This is not sponsored. I just genuinely love Erin Condren products. The links provided are not affiliate links, just links to help you find the product I am referring to. 

I have never denied being the typical teacher personality. I like to be organized and prepared all while having the cutest things!

There are several products from Erin Condren that I have tried or want to try in the future.

Since this is a teacher blog, I have to start with the Teacher Lesson Planner.

5 things I love about the Erin Condren Teacher Planner

Coiled Binding

Its coiled so I can easily flip it around and have an even writing surface. The coils are quality, so I don’t feel like the planner is going to fall apart if I flip it one too many times.

Size

The 8.5” x 11” is what I started my first planner with and it is perfect. I have lots of room to write as many things as I want to. 

Personalization

Depending on the planner that interests you, you can personalize parts of the planner for your own style and needs. You can add your name or photos to the cover of most planners.

Layout

While it has a monthly spread, I keep mine open to the weekly spread on my desk at all times. It has plenty of columns for each of my preps (I teach high school math). 

I love being able to quickly flip to the month if I need to see a certain date and to the year if I need an overview, but the weekly view has my heart.

Bonus Pages

While the extra pages are not anything that I would purchase apart from the lesson planner. I do love having them in there. 

In the teacher planner are extra pages to keep up with the many needs of teachers.

• Contact Information 
• Classroom Resources
• Websites and Passwords
• Volunteer Contact Information
• Classroom Events and Information
• Communication Logs
• Monthly Unit Planning
• Graph Paper for Notes
• Notes Pages
• Student Checklist
• 2 Pocket Folder
• Clear page protector

Using the bonus pages

Monthly Unit Planning

My district provides us with pacing guides for our content. I use this document to layout my unit plans on the monthly planning page. 

Graph Paper for Notes

In the front of the planner are a few pages lined as graph paper. I use these pages for my summer checklist and for my back to school checklist of things that need to be completed. 

Notes Pages

In between each month, there are a few lined papers for notes.

When we have staff meetings I will open my planner to these pages and take notes of our meeting and important dates I need to add later (when I can write neater with my pretty pens). 

Student Checklist

In the back of the planner are student checklist pages.

These pages look like your traditional gradebook. While all of the columns are not sectioned off or dated, you could add those in yourself. 

These pages could also be used to track forms that need to be turned in my students.  

Other Ways I Use the Planner

Documentation

As mentioned in a previous blog post, How to Lesson Plan, I obviously use my lesson plan book to plan out my lessons.

I use sticky notes to plan out for the future and at the end of the day I write down in my planner what we actually accomplished that day.

This is for professional documentation as well as for personal reference.

I have my lesson plan books from previous years and I can refer to them if I want to know how long it has taken me to review a certain lesson in previous years. 

Student documentation can also be tracked in the planner.

Important: DO NOT KEEP CONFIDENTIAL IN THE PLANNER AND LEAVE IT UNATTENDED.

Remember that no one needs a password to open your planner.

Make sure any notes you make about student behavior are confidential and for your personal knowledge only. 

Various Schedules

At the beginning of the school year when coaches are giving out their schedules for the season, I always make sure to add those to my calendar so I can try to make any of those events. 

Keep an eye out for an upcoming blog post about showing up for students outside of school!

Making the most out of your planner

Recycle

At the end of the year when you are packing everything up, remember to maximize your planner by recycling the pages you have left.

Look. In my opinion, these planners are totally worth the money.

But they aren’t cheap ($60-65). 

I flip through the planner page by page, if there are any pages I didn’t use (front, back or both), I rip them out.

I can then use them for scratch paper, planning lesson and random notes.  Sticky notes aren’t cheap either so you gotta be smart!

Accessories

There are so many Erin Condren accessories to go with your planner.

From bags to pens to note pads, they have everything you need.  

Social Media Inspiration

If you need planning inspiration, Erin Condren facebook groups are the place to be.

You will see so many creative ways to plan not only lessons, but personal events too.

Here are some content creators I love for planning inspiration:

• YouTube
  • Lena Patterson Plans (personal planning)
  • tattooed teacher plans (teacher planning)

• Instagram
  • @graysplan
  • @plansarahplan

• Facebook Groups
  • Erin Condren Teacher Planners
  • Erin Condren Teacher Planners for Secondary Teachers

Conclusion

At the end of the day, everyone has their own way of planning.

You will have your own needs and wants in a lesson plan book.

There are many other paper planners and digital planners out there to choose from, choose the one that serves you!