Last month, just days before our school year started, I won the Schoolhouse Planner. I have been thinking for awhile if I would buy the product and download it since school is almost about to start but $39.00 is not a small amount. A podcast of JoJo Tabares at Grace Talk I have been listening to gave me an opportunity to join a contest hosted at Karla's blog, Joyful Mother of Children and I bagged the prize!
I have been tapping my keys on this planner since it was opened. For one, I realized that my laptop desperately needs an upgrade, a 1GB RAM perhaps will make it faster to open this 247-page pdf file. I have printed out daily schedule pages and groceries from its pages. I love the fact that these are nifty and handy. Just type your notes in and print out and the idea that it never runs out is terrific! Given little time though, I know I have not maximized the use of it. Another wonderful thing about is it never gets outdated. I can buy modules in the years to come to keep it current.
The Schoolhouse Planner is not only a planner, it is a great resource for the homeschool mom/parent. The "good stuff" included in it is actually more than you would ask for. I love the articles, recipes, quick facts, homeschool ideas, links to materials and supplies and much more.Perhaps the time is ripe to say goodbye to my thick black leather planner I always carry around and frequently misplace amidst books strewn all over the place. Ha ha! Actually, got so tired carrying this bulky type now. With this planner, I know it will only just be in one place. My laptop! And I have the shortcut on the Desktop, so one click opens it. Opens slow but it works, but it might be just my computer.
Some few points that I think would help improve and make it more user friendly.
1. I haven't figured out how to add bookmarks. Maybe, adding more important bookmarks as default will make it more easy navigate. I suggest bookmarks for Homeschool and Household Forms, My Address Book, Bible Reading Schedule and Prayer Journal. This may sound silly, well, probably most forms that are needed everyday should have a bookmark. I am not sure but maybe, I am saying this because my computer is slow or the file is just too big. It takes a long time scrolling through just one page.Are you also experiencing this?
2. The Homeschool and Household Form Instruction pages should have links to the corresponding forms with each description of form or if not, at least the page where it can be found. Picture this: I clicked the Table of Contents and then Homeschool Forms Instructions. Hmm, I need a form to keep me on track each week. Aha!Sounds like WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE LOG will do. Then, I tried to click the red font title...ooops. No link. Well, I click the Table of Contents again to find that form... Hmmm, what's it called again? I didn't note it down. Got to go back.. oh!
3. As an Asian homeschool parent who acquires a lot of our materials from the US because of the lack of it in our region, I would love to see a module of Asian Studies. Oh, I love all the articles and information included. And yet... I know there aren't a lot of homeschoolers in Asia, but it is a growing community and many of us will greatly appreciate a module we can also use in our context. Perhaps 1-2 recipes from Asia, some important history events, mission efforts in Asia or the Third World, some themes... I am sure many US-based families would also find these interesting.
Overall, I love the fact that this one never gets old. =) You can use it over and over through your homeschool years. I guess, you have already graduated your oldest through youngest yet the household and planning forms, recipes, and all the timeless, practical pages would still come in relevant and handy. Isn't that simply cool or what? _____________________________
