Why I use a Franklin Planner as a Teacher
Before I begin explaining why I’m in a huge minority in the teacher planner world please know I had a planner from age thirteen to twenty-five. Then I took a break because I thought a cell phone is all I needed. It didn’t work out. I was too busy coordinating school events and my life. I needed to go back to a paper planner. In 2017, my husband bought me a Franklin planner, and I don’t see myself going back.
Why not just use a work email and cell phone? Research is not on your side digital planners. It’s proven that you are more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. The best way for me to balance my personal and professional life and goals is to use a paper planner.
Why a Franklin planner? I have always been a 7 habits person. I am a firm believer following them will benefit your personal and professional life. In eleven years of teaching my one constant is my morning school day routine. I check my email first, and then put up my standards on the whiteboard. My husband knew this and bought me a Franklin Planner. There is a Franklin planner system., but I don’t follow it perfectly. However, a big part of the system is having one binder for your whole life. The time matrix categorizes tasks as urgent and important. This is extremely important to me because I had a horrible life-work balance for many years as a teacher. I’m also a functional planner. Functional planners are constantly looking how to improve their life, not decorate pages. Franklin’s menu planner, financial planning, and goal sheets are inserts that are functional and the best I have seen. Lastly, I love the Franklin planner community. I’m a part of a Facebook group that continually helps my obsession with Franklin binders and more importantly the members give tips on how to plan more efficiently. I’m constantly getting ideas how to have a more organized life. The Franklin planner is perfect for the teacher life.
Why a ring planner? I have always hated coils. It’s a preference I can’t even explain. I love how beautiful they are, but I just don’t like them. I had a ring planner in college, but every other year I had a planner without coils. I hate disc planners more than coils because the paper rips easily after moving it around several times. I also don’t like large planners. Most of my day is scheduled as a teacher. I don’t need that much space. I like the ability to recycle my planner inserts easily when I’m finished without worrying about the cover. Also, I need the flexibility of a ring planner because it has my whole life in it. I can add my budget, workout plans, meal planning, house fixing goals, and even blog ideas without buying a new planner. I do have large handwriting so an A5 size (Franklin size classic) works best for me. I can hole punch regularly sized paper if I need to or fit takeout menus inside my planner. I also like having a planner that fits easily in my purse or backpack because I take it to events where I have to take notes. I can plan at my school desk or on a plane. I don’t have to worry about if I have the “right” planner when I go anywhere. Some people complain about the size and weight, but it doesn’t bother me. (It could be because I know the weight of 30 composition notebooks in a bag) . Lastly, the most important aspect to me is the ability to carry my pens with me. If I’m attending a professional development, I add another pencil pouch with my highlighters. I’m not scrambling around my purse or desk looking for a pen. My pouch is secure inside my planner, not outside of it. A ring planner provides flexibility like no other planner.
How do you use your planner as a teacher? I have always done lesson plans digitally. I like the ability to copy and paste from the previous years. No, I don’t do the same lessons every year. Rewriting the standard and the warm-up is a waste of time. I believe having notes in my lesson plan for the next year online is more helpful than having it written down somewhere. If I have a completely original idea of how to fix a lesson plan in the summer then I write it down in a special notebook or my planner. (How I save time by doing work in the summer will be a future blog post). Yes, I have digital school planner. On Mondays, I try to check to make sure I have all my meetings in my planner. My planner is mostly for writing down my meetings and sporting events. If I have thirty minutes before a game, I can menu plan for the next week or see what house chores I need to do for the weekend. I live far from my campus and have dogs. I also play in a night tennis league where I receive text messages to coordinate time and locations. My planner is the best way to know if I’m available. Most importantly, I don’t put any student information in my planner! If I have a IEP, I just write meeting. I use an excel sheet for parent contact. If my planner was stolen it would be devastating, but I don’t have to worry about FERPA! There is no way I can live my best life without my Franklin planner.
*I am in no way affiliated with Franklin Covey or Franklin Planner. I just love them!
