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A Life Better Than I Deserve
Oct. 24, 2009
Review: Sue Patrick's Workbox System
Recently I was provided a free e-book from Sue Patrick's Workbox System in order to review this product for the Homeschool Crew. I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for providing my honest review, and the opinions expressed represent my own and my family's experiences with this product. To read more about this product and many more exciting homeschooling products, please visit the Homeschool Crew web page.
Sue Patrick’s Workbox System has certainly been sweeping the homeschooling world by storm! I’ve been viewing this phenomena for months now and have admittedly been curious--and a little nervous. Why? Simply because I knew this method would require some extra efforts and adjustments not only from me but from my children as well. I had to decide whether these efforts were the best for my children and my own family. Or whether another approach would really be best. Sue Patrick believes her system to be best for every child, yet my own experience mothering five children has taught me that each child needs to be parented--and taught--a little differently. So, what did I discover?
Allow me first to introduce the author and her book. Sue Patrick’s Workbox System User’s Guide reveals Mrs. Patrick’s heart for her own children, the first of which was diagnosed with autism at a young age, as well as her educational philosophy and method. Faced with her long-awaited adopted child’s diagnosis of a disability, Patrick worked hard to find treatment and a solution for her own child and his educational needs. Her book reveals what she has learned along the way and how she developed an educational plan for her own two children. She was so pleased with her results that she began to share her method with other families. I do not think I would have understood her philosophy nor her system had I not had the opportunity to read her book.
When I received the electronic version of this e-book I spent two days reading it and understanding her philosophy and method. Then I spent a full week getting my supplies all collected and assembled for implementing this method. If I had not known in advance that this opportunity was coming up, it might have actually taken a bit longer–and if I had more children it may have taken me longer yet! I bought velcro supplies and shoeboxes as well as spent time on the internet printing–and laminating. (Since I do not own a laminator, I used clear contact paper instead--which admittedly is more time-consuming.) A purchase of Patrick's book will allow the user free access to basic downloadable forms also needed. This method does indeed demand some teacher preparation time and might be best left for implementing over a natural "break" time within the school year. Since Patrick also sells ready-made supplies, for many it might be best to save time by buying many of the physical components directly from her.
It also requires additional time spent “trouble-shooting”–investigating and planning for modifications of this system–for larger families with limited space. Now, Mrs. Patrick would really prefer you use her original method first before attempting to modify anything, but I knew immediately that not everything would work well for my own family. Finally, I went about actually implementing this method in my own home–at least partially.
One modification I made immediately was that I only have one school desk in the house. When I brought up the topic of purchasing more, my husband asserted that we simply did not have room. I had to admit that he was right. We have a wood school table with three matching wooden chairs which my younger children are able to work at almost like a desk--only without room for all those workboxes and a cart beside each of them. My eldest uses the school desk, and there is a little room beside it.
 Some photos of our school desk, school table and workboxes ready to be filled.
So, when we actually began implementing this method, I found first that I really did not have enough room for that many workboxes even after I emptied four out of five shelves of a large bookcase; and second that it worked best for me to come up with some larger totes which would hold everyone’s books, notebooks and supplies in those subjects which we normally completed together. It became clear to me early on that in my own, larger family that I had intentionally chosen many subjects which we could study together as a family. This is a personal educational choice which works well for our own family. For those subjects which two, three, or four children can study together it actually conserves my own time and gives my own children more chances for interdependent interaction, discussion and cooperation. I do know that Mrs. Patrick is concerned that many homeschooling families actually waste too much time talking–time which might be spent in otherwise more worthwhile pursuits–but each homeschooling parent will have to determine the correct balance of interpersonal and independent work for her own family.
In fact, after I calculated in those subjects which we would be studying together, my children (aged 8th grade, 5th grade, 2nd grade and two preschoolers) really only wound up completing about half of their subjects as separate “workboxes.” I, as the teacher, had to expend mental and physical energy both mentally preparing an interesting, varied schedule as well as physically preparing and arranging their workboxes with educational items beforehand. The first night it took me nearly two hours to do so for my three older children. Even though I got a little faster as the week proceeded, I found that it was taking too much of a mental and physical investment of my time in the evenings–many of which I really did not have any free time, as I needed to take my children to scout meetings or church in the evenings instead. In the mornings I needed to be preparing our breakfasts since our family has special dietary needs.
Now, the theory behind the workboxes is that a child is able to develop a sense of personal accomplishment and becomes better able to manage his own time by seeing his work completed and physically set aside throughout the day. Agreed, that can be a great motivator for some children--my second child, for instance. Although for my second child in particular I did notice an increase in his productivity with workboxes, the increase in productivity for my first and third children was not much–and in the end I felt I was spending more time on the system than I spent doing things our old way. And I felt my time was better served spending it with my children and even dealing with their interruptions than with filling boxes. I also felt this system was not a good match for our educational philosophy in general. We tend toward the Classical and Charlotte Mason models of education, and I really just feel my time is better spent reading aloud a really good book to my kids, all piled together on the sofa, and talking about it than by completing a pile of worksheets--which at least in some cases, can merely become "busy work."
In the end, I was ready to quit by the end of the first week. My first child probably was least affected by this system and did not really care either way whether we continued. My second child was the one who was helped by this system and perhaps would have liked to continue. My third child was the one who really just needs my individual attention and for which this system was the worst fit. I realized that our previous method, overall, just works better for us. Perhaps aspects of this method I can find a way to adapt in a less time-consuming and space-consuming way–at least for the child for whom this method would be beneficial. Perhaps I can also find enough time, space and energy to make this system functional for my preschoolers. Perhaps we can just complete a few individual “workboxes” per day per child between lunch and mid-afternoon and keep using all our regular curricula and methods throughout our mornings.
I truly applaud Mrs. Patrick for working so hard to find the best system for her own children and family. I further applaud her for sharing that method with others through her book, conference speaking schedule, and personal consulting. Yet as Patrick has found what is best for her own family, we each need to discover the same. This program was not the best for our family; yours may be different.
If you would like to try Sue Patrick's Workbox System with your own family you may purchase it in the following formats:
- $19 for the e-book version
- $19.95 for the physical book, plus shipping ($23.30 total)
- $119.95 for the book with 4 months of personalized email consulting
- Various supplies, pre-assembled "starter kits" and additional consulting packages are also available from Sue Patrick.
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Comments
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Posted by
MamaHen 
Posted by
Oct. 24, 2009 - Great Review