My Student Logbook : A TOS Crew Review

My Student Logbook is a 8.5" x 11" physical planner,  dated August 2014 - July 2015 available at the My Student Logbook - Great for grades 2 and up!

Different purchase options allow you to customize to your needs:

• $15 with your choice of cover design (9 different designs)
• $10 with no cover design as a PDF file for a one-time printing license
• $20  PDF version family license with no cover design that you can print as many copies as you need

Three different calendar options are available to choose from:

•  dated chronological year
• dated school year,
• undated blank

Check out this short intro video:




Bentz Test Laboratory was excited to see a new way of keeping organized.  With all 8 testers being school age (grades K-11...if you were wondering!)  I have found that keeping my testers organized can be quite a test for me!  When I saw My Student Logbook, a student planner,  I knew this could be a tool to help me, and them!

I was given the choice from several different cover styles,  you will find one that will appeal to your child - it will make them more excited to take ownership.  So, when I saw this choice,  can you guess who just "had to have it"?  Yep,  my 6th grade, horse-crazy, organizer!!  It arrived, and she put her name on it quick to claim it :-)

This is one of those super simple products that make your life easier.  It's not complicated, in fact the author shares a funny story on their website that after looking at it briefly at a conference, a homeschool mom sniffed "Not complicated enough"...  HA!  I bet she was a first time homeschooler, and had no idea how "complicated" that complicated tools can become. Give her a few years, and I'm sure she'll learn to appreciate UNCOMPLICATED  tools like this one!

This isn't a full curriculum planning system for your homeschool,  it's a tool to help you implement your plan.  (So, you still need to plan - no way around that).  But, My Student Logbook makes it easy for you to begin to help your child assume the responsibility to take ownership of their assignments, and recordkeeping.  It's easy to tell that this is a product created for homeschoolers BY homeschoolers that understand what we want and need.

The author, Corina Abbott, includes a section on how to create High School Transcripts - step-by-step. My tester was only in 6th grade, so keeping track of hours for a high school transcript wasn't a huge priority for us.  However, I do have a couple of high school students, and this was extremely helpful information!

My Student Logbook begins with "Checklist" pages that you can record assignments, appointments, tasks - anything that happens on a routine basis.  This is a really big timesaver - haven't you ever found yourself writing the same things over and over?  I have - things like music lessons, ballet practice, etc - happen every. single. week.  With this system, you can write it once, and then attach your checklist to the current week's log.  If your schedule changes, just create a new checklist. Super simple, super effective!

My tester is just beginning her career in planning, and My Student Logbook was easy enough for her to just jump right in.  She commented that it's kinda like keeping a journal too.

That is one of the benefits I find most useful about it as well.  I can easily forget all the things we HAVE done at the end of the year, and focus on that stack of unfinished work.  By using the Student Logbook, you can see what you accomplished!

My Student Logbook is for an entire school year  dated through 8/2/15. Other pages at the end of the planner help you keep a record of your accomplishments as well:

• All About Me
• Prayers and Goals
• Bible Verses Memorized
• Books Read - this also allows you to designate which subject it fits into which is great for transcripts
• Charts for Test Records, Events, Field Trips and much more

Both my tester, and I found this to be a great addition to our planning.  It doesn't require a huge time commitment, is easy to use, and is very affordable.


Find My Student Logbook on Facebook and  You Tube

See what other members of the Crew thought here

   

The 7 Minute Life™ Daily Planner from The 7 Minute Life : A TOS Crew Review

The 7 Minute Life™ Daily Planner from The 7 Minute Life  

Cost: $ 24.95

Watch this short introduction video:
 

   

Ok moms, this one is for you (all ages can use this planner...)

 

Do you have 7 minutes?  NOPE... neither do I :-)  But, if you will try to focus for at least 7 minutes (the average adult's attention span) you can begin to make changes that can change your life according to The 7 Minute Life™ Daily Planner from The 7 Minute Life. 

 

The 7 Minute Life™ Daily Planner is the brain child of Allyson Lewis.  She was hard at work, going and doing, in an industry she loved for 30 years...until her body gave out, and her health put the breaks on her busy life.  As a result of her experiences, she wrote this planner to share what she learned during that season.  Her goal is to help you reconnect with YOUR life in a new, and meaningful way, not just to manage your busyness.  She also is committed to positively impacting the world as well, 10% of her net profits go to Share Hope7 Charitable Fund, which provides water, food, education and animals to people in need. 

 

I connected with her story right away.  I like to go, I like to be busy, I like to juggle a million little things, and I like to make it look easy...  BUT,  after struggling with my health last year, in the form of breast cancer, I realize that life is precious and not a single moment is worth wasting.  My time needs to be prioritized, organized and simplified to achieve my goals.

 

Getting started is easy - check out these helpful  Getting Started Videos to get you on your way.

 

I found the first 20 pages of this 217 page, spiral bound planner to be the most helpful to me.  They are filled with the "meat" behind this tool.  I have been a planner addict since my first days out of college and in the professional world.  I have keep running "to do" lists, and a master schedule for years (you have to if you have a big family...)  I have never had a planner that I found so personally MOTIVATING! 

 

Starting out by prioritizing my top 10 values with a handy list provided, I was able to identify where my time and money is spent (the true test of what you actually value!)  After I identified my top 10, I could easily see what may be taking up my time, but not matching up to my values. 

 

The next step was to "discover my purpose".  Sounds easy, but - have you ever really clearly and articulately defined your personal purpose?  I had a good idea it had something to do with this amazing bunch of children I have been blessed with, but - to actually write out my purpose was very empowering. 

 

Three basic questions can help you pinpoint your purpose, in just 7 minutes:

 

1.  What do you do for others?

2.  How can you use your gifts and talents to change the world? 

3.  Love is the foundation of purpose.

 

Ask yourself this question..."At the age of 85, I will know I have fulfilled my purpose when..."

 

I know it may sound simple, but this was very profound for me.  It made this planner a more precious tool than many others I have used,  the focus on purpose before filling up the pages with our daily tasks and to do lists!

 

The The 7 Minute Life™ Daily Planner also guides you through the basics needed to keep an organized day with what they call "Micro-Actions" 

• unfinished tasks checklists
• removing mental clutter
• keeping track of home repair
• making life connections (keeping in touch with those you want to - but, don't connect with daily)
• annual projects and tasks
• a 12 month calendar
•  a meeting calendar (not too useful for the average homeschool mom like me, but - maybe I should schedule some "principal" meetings in here :-)
• an annual exercise progress report
• a daily progress report
• a top priority daily "to do list" - the "5 before 11" goal - 5 things you want to accomplish before 11 am 

 

Following the extremely helpful purpose, planning and prioritizing section, the rest of the planner is customizable "Daily Progress Report" pages.  These are where you take what you have learned, and put it into practice! 

 

 I love making lists - I was giddy at these pages!  You can even keep track of how many glasses of water you drink that day!  Did I sleep, exercise, reflect and read?  Yep,  I get to CHECK THEM OFF!  Next to lists, I love getting to check them off - there is power in a checkmark, you know what I'm talking about...

 

Appointments can be recorded on the handy time section, voicemails to return, thank you notes to write, and plenty of space for you to use for notes.  My planner becomes a journal of our life and school year. 

 

Finally, the question of the day that helps keep you on the right track... "Did I do what I said I would do today?" with a yes or no to mark.  This one gets me every time!!

 

The sturdy plastic cover, spiral binding, and the handy 7.3" x 8.5" size make it easy to keep this planner with you on the go. 

 

The 7 Min Life blog offers plenty of helpful and inspirational posts to help you as well - be sure to check out this one - 7 Steps to Homeschool Schedule Sanity (an illusive goal,  I know..)

 

I would highly recommend this tool if you are ready to take 7 minutes and change your life.

 

 

Find The 7 Minute Life™ Daily Planner from The 7 Minute Life  on  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , Google+, & You Tube

 

 

See what other members of the Crew thought here  

Motivated Moms: A TOS Crew Review

Organization is not my strong suit...  I need some HELP. With a larger-than-average household... it better come quickly!

I'm excited to tell you about a new find  - Motivated Moms Chore System -  Ebooks.

This system is a unique organizer.  It's not a planner that makes you feel guilty about what you haven't accomplished, but instead motivates and encourages you to make time for what you love to do to!  It's not complex or expensive either.

The Motivated Moms Chore System comes in several versions you can to choose from. You can download a Free Sample Page (this sample shows full-sized planner)  - the Ebook  -download to your computer and view or print for only $8.00!

Some choices include:

• Full-sized with Bible readings scheduled (a schedule to read the Bible through in a year)
• Full-sized without the Bible schedule
• Half-sized version with and without scheduled Bible readings 
• Full-sized “page per day” version with and without the Bible schedule
• Half-sized “page per day” version with and without the Bible schedule

The “page per day” versions have one day of chores per day and also has lines for appointments and a box for the daily menu plan and a place for notes.  Printer toner friendly, black and white, or color versions are available.

Their app is available for iPhone/iPad/iPod touch and Android as well. There are Lite versions in each platform that allow you to try the system before you purchase the full version. Click here to see the apps.

I chose the Motivated Moms Chore Planner - Color version.  I already have a Bible reading plan underway, so I stayed with a simple, doable format.  Adding managing a complex planner is counterproductive to my productivity!

Chores and tasks are divided into manageable parts.  Chores are the "must dos" of the day in the left column. Tasks are the routine, but not everyday, projects to tackle as you have time.  I love this!!  I can usually remember the basic chores of my day - making the bed, cooking dinner, laundry...etc.  But where I really need help is those maintenance tasks that aren't always on my mind.  5-6 daily tasks like cleaning up the computer hard drive, decluttering the night stand, and cleaning out the van were included on each day.

Best of all, the task lists didn't just have more "work" for me... they tucked in surprises too.  Items like "pamper yourself" and "Spend time on a craft/hobby" were added in.   How often I forget to make time for these tasks when I'm working on the never ending "to do" list, Thank you for the reminders Motivated Moms!

This is an example of my planner,  it was easy to print and post on my fridge. The "week-on-the-page" format was printer friendly too.  Each day had it's own tasks, and chores had handy boxes for each day accomplished. As I accomplished a chore or task, I could check it off.  I just love checking things off, don't you?

After a few days, I realized that I could use this as a family tool too.  Since it was on the fridge, I could easily let anyone accomplish it, and check it off.  Bingo!  A chore list for all of us.  To keep it fun, I let the children pick a chore and a task from each day.  First come, first serve - and surprising better than our old system of assigning a chore for each and following up (when I remember).

With so many versions to pick from, you can find one to fit your lifestyle. Use it as a chore chart, or add in scheduled Bible Reading, Meal Planning, and a detailed time schedule.  You can make this tool work for you.

 

This is just the kind of easy to use, real life planner that I can work with.  Within a few weeks, our house is shaping up, and my plan is working.  Organization is creeping in - Yeah! Motivated Moms!!

Find Motivated Moms on Facebook and Twitter.

See what other members of the Crew thought here