Thursday is App Day! Using Planbook.com

At the beginning of each school year, I create a new personalized plan book binder with lesson templates, sections, and schedules.  Over the years, I have lugged home the plan book binder each day to review and/or revise the next day’s plans as well as have it home with me “just in case” I needed something from the binder.  Last summer, I was determined to go as paperless as possible this year by using my iPad for conferring, planning, and grading.  My search for an online planbook was underway and my search was over when I came across Planbook.com.  This is an online planbook accessed via the web using any computer, iPhone, or iPad.  The cost is $10 for the year and is worth every dollar!

Using this online planbook at planbook.com, I can:

·   Develop custom daily schedules that are color-coded by subject and include events

·   View lessons by day, week, or subject (can also print lessons)

·   Create templates to use for each subject, morning meeting, and/or homework assignment

·   Adjust my lesson schedule by bumping lessons to the next day or extending lessons for more days

·   Share my lessons with Special Education Teacher Melanie Meehan, other teachers, and students if they are absent. This definitely makes team teaching and collaboration much easier.  To share lessons with others, you create a password which is referred to as the "student key" and share the "student key" with colleagues/students you want to have access.  I also like how I can share only certain parts of my plans that are relevant to the viewer (lessons, homework, events).

I now have my lessons at my fingertips at any time of the day and anywhere I am.  With one click, I can now adjust my plans daily to make revisions and changes based on new events, student learning, and the every day disruptions that occur in an elementary classroom.  I also love that I have a digital record of my plans for the year to refer back to for reflection, intruction, and coaching purposes. 

There are many helpful tutorials on the Planbook.com website that walk you through the process step by step.  Planbook.com also provides teachers with a 30 day trial period to try it out before making the purchase for the year.

I’d love to hear about different online systems others are using to help with planning in the classroom. 

Enjoy!