workboxes, update

I still really like the workbox system. We use it for Noodle's school everyday. Most days she does all 12 folders, but maybe once or twice a week we only have 10. With Spud, I have been adjusting his preschool "work" so now we are only using about four of his folders, and I fill the rest of the chart with the stars and take out the unused folders. I made his box with the intent that he'll grow into using more of it, anyways, so I'm okay with not using it all that much right now.

After 8 weeks of workboxes, I think the primary benefits have been:

1. I am forced to plan our day beforehand when I get the workbox ready the night before (and even earlier when I am more on top of things). I made a "Workbox Extras Sheet" which is just a simple table with Monday-Friday down the left hand side and the kids' names across the top. I jot down in the space for each day what extras I want to put in (e.g. flash cards, books for reading, read-alouds, mazes, coloring pages, history or science stuff, games) and then it makes the process of actually filling the workboxes each night much quicker. Also, I have found it very helpful in typing up my weekly report, as I can just refer to this page as an overview. (I did this last week for the first time and it was great!)

2. Noodle feels like she has some control over her day because she is the one who gets to get the next activity out. She also knows how far along her school day is.

3. Easy to schedule time to do the small and/or fun activities. Along with this, I also like that it is easy to take breaks (necessary to take care of the baby, have lunch, have a snack, help the other child) and then resume.

So, I don't really see us NOT using workboxes in the foreseeable future. In case you were wondering. :o)

still enjoying our workboxes

This is week three, and the kids are still responding well to their workboxes. Some of the novelty has worn off, but they are still working through their folders with a general level of enthusiasm. One advantage I'd not really thought of to this system of managing our school day is that it is very easy to take breaks. When you have a baby that doesn't always have your schedule in mind, this is a really big benefit. Also, since most of the work for the kids requires some mom assistance, it is good to be able to switch back and forth. We do most of the stuff in the kitchen at the table, and the kids are getting good at waiting for a few minutes for me to finish up with the other child. I really like that the workboxes take me out of the equation of the kids knowing how much work there is to do. Before, Noodle was always asking if we were almost done. Now she knows how close to "done" she is by looking at the chart on the front of her workbox. It was hard for me to have to keep saying, "No, we still have X, Y and Z to do." Now she doesn't ask, she just does.

Oh, one thing that has really streamlined my workbox prep every evening is to make a 3x5 card for each day with the subjects that will be in the workbox that day. I can refer to the card, put those materials in the workbox, and then add any extras (games, etc) in to fill the rest of the box up. I finally got around to making up the 3x5 cards for Spud's box on Monday, and it has been really nice. Prior to doing so, I felt like I had 9 folders to fill "out of nowhere" every day. Now it's usually only about 4. Much more manageable.

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.