What our homeschool year is looking like.....

This is what our school day is looking like this year. Each year seems to morph into something totally different when it comes to routine and schedule. So, I figured I'd get down on paper cyber paper that is, what we are doing this year. Here's what the kids do:

Kid's Morning Routine:
get dressed
make bed
eat breakfast
brush teeth
pet chores
pick up bedroom and straighten family room
kiss mom (yep, this is on their chore list and they love it as do I!)
read 1 chapter in Bible
empty dishwasher

Morning Walk (we take a morning walk before school starts)

School starts: (8am or 9am depending on the day)
Work Boxes (they work through these first independently)
Lunch Break
History/Science/Bible (we do these together on the sofa in the afternoon)

We are usually done with school by at least 1pm if not earlier thanks to the workbox system.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE WORKBOX SYSTEM?
A couple of things-
1. I haven't read the actual book on it.
2. I haven't been to a workshop to learn how to do it.
3. I've taken the premise and figured out a method that works for us.

If you want to know about the system from it's creator, go to her site here or read her book.

Here are links to several different ways people are implementing the workbox system. (thanks Jess for turning me on to this and for forwarding the links)
totes and a rack
drawers
file tubs
shoe box tubs and racks
magazine boxes
and a video on it from the creator

We are using the method that is the second one down (drawers) on the link list above. I bought 2 sets of sterilite 12x12 scrapbooking drawers for each child giving them each 6 drawers. We are doing a very compact version of this so I could see how we could easily use more drawers but for now this is sufficient. I liked this version because it's a compact way to do it and doesn't take up much space in our house.

Here's how it works for us:
The kids start school and go open drawer #1. I usually mix the drawer numbers up so that they aren't in order which keeps the whole thing interesting for them. They open the drawer and take out the task. It might be a post-it-note with instructions on it, like, "set your timer for 30 min. and play our computer math game." (My kids have a kitchen timer that they use for timing things like school work, a task, their shower!, their reading, their breaks etc. so that they don't go on endlessly.) Once that drawer is finished they put the number onto the top chart where it goes and move to the next drawer.

The drawers are filled with their school work often with a post-it-note stuck to it saying how many pages to complete. One drawer always holds a surprise snack. Sometimes there is a post-it-note that says "take a 15 min. break and play with your dog" or things like that. I plan on putting some other things in there too, like a cookie mix with a note that says "go bake some cookies!". Adding some surprises in the work boxes mixed in with their school work keeps them going. Sometimes I put an art craft in a box, or a special book to read or study. Sometimes there is a special project or science project in the drawer.

For organizational purposes, we use the top drawer for their school supplies. ie. their box of crayons, box of pencils, erasers, ruler, scissors, cursive chart, etc....

Why I love this system so far:
1. It holds me accountable to lay out their school work the night before.
2. It gives my kids self motivation.
3. It gives my kids an end in sight to their daily school work.
4. It gives my kids independence and responsibility over their work.
5. It keeps our school work organized and all in one place.
6. It gives my kids a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day when they see all their numbers stuck on the top chart.
7. It makes the school day more fun.
8. It frees me up to help them when they need it and to get other things done rather than constantly being asked what they are supposed to do next and me trying to figure it out at the moment.In about 10 min. before I go to bed I can have the workboxes ready to go for the next day.

Mom's Morning Routine:
(it varies greatly but I usually try to get these things done:)
shower
make bed
clean up my bedroom and bathroom
make breakfast
throw in a load of laundry
read Bible
check email
do breakfast dishes
walk with the kids
prep lunch and dinner

There's our workbox story and what our school day looks like this school year. I've probably left something super important out but oh well....that's what I've got off the top of my head. =0)