Workboxes 101

Last year I was introduced to workboxing. I was impressed, but concerned about the space issue it could create in our already too-cluttered home. So after reading a gaggle of other blogs, and scanning various online stores, I finally came up with a system that I believe will help our homeschool.

First, the reason I was attracted to this system is because of all the struggles I have had with Princess S. She has been "officially" diagnosed with ADD - for whatever it's worth. But after talking to a friend whose profession is in the area of special needs kids, I'm looking into the possibility of sensory processing disorder. Either way, I believe that the idea behind the workbox system will aid this princess in finishing her schoolwork, with less fighting, in a shorter amount of time. And hopefully bring a little fun back as well. I will be doing a version of workboxes with Princess S as well as using the system as presented with Princesses L and M.

Here is how we work the system . . .

I gathered up a bunch of things we already had and put them into bins. I have one bin for each of the three princesses doing workboxes. I then snatched up a bunch of learning items at the dollar store and the dollar bin at Target. I also picked up some cheap art supplies at Wallyworld (AKA Wal-mart). I have one in the hall closet and the others below my laptop desk.

Next, I purchased a cheap four level shoe rack at Target, as well as six plastic shoe boxes in two different colors. I had several clear boxes already. Princess L will use the pink, Princess M will use green, and the clear boxes will be for activities they will do together. I am not putting Princess L's actual school lessons in there, as most of these require her to do them with me. But, I will put a few activities in each box for each Princess to do with their sisters, and a few to be done together.

For Princess S, I decided to put up a shelf in her bedroom where she has a little indent in the wall next to the closet. I bought cardboard magazine boxes from IKEA. Then I made the numbers and number strips for each princess. For Princess S, my horse lover, I made a number strip with horses, and plain white numbers over the top. For Princess L, my dress loving princess want to be, I choose a pink frilly number strip posted at the workboxes Yahoo group. She will have to practice returning the numbers in the correct order. For Princess M, I used the number strip from the Yahoo group featuring the Disney Princesses. But, as she is nowhere near learning numbers yet, I added the princesses to the number strip so that she matches the princess to the grid.

I made up some note cards which I covered in clear contact paper. I write on these with a dry erase marker what the assignment or activity is. Then I attach the note card to the inside of the box with a clothes pin. I include any necessary items - pencil, eraser, timer, etc. - in the box. (This will cut down the half hour search for a pencil which ran rampant last year.) If the assignment is a worksheet, I put it into one of the folders that Princess S got to pick out.

I use the box system grid to fill in the school assignments for Princess S, leaving several blanks to put some fun activities or chores into the schedule. I made a few chore cards for the chores that will be scheduled - laundry, bathroom cleaning, piano practice, etc. The night before our first day, I filled all the boxes. When she is ready to start her boxes, she takes the number strip off the refrigerator. As she completes each box she puts the number from the front of the box onto the number strip. When she finishes the boxes, she is to return the number strip to the refrigerator. (She has forgotten this strip all week.) If there is time during the afternoon, I will take all the items out and refill the boxes. If there isn't time, then I take the boxes out when it is bedtime and fill them at night. So far, it hasn't taken me longer than 15 minutes. I bought extra boxes so I can fill them as needed. Here is an example of the first two days of this week:

Monday Boxes
1: Laudry in wash machine
2: Growing With Grammar lesson 165
3: Do first two workboxes with Princess M
4: Move laundry to dryer and reload washer (START the dryer)
5: Do 100 jumping jacks
6: Quizlet.com Year 2 Week 1 vocabulary words
7: Important People copywork week 1
8: Remove dry clothes and fold, move laudry to dryer (START the dryer)
9: TOG Map week 1
10: Do 1 workbox with Princess L
11: Math-U-See Gamma video lesson 1 and worksheet 1A
12: Practice piano
13: REmove dry clothes and fold

Tuesday boxes
1: Quick Clean downstairs bathroom
2: Usborne book reading
3: Gridlock game - visual/spacial thinking game
4: Piano practice
5: Coloring page - Horseland
6: Math worksheet 1B
7: Growing With Grammar lesson 166
8: Quick clean upstairs bathroom

(Princess S does her laundry on Mondays while Princess E does a quick clean of both bathrooms. A quick clean is basically just cleaning the surfaces with Clorox wipes, cleaning the mirrors, and picking up stray items. On Tuesdays, it is the opposite with Princess E doing laundry. Wednesday through Friday they each quick clean one bathroom. On Saturdays they will be deep cleaning the opposite bathroom that they are responsible for quick cleaning during the week. They also each have a kitchen chore that must be completed after each meal. This chore switches each day. They get Sundays off - I don't!)

Here are some photos of our system.