The 2009 Old Schoolhouse Planner

I love books. It isn't unusual for me to have about 10 books going at once. The variety, diversity, and number of bookmarked pages in our house makes it quite difficult for me to finish a book, but it provides for lively dinnertime conversation or sleepy random bedtime thoughts.

I have no problem with having my personal books lie dormant for a season, but I get quite agitated with my lack of organization in our school room. It is almost inconceivable to move on with a new school book, if an old one remains unfinished. I have countless ideas that desire to be put into action. I know that plans should be made, schedules half-way maintained, and a purpose and vision created for our 2-Story Schoolhouse.

When I had my own kindergarten classroom, organization was easy to create and maintain. I had an entire room of shelves and cubbyholes and a curriculum that was planned out for me. My job was to implement the curriculum that I had been given.

But now I am the Principal, the School Teacher, and the Parent.

Last year, in an effort to organize our school house, I purchased The 2008 Old Schoolhouse Planner. I was so excited until I realized that it was an eBook. My age is beginning to show. Even though I am a treehugger, I still love paper books. After downloading this thick manual that promised to organize my triple role, I tried to print the entire book. My printer broke halfway through the process. Not one to give up, I emailed the book to Kinko's and spent about $18 to have the planner printed in its entirety.

I never ended up using it.

I didn't use it because I was a little bit ambitious.

Hello . . . last August my children were barely 4 and 2. Being a former kindergarten teacher, I had already attempted to start preschool at 2 years of age. My poor children. Thankfully, I have learned from my zealous mistakes and am waiting to start Latin with our 1-year old until he is 1 1/2. Just kidding!

But this year is different. Mr. Smackdown will be 5 years old and Mr. Me-Too will be 3 years old (in 3 days). Mr. Smiley won't be doing formal school with us. I have high hopes for this years 2009 Old Schoolhouse Planner.

In fact, this year I feel included. There are some REALLY helpful resources for the preschool parent, such as a Chore Chart, suggestions for creating a Preschool Activity Box, a Preschool Weekly Planner for multiple children, and a checklist of typical educational preschool objectives.

At first glance, many of the miscellaneous forms appear to be geared toward the older school child. Yet, sandwiched between these great forms are documents that I can use to keep track of our home school book inventory, lesson plans, educational goals, tutorial for lap booking, sheets for charting my garden (instead of random scrap pieces of paper that get tossed into my Ziploc bag of seeds), a kitchen conversion cheat sheet, and several interesting random fact lists. There are also a few great recipes that I really want to try, including Chicken Penne Pesto Pasta, Curry Chicken Salad, and Poppy Seed Chicken.

I am excited to use the planner. But that is the key. To use something you have to, well, use it.

Learn it, look through it, and put it into action.

The 2009 Old Schoolhouse Planner is the tool that I need to support my triple role as Principal, Teacher, and Parent.

If you would like to get a better look at The 2009 Old Schoolhouse Planner visit The Old Schoohouse Homeschool Crew blog. There you will find samples of the contents of this planner and other homeschooling products being reviewed!

P.S. The 2009 Old Schoolhouse Planner can be purchased for $39 at The Old Schoolhouse Store.

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