I got this idea when I visited Christy Bradley’s home this summer.

To keep track of her sons’ assignments, she meets individually with them one evening each week to break up their work for the next four days.  I do it on Tuesday nights, after community day. We sit down with their assignment guide before us and I write a Post-it for each task, generally four per seminar, which my child then takes to a large white board marked with a large grid. Under the column with his name he places one task for each day, until every seminar is represented. The rows are marked Day 1, 2, 3, 4 and (Day 5), the latter referring to Saturday, which is actually the fourth day from Tuesday not the fifth, but it works for us.  The last row is “evenings”.  I also have a column for family events, such as appointments.  Sometimes we have to look closely at the books to break the work up into four sensible bites, but for something like Math it is easy. Right now I model the decision making, but they’ve been watching and one is already taking initiative to do it for himself.

So, in the morning, my kids come and get their six or seven Post-its and work their way through them. Each time they finish a task they ball up the little paper and throw it out. When they are through with them, they are through their work. It is a wonderful feeling to know you are done for the day! I feel a great deal of satisfaction watching them handle their responsibilities so well. With this practical idea I am able to keep track of the studies my Challenge children have for the week.

I wonder if there is a way for me to do it? I can’t even keep track of my To Do list through the day, never mind all the items on it.  A pack of Post-it tasks I could work through?  When I get to the bottom I am truly done for the day?  Hmm. If I ever pull it off, I will post it.