Review and Giveaway: The Ultimate Homeschool Planner

If you are still on the hunt to find the right homeschool planner for this year, today we are reviewing "The Ultimate Homeschool Planner" conceptualized by Zan Tyler and designed by Debra Bell. If you like what you see and for a chance to win your very own copy, you can enter three different ways at the end of this post. You have until next Saturday to sign up.

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner is a physical homeschool specific planner so there is no need to repurpose or cover up classroom pages. Available in Blue, Orange, or Pink covers, there are also two distinct interior designs, one for the orange planner, and another for both the blue and pink planners. Both layouts are the same with the exception of different quotes and scripture references. Both the front and back covers have a sturdy laminate feel that include an interior pocket, which is always an important win in my book. The interiors are colorful and contain floral motifs, but they aren't distracting. I especially like the creamy white interior that isn't blinding, but is easy on the eyes.

Similar to the Well Planned Gal Homeschool Planner, there is initial users guide. In it, Debra uses a five step process to guide you through planning and achieving a successful homeschool year. Each of the five steps come with thorough directions. First, she walks you through a yearly planning retreat. Then, she explains monthly planning sessions. After that, she tackles weekly planning breaks. Following those she explains Monday morning tutorial sessions. Finally, she closes with Friday afternoon weekly reviews. As you go through the various steps she gives you excellent examples, as well as the blank pages to work on as you implement the system. While some of the steps differ from my own planning, much of it is very similar. And while some of her suggestions such as the Monday morning tutorial sessions wouldn't work for my children, I'm sure they are a great fit for others.

For yearly planning pages, this planner comes with several aides. There are year at a glance school year calendars beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, continuing through the 2024-2025 school year, making it an option for both this year and next. There is a Yearly Planning page, though it is a little different from most planners, as this planner is undated. It lists Sunday through Saturday five and a half times down the left and right hand side of the two page spread, with the months July through June across the top. The table grids enable you to place the date in the appropriate square as well as make small notes when planning your school year. It's not a layout that would work well for me, but it is good for the planning stage when you are attempting to finalize your calendar. I suspect I would use it for planning and then print up and glue over it my finalized copy.

Next the planner is set up to accommodate up to six students, so there are sections for each student to set character and academic goals, with room for six goals each. Each student also has their own resource list at the front of the planner in the planning section. Then at the rear of the planner they each have their own grading section, reading logs, and field trip logs. In my case, I would most likely use the monthly note section to list field trips, since we take those together in almost every circumstance, and would double my reading log section, since 22 books wouldn't be enough room for my children. Additionally in the planning section at the beginning of the planner is a Family Priorities page. While the example in the book shows things like family night twice a month and notes about what individual skills each child might learn. I could see this being a fantastic place to note scripture memorization verses over the course of the year or notes for other themes you might explore during the year.

Since it is an undated planner you next get 12 monthly spreads, then 52 weekly spreads. The monthly spreads are very streamlined 2 page . They contain two note sections. A blank notes section on the bottom of the left hand page, with some additional space above the scripture reference along the bottom of the right hand page. Down the right hand side of the right hand page you also have a lined note section after a quote. This could be a good place for noting monthly themes, read alouds, and information for upcoming field trips, for just a few ideas.

The weekly spreads account for a full year. This is great for everyone, whether you school year round and need the pages for lesson planning, or whether you want to note skills and individual growth during your breaks, or even to help you in the down time with planning and household goals. As our school year isn't a full year, but with breaks typically covers more than a 9 month lesson planner, I find this a win. Additionally, There is a two page planning spread that falls before each weekly spread. One is meant to be filled out on Sundays as you consider "God's faithfulness during the prior week." I personally would not use this page, as I keep a bible study and prayer journal separately, and I wouldn't want that personal of information in my lesson planner, since I use it as part of the children's portfolio. The second page has three sections Memorable Moments, Achievements, and Evidences of Grace. As they are just lined sections, I can see using those as I recap each week and make notes of things that work well and didn't, as well as memories I want to save, such as synopses of field trips. Each lesson planning spread is six columns by six rows enabling you to organize by date, student, subject, any way you can imagine. They also include a small blocks for notes, supplies needed that week, and appointments followed by a small inspirational quote.

Here is an example from Kathy. She uses the rows for her days including the weather, and then she has a column for each child, the day's menu, her priorities, and ant appointments. She says, "people might question the weather notes I made, but 1) it's really helpful for me to announce weather predictions the night before so my ADHD kiddos know how to dress appropriately (Sweatpants and long sleeves are NOT necessary when it's 90 degrees.); and 2) it helps me plan field trips, meals (in case i'm grilling or we're eating in the yard), and farming stuff (When is daddy gonna be mowing hay?)."

Along with the areas to list individual field trips and reading logs that I already mentioned the back of the book also has a 2 page spread for an end of the year review, a notes page, a high school planning page, and some teaching tips. The teaching tips include things like raising independent learners, motivating reluctant learners, and learning styles and thinking skill lists. All of these contain great tips and tricks for helping your learners grow and mature as well as setting you all up for a fantastic school year.

All in all, while I wouldn't call it the ultimate homeschool planner, as there are some things I regularly use that aren't included, or pages that aren't laid out as well as I would like, it is an excellent little planner. Regularly $30.00, but on sale through the end of August, it is one of the most cost effective homeschool planners out on the market today. If it looks like a planner that would work for your family, enter to win this copy below and please share this article with your friends.