Pics of our workboxes

Usually there are 12 folders in my daughter's box. Today we a have a lighter load, so that's why there are only 10 and there are the 2 stars on the chart to block off the unused numbers.

first & second days of school

So we started "back" to school yesterday. (I put back in " " because we really only took a week off from doing anything...we had a lighter schedule in the summer, but as Noodle needed to improve her reading skills, we kept with a lot of phonics instruction and did math on occasion, too). I opted to go with a workbox approach this year. I'll get some pictures up at the end of the week. Thus far, it has been a BIG success with the kids, which is great. I'm certain it will take less time and effort from me as I get the hang of it. Honestly, it's Spud's workbox that takes a little more thought, as he mostly just needs activities that have a loose tie-in to academics. They don't really even need that, but it's nice. He has really liked using his workbox, though, and it forces me to be engaged with him instead of just sending him off to do his "computer school" or entertain himself for the 2ish hours I'm doing school with Noodle. So, while I feel pretty wiped out at the end of school time, I feel like it is productive and enjoyable. I'll keep working on coming up with ideas for the workboxes and hopefully that will cut down on the prep time for me. I'd like to have a sort of rotation for him where he has some types of activities he does every week, and then only 2-3 variable ones each day. As it is now, I feel like I'm trying to come up with 9 fresh things every day. Though we do have his phonics instruction/review, his computer time, and "A Label A Day" everyday, so that's three down out of nine.

One minor frustration has been that Noodle was disappointed that Math was part of the workbox, as she thought the workbox was supposed to make school fun. It's funny that she seems to have an aversion to math, as it seems to come quite easily to her. I've been reading up on right brained learners and I have to wonder if it isn't the effort of getting the answers from her head down on to the paper that makes it so tedious for her. So for the second page of math today we did it mostly verbally and I didn't require her to write down the answers. I think I'll try that with her everyday and see if it helps.

Her reading is really improving. I got this primer (and the later books) for her, and I think it is a great book. It had received quite high reviews, and I think it lives up to them. What is nice is that the stories are REAL stories, and likely ones the child is familiar with. There is a lot of repetition, so once the child figures out the words, they have a lot of opportunity to practice them. Plus, with so many words on each page, it feels like they are really reading a story. So, I've been impressed. I've also been printing out a coloring page for her to do after each story, which I think she enjoys. I need to figure out a way to incorporate more art in our week. Mostly, I think I just need to figure out a way to have a bit more energy. I was wiped out after today. I actually had to take a little nap.

in a perfect world...

I'd have a friend who lived next door who had kids the same ages as mine and also shared my homeschool philosophy, then we'd split the work and double the fun.

A mom can dream, right?

Months & Days

I think I'll make a better effort to teach the kids their months and days now that I've found a couple songs I like.

Months of the Year


Days of the Week
Sung to the theme of The Addams Family:

Day's of the week
(clap, clap)
Days of the week
(clap, clap)
Days of the week
Days of the week
Days of the week
(clap, clap)
There's Sunday and there's Monday
There's Tuesday and there's Wednesday
There's Thursday and there's Friday
And Then there's Saturday
Days of the week
(clap clap)
Days of the week
(clap clap)
Days of the week
Days of the week
DAYS OF THE WEEK!

ridiculously excited

about this book, Games for Learning. I think it is just the thing to invigorate our homeschool time this Fall. I am doing a "workbox-type" system, and I really wanted some fun activities to mix it up with the academic pursuits. These are all 10 minutes or less games, and I think the kids, especially Noodle, will really like them. I think Spud will like them, too. At least I hope so. He is doing his "I'm incapable of doing anything that isn't my own idea" thing again. sigh.

And one of the libraries around here (not mine, but in the next town) has her other books. Yay!!

Update on Spud's ABCs

We did a "quiz" this morning and he only had a slight bit of trouble with G, Y & W.