Lesson Planning help

[Sue G in PA]

I posted before about running 3 different HOD Guides plus 2 others from another curriculum publisher. I have 6 this year (1st, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 11th). HOD is very open and go but I like to have all of my ducks in a row all in one place if that makes sense. I want something where I can SEE at a glance what is going on with ALL of the children each day instead of flipping between guides for each child. I hope I am making sense. Does anyone have a separate planner for YOU where every child is listed, every subject and a BRIEF explanation of what is going on for that day? Is this even possible with 6 children?!?! I'm having difficulty with computerized planner programs and I don't really see the need for it using HOD. However, I haven't found and can't create one on paper that I truly like either! My brain is fried at this point. I think I want something that has the days/week at the top, subjects down the side and each subject block would contain a line for each child with a brief explanation of the assignment. I feel like I would need an entire WALL for this, lol! Could anyone help me out here? Each child will have his/her own plan for the week, with brief descriptions for each assignment/subject as well. I know this all sounds redundant but I just like to see my week at a glance instead of day to day. It helps me stay organized. I would love to also have a notes section where I could write down any supplies we need for each Guide. Any ideas would be much appreciated (photos I would covet!!). Thanks, ladies.

[quiverfull]

I would love something like that too. I'll be watching this thread. I tried using my HST last night, but it seemed like so much work! I'm not for making things harder than they need to be.

[4froggies]

Debra Bell's Ultimate Homeschool Planner for moms is an awesome planner! It has room for up to six students and six subjects in the weekly section with spaces for notes, supplies, and appointments for the week. Hope this helps!

[Rice]

I totally understand what you mean.

Someone has shared a page with me that mirrors the CTC guide pages (empty squares for each box in the guide, labeled only with subject and suggested time it should take) which I will print off 2-days to a page (so an HOD week on a 2-page spread) for my kids. (I'll make one like it for Preparing, but won't have my LHFHG son keep track outside the guide.) There's a bit of room for them to write in page numbers or a bit of assignment description, if they want to leave the guide behind.

We've been discussing the master checklist for mom idea recently.You can check out this recent thread: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15472 and even contact Motherjoy for her edited version, if you like.

I have another that I used to track 4 students and it had a bit of room for my toddlers at the bottom (so you *might* be able to fit 6 on it?) but I haven't had a chance to adapt it for HOD yet. It has a week per 8 1/2 x 11" page. I just printed them off and put them in a duotang (folder with 3 prongs to hold pages) under the keyboard on my desk.

That said, neither of these have any kind of description of what each day requires for each subject; they're merely checklists to show what has or hasn't been done each day.

I'm thinking you may need to go to a 2-page layout per week to fit 6 students on it; maybe one for the 4 HOD students and one for the other 2?

Feel free to PM me in a week or so if you want to see my checklist (or right now if you want to see my old, non-HOD one).

Blessings,

[TrueGRIT]

I have never found a planner that worked for me- electronic or paper. I tried printing pages and making my own via a binder - still didn't work.
Someone mentioned using a composition book and making my own. That was a big SCORE for us. It works great. My oldest is even making his own this year. He gets to decorate it, which is his specialty.
I like it because I can include exactly what I need for the year - no more, and no less.
The notebook, pen, pencil, ruler, & calendar is all you have to have to make one. I try to do 3 months at a time, but it's actually relaxing for me to work on in bits & pieces here and there. Usually when my children are going "art", etc. (sometimes simple, sometimes more 'elaborate' with stickers, stamps, scrapbook)

I don't know if this will work for you, but maybe it will give an idea. FYI: a day has about 10 lines- so it gives me room to write in everyone, but I only have 3.

[Sue G in PA]

Mikki, I am intrigued by your composition notebook planner. Could you tell me more about how you use it? I can't spend any more $$ on a planner...however beautiful, complete and awesome it may be. I need simple or I will get overwhelmed and paralyzed by the details. I did create something in Excel just now that "might" work as a visual "week at a glance" for 2 of the Guides I am running (Preparing and CtC). I am assuming my son in the WG Guide will be nearly 100% independent with his work so I will only need to look at the Guide to check off what he has completed. Same with my oldest son using another program. That just leaves my 1st grader using another program, which has its own Guide and weekly grid and such. I just need to make a visual "schedule" for him so he knows what he has to do each day. However, this composition notebook idea does intrigue me so please share when you have time! Thanks!

[TrueGRIT]

I use my planner as a weekly overview. Even though I love how HOD has the daily boxes and how to focus on one day, I also need a week-at-a-glance. I have room on a two page spread to write out "plans" for the week in daily boxes, plus have a notes box. I printed off a yearly calendar & "attendance sheets" and have a few more things in there as well.
In a box I can either put "LHFHG unit 1, Day 1. Supplies needed: " or I can put "History: CHOW chap 11". Depending on the child & guide. Hope that makes some sense.
I sent you a pm as well

[Sue G in PA]

Mikki, just another thank you for the composition book planner idea! I have started designing mine and so far I really like it! I had downloaded all of the Old Schoolhouse planners that were FREE on Educents and found quite a few calendar and scheduling templates that worked perfectly in the comp book. I printed them and glued them in. Only doing 3 months at a time to see how the pages work for me. I have a feeling I'll "tweak" as the weeks progress. Do you write down everything from the Guides into your weekly schedule? On one hand, I'd like to have that Week at a Glance, but on the other it seems so redundant to have to write it all down when its all so nicely laid out in the Guides! I'll have to sleep on this one. I decided to do one book for my 2 high school boys and 1 for my 3 middle children. The youngest doesn't really need one yet.

[TrueGRIT]

I have to preface this by saying I love lesson "planning"! I just don't have a lot of time for it.
For me I have a page at the beginning with abbreviations and their meanings. One night a week while my children all have Daddy Time I spend about 1/2 an hour going over the work for a week. I take into account anything we have planned - dr appt, field trip, etc - and mark any changes & what needs to be done each day w/ an asterisk beside any subject I want to pay particular attention to the key idea. I also write a supplies list in notes, including any library books I want to have on hand. So, no, I personally don't write everything. Just the highlights. HOD is complete and easy enough I that I don't need everything. Only an idea.
It is my planner, my record, my brain. I only have to spend 5-10 minutes total daily to make any changes that come up during day - & that is not all at once. Sadly, my brain works in a rambling way so this is how I get things done and I hope it makes some sense to you.
This is the first year for my eldest to have his own, but I think it will go well.