Workboxes

I can't remember exactly how, but in a random search for something else, I came across someone who uses workboxes. I googled it and also went on Pinterest, my new favorite pastime,lol! Seriously, pinterest is quite addictive so be ware. I am actually being followed by several people through facebook because apparently the things I pin are awesome!

Anyways, the official website is here.

You can read all about it there and also doing your own searches will help. I am sort of in a hurry because my mom hurt her back and I gotta take her to the doctor.

The gist of it is for each subject of school you work on in a given day, you allot a drawer in the cart, a box, file folder, whatever you choose. You preload it with any materials they would need to complete their work down to the pencil and paper; they are to complete it and normally there is some way to identify which ones have been completed, like a card on each box/drawer with the number (1,2,3,4....on down) on them that you can flip around and on the other side it says 'done' or something. I haven't done that yet, and I may not do it, we'll see. Sarah probably needs that because I found out yesterday she skipped several of her drawers the last time we did school.

I didn't think this idea would work for us since we are using Charlotte Mason education, so what did I do? I did another search on Charlotte Mason workboxes, and I found a few blogs of homeschoolers that gave me ideas. I've linked to one at the bottom of the post.

So, to encourage Alexa, who is 9, how to use her Bible and look up verses, she does her Bible study on her own, whereas before I was doing it in a family study. I miss doing it as a family, so I think I'll have her start doing some copywork from the Bible to help her learn that. I stagger the subjects in each drawer so that I am available to help one on one with math. For instance:

Sarah's workboxes:

1. Bible story book, corresponding color page from www.calvarycurriculum.com
2. math- 2 or 3 pages a day, using popsicle sticks as manipulatives
3. handwriting practice
4. spelling/phonics workbook
5. reading/literature and narration (generally in the form of retelling me or drawing a picture)
6. fun activity-puzzles, blocks,playdoh, crafts
7. 1 chore and then a snack (sticky note might say 'sweep kitchen floor and get a snack'

Alexa's workboxes:

1. Bible passage and questions to answer (calvarycurriculm.com again- I do this because she has a hard time really paying attention, and with her public school background, she likes worksheets)

2. reading/literature (Little House on the Praire) and work on lapbook project that goes along with the book
3.copywork/cursive practice
4. game or puzzle
5. math
6. chore and snack


Guess what's missing in our Charlotte Mason education? Science, history, geography art, music and nature study, handicrafts. Why? I'm behind on ordering the books we need and totally unorganized with it!!!! I'm not perfect. I feel we are hitting on the most important things each day, and we do other things as well. Alexa loves rocks and does a lot with that, Sarah loves to read and do crafts.I am thinking about doing a unit study on the period of history of Alexa's book, 1880s and the wild west wagon trails and all that. I'm praying about it right now. I will have to write another post about what science and history curriculum we are using as a guide. The first semester we read lots and lots of books about the early history of America, and let me tell you, they know more about the pilgrims and our country's beginnings than most college students! That's the advantage of homeschool and WHY it is so important.

Here are some images of other people's workbox systems:

This one with the pink was found at this site and she has a lot of good information that helped me.
Here is the site that teaches via Charlotte Mason style and uses workboxes.
And another one.
Well I hope that helps explain some. Of course as I add the rest of our subjects and fine tune it I'll have to update :)