My New Homeschool Workbox System!

I have been homeschooling for a couple of years now.  I really love it!  But, I did not love having to direct every single little thing about the children’s day.  Contrary to popular belief, I am NOT a micromanager.  Or, at least, I will never admit to being one!  I needed to organize the kids school stuff in a way that they could get started on the work they do independently, until I was ready to get out of my pajamas start their corporate work.  I heard a lot about the workbox system by Sue Patrick, but knew that there was no way I could implement her system.  I don’t have room for 3 carts holding a total of 36 shoebox sized boxes, and this would be before I added Bekah’s.  So I read blog after blog after blog, searching for the answer.  What I came up with is more of a combination of what I found. 

I have a workbox, singular!  I decided to go with a file folder system.  I bought a box from Office Depot (on sale for $4.99), a box of hanging file folders, and some clips I found for a buck.  I could not find the medium point sharpie markers my friend Sam found, but perhaps this was because I had my husband and all four children in tow. 

When we arrived back home; I got to work.  I labeled 10 folders with Jaela’s name and numbered them 1 – 10.  Then I did 5 for Quin and 5 for Micah.  I used the remaining six folders for my own things.  I got out my lesson planner, scanned down it, and put all of Jaela’s stuff in the folders; math in one, drawing in another, reading instructions with the book in yet another, and so on. 

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I interspersed some fun things, like time for snack, in other folders as well.  The idea is she will start with the first folder and continue working through them in order.  Every few folders, or after a particularly long activity she will find a break with something fun.  This will, hopefully, keep her motivated.

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I did the same thing for the little ones as well.  I will make up some pretty snack break and computer time pages today.  Then I am going to laminate them with my spiffy new laminator.  (How did I EVER live without that thing?)  But a sheet of paper and a marker works for now!

Tell me what you think?  How do you organize your children’s schoolwork?

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5 comments:

Sam said...

Very nice! I like the idea a lot. It is a hanging version of what I do. I never posted about it, but will be very soon! Thanks for sharing! (Oh, and thanks for the shout out, I found my Sharpie's at Staples.)

ourhearts4home said...

That looks great! I like the folder idea, takes less space, and in my home that's important! :) Very nice job!!!

Jenny Morris said...

nice setup! I am in the process of setting up a workbox system for my 5 year old...so I am scouring the blogosphere.

now following...

Jenny

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh. I never considered looking through blogs to get organizational ideas from other moms on how they do it with ALLLLLLLLL the paperwork that I have for schooling. This is a great idea.

Just 2 days ago I sat in my school room and cried. Yes, cried (still breastfeeding the last one, I blame it on the hormones). The place is such a disaster. Half the time I can't find my own stuff to teach them what they need to know because it's Never ever in the same place twice.

This is brilliant! Thank you!

jessica said...

Aww! I hope that you can make some of my ideas work for you or that they inspire you to find what will. Homeschooling can be hard, mommyhood can be hard, nursing can be hard; all of that together is super tough! This will only last for a short season :)

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