There are a lot of commercial planners on the market, and some are better than others. For my most recent raves and rants, check here. Or here. But until now, I’ve never reviewed the Uncalendar, to which at least 2 – 3 of my workshop attendees are hard-core devoted.
The Uncalendar is typically coil bound or hard-back, which is annoying on one level because you’re locked into their templates. But the upside is that both of the Uncalendar bindings are firm enough to binder clip your other tools right in. Many teachers really like the Weekly View, so let’s dig in by starting here.
Left hand side: This is just a bunch of colored boxes, for which you can choose your own headings. This gives you more flexibility than a typical planner, which often appeals more to time-driven friends. This teacher has created headers like “Purchase,” and “Organize.” I imagine these categories could change week over week depending on what is happening.
Right Hand Side: Things get cooler and cooler over here. What I love about the format and how the teacher uses it:
- Inspiration. This teacher has pasted in Bible verses up top.
- Detailed Daily Plans. This teacher split her daily Uncalendar into sections called “F&P,” “Meetings” and “Prep.” Categorizing like this helps ensure she can get the right stuff done at the right time of day.
Of course, being a devotee of the choose-your-own adventure approach to organization, I’ve become an even bigger fan of Uncalendar since they released their planning sheets on loose paper. See how Nate, a Google / Uncalendar combo user, blended his two favorite tools into a Flexy Friend? He didn’t have to choose! Nate kept his Google monthly view for long-term planning, but preferred the Uncalendar view of his current week. Go, Nate! I applaud your creativity!
In conclusion, if you are dedicated paper type who is driven more by task than by time – and you hate being locked in – the Uncalendar seems like a worthwhile purchase!
PS Did you know that my secret dream is to manufacture the perfect teacher planner? Who wants to help???
