There Will Be A $5.00 Charge For Whining: A TOS Review: My Student Logbook

We have been making strides in our efforts to make Josiah more responsible for keeping track of his day to day activities.

He is a kiddo (almost a teenager!) who needs structure. Sadly, while his mama needs structure, she (which means me) is kind of Loosie Goosie. I am always on the lookout for products that will help me with homeschool organization.

I have previously used just a notebook for Josiah to keep track of his assignments, etc. However, I have found that it can get fairly messy and organized.

I recently had a chance to review My Student Logbook.

I was intrigued from the moment I saw it in action (you can take a peek at this Youtube video). Josiah was allowed to pick from several My Student Logbook choices. He chose Jets. My husband was in the Air Force and we have family who still serve in that particular brand of the Armed Forces. I knew it would probably be the one he went for.

What is My Student Logbook exactly?

It is a very efficient student planner. It is extremely easy to use. Josiah is 12 and in 7th grade this year. This was a great fit for him. It is recommended for grades 2 and up.

The Logbooks are spiral bound and have a plastic cover. They are 8x11 so they will fit in easily with notebooks, etc. The Logbooks cost $15.

You can choose from:

Undated (the user fills in the calendar dates) - This was my choice.

Dated (August 2014-August 2015)

Calendar Year (January-December 2015)

PDF (any of the versions above- might be a difference in price)

The book includes the blank Checklist and Calendar pages (more on that in a minute), an All About Me section, Prayers and Goals, a spot to record all of the Bible Verses Memorized, Reading Log, A page to record all of the Field Trips, etc., Test Records and Year Highlights.

How We Used It

I will tell you how I set Josiah up for success.

I first read through the easy instructions located in the first couple of pages.

I tore out a Checklist page. There is some cutting involved, but I managed just fine. No one was hurt.

I wrapped it around a blank Calendar Page and then taped the back as recommended.

I then just wrote out Josiah’s subjects. It bothered me that I had to scratch through my very first line...but then I got over it.

Our school day is divided up between what Josiah and I do together and then what he does independently. I could be a bit more vague with what we did together and then more specific with what he was responsible for.

You can see that there are plenty of spaces (20!) on the Checklist page. There is also a space marked “Time.” I used this feature with some of Josiah’s independent work. It worked quite well.

He could see for himself that he needed to read 20 minutes; not 10. Anybody try that at your house?

The first week we used it I made more an effort to block out those days Josiah didn't need to worry about certain subjects. For example, He only works on his History Timelines and State Notebook once a week.

I then decided that I will not block the days out. Instead, I will give Josiah the option of what day he would like to complete those tasks. He has to have those things done by Friday.

Because there is plenty of space, I found that I could add some other reminders. I do write down a list of chores on the white board every morning. He also knows that every day he needs to shower, brush his teeth and put on deodorant. I just made a spot he could mark it down. He thrives with structure and My Student Logbook made it easier.

Another feature is a spot for notes that can be found under the Checklist flap. I think this could be used for extra assignments, etc.

I found this product to be extremely user friendly. Especially for my dyslexic boy. It was easy for him to follow. He enjoyed checking off his subjects. I think it helped that he could see what he accomplished throughout his day.

I think this product would be helpful with almost any age of student. As long as he or she can follow a list. For those of you who have High School students there is a whole section in the book about creating transcripts.