Wicked Workboxes

by Tiffany Manley on August 19, 2010

Throughout our first year of homeschooling I was told that I’d look back and realize how completely awful I was at it. OK, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I definitely look back and wonder how someone like myself, so full of neatness and organizational abilities, let it get so bad. Sure, we had fun and Babydoll learned tons of stuff, but it wasn’t a smooth process by any stretch of the imagination. To help with this, I decided to implement the workbox system going forward.

This is what our new system looks like. We have 12 workboxes, four bins for supplies, and a bookcase with curriculum materials.

When Babydoll begins her day, she’ll get her blank schedule strip…

…and look for box number one {or whichever box happens to be first for the day}. I wanted to have a fairly open system, so she’ll always work in numerical order, but box number one may have a subject in it that we don’t use everyday, so there will not be two numbers on the front. She knows to look for the boxes with two numbers: one to place on her schedule strip and one that labels the box. So, if box number three is the first box {in numerical order} to have two numbers on the front, that’s the one she starts with for the day.

She can take one box out at a time and work on it. It if has a “Mom” circle, she needs to do the lesson with me; if it doesn’t, she can work on that box by herself. This is a better example of what I was describing above. Box number one only has one number sticker, so she knows she won’t use that box for the day. She’d start with box number two, which has two number stickers on it.

Once she is done with the box, she’ll take off the number on the left and place it on her schedule strip.

Now, she can look at her schedule strip and see which box she has done, and she can look at her boxes and see which ones still need to be done.

After each box is completed, she’ll place her work in the “inbox”, where it will sit for me to check.

If she needs help with something and I’m unavailable, she can place a “Help” sticker on her work.

Even though Babydoll still needs me for quite a few lessons, this system also serves as a great way to keep me organized. I’ll plan out about two weeks in advance and make a note of all books, worksheets, etc., we need and place the work in her boxes each night. Bottom line is this: she’s looking forward to starting school and I’m thrilled about our new setup!

The workbox system was developed by Sue Patrick and the schedule strips and stickers I used were developed by Cassie Jones. You can see her workbox setup at Spell Outloud.

{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }

The Adventurer August 22, 2010 at 7:53 am

Hi found you on work boxes. I am your newest follower:) Great blog! I think our daughter might be around the same age.I just started blogging too.
http://lifesadventures-amb.blogspot.com/
Hope you check it out.
Anna-Marie

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