Aug. 14, 2008 - Product Review -- The Schoolhouse Planner
Product Review
The Schoolhouse Planner
If you are like me, you have been wondering what all the hype is about the new Schoolhouse Planner. What exactly is it? Is it really worth $39? Could this be the answer to my organizational nightmare? I have been very curious about this planner, but I wasn't interested in shelling out $39 to find out exactly what it was. I recently had the chance to look this planner over; and I decided to fill you in on the details; so that you can be an informed consumer! I'll let you know what's included, what I liked, and what I didn't like. If you already have the planner, maybe you can tell us your opinion as well!
Product Details -- What's Included.
The total number of pages is 247. After the cover page, the copyright page, four pages of Table Of Contents, a 2008 calendar page, and a 2009 calendar, the monthly pages begin. Each month includes a calendar on two facing pages, an advertising page with a list of appropriate resources from The Old Schoolhouse Store, an article from a well known homeschool author, two recipes, and a reference page such as a timeline of inventors, a list of classical music composers with dates, a chart of kitchen conversions, a measurement conversion chart, countries and their capitals, U.S. states and their capitals, a transcript of the U.S. Constitution, and etc. After the monthly section comes a section of homeschool forms. About forty forms in this section include such things as weekly planning logs, progress charts, test logs, grade logs, reading logs, audio/video logs, teacher continuing education log, field trip records, extracurricular activity records, curriculum planning logs, curriculum key charts, vendor/website logs, Scripture memory log, nature journal forms, unit study record sheets, unschooling record sheets, annual planning sheets, goal sheets, and etc. Next is a section of household forms. This section includes about 30 forms, including one for important phone numbers, babysitter form, family health information, homekeeping monthly records, homekeeping weekly records, daily schedule, grocery list, weekly menu planners, weekly shopping list, food inventory, daily chore sheets, family chore chart, budget form, personal finance inventory, gift wish list, gift budget, prayer journal, Bible reading schedule, dates to remember, garden planning checklist, garden notes, vacation plans, address book, a section for extra notes and etc. I think this will give you a good idea of what comes in your planner, even though I didn't list every single item.
What I Liked:
Color: I really enjoy the color and design of this planner. The simple schoolhouse themes runs throughout the planner, with pretty burgundy colors, and "chalk" fonts, for the calendar pages; yet simple plain fonts for the forms pages. The background watermark of each page is a brick one room schoolhouse, which might also be a home.
Type It In Feature: I thought it was very cool that you could type information on any of the calendar pages or the forms and print your pages already filled out. Very nice touch.
Encouraging Articles: I think it would be very fun to open your planner to a certain month and find a new encouraging article to read.
Variety of Planning Forms: I thought the forms section in the back was really deep. Lots of unique forms, yet plenty of the standard necessities too.
What I Didn't Like:
Price: Even after viewing this calendar and playing with it for quite a while; I am still not convinced of the price. $39 is pretty high. I understand it has 247 pages; but some of these pages, like the United States Constitution for example, are completely unnecessary. A decently designed pre-printed planner will only cost about $20.
Lack of Weekly Dated Pages: For my $20, I always buy a planner with dated weekly pages. It's what I want. I cannot fit all of our events onto a monthly calendar, and I hate writing in the dates for a whole year so I end up not using that option.
Advertising Pages: I really do not want to see twelve pages of blatant marketing in my planner. One page of marketing would have been sufficient and even appropriate. Twelve pages is a little bit much.
There you have it! I hope these details will help you make an informed decision the next time you seen an advertisement for the new Schoolhouse Planner.
Please note that no affiliate links are included with this review!
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