Getting Organized With Workboxes!
It's been a week since we started using Sue Patrick's Workbox System, and I thought I'd post some pictures!
She strongly advocates using shoe-box style bins, but we didn't have the space for that, so here's what I opted for instead:
That's in our kitchen! The tower drawers can be easily added to, another plus for me! We have 8 right now, but I think we really need 10-12 to be able to break things down sufficiently, yet still throw in some fun stuff :-). (After all, the fun stuff is what motivates!)
Here's a close-up of the drawers fully loaded and ready to go:
I debated whether to go with the velcro numbers--I was afraid my 12-yo might think they were a little childish. But, since the drawers are not easily-removable like bins would be, and the visual of seeing that work is getting done and being able to tell at a glance where you are & how much is left is an important part of the system. I had to at least try! So I was VERY careful in how I introduced the concept to him. I said, "Wouldn't it be nice if you could just look at the drawers and know without opening a bunch of them where you were working and how much you had left to do?" (Gee, Wally, that sure would be swell!) Well, he was sold then!
Here are the drawers in action:
So here's what they do--As they complete each drawer, they have to turn in any written work to a box on the kitchen table, and return any books or supplies (like their Bible or a reader, or their personal whiteboard markers & erasers for AAS!) to the drawer it came out of. THEN...and ONLY THEN, is that drawer finished. That's when they can remove the numbered velcro sticker and put it on their progress chart for the day--here's Zach's chart in progress:
The charts stay on top of the carts, which conveniently are a divided tray that fit their pencil boxes too. I chose to put a few extra velcro stickers in 2 of the little boxes. We have stickers for:
Clean room/make bed (they do this before breakfast)
Music Practice
Exercise
Family Service (assigned chores they do each day).
Here are Anna's stickers:
We've had a schedule for years, so this really hasn't enabled us to get more done in less time like it might for some. But I started it because we had occasional missing books, and because the kids would forget to turn in work sometimes (and I would forget to tell them, or I would forget to correct work that day...). So I really like this system for the accountability and organization it's given us, and I'm hoping it will be a good, long-term solution.
All done for the day!
She strongly advocates using shoe-box style bins, but we didn't have the space for that, so here's what I opted for instead:
That's in our kitchen! The tower drawers can be easily added to, another plus for me! We have 8 right now, but I think we really need 10-12 to be able to break things down sufficiently, yet still throw in some fun stuff :-). (After all, the fun stuff is what motivates!)
Here's a close-up of the drawers fully loaded and ready to go:
I debated whether to go with the velcro numbers--I was afraid my 12-yo might think they were a little childish. But, since the drawers are not easily-removable like bins would be, and the visual of seeing that work is getting done and being able to tell at a glance where you are & how much is left is an important part of the system. I had to at least try! So I was VERY careful in how I introduced the concept to him. I said, "Wouldn't it be nice if you could just look at the drawers and know without opening a bunch of them where you were working and how much you had left to do?" (Gee, Wally, that sure would be swell!) Well, he was sold then!
Here are the drawers in action:
So here's what they do--As they complete each drawer, they have to turn in any written work to a box on the kitchen table, and return any books or supplies (like their Bible or a reader, or their personal whiteboard markers & erasers for AAS!) to the drawer it came out of. THEN...and ONLY THEN, is that drawer finished. That's when they can remove the numbered velcro sticker and put it on their progress chart for the day--here's Zach's chart in progress:
The charts stay on top of the carts, which conveniently are a divided tray that fit their pencil boxes too. I chose to put a few extra velcro stickers in 2 of the little boxes. We have stickers for:
Clean room/make bed (they do this before breakfast)
Music Practice
Exercise
Family Service (assigned chores they do each day).
Here are Anna's stickers:
We've had a schedule for years, so this really hasn't enabled us to get more done in less time like it might for some. But I started it because we had occasional missing books, and because the kids would forget to turn in work sometimes (and I would forget to tell them, or I would forget to correct work that day...). So I really like this system for the accountability and organization it's given us, and I'm hoping it will be a good, long-term solution.
All done for the day!
Tags: organization, sue patrick, workboxes
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Comment by Paula A on April 3, 2009 at 6:44pm - Wow--that looks cool!
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Comment by Maureen on April 4, 2009 at 8:46pm - Oh I love how you did this! I have 3 Iris carts that I could transform like this too... hmmmm I just might do it!
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Comment by crazy4boys on April 5, 2009 at 12:00am -
Can you tell me more about how you have the drawers divided? Is it one drawer for each subject? Do you put stuff in them every night? Do your kids do all their work independently or do they work with you for some subjects? If they do work with you, how does the box fit in - like, what if you're not available right then? Or do you have scheduled time for certain subjects?
Sorry to ask so many questions, I'm just not sure how this translates from picture to practice and want to know more.
Thanks!
Heather
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Comment by Merry on April 5, 2009 at 12:49am -
Hi Heather, let's see... Each drawer is a subject (but if a subject has more than one item, you break it down--ie, you wouldn't put handwriting, grammar, and spelling all in one "Language arts" drawer--they are separate items). Breaking the subject parts down helps the kids to keep working, plus part of the motivation is that you put some "fun" things in too, like an educational game, puzzles, read-aloud, manipulatives--whatever you want.
We do a "group time" together first. We all read Bible together & pray & sing. Then I read science (or they might work in their science notebooks that day), and I read history (they are keeping drawings they copy from our history read-aloud on the World Wars right now.). We do literature read-alouds at night before bedtime too.
I do their spelling with them one on one, too.
I do a "tutoring time" with each child where I go over their work from the previous day. Sometimes LA is together (like if we read poetry & have "Tuesday Tea," or if I am teaching mechanics or literary devices from a copywork assignment they will do). If we don't do one of these, the kids either work in their LA workbooks or do a writing assignment (sometimes interactive journalling, sometimes writing a story). Other independent work: Bible memory, math, reading, handwriting, music practice, family service, exercise (might be together, might not, might include friends or activities too).
When I am going to be working with just one of them, the other child will have something independent to do during that time slot, and then I switch them. If I'm not done with one child when the other comes to a drawer with their spelling stuff, for example, they simply go to the next drawer until I am free.
I've also taught my kids not to interrupt each other's 1 on 1 time with me with questions. They are to: Read and try to understand. Do everything else in that assignment first & come back to the question item at the end, and try again to read and understand. If they still don't understand, they are to go to their next assignment until I am free, then we talk. Usually the wait is no more than 10-20 minutes, and not much of a hardship. I have never been strict with scheduling, though I do come up with time estimates each year to figure out the flow of our day. And sometimes I use times to let my kids know what's expected (such as, "Work on your science notebook for 30 minutes, and then we'll work on it some more tomorrow."). I do like having approximate times though, because it helps our day to flow--I know what one can do while I work with another. Manager's of Their Homes helped me a lot with that.
I do put stuff in the boxes each night--not too hard since I already had a weekly schedule of what we would do, and a general order. About the only thing that varies is where I put the fun drawer and what's in it, LOL! HTH, Merry :-)
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Comment by crazy4boys on April 6, 2009 at 10:47pm
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Thanks Merry, that was very helpful. One more question - for the subjects you do together, do you have a drawer? Or do you just keep the materials you need somewhere and grab them when you need them? And would the kids then mark it off their charts? Sorry, that was
three!!!
My kid are still pretty young and we do most of our subjects together so I'm trying to see if and how this would work for them. I think I might only end up with 3 or 4 drawers but it would help them learn the system and we could add more as they become more independent.
I like your 'drawers' idea. Seems much easier to keep together than a ton of boxes.
Heather
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Comment by Merry on April 7, 2009 at 12:03am
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Sometimes yes, sometimes no. For example, when we read Bible, they each take a turn reading, so they have their Bibles in a drawer. Right now in history we are reading a picture-rich book, so they are copying the pictures that interest them & labelling them as I read--so they have a drawer for that. Science--some days I just read, no drawer. Some days they are working in their notebooks, so then they have a drawer. So--the drawers are usually for things that they will do as part of our time. Sue Patrick recommends that you post a list of what you'll do during group time so that the kids can see what's coming (you could read it to them if they are pre- or early-readers).
Merry :-)
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Comment by Heather on April 8, 2009 at 10:37am - I've had some questions about this concept--mainly, for those with larger families, how do you find the space to make something like that work? I use a Dollar Store dishpan for each child. Their "main" books are in that dishpan, but everything else is shelved. They get an assignment list from me every day and, of course, I'm there to help them work through all of it; although Mary is largely independent at this point. Anyhow, just wondering ...
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Comment by Merry on April 8, 2009 at 2:04pm
- Heather, did you see Robin E's blog on here? Maybe how she does it would work for you.
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Comment by Homeschooling6 on April 26, 2009 at 10:37pm -
Wow! How organized!!! As soon as I get the extra $$$ I would love to buy the book and try this out.
Blessings,
Linda<><
www.homeschooling6.com
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Comment by Jennifer Bogart on May 3, 2009 at 2:08am
- I need one of these to keep ME on track, not so much my children. I have SERIOUS organizational issues, and if I have to run around the house collecting all the books, pencils, papers etc. we need, sometimes it just doesn't get done.
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