are seasoned CMers who will help you plan and offer consults. I hired a mom I know who has graduated kids with CM and is still homeschooling kids at home. She has used Truthquest as her base for many years and she runs a homeschool lending library so she knows the best of the book choices. We did some via e-mail and some via phone. She charged $25 per hour, so she spent about 2 hours on my stuff. Actually probably slightly more, but that is what she charged me for. I told her where we are and she helped choose books for history, literature, and some natural history which is what I asked for. Many of the consultant moms will help where you need it. For me I know have a plan that includes:

• DD13 – US history, World History (Greek and into Roman as time allows), and British history as well as literature
• DS10 – US history, British history, literature, and some natural history/science
• DD7 – US history, literature, some natural history/science
• Read Alouds in history for both dd7 and ds10 and lit read alouds
• Basic schedule for the week though I have things to add, it’s a good starting point. 

I’m using One Note to make digital subject planners much like the paper ones I created last year, but more versatile and not paper.

It’s ironic, Christie! I am doing the same thing with One Note this year. I just discovered it and I am so glad. I can literally track school, home, and keep all research notes – quotes, threads, links, ideas, and more – in one place without paper and clutter. I love my laptop! =)

Christie,

It looks like it may be something you use as a check box on the weekly schedule. N with a circle behind it. Same with the P and H. I can’t look right now to tell you which subjects it was under, but I will when I get home if these clues don’t help. 😉

Amber

Amber – It stands for narration, poetry, hymn. Sorry, I was looking at the wrong file. 

Re. One Note – I am one who has tried it all more than once. I will admit I have issues re. planning. I need a well-laid out plan, but flexibility. I’m still getting it all into One Note in a way I like, but it’s essentially a subject planner notebook in Digital form. I have a notebook for each kid with these tabs:

• Attendance with Pages for each term with clickable calendars
• Weekly Plan or Checklist – unfinished as of yet, but gives the idea
• Subject Tabs across the top

  • Pages for Each Book or Resource Used
  • Math Sample
  • History Sample
  • History Sample RA
  • History Sample
  • Science Sample – I have links to online class with reminder of login info (blacked out). I have a sub-page with the class syllabus, at the bottom of the page, I have a link to quizlet where dd manages her science vocab. 

I hope the screen shots help. I’m still finishing setting up the digital notebooks and don’t have time to explain it all, but I’m liking how easy the set up is and how I can link websites, files, etc. Kids can link their typed narrations. The kids have this on their computer to check off and it syncs online so I can see it on my computer, too. I like that I can easily change our weekly schedule week to week without reprinting or add a book or whatever. The kids work off the weekly plan to know what to do each day and if their unsure exactly what’s up for history, they click that tab. It’s sort of like the best of my paper planner and the CMO rolled into one, I think. 

HTH, 

Christie

PS – We have not used these yet. Well dd13 has because her online science classes began this week, but I have high hopes that the full plan with options for flexibility works well for us.

SOUNDS AMAZING! Thank you so mcuh for explaining! I have always loved your term planners where you line up all the resources you use each week…..I have spent and worn myself out from planning and set-up. It’s like I need a summer vacation since I just missed it (with my nose in this computer!)

I will read more in depth tomorrow and check out the screen shots! If you use this, are you using the CMO>?

PS–Glad you still stop by here! 

Christie,

Thanks so much for taking the time to post and include samples.  Very helpful!