Using cheap spirals for daily assignments for my children was a genius idea (I first read about it on Sarah Mackenzie’s blog, Amongst Lovely Things). It kept us focused, gave us a feeling of accomplishment, and helped us to order our days better so that there was plenty of time left over for spontaneity.
However, it soon became quite clear that preparing these spirals manually for six children was a huge time-eater for me. I loved the concept, but I needed to streamline.
So, I created these assignment sheets. They have been a great boon to all of us, and since they are digital, I can share them with you!
There are numerous types of forms included in this collection. Some are for little people, others are for middlers, and still others are for bigger people.
The tops of each are for academic assignments, the middles areas are for dictation, copywork, and composition, the bottoms are for tracking chores and projects.
If we skip something we cross it out. If we decide to put something off until the next day, we arrow it over.
The kids really enjoyed being able to check off each item on the spirals I made manually, so I have since drawn little boxes for them to check off on these sheets.
There is no set way to use these, so feel free to go crazy and use them however best fits you! The examples I am sharing should give you a place to start.
Be blessed!
I’m so glad you are back! I assumed you must have been hacked again- remembered you saying something about that before. I’ve been praying for you. Your work has been a real blessing to me. I pray God will bless the work of you hands on your site.
I am so glad you have been praying for me! Yes, I was hacked mercilessly, so bad, in fact, that the old posts are only available as data files–it will take some work before I am able to work up a volume of posts, pages, etc. It’s ladies like you that make my work worthwhile.
I know I have one or two of your articles that I have printed and put in my homemaking binder over time. I bet other people have some of their favorites too. You might could make a post asking anyone with copies to send them to you. I can try and scan what I have and send it over (you know when I can find the time between all my littles). I hate I didn’t print more of them!
That is so sweet–to think you would be willing to take time out for that! I actually have all of the files; the ones that are older were in an SQL data base, but they are just full of html tags. The more recent ones I have because I subscribed to my own blog via email 😉 It’s just a matter of typing, formatting, etc. It would be a great help if you had an idea of which posts would be most worthwhile to republish, if you have a few moments sometime.
Well, off the top of my head, the posts on dealing with a cluttered house, and a cluttered brain- I remember one about sitting down and downloading your brain kind of on a blank piece of paper with different bubbles of thoughts, the series you did on Comrade whats her name and your artistic side, there was a series you started about making your own curriculum…humm is that right…you said you were going to maybe make a book out of it and it had some really great graphics that one of your children had done, and your posts about how to use the McGuffys and Rays, oh and one about how to learn foreign languages by reading, and about eating decent and cooking simply for a large family, and the ones about being grounded in the word and in rooted in grace.
LOL, would you believe your time has been quite an investment in my little family? I really struggled with my role as a keeper at home and only in the last few years actually had an in-person mentor (a gift from God). I know those are not actually post titles and I don’t know how helpful the info was. May our God bless the work of your hands and confound our enemies!
You don’t know how helpful this has been to me! It gives me a place to start building from. Thank you for taking the time to compile it, and, don’t worry, I recognize the posts you have described. I am so thankful that God was able to use my writing to encourage you and give you direction–this has been my heart all along. I remember well how much I have longed for some kindly advice and direction as I have reared my own children and I hoped that I could be a small part of filling that gap for others. It is hard to guage sometimes just how effective one’s work is, and such a blessing to hear a good report from a reader such as yourself.
Do you compile these printed planner pages and bind them somehow or just use one page a day looseleaf?
It would be great to bind them somehow, but I have just been stapling them in the corner, about 5 weeks at a time.
I found you through pinterest when I was looking for the best planner you will ever love. I have been considering bullet journaling somehow for planning, and had prepped a composition notebook to start and had thought of doing something similar to what you had talked about. But when I went to the link it was gone (now I know why :(, sorry to hear about the hack). But instead I found these, and wow! I may just be rethinking how I’m going to plan. Thanks so much for sharing these for free! What a blessing!
I’m so glad you found what you needed–I’m also working on getting some posts up about using comp books for planners. It just is taking so much time!
I had to laugh (not unkindly!!) when I first read the title “Our Un-Spiral Spirals”. One of the beauties of home schooling is being able to tweak our grand plans so that they fit our families, instead of the unrewarding burden of trying to tweak our families so they fit an agenda.
At one time I used to put a week’s worth of “stuff” (books, activities, games etc) in a box for each child. In my own head I was organised yet flexible. I was allowing for the children to take longer time when they needed, and to have extra things to do on days when that was required. Of course in practice it didn’t work well. My solution might not work for other families, but now we have a “today box” for each child. I have a woven basket for each child and in it goes that day’s equipment.
Somehow just having a focus on “today” is very important. It is like remembering that the Israelites were given manna day by day. They had a bigger long-term goal: getting to the land God had promised them. But their provision from God and their trust in that provision had to be on a daily basis.
I like how your “Un-spirals” allow for taking an unfinished activity through to the next day. Also I like the interactive segments (check boxes and writing). I write “goals” at the end of a session’s written work, but thinking about how you previously used spiral books has got me thinking about the sweetness of written messages between family members. (And I’m sure I can’t be the only mum who gets little loving notes and pictures slotted under the FIRMLY closed bathroom door 🙂 )
Your willingness to share your experiences will spark inspiration in all kinds of ways.
I’m thinking about setting up a little post box where I can leave encouraging messages for each child, and my husband too. Just a wee note to give delight, not to be a daily chore.
Thanks for your posts; they ARE a delight.
Bless you, Shelby. Yes, the little love notes were very special. Your comment reminded me to add them into this new venture. Your comments are a delight, too!
Sherry, do you write the whole week at once or just the day, to allow flexibility? Or do you find that just the structure of the paper vs spirals saves you time, and you still write each day? Thanks!
When I was using the spirals I wrote daily, but I have found that the unspirals enabled me to write once a week, saving me loads of work and time! Of course, there are times when I have to make minor adjustments, or I might add in something extra on the spur-of-the-moment, but mostly it’s just a weekly exercise for me.