One thing I love talking about is planners. I am a total paper planner "snob" and truly look forward to setting up my calendar every summer in prep for the next school year. However, I've never found a planner that actually fits all my needs as a Catholic teacher. But this just might be the year that happens with the brand new Openlight Media Teacher Planner from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. I had the honor of brainstorming ideas about my dream teacher planner with the Sisters and their team. They also sent me an early sample to preview and share-- and friends, it is awesome! I am already loving all of the features and know that it is going to streamline so many aspects of both teaching and personal life. I did a flip through and explained more in this video on Instagram, and they asked to feature me in a Q&A in a recent Openlight promo email. I'm sharing those responses below because I'm just so excited to spread the word about this planner!
*One common question that I've received is how I use one planner for both lesson plans and for my personal calendar. What has worked really well for me is to use the monthly spread for personal plans, dates, etc. Then I use the weekly spreads for lesson plans. Usually I have plenty of room for both, especially utilizing the monthly planning pages and notes sections like what is available in the Openlight planner!
If you’re a Catholic school teacher, homeschool parent, or religious educator — and if you look to the Internet for inspiration in any of these roles — then you may be familiar with Katie Bogner. In addition to being a teacher herself, Katie is an author, blogger, catechist, and all-around influencer in the world of Catholic education.
She is also a longtime friend of the Sisters and champion of Education in Virtue. Lately, she’s been especially generous in spreading the word about our brand-new teacher planner. |
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We asked her to share a bit about herself and her thoughts on the planner for our email audience, and she readily agreed! Below is our quick Q&A with her: |
Tell us a little about your background—teacher, catechist, author, etc. I just wrapped up my seventeenth year of teaching, most of which has been in Catholic education. I'm currently a sixth through eighth grade Religion teacher but have also taught fifth grade (all subjects) and sixth grade (ELA and Social Studies). I concurrently worked as a Director of Religious Education for my parish, which grew into an online ministry, creating and sharing catechetical resources through my website and social media. A fruit of that ministry has been the opportunity to author five books for Catholic kids, including We Have a Pope and All about Lent & Holy Week.
How did you become acquainted with Education in Virtue and the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist? I've long admired and respected the Sisters through their good work in Catholic education! Then, when I started my current teaching position eight years ago, my school was launching Education in Virtue. I was able to not only apply it in my own classroom, but also help integrate it schoolwide through our daily announcements, assemblies, school goals, etc. |
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What makes this planner unique compared to others—both Catholic and secular— you've used in the past? Every year, I've had to choose between a teacher planner (and make it Catholic) or a Catholic planner (and make it work for a teacher). Neither of those options had everything that I needed in one place and setting them up required a ton of work on my part. I am thrilled to finally have a planner that is authentically Catholic — it already has labeled feast days, reminders of prayer, and resources for catechesis — but also a planner that is made for a teacher — flexible space for lesson plans, room for class lists and schedules, and practical elements that help a school day run smoothly. |
What are some features of the planner that you find particularly attractive or useful? I appreciate the weekly layout that provides both structure and flexibility — any teacher could set it up to work for their subjects, classes, or blocks, even with schedule variations. There is plenty of space to note all those additions to the school day, like Mass, assemblies, etc. The student checklists and blank pages are so practical and helpful! And I really love the emphasis on the monthly devotions with the beautiful stained-glass art, a pause for prayer & reflection, and then connections to resources that can be used in your classroom. |
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Would you recommend this planner to your peers and colleagues? I already have! I couldn't help but share it with my coworkers, and it didn't take long before we had enough interest to place a bulk order. We can't wait for our planners to arrive! |
A huge thank-you to Katie for sharing that input and for helping us connect with other educators like her who have been looking for something like this. If you’re in that group, don’t worry — you’re not too late to order your copy. |
P.S. As a bonus, the planner also features QR codes that link to Katie’s huge collection of classroom resources - including her monthly Radiant Roundups! |
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