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How to use Guided Journeys

Guided Journeys walk you through every step of the planning cycle with coaching, AI support, and smart features built right in.

Sithmi Rajapaksa avatar
Written by Sithmi Rajapaksa
Updated today

Mana’s Guided Journeys help educators follow the full Cycle of Planning with ease, clarity, and support. Whether you're documenting learning, setting goals, or planning experiences,

This article will show you how to:

  • Create a journey using the guided flow

  • Set child-centered goals

  • Document observations with the help of Coach Sue

  • Use Magic Edit, translation, and follow-up tools

  • Keep track of progress across stages

Step-by-Step: Starting and Using a Guided Journey

1. Start a New Guided Journey

  • Go to the Journeys tab.

  • Choose a child:

    • Click the child’s name and select “+ New Journey”, or

    • Use the “Children without a journey” box to find children who don’t have one yet.

2. Set Duration and Goals

  • Choose the duration (e.g., 3 months) using the slider.

  • Add up to 3 goals per journey.

    • Collaborate with educators or families when setting goals.

    • Ensure goals are child-centered and linked to learning outcomes.

    • Use the Enrich button to auto-enhance goals with your center’s philosophy and the framework.

    • Use the Suggest icon to get AI-generated goal ideas based on the child's documents and age.

3. Enter Guided View

  • Once created, you’ll see the journey in Guided View.

4. Create a document

  • Coach Sue may suggest a next step (e.g., plan an experience).

  • Or click “Choose My Own” to start a learning story or other doc.

  • Upload files, record voice, or write text.

5. Generate Your Document

  • Choose writing mode from the top right corner:

    • Write with Mana

    • Fix grammar and spelling only

    • Write without AI

  • Use the text box or voice input to add info.

    • At 80% completeness, the Generate button unlocks.

    • Answer Coach Sue’s questions for depth.

    • You can ask Sue for help at any point.

6. Review, Edit, and Enhance

  • After generation:

    • Click Info to see dates and original text.

    • Go into Edit Mode to add media or revise content.

    • Use Magic Edit for instant changes.

    • Use Translate for multilingual families.

    • Use Fix Grammar (if AI wasn’t used initially).

    • Restore older versions via History.

7. Create a Follow-Up Plan

  • Mana will suggest a follow-up (e.g., plan, reflection, observation etc.).

  • Read the suggested context → click Add New.

  • Set duration and write manually or with AI + Coach Sue.

  • Generate when complete.

Tip: Toggle to Stages View to see documents placed under appropriate stages automatically.


✅ Key Features Along the Way

  • Coach Sue: Conversational support to build thoughtful documents.

  • AI Writing Support: Choose your writing style for flexibility and control.

  • Magic Edit + Translate: Powerful editing tools for fast polish and accessibility.

  • Cycle Tracking: Visual overview of progress through each journey stage.

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