Workbox help

[Mom-ninja.]

I'm going to do it. I'm going to try the workboxes. I feel the pull of it. :lol:

 

Here's a list of curriculum for my rising 3rd grader:

FLL 3

WWE

ABeCeDarian

AAS

RightStart

SOTW 2

NOEO Biology (until we finish and move on to Earth science)

School Song Latin

Handwriting workbook

Reading such as McGuffey books and other books his level

 

How would I break all this up? Would each be its own box? Or would I have a box labeled Language Arts and alternate certain things?

[Dawn E]

I am planning for the fall, so this is all in theory right now and not practice.

 

It will depend on the schedule you want to work around. I made a chart, since some of our materials are covered on a four-day schedule (CW primer, Calculadder drill practice, etc.) and history is planned for three days. I spaced them out throughout the week, filling in the extra boxes on the alternate days with the subjects covered once a week (science, spelling, etc.) I am still figuring it all out, but for now I think I'll put everything in the boxes needed for that lesson...including the book if it isn't a consumable book.

[proverbs356lady]

I'm also trying to think this through. We plan to do math, handwriting, grammar, Bible, and reading everyday so I'll give them their own box. History and science will be 4-5 days a week so most weeks will also have their own box. Other subjects like vocab, spelling, writing, PE, art and music will be 1-3 times a week so I'll fill our boxes with these as needed. I'll also add manipulatives and other activities as needed to give some variety to our day. Does this seem reasonable?

[MerryAtHope]

Each item has it's own box, but you don't necessarily label the boxes (like you don't have a handwriting box and a spelling box etc...). One day, handwriting might be in box 4, the next day in box 5, the next day it might not be in. You can keep it in the same box (or near the same box) each day or really move it around as meets your needs.

 

Merry :-)

[Mom-ninja.]

Each item has it's own box, but you don't necessarily label the boxes (like you don't have a handwriting box and a spelling box etc...). One day, handwriting might be in box 4, the next day in box 5, the next day it might not be in. You can keep it in the same box (or near the same box) each day or really move it around as meets your needs.

 

Merry :-)

 

That makes sense. I sort of do that now. I have bins that I keep each subject in, and I take out what I need that day. The only difference is that I would take out the needed materials the night before, and set them into drawers.

 

Merry, I'm going to use your stacked drawers idea. :001_smile:

[ProudGrandma]

We are going to have envelopes (instead of drawers or boxes) and I plan to include Math, handwriting, spelling, phonics and reading in the envelopes...but then for Science, History, and language, because we do those subjects together...they won't have an envelope...unless I am adding supplemental things for the 2 bigger kids. Did that make sense??

[vlshort]

So I just read about this, and I went to Target today and found three different colored boxes (I have three kids!), and I think I'll purchase them tomorrow. They are sets of three drawers in a set - so I'll buy either three or four sets for each child. I like the drawers idea because they're wider to hold the books without being bent, yet they slide into the box and save space.

 

Here are some thoughts I'm having:

Some people are saying they don't want to have to keep loading boxes each night. I'm thinking why would I need to unload it in the first place - except perhaps a completed assignment being placed in a box to correct. Then I just load the assignments back into their same drawers. But everything could stay in the box, and the next day it's ready to go again.

 

If I have all of the boxes numbered, sometimes a box might not actually have an assignment for that day - then it's a freebie for the child! They still get to move the number off as completed. And by the way, if they're moving numbers off, why can't the boxes just stay on the shelf instead of being piled on the floor? Would that be enough of a visual to be motivating - moving the numbers off?

 

I think I will have a schedule in each box for that individual subject, and the assignments will be checked off, so I can still do my planning at the beginning of the week, or even month!

 

I think my 11ds should be more capable of doing his work independently, but he's not, and I'm hoping this will be the stepping stone he needs -- perhaps in another year or so, after this, he'll be more independent.

 

So, I should say I haven't read the book, and am doing all of my planning based on posts I've read here and other sites. I'm excited to see how it works! I'm also continuing to see how everyone else's plans are going, and more importantly, is it working??

 

Blessings,

Vanessa

[Tohru]

Our boxes have numbers and different things go in them depending on the the day. So yes, you can do whatever curriculum you want and still use workboxes.

 

Every night I put one assignment in each box that needs to be completed. I include everything needed for that assignment, including the pen or experiment supplies. Some of the boxes have "work with mom cards" or an "ask for help" card if it is something we have to do together. If the assignment is physically larger than the box, there is a note card in the box stating where he can find his assignment... for example, on the kitchen counter or in the garage.

 

Although Sue Patrick is against it, I do write up a general lesson plan for all the subjects/assignments that I want to get to before the week starts. It gives me a general guideline to follow for the week and helps me organize because we only do science, art & music 2x week.

 

He has an assignment strip with velcro numbers that correlates with the box numbers. For example he has a strip and it will tell him to do box 1, 2, 3, 10-min recess, 4,5, 10-min recess...I do that to help him with assignments I know he doesn't want to do, but he will do them because he is guaranteed a break after it is over. When he completes the assignment, he takes the number off the strip and puts it into a box that I revelcro for the next day.

 

I absolutely love the workbox system and am so glad to have found it. My 12yo ds loves schooling now, whereas before it was always a struggle for both of us.

 

HTH!

[Tohru]

If I have all of the boxes numbered, sometimes a box might not actually have an assignment for that day - then it's a freebie for the child! They still get to move the number off as completed. And by the way, if they're moving numbers off, why can't the boxes just stay on the shelf instead of being piled on the floor? Would that be enough of a visual to be motivating - moving the numbers off?

 

 

Actually, it is quite impactful to be able see the drawers, boxes or whatever disappearing. Seeing the work go away is something that just can't be explained until you experience watching it happen.

 

For us adults with abstract thinking, checking off an assignment is good enough, which would be the same thing as moving a number off the chart. However checking off assignments is what I used to have my ds do and it was a constant struggle to get the work done before.

 

Now when he actually takes the entire box and puts it in a pile with the other completed boxes... All I can say is that I am even impressed with the visual disappearing of the boxes and his personal "mountain of accomplishment" (made from completed stacked boxes) lol

 

Sue Patrick does say that the workbox system actually tends to be MORE beneficial for the middle-high school levels than for the younger grades. So perhaps this will help your 11yo be more motivated and get more completed too.