My Homemade Christmas Workbox Tags

I just got into a festive mood and made these Christmas Workbox Tags for our workboxes.

Snowschooling Post Blizzards: President’s Day

Yesterday started out late after a late night of watching the Olympics. We had fun as a family watching the games. But we paid for in the morning, tired and lacking directions. That was completely my fault for not getting up and setting the tone for the day. But hey homeschooling is about whole family learning.

Also as we were suiting up for our nature walk it started to snow. Ironhide is so over snow at this point. Personally I am running out of snow related fun things to do in the lesson plans. We still have Texas roots which like to get out and run this time of year. I have fought the expensive of going to one of those inside playscapes but if it snows again tomorrow, it cannot be avoided. The young man needs to run.

Workbox	Monday
1	Magic School Bus Re Aloud-Cells
2	Listen and Learn-Positional Words
3	Read Aloud –Why President's Day
4	BrainPopJr. – Abraham Lincoln Movie
5	Craft- Make Lincoln's Log Cabin
6	FIAR-Owl Moon Social Studies-Family
7	Jump Around
8	FIAR-Owl Moon Science-Owl Games
9	Co-Op Homework-Review-Water Cycle
10	FIAR-Owl Moon Dramatization of Book
11
12

Snowschooling : Blizzard II Day 2

The day started with blizzard winds and more snow. Ironhide has had enough snow. He wants to go play. Today is too cold for outside play so I tried to keep up the physical activity level. So after a nice warm breakfast and a few chores we proceeded to learn.

Workbox	Wednesday
1	Drumming Practice
2	Handwriting lowercase
3	Painting Birdhouse for Winter
4	Wii Golf -10 minutes
5	Draw and Write Race Cars
6	FIAR-Science Owl Craft Owl Owl Enchanted Learning
7	Jump Around
8	Bible Work
9	Detailed Scavenger Hunt
10	Workbook-HOP
11	Co-Op Homework-Review
12	Knot Tying

Moving Forward with Workboxes

This year we started using Sue Patrick's Workbox System. The homeschool community has been all a buzz about this system all year. I was intrigued by the system but being in the middle of the move it was not time in the spring to start this system. So during the summer I purchased the E-Book and read it in one day. This is a simple easy to institute system that appeals to my organizing nature.

So we started the first day of school with the workbox system and haven't looked back. Ironhide loves this system. He says "This is much better than the way we did school in Texas." It gives us a beginning and end to the day. It helps me keep focused on a theme and not wonder off with "just one more thing".

This is how our system works:

Since we have downsized from 3,000 sq ft to 1800 sq ft we don't have a formal classroom with have a class corner. I rearranged some of Ironhide's bedroom Pottery Barn's Kids Cubby and plastic bins from Target's $1 Spot.

After surfing the web I found great ID tags from Maureen @ Spell Out Loud to create a colorful contrast to engage our energetic student.

Now after explaining this system to Ironhide he embraced it and went right to work. The only glitches were on my side because I didn't make some of the boxes more challenging. Also I had to go back and add some physical activities that are learning again using cards from Maureen @ Spell Out Loud.

This is the results of the end of the day. I was able to pack backpacks during Ironhide's independent work for afternoon two co-ops.

Our Homeschool School Room

This is "School Room" week at Life with My 3 Boybarians . Darcy will be doing a four week Not Back to School blog hop. This gave me a personal goal to have our room put together in time to share it. We have officially been in our new home here a little over two months. Yes, there are still boxes unpacked and pictures are not on the wall but we are working slowing toward normal.

First let's start with my homeschooler planner. All the sections were pulled from Donna Young's Free Homeschool Planner as well as organization charts from Sue Patrick's Workbox System.

Each month is colored to match the files in our Five In A Row planning box.

I have printed out all the lapbook material for each book. This works because I can load up the workbox system without a marathon night before printing session. Kendall from FIAR Forums shared this great planning system last year.

We downsized with this move which has been a blessing and adjustment. You will be amazed how simple life can be with less stuff. TS desk is the right fit and can grow with him. Next to his desk are the workboxes waiting for work. We were also gifted a digital microscope that will be using on the kitchen table.

Our world map is going up this weekend in this cozy spot with the easel and library and coloring books.

We have been so incredibly blessed with this move and look forward to an exciting year of learning.

Getting Back To The Basics: Homeschool planning 2009

This week was originally meant to be my homeschooling planning and printing week. Last year I had a comfortable chair, a desk, headphones and time to listen to the homeschool conference as I printed out material for the next year. It was a peaceful beginning to a rather peace first half of our school year. This time things are different…much different.

I have been in whirlwind all week trying to find the right planner and to pull together the "right" curriculum because this year it counts. TS is first grade and with new state laws he will be tested at the end of the year. In my mind I had to cover it all, not miss a thing because this year is the beginning of "real school". But I have found myself tied up in knots and can't seem to make even the simplest decisions.

Homeschool planner: Should I buy it or custom make it? Should I do online? Should it be bond or spiral?

Homeschool curriculum: Should we stick to what was working and add in elements or go totally with a boxed curriculum? I printed out the school curriculum how am I going to teach all of this with my current curriculum? How do I fit co-op into our day? How we going to fit lunch into our day?

Homeschool location: Since we have moved we no longer have a homeschool classroom.

Old Classroom

How will that effect TS's concentration? I still have boxes unopened and things to unpack to make this place a home. How can I do that while homeschooling? How is the workbox system going to work in this small space?

I have spent hours blog hopping looking for answers and making list. You should see my bookmark list from this week alone…..89 entries for just planners. I felt so helpless and swamped I actually considered public school. I think public school is great if it fits your child. It does not fit our child and I know he would be miserable after the social aspect wore off.

So last night after a marathon of printing and planning I went to bed praying for guidance and this morning I got this in my email from Alpha Omega:

"If you're starting your new school year depending on your own abilities, be careful. Only the Lord can show you those things that will make your homeschooling truly successful. As you depend on the Holy Spirit, you will not only discover wisdom to teach, but you'll also have your eyes opened to see all that God desires for your family. "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God" (Psalm 123:1-2a). Lord, forgive me for my foolish pride that fails to acknowledge You as Lord. Open my eyes to see Your plans for our family this homeschool year and teach me to constantly depend on You. In Jesus' name, Amen."