Today, I am taking time to answer the top 5 questions that I get frequently about the 7 Step free Homeschool Planner. Look at my pages Homeschool Planner and 7 Step Curriculum Planner for more forms and ideas.
I always, always appreciate your questions and because I don’t like you having to wait a long time for answers, I am rounding frequently asked questions here.
7 Step Free Homeschool Planner
And because I have a method to my madness, I hope these answers help you.
ONE/ What if I begin my school in a different month than when your printables begin in July and end in June?
I understand you may begin your school in August, September or even October, however, that is not when you begin to plan.
When setting up my organized system many years ago, it was and still is my goal to help you stay organized.
This means that generally, like most teachers, we should begin our planning months before we start teaching our kids.
However, because you get a full 12 months, it doesn’t matter when you choose to begin your school.
You can still use my forms by just starting on the month when you begin to plan.
By maintaining one month to begin (July) and one month to end the year (June, my system stays uniformed as I create hundreds of free forms across the 7 steps for you.
This would not be possible if I created forms to begin a year with May, June, August, September or even October because there is no way I could give you so many wonderful options.
TWO/ Do you create other sizes like A5, personal or mini pages?
No.
Most of my audience, like me, wants all the room they can possibly get to write down lesson plans.
My planner utilizes as much as I can get on a regular size page and still leaves room for coil binding.
I can see when you have only one child, you may not want all that room and I have a Unit Study Planner that has a unique lesson planning page which would work well for one child, but it is regular paper size.
THREE/ What if I don’t have a fancy printer? Can I still create this?
Absolutely!
I have used three very different printers over the years and the least and most inexpensive one does just as great of a job as my fancy HP one I had albeit the smaller one takes a bit more time.
Right now, I am still using the portable CANON PIXMA iP110 Wireless Mobile Printer I used when we moved overseas.
I still love it and have changed the way I do things.
Before we moved, I had an office in my house.
But when we traveled and stayed in different hotels in different countries, I got use to plugging up my printer anywhere I was sitting at and have loved the flexibility of moving around.
FOUR/ I’m having problems with my download.
Some of the numbers or boxes are missing. What causes that?
Most of the time, when your download is not printing correctly, it can be traced back to a problem with reader and browser compatibility.
Too, it may be because you use the default reader for the MAC or for a smart phone.
Adobe is a universal reader and Chrome a universal browser.
It’s always best to print from your tablet or laptop as phones can cause hiccups.
Maybe one day technology will make it all possible with no hiccups.
FIVE/ Do you recommend a binding machine or products for binding the planner?
Though I love all the easy binding machines now offered, the whole foundation of this planner is a DIY project.
This means using things that are easily found or relatively inexpensive, which is coil binding.
It shouldn’t take buying fancy office supplies to do that.
You certainly can invest in cool products, but again, my goal is that this planner can be made by anybody with minimal products to purchase.
Are you ready to begin building your 7 Step Free Homeschool Planner?
7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color”
Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover
Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers
Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives
Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!
Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You! Not a kazillion other people
Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!
Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!
Hugs and love ya,
Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.
Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.
Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.
How do I bind this at home? I see you say you recommend coil binding, but I had no idea that that was something I could do easily and inexpensively in my own home. How do I do that? What do I need?
Hi Amber,
You print at home and bind at an Office Depot,etc.. Look here at the Final Step . Glad to have you here..
https://tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/free-printables/7-step-curriculum-planner/step-7-bind-itlove-it/
Thank you for this post. It’s really useful.
My tip is to really use your planner. Make it the “Go To” place for jotting down the title of a book you want to buy, for making a note of what you might do next term or next year, for placing a leaflet or sheet of home education info, for noting the great website for science etc. When I wonder, ‘Where did I put that note about …?’ I now know where to look for the information.
I also print out a few inspirational articles or blog posts, so that I can use waiting/travelling time to read and edify myself. Over time, I have adapted it to meet our needs.
People, make sure that you follow Tina’s tips for laminating and binding the planner. You will be so gland that you did. (You do not want a year of frustration with a second-rate planner.) Conversely, a pretty binder is a great advert for home education. Whenever I get it bound, the people who do it get to peek into our world for a minute, and it initiates good conversation.
Hope you are enjoying your studies, Tina. (‘Cos you know we are the ones getting educated, right? Just don’t tell the kiddoes!)