When I first started teaching (over 20 years ago!), planning felt like a weekly mountain to climb. I remember dreading that Sunday afternoon feeling—the looming pressure of submitting weekly plans to the headmaster using a rigid template. It was time-consuming and exhausting, especially as I started my family. I often felt like I was on a hamster wheel, trying to stay ahead but never really feeling caught up.
My first international teaching role marked a big shift. For the first time, I was planning as part of a team. We held weekly meetings to map out the “big bones” of each unit, but the day-to-day planning was entirely up to me. I was handed a paper planning book (which I don’t think I ever really used) and left to figure things out. While the process was supposed to be collaborative, it didn’t always feel that way. I was still finding my footing, often planning day by day.
Over time, though, I developed my own systems—each shaped by the incredible colleagues I’ve worked with along the way. One of my favorite collaborative experiences was in Kindergarten. My teammate and I pushed each other creatively and professionally, and together we created something truly magical. That year, we used Google Sheets to plan together—an approach I continued to use for several years. For the first time, I felt like I could plan ahead and reclaim my Sundays.
Around that time, I also started using a bullet journal to keep myself organized. It didn’t hold lesson plans, but it was a lifeline for everything else. Then I moved into Grade 2 and found myself creating teaching slides to use with my projector. What began as simple Google Slides gradually evolved into beautiful tabbed digital notebooks.
When COVID hit, those skills became essential. I created virtual classrooms in Google Slides for each subject and linked all learning activities directly within them. I archived each week’s lessons—and while it was a massive amount of work, it brought clarity and consistency to a very chaotic time.
Two years later, I moved into Grade 1 and had another amazing year of collaboration. My new co-teacher was a paper planner and insisted we have our planning done by Friday afternoon. It was refreshing to step back from the screen a bit, and I found myself using my bullet journal more creatively again—something I’d missed.
Then I moved to Tajikistan and tried using a traditional teacher planner. That lasted about a year before I returned to my trusty digital tabs in Google Slides. But instead of a deck for each subject, I began combining everything into a single slide deck each week. I also experimented with exporting my planner to Goodnotes, but that phase didn’t last long either.
Now, as I head into a new academic year, I’m excited about a fresh chapter in my planning journey. I’m bringing together everything I’ve learned—tools, strategies, aesthetics, and inspiration from amazing educators—into one space: @Canva’s new Visual Suite 2.0.
In Canva, I can organize my entire planner with Docs, Sheets, Presentations, and more—and make it beautiful. It’s intuitive, flexible, and visually satisfying. I shared a sneak peek on my new Instagram account, @honor_learners, and in a Canva Educator Facebook group, and I was thrilled by the positive response.
So here I am, sharing my journey and offering a fully customizable version of my planner to anyone who might find it helpful. Whether you’re a seasoned teacher or just starting out, I hope it inspires you to find a system that works for you—one that supports your creativity, helps you plan ahead, and maybe even lets you enjoy your Sunday afternoons again.
Ready to try a planning system that works for you?
✨ Click here for a link to a fully customizable version of my Canva Academic Planner
💬 I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and let me know: how has your planning evolved over the years?
Honor Learners 