Homeschooling in a Small Space

The home school classroom. Pinterest is loaded with them. Colorful and inspiring. Organized and tranquil. Classic. Trendy. Fun. They come in many different forms. What happens though when you don't have a large space to educate in?

We have always had our classroom in another room. First it was in our dining room which opened into a living room. We pushed the table into the middle and made a nice little space. We later moved it into our room which had a large space for an office. It made for a pretty decent size classroom.

Upon moving into our new house we have laid out plans for converting the third portion of our garage into an awesome classroom/office for the hubby and I. We had every intention of doing it before the beginning of the school year but then there were additional expenses on the house, our car broke down and we needed a new(ish) one. You know, life happened.

So here we are, in a new house, with no where to do school. For many, this is the case. We don't have an extra room designated as a classroom. This year, we are the kitchen table classroom family. I think many of you are too.

This causes a little problem for us. We do family dinners around the table every night. We cannot have school books lining the table. So, we worked out a solution that is still somewhat aesthetically pleasing (since it is in the center of our home) while still being really functional.

By simply moving the table up against the divider in the room we were given enough space to create what we call the command center. The table positioning is not conventional or entirely ideal but it works.

Luckily the cut out above was already decorated in school type items because I love me some globes. We didn't have to fork out extra money that we don't have in order to make it look school like.

We recently inherited this beautiful tea cart from my husbands equally beautiful grandma. It is the perfect piece for organizing our little ones assignments. Again, not the conventional use of a tea cart but we love it and think grandma would be proud of it's new use.

On top, the things we need daily. A crate-style filing system with our charts, worksheets and such. A vintage case holds all of our flashcards and some other manipulatives. The cute wire drawers holds the daily work that the kids need me for...to go along with the workbox drawers that sit next to the tea cart. Before we start the day, I will put what will be needed in there so that the kids have easy access to their work. Then of course some vintage rulers and lots of crayons to make the space look a little more fun and inviting.

The middle section is simply things that we use on occasion. Big Books and fun little lessons.

In the cabinets, all the additional curriculum. The stuff that we aren't using for the day. We will also store library books and current unfinished projects in this area.

Off to the side is a vintage vanity which is my little station. All of my lesson plans, calendars and some supplies. This is the no touch area. Only for parents/teachers. Mostly because the art supplies are hidden in there and I do not want colored walls. Chalkboard up above for teaching the kiddos on.

I would love to balance the space out with a filing cabinet on the other side of the tea cart with the workbox system. I am currently on the hunt for one that won't break the bank. Thinking old chipped up filing cabinet that I can paint the facings poppy colors. This will hold all of the important stuff. Like grades, tests, and forms from our PSP. I will probably also throw in non-school or semi-school stuff like Nixon's medical/ABA/OT/everything else stuff.

So that is our little space. Now the kids can do school at the kitchen table without taking over meal times. I hope this inspired you to not be held back by your small classroom spaces like I initially was.

WorkBox System and Free Printables

***This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SchoolYearReady #CollectiveBias***

The new school year is here. As many of our friends are sending their kids back to their schools, we are preparing our house and curriculum for the new homeschool year. Majority of what we are doing this year is really similar to what we did last year but we are incorporating some extra co-op times and trying out our own spin on a work box system. Go ahead and google work box... I had to too. 

I knew that with the two younger kids all over the place now, I would need the school age kiddos to have a little more independence with their lessons. I will still be there teaching them new skills, helping them review and over seeing everything they do but a more independent system will be a huge help in making the days run smoothly.

So, here is how we will make it work: The kids will have a set of drawers where I will be placing her work and materials according to the days lesson. Instead of doing a box for every subject, I made them only for the ones that the kids can typically start on their own. Every night I will fill the drawers with exactly what they will be needing. As we finish teaching time or complete an activity, (basically anytime we are done with a subject), they will be able to head over to the drawer and grab the next subject. 

Some activities will be able to be completed on their own. If it is something they will be needing me for, I will simply draw a little dry erase star on the label and they know not to start without me.

When they complete a subject they can check it off of their work list, return it to the drawer and move on to the next subject. The checklist is something that we added to the basic work box concept. Rhiannon is a lot like me, checking something off a list helps us to feel like we are getting somewhere and encourages us to keep going and if I do it for her, of course I need to do it for Talon.

I am really excited about this new system and thought some of you might be as well, so here is how we set it up:

We had the drawers already but you can find them pretty much anywhere. 

As for the labels and checklist, I have included a printable that you can find at the bottom of this post, or make your own to fit your subjects.

Because we would be writing on the checklist and we needed the labels to be nice, sturdy and durable to last through the whole school year, I made sure to laminate them.

Wal-mart has this awesome Scotch™ Thermal Laminator and Scotch™ Thermal Pouches, that I picked up for the project...and lots more projects coming soon. The products were located in the Back-to-School seasonal areas and in stationary. so we just grabbed it as we stocked up on all of our other back to school essentials and were ready to go.

Once you have your laminator and laminating pouches, print out your labels. **Tip: I like to cut anything I am laminating before putting it in the pouch and then cutting right outside of the paper line when the pouch is sealed and cooled. I feel like this gives the best seal and is much more durable. You can see what I am talking about in the picture above.**

That being said, cut your labels out and simply place them in the Scotch™ Self-Sealing Laminating Pouches. Give a little bit of room between them so that you are able to easily cut them out.

The Scotch™ Thermal Laminator is really easy to use. Just let it heat up and then run your pouches through the machine. Bam! Done. Now you just need to cut out your labels. 

We used double sided tape to put our labels on our drawers but I have seen people use Velcro strips so they can rearrange their schedule. I decided that because we have a checklist we really didn't need to do that.

Next up, print out and laminate your checklist. 

We are now ready to start using our version of the work box system. Hoping that this little project will help us to stay organized and allow for some independence.

Now that you have seen how we are using our Scotch™ Laminating Products to get ready for Back-to-School, what project are you planning to use them for? I am heading over to Create with 3M to get more ideas. Homeschooling has got me in a crafting mood lately!

Click Here for our Free Printables!!!!

Come Learn with Me

When it comes to homeschooling, one of our biggest challenges so far has been keeping the younger kids busy while I work with Rhiannon. For a while, handing the boys coloring books would keep them occupied long enough for me to get Rhi situated and then I could keep them playing while working with her whenever she needs me.

We came to the point recently that Talon just wants to learn with her. He knows that a coloring book is not the same way. I can't complain. I mean who can complain about a child simply wanting to learn. I just had to get creative. He is too distracted to sit and do workbooks or any type of curriculum. We have a few manipulatives already that he could work with, such as patternables, but adding to our collection to keep him busy all day would get expensive.

Our solution? Dollar store items turned into learning tools. Our main focuses right now are fine motor skills, colors and letters. Here are some of the fun ways we are learning. 

For our fine motor skills, I have Talon use tongs to move cotton balls to and from different cups and bowls. Some of them are easy, simply squeezing the cotton ball and lifting it out of a bowl. Others are a little more challenging, having to close the tongs to fit into a cup before opening and closing trying to pick up the cotton balls. We also do this activity with tweezers and smaller items.

For our colors, I have Talon and Little Man find items around the house to put into the properly marked muffin tins. We start off with basic colors and move onto different shades. Talon is only allowed to bring me items small enough to fit into the tin. This is helping him with recognizing not only the colors but size relativity too. This activity also keeps him busy during times that I really need to focus on helping his big sister.

When it comes to letters, our main focus, we have a lot of activities, like using our fingers to write in rice. Our favorite activity as of lately is using pipe cleaners to make letters. We have pipe cleaners that are full size, cut in half and some cut in fourths. Talon simply has to manipulate them and make them fit onto the sheets that I have written on. 

I know this picture is not relevant to the post but he's stinkin' cute.

We are having a lot of fun with learning around here. Even little man, who is almost two is able to get in on some of the learning. He is pretty good about just playing while we work though. Now if I can just find something to keep this one occupied. You know when he's not posing for pictures.

HomeSchool Week: School Photos

Today we are wrapping up HomeSchool Week with our school photos. I have had a lot of fun sharing with you and even more fun with the e-mailed questions and conversations that the posts have inspired.

To look back at what was shared, click these links:

What she is Learning

Our Schedule

A Sneak Peek at our Classroom

Now onto the pictures.

The idea behind her pictures came from her love of reading. I thought it would be fun to have a librarian inspired shoot for her school photos this year. So we headed to our library and did just that. Here are some of our favorites:

I am torn on which one should be used as her official Kindergarten picture. What do you think? Help me chose by commenting your favorite photo.

HomeSchool Week: A Peek in our Classroom

I daydream of a class room with chalkboard walls, a dozen globes and vintage educational posters. Right now, that Is not a part of our reality.

We don't have a room dedicated to school. We don't have spare rooms right now. In a few years we will be in a new home with extra space...if we don't have any surprise adoptions ;)

Right now we are blessed to have a bedroom that is bigger than anyone would ever need. We use half of it as our offices and home school room.

This is Rhiannon's portion of the room. On her desk we have any textbooks or activity books we are currently using, her chalk board and white board and her globe.

In her drawers you can find her paper, crayons, pencils and anything else an average kindergartner would need (except her scissors of course. Those are required to be in a locked cabinet...foster parent problem haha)

Hanging on her wall she has her alphabet pennant banner we made last year and clipboards to show of her good work. Soon enough we will have my chalkboard up, we are just trying to find the right place.



In my section of the room, I have my desk which is loaded with everything from invoices and orders to foster and home school paper work. This is my main hub. I blog here, I manage our home here,I teach from here.

On the desk you will always find my bibles, home school calendar, chrome book, the cute little props and most likely a mess that has exploded out of my creative mind moving to fast for its own good.

Choosing Joy Scripture from Thorns of Grace

In the drawers, lots and lots of paper work and handbooks and records. It's a chaotic mess that only I can navigate.

The white drawers next to me, all of our activity books and craft supplies.  We also have learning games and stuff like that in there. It's my type Z personality trying to be a Type A.

Hanging on the walls: a reminder board, another calendar (because the day planner, phone and google calendar aren't enough) and daily or weekly to do list.


This is our space. It's not perfect but we love it.

Where do you spend most of your days?

HomeSchool Week: Our Schedule

One of the biggest perks of homeschooling has got to be the ability to make your own schedule. From the time you wake up and do school to the days you take vacation, it is all up to you.

This year we went with a traditional school year vs. year round scheduling. We added in a few vacation weeks and played around with holiday breaks. Any vacations we decide to take that are not on our calendar, we will simply bring school along with us and make it a little more fun while still educating.

Our school year will look something like this:

First Day of School was September 3rd.

In School: Sept 3rd - October 11th

Mini Vacation: October 14th- Oct 18th (yep, baby girl gets a week off for her birthday. Spoiled)

In School: October 21st-November 22th

Thanksgiving Break: November 25th - November 30th

In School: December 1st - December 15th

Christmas Break: December 16th-January 3rd

In School: January 6th- February 28th

Mini Break: March 1st-March 6th

In School: March 10th-April 20th

Easter Break: April 21st- May 3rd

In School: May 5th-June 10th

Our weekly Schedule changes a little bit from time to time Most weeks we do school at home on Monday Wednesday and Friday with classes at Integrity on Tuesdays and Art Co-Op on Thursday. On occasions where we have field trips or holidays during the week, we will do that days work on Thursdays.

Our at home school days start anywhere from 8:30am - 10:30am depending on wake up time and fussy babies. Curriculum has been broken up based on the number of days in our school year and how units or topics in the books flow together. Most days go something like this:

• Begin with prayer and a devotion.
• 1-2 letters in Handwriting without tears. 
• Start with workbook then play with manipulatives and finish by writing on whiteboard or chalk
• Units are broken up into 5-15 sections. We do anywhere from 2-4 sections a day with the activities that go along with them.
• Start with text book plans and hands on work, finish with activity book
• Play with pattern blocks or base 10s for 10-20 minutes
• 3-5 pages from Explode the Code books
• Read from books we have brought home from the library
• 1 page of geography and any mapping activities that go with it.
• A portion of homework for History and Science

Depending on holidays and fun things happening around us we will also throw in little crafts, cooking or other fun stuff.

It is enough work to keep us busy but not enough that it is not doable in a day. We have fun together and Rhiannon is not only being educated but she is being trained up in the Word and learning to love to learn...tongue twister. 

HomeSchool Week: What She is Learning

Ahhh...curriculum.

Choosing what your child will learn and how they will learn it is such a challenge.

Research. A lot.

Sit down and do practice lessons with your kids. Figure out their learning style. And your teaching style for that matter.

Look at the teachers guides. Not just the books. Do you need them? Are the workbooks self explanatory? Do the teaching guides give you enough guidance? Enough structure? Too much structure? Can you incorporate your own lessons and activities? Do you want to?

It can all be so overwhelming. We have so many resources and options these days. Maybe too much.

Last year, we used SonLight for Preschool. We loved it but Rhiannon is still very easily distracted and had a hard time focusing on ALL the reading. Once she is reading on her own and can sit for longer we will likely go back to SonLight with some added manipulitives, as she is a very hands on learner.

This year, I wasn't sold on any one curriculum. We loved the math is some but the English was lacking. Some had the perfect amounts of reading but we didn't like the choices of books. Then their were perfect curriculums but they were too pricey and we still needed to add in manipulatives.

I was feeling defeated when hubby stepped in and suggested I put together our own curriculum with pieces from different ones. He's a genius I tell you, why isn't he educating our kids? Sheesh.

So here is what we went with:


Bible: 

• Leading Little Ones to God: A Child's Book of Bible Teachings

English:

• Reading/Phonics- 
• Explode the Code 3 book series
• Get Ready for the Code, Get Set for the Code and Go for the Code
• Bi-monthly library trips for reading books
• Spelling and Penmanship-
• Handwriting without Tears 
• Book, Wood letter pieces and molding clay

Math:

• Singapore Math
• Textbooks and Activity books
• Pattern Block Set
• Magnetic Base Ten Set

Social Studies:

• History
• Rhiannon is enrolled in a History class at a Satellite school
• Geography
• Beginning Geography Activity book
• Maps and Globe

Science:

• Rhiannon is enrolled in a Science class at a Satellite School

Physical Education:

• Ballet
• Fun activities at home

Art:  

• We are part of a co-op who will alternate homes and art projects

Home School Week

We have been back so school for a couple weeks now and have really got into the swing of things. We finally have it locked in stone enough that I feel comfortable saying that this IS what we do.

Every year, (last year and this one), it has seemed like the first week is a little like a trial run. We figure out a time that works best, what routine flows the best and how we will do things. The first week shows us what works best and that is what we do...of course leaving room for fluctuations in life.

With everything figured out and having Rhiannon start her Satellite extension classes tomorrow, I thought this week would be a great time to make it Homeschool Week on the blog.

Over the past year we have had a lot of questions about our schedule, what curriculum we do, how we keep home separated from school and all that good stuff. I'm always surprised at how many moms are interested in homeschooling. I am more than happy to show you what we do. What works for us.

Remember while reading though, what works for my home and my child may not work for you and yours. Every child and family dynamic is different. That is the beauty of homeschooling. We get to custom tailor our child's education based on their learning style, belief system and home life. Don't mimic someone else. It took a lot of research to find out how to educate our daughter the way I feel fits best. So come read, get some tips and then plan for YOU and YOUR CHILD.

This Weeks Schedule:

• Monday (today)- Introduction
• Tuesday- What she is Learning
• Wednesday- A Look at Our Schedule
• Thursday- Peek into the Classroom
• Friday- Back to School Pictures

**Just as every program and curriculum is not designed for every student. Home schooling is not for every family. Home school because you love it and are called to it, not because of pressure from those around you. Let's stop the mommy wars. If you home school, high five, you are giving your kids the best education you can! If you send your kids to Public School, good for you, you are giving your kids the best education you can!**

Managing our Home

Lately I have been criticized a lot for being so busy. As one person put it "You really glorify busyness." The little comments have been like daggers. They hurt for a lot of reasons. One, I am not all that busy. Two, even if I was, what would I cut out? And more than anything I don't have "busy work", everything in our lives is called by God. Everything we do is part of the path we feel He has placed us upon.

When I look at our lives, I don't see busy. I see blessings, I see provision, I see the love that our Father has poured out upon us.

Majority of our are days taken up by me playing with the kids. We spend hours on the floor laughing and having fun. We make time for playdates and rarely have to tell anyone we are too busy to come over and play.

When I was done being angry and offended I realized that it wasn't people judging me. From the outside I do seem like I am too busy. That I wouldn't have enough time for what is important.
So I want to show you how I manage my time. Maybe it can help some of the other "busy moms" out there.

Back to School Photos

The first day of school is just around the corner, so school pictures were in order. Let me tell you, one thing I do not think I will feel left out on when not sending my kids to Public school is the cheesy kid in front of a stack of books or globe pictures. Instead, I "hired" my hubby, who happens to be a phenomenal photographer, to take Rhiannon's preschool pictures.

The only problem I am having now is choosing her official school picture. You know, the one we send out to the masses.

I am doing a bit of a photo dump here and asking you all for some help in choosing. So do me a favor. Look them over and tell me which one you would choose. Some of them clearly won't work since you cannot even see her face but I love them and couldn't help but to share.  

Oh, and the out takes. Haha!

 So what do you think? What should I use. 

Also, head over to the husbands newly launched blog/website. Follow along. Rumor has it that he will be offering a back to school special for locals who follow his blog. Make sure to tell him that his wife sent you!

Where They Learn

Homeschoolers just chill in their PJs and watch the discovery channel all day right? No, they hike up their pants, throw in their pocket protectors and walk around museums, avoiding other "normal" kids at all costs. 

There are lots of stereotypes. In some cases, people fit into them. But in reality, those kids are few and far between. Not many homeschool moms rely on TV to teach their children. I mean that goes against the main reason most of us homeschool. We want to be the ones teaching our kids.

So what does a real homeschool kid and a real homeschool environment look like? I have no stinkin' clue. I wasn't homeschooled. I didn't see it first hand. What I did know is that I didn't want my 3 year old to be distracted. I wanted the place she learned to be inviting. I wanted it to be fun, so she would associate school with a fun time/environment. So that's what I modeled our homeschool classroom around.

Unfortunately, we don't have a ton of space. We're working with a limited budget, with no extra rooms and basically what we already had. Creating our dream space has proved to be a challenge.

We pulled this beautiful vanity from Rhiannon's room and turned it into her desk. She has her art supplies in one drawer, flashcards and science project stuff in the other. The center holds her paper, personal chalkboard and coloring books. 

This bookshelf was a steal. Only $5 bucks on craigslist. Added a fresh coat of white paint and accented the back paneling in green and it was set. The shelf holds her school books, my homeschool planners and some games and manipulatives. 

As far as making the room look like a place she wanted to be, I let her pick out some fabrics and I made her an alphabet banner. Which a few friends have commissioned me to make for them as well. The chalkboard was an old mirror that we painted a bright color. We pulled out the glass and replaced it with a thin wood that was painted with chalkboard paint.

I took apart an old office chair and jazzed it up for her. Tutorial here.

 

And hung clipboards to show off her work (little brothers too). They are so proud to see their art hanging.

It isn't much. We did what we could with what we had space and financial wise. But it didn't take much. Rhiannon is thrilled. She is counting down her days to preschool. She goes and sits at her desk and asks daily when school will start. I'm hoping to expand and add to the room gradually. 

But for now, this is where she will learn.