Harbor Light Academy

• Apr. 21, 2009 - Workbox System is it For Me?

I've about the Workbox System off and on for the last several months. On the Five in a Row loop the other day there was a big discussion. So I order the book and it came yesterday. I spent all afternoon reading the book. I went to Wal-Mart after dinner and got at least enough boxes and Velcro to get us started. I'll need a few more boxes and more velcro but I did get enough to start. I printed and laminated the numbers and chart. It took me about 30 minutes to set the boxes up for today but I think that will get faster. Three hours into our day I can say that I love it. I'm using them with my 11 and 7 year olds. The only thing I lack is a shelf which no store in our town had. I might have some shelf in the shed so I'll check before driving to the next town. But even with the boxes just stacked it is still working well.

The #1 bonus for me so far is knowing that everything I needed for the day was planned out and ready to go. No finding the flash cards, no pulling more sight word cards, no looking for a pencil, etc.

#2 my son really, really, really loves it. He loves seeing his stack disappear. He is working faster and with more motivation. There is no listening to his sister get upset when he takes "her" crayons because he has his own box to use with his Bible.

#3 my daughter is still her slow, distracted self but to get her back on task is to say look how many more boxes you have left. Remember you can't play today until your stack is gone. I'm not stressing about getting her moving. I also know that at the end of the day when she tries to get off from completing her work I don't have to be a bad guy. I can simply say sorry you didn't finish you boxes.

#4 if I leave the room people still know what is needed.