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Back to HOME School: Workboxes
Sep. 4, 2009 • 10:58 AM
September is zooming by. The start back up to our Home school year for 2009-2010 is underway and going well! How is your year going? Are you into the swing of things yet? I think we were all ready in our household to get back into a regular schedule even though summer seemed to go by too quickly.
We started using Workboxes. I am sure you have probably heard about these. This idea seems to be sweeping through the homeschool arena and I can see why. It is such a simple set-up but so wonderful in how it works. It really keeps the child working more independantly and is a visual and self-motivated approach to scheduling a student's school work for the day. I was never one that liked to print out daily schedules for my children (of reading age.) Each day confirming what the next pages to do took time out of the day and seemed to break the momentum. Our new workbox system has solved these problems. Also, I often had little projects like art projects or small kits that never seemsed to work their way into our school time. Now these things can simply be placed in a box and they get used, after all that is why I bought them! 
This workbox idea is from a book called Sue Patrick's Workbox System.
Here is what one of our workbox system's looks like. This is my oldest daughters set-up:
I had a wooden shelf that had been given to us many years ago that never felt I used well. It sort of caught our overflow, etc. I decided that was what I wanted to use but I still wanted to find the right bins/boxes for that shelf. It took some looking but I found them (and inexpensively, too! WhooHoo!) I especially like these bins because they fit most school books in them flat.
You can adjust this system to fit your needs. For one of my children I will probably be using the stackable drawer system. The rubbermaid product that has clear drawers that pull out. This will fit right on top of the desk.
To number our bins, I used a bulletin board strip that had numbers on it. I got a whole package of them (14 strips) in a pack from the Dollar store. I cut them apart and laminated them. I just attached a twisty-tie to the back and once dry, twisted them onto the bins.
Here is a wonderful website. It should answer all your worbox system questions. It shows pictures of other homeschoolers' systems, each being a little different. This site hosts many great links to printables well as ideas for items to add to younger children's workbox trays.
If you have questions, leave them in the comments. I will try to answer them. If you have a workbox system post at your blog, let me know. I'd love to stop by and see your system! 
Happy Homeschooling & Have a great year!
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Sep. 5, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by 4sweetums
We are well underway with out school year too. I am glad that you all are enjoying workboxes.
Blessings,
Dawn
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Oct. 2, 2009 - lapbook question
Posted by debtor2mercy
Hi! I found your blog, via your lapbooking videos, as I was researching Oceanography and lapbooking. :) Thank you so much for sharing. I am teaching Apologia Oceanography this year in our co-op and am going to have my students create whale and dolphin lapbooks. Thank you for all of the wonderful links too. In one of your videos, I think the Ocean Creatures you have an accordian book with the zones of the ocean, I have been looking for it, or something like it. May I ask where you found that and if you have a link? Thanks so very much.
Roberta
(I will check back here, or you could leave a comment on my *neglected* blog Debtor2mercy (blogofroberta@blogspot.com) it will send a message to my email. Thank you again.)
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Oct. 11, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by PlainJane
NEATO, your classroom looks so neat - I want to see a photo of your whole room :). Okay, so you have 6 boxes and 5 children... what's up with that? Are you trying to tell us something? I like the workbox concept, but with only two older/organized gals, the idea has come a little late for me, but I love your system and how you numbered them - great idea! You are just so clever!
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Oct. 11, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SchoolinRhome
I do have six boxes in our system and 5 children but this system is just for my OLDEST child. This is her system. I put all her things she must complete for the day into the 6 boxes.
My middle two children don't currently use this system b/c they have a different curriculum.
Then my youngest two do tot trays that are set up in cubby holes that they take over to their school table to do.
Sorry for any confusion!
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