Homeschooling Planning - The Lesson Documentation

As an early childhood educator, I was taught how to portfolio a child's development and learning.  As an education student, I was taught how to do lesson plans for a class.  As a homeschooling mumma, I am mixing the two theories to create "The Lesson Documentation".

The Lesson Documentation has four sections - a handwritten weekly planner, a computer record of tasks done, a folder containing documentation of work done, and a folder containing actual work done.

Weekly Planner

This idea is simple.  Work out which subjects you want to do on each day, then have one piece of paper for each day, put headings for each subject, and as you decide what to do on each day, write it in.  Sometimes I plan a week ahead, and sometimes I write it in as we are doing it.  I do believe that planning too far ahead with a special needs child (and a special needs parent) is asking for time wastage, as things change so rapidly.

I highlight items orange when they are done, and yellow if they are not.  Things highlighted in yellow are written in the planner for a later date if appropriate.  I also make notes as I need to for various things - whether extension or revision is needed, or the reason for having a day off.

Computer Record

I have a spreadsheet set up to document actual work done.  As we work through the day, I enter this in on my netbook (which I also use for scaffolding - YouTube videos and the like).  The spreadsheet includes the following information:

Date
Subject
Lesson details
Time spent
Australian Curriculum (or QLD, or my own goals) reference number

I include the appropriate reference number so that at the end of term, I can input these into another database, and see which topics we have covered in full, which topics we still need to assess, and which topics we still need to complete.

Documentation of Work Done

This display folder includes one pocket for each week.  At the end of each week, I staple together the Weekly Planner pages, and the Computer Record pages together and add them in.

Documentation of Actual Work Done (Portfolio)

I also have a display folder that acts as a portfolio of Nicky's progress through the year.  At the moment, it is rather sparse, containing only a book we made of our trip to the Science Centre and Museum in Brisbane.  However as the year progresses, I will add further milestones in his learning, and examples of his work.  It is this portfolio which will act as his assessment should we decide that he is to go back to formal schooling.

Another folder - my "Homeschool Folder"

I have another folder - a ring binder which holds the following:

The Weekly Planner
Sticker sheets and stickers (reward system)
Copy of Australian Curriculum (Year 3)
Copy of QLD Essential Learnings
Copy of Nicky's Personal Goals
Spare paper for Weekly Planner
Spare paper - plain (for use during school, though am planning to buy a small whiteboard instead)
Holds any projects that are half finished

I have "scrapbooked" the front and spine of this folder, so that it is "pretty" and therefore, fun to use :).  It's the smallest size possible, so not burdensome.  All other homeschooling information, forms etc are held in yet another (large) folder, which is rarely referred to (QLD education department information and the like).

I have seen planners online, both free and for sale, both digital and hardcopy, however I find that setting up your own system is the only true way to find something that works entirely for you.  Coming up with this plan was simple - at first I knew I wanted to keep certain information, such as learning milestones, and curriculum reference numbers, and after that, I started homeschooling.  As I grow, so shall my system.  In this way, it will always be relevant to my needs at the time.  Keeping it simple and flexible means that changing it will also be as simple as adding in a column here, or putting in some plastic sleeves there.

The biggest bonus is that I am not documenting things that I don't need to be documenting.  Some homeschoolers like to include their household planners into their homeschooling planners - however I don't have a recipe or meal planner, and I like having home and school separated.  Do what works for you.