New to all this - can I see your set-up?

[SproutMamaK]

Hi all!

 

I'm new to home schooling - by which I mean, I haven't even started yet. ;) We'll be starting both our kids (who will then be in Grade 1 and kindergarten, both with autism) in September. Maybe earlier, so I can ease myself into this slowly.

 

We're renovating our house right now, and happen to have a spare room. It was GOING to be a spare bedroom, but now it looks like it'll be our homeschooling room. It's 12'8 and has a 3x3 closet. So... what furniture do I need? We're looking at using the workbox system (it seems like it would help keep the boys on task), so we'll need to have SOMETHING to put the boxes on. However, the smaller carts most people I know use with this would get toppled in about .3 seconds by my 2 year old. I was thinking of maybe something like this, with fabric bins? http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/40047675 . What other organizational & storage needs will I have? Should I set things up so the boys are working close to each other and I can easily work with both at the same time, or should I move them to opposite corners so they don't distract each other? Questions, questions...

 

Anyways, I have no idea how much room I'll need, what's a good idea and a bad idea as far as set-up, etc goes. Does anyone have any suggestions, advice, or even photos to share?

 

For the record, I know that I have a LONG time to worry about all this, but we have a small grant that can be used for therapy/educational supplies for the boys that runs out in a few weeks time, which is why I'm asking this so far ahead of time - if I need to make any major purchases, I'd prefer to do it with this grant money.

[Pink Fairy]

For me, bookcases are key. If I were designing a school room for the long haul, a major consideration would be keeping wall space for all the bookcases we'd eventually need. A desk for each child, with an adjustable chair, a computer desk, and a desk for me. Closed storage is good for those messier supplies.

 

It's such an individual thing, so I'd hesitate to spend a lot of money upfront. You might find out after you outfit an entire school room that you prefer doing school in the living room or at the kitchen table. I do like having a room to keep all of the school stuff corralled. Even if you don't work in that room, to be able to put everything away and close the door at the end of the day is nice.

 

Here's a homeschool blog that has a very nice example of an organized, beautiful, functional school room. If you click on my name, I have an album in my profile with pics of my school room. Try doing a search on the board, and you should be able to find plenty of threads about school rooms.

[sarahf.]

I agree bookcases are the key to organizing a learning environment...Ikea is my go to store for bookcases:) Here's a pic of our learning space. HTH!

[Rhonda in TX]

You can get shallow drawers (or deeper, which you might need with younger kids). These would be a good fit for the workbox system.

 

Trofast

 

BTW, I have a son with Asperger's (he's 13). Workboxes have been a wonderful fit for him this year. We're using the plastic shoe boxes, but I'm thinking of switching to Trofast for next year.

[Hedgehogs4]

I would start simple and expand as you figure out how you like to run your day. The set-ups here look like mini schools. Mine doesn't really look like that at all. I have a place where I keep all the school stuff, a table where we three like to work and a set of cubbies to stash stuff in the kitchen when we work there. We move from place to place depending on our mood.

[Hockey Mom]

Here is what our classroom looked like at the beginning of the year. I've made some minor changes since then, but this can give you a basic idea.

 

I second the workboxes. They just make school run smoother. They hold ME accountable for making sure the boys have what they need, and they keep the boys on track with what needs to be done for the day.

[Chris in VA]

Here are some pics of the way our schoolroom used to be set up, for 2nd grade.

 

For K and first grade, the white table you see in the art area was across the bookshelf, in the place where the big table is. The art space was incorporated into a play kitchen/dramatic play area.

 

The big desk is where my son did high school (and on the couch). We've since moved it to where the art space is in these photos...if you can follow that, you get a gold star.

 

What I find essential--

 

A good table, low enough so that little feet can be flat on the floor. One that is adjustable is great, or you can get a small dining room/kitchen table off of craigslist and cut a few inches off the legs. I prefer it over desks, because most desks are too small to spread out a book and a workbook, or to do an art project.

 

Bookshelves. Should be big enough to hold your books! I like at least two--A nice high one is a space saver, a nice low one can hold books/baskets that the kids can get themselves, and you can use the top of it for a nature table, a cage pet, or to display sculptures or art work or something inspirational.

 

Comfy flooring. We have tile, but it's warmed up with a rug. If I had littles, I'd go for a very comfy plush remnant with a couple of floor pillows. I also like the Montessori idea of putting a couple little rugs in a big basket and letting kids spread them out to do their work on the floor. Very cozy.

 

I do not have my own desk, but I do have a filing cabinet in a storage room, and I do have a computer in the den, on a table that holds a few books and whatnot. I want my computer in a public place, not in the basement, where our schoolroom is.

 

I also don't think a couch is essential in your schoolroom, if you have one elsewhere. We don't do every little thing in the schoolroom, because we see learning as a lifestyle, and because I often want to do something in the kitchen or elsewhere in the house while dd is finishing a math page or some writing assignment. If you can do your reading aloud somewhere else, or your devotions/however you start your day (if you do that), it makes it more pleasant to do it somewhere else and save the schoolroom for more school-y stuff--you don't feel "stuck" there all day. I guess I get antsy!

Edited January 15, 2010 by Chris in VA
clarity, as usual

[Chrystal]

We sit at our kitchen table together and do work. Our homeschool stuff is stored in bins. That is the stuff we use everyday. We have bookshelves all over the house and that is where we store the ones we only use occasionally, like our dictionary and thesaurus. Of course then in each bedroom are more bookshelves for the kids personal reading books. They also each have a desk in their room so that if they need to get to a quiet place they have one.

I like that we start together everyday. It gives us a chance to connect before we split off on our different study paths. I didn't want a separate school room because our philosophy is that we are living a learning life. I feel like if I make a separate space that it sends the message, "this is where we go to learn".

HTH

[SproutMamaK]

Do any of you find any problem with sharing a table? Should I be trying to set up separate workspaces for each child, or do most of you think it's better to have one large table that everyone works at? I know obviously that's dependent on the children - I'm just trying to feel things out. It's a small space, so I don't have the option of having both two or three individual workspaces AND a large table.

 

Thanks for the suggestion on the bookcases! Do you guys tend to mix your "school" books and "fun" books together?

 

Crystal, just saw your post. That's not a bad idea! Our kitchen and dining room are both a little too cramped for us to stay around there for long (it's fine for sitting during dinner, but continuously scooching around the table to help out kids with different things would get obnoxious FAST), but it would be nice to start the day together like that. maybe for Bible class and devotions. Wow, it will be SO nice to have both the time and a prepared plan for doing Bible studies with my kids at the start of each day!

Edited January 15, 2010 by SproutMamaK

[Chris in VA]

For us, fun books go in her bedroom. School books stay in the schoolroom unless we are reading them. We also have baskets of books (and piles of books, sigh...) all over the house.

 

I would suggest a big table (but not huge!) that everyone can work at, b/c at some point you might want the space to spread out. It doesn't mean that both kids have to be working side by side--one could be on the floor, or in a reading corner or whatever. Also, I would rather have a table so that I can sit, rather than stand, beside my child--I would rather not be scooting around in a chair, tho you can do it that way, too.

[missmoe]

I suggest going with a big table so that you can work together and have a place for projects. You could move the kids to opposite ends to work alone. Also, you might want to think about bean bags for individual seating. They can be stored under the table when not in use and carried around the house to be used anywhere.

 

Enjoy this project!

[johnandtinagilbert]

bookshelves

 

big table

 

cubby space

 

white board (tile board is inexpensive and large!)

 

soft floor

 

proper seating for school work (correctly sized chairs at the table)

 

You can also search "School room " on the forum and you'll find a ton of pictures and ideas. We usually enjoy the parade every fall. We get great ideas!

[newlifemom]

bookshelves

 

big table

 

cubby space

 

white board (tile board is inexpensive and large!)

 

soft floor

 

proper seating for school work (correctly sized chairs at the table)

 

You can also search "School room " on the forum and you'll find a ton of pictures and ideas. We usually enjoy the parade every fall. We get great ideas!

 

:iagree: With AS dxs often there are other issues and it is so important that they can place their feet squarely on the ground. Also, if you need any special curricula for their dxs you might look into that now. Those things can be pretty pricey.

[ChristusG]

Hi!! Glad you are here! :hurray:

 

Is Levi really going to be in kindergarten next year?? Wow, time flies way too fast.

 

For us, I've made lot of changes and rearranges of our school area in the past year. I've found that it's been sort of trial and error with us. We finally have something that works well for us, is comfortable, well organized, and is an inviting area to work at. It is at the front of our home and is one of the first areas you see when you enter the house, so I wanted to make sure it looks presentable and uncluttered, plus flowed with the rest of the house. (Did I overthink this? LOL)

 

Our school area is really our formal dining/formal living room area. But we do not need a formal dining/living room so we are using it for something we do need it for.

 

 

I love having the school area in front of the large window facing the front of the house.

 

 

 

 

[SproutMamaK]

Yup, Levi's in kindergarten next year! He's already in JK at school this year for two days a week. Not that he needs it - between his autism & hyperlexia, he's been reading since before he was 3 and he's already doing Grade 1 math with Gabe. CRAZINESS. We sent him to school mainly for him to pick up social skills. I'm a little nervous to pull him out since it really has done him a lot of good. And just think - Sailor's next! :tongue_smilie:

 

Do you have any problems with the Pais not having her feet flat on the ground at that table? I think I'll probably get a wood kitchen/dining table and cut the legs a bit shorter. But at the rate Gabe is growing (he's about the size of an 8 yo right now), I don't want to have to buy another table in a tear or two to make room! Although in the grand scheme of things, the cost of a new table is negligible, I suppose.

[ChristusG]

Yup, Levi's in kindergarten next year! He's already in JK at school this year for two days a week. Not that he needs it - between his autism & hyperlexia, he's been reading since before he was 3 and he's already doing Grade 1 math with Gabe. CRAZINESS. We sent him to school mainly for him to pick up social skills. I'm a little nervous to pull him out since it really has done him a lot of good. And just think - Sailor's next! :tongue_smilie:

 

Do you have any problems with the Pais not having her feet flat on the ground at that table? I think I'll probably get a wood kitchen/dining table and cut the legs a bit shorter. But at the rate Gabe is growing (he's about the size of an 8 yo right now), I don't want to have to buy another table in a tear or two to make room! Although in the grand scheme of things, the cost of a new table is negligible, I suppose.

 

Umm, when Paisley actually SITS at the table, there's no problems with her feet not touching the ground. Sitting at the table is a concept that foreign to us LOL. She slowly melts out of her chair, onto the floor, and wallows around. She will drag the computer chair over and spin in circles as I try to get her to work. She will slowly tip a chair from side to side.....she climbs on the table and sits on it. Sometimes she'll stand beside the table. For us, we needed a table that I could also fit at. I sit with her as she works, so I couldn't sit at a little table.

[SproutMamaK]

I can completely picture that! :D The boys are generally pretty good with table time - their therapy has gotten them used to it. But they're currently at teeny tiny little IKEA tables that they're about to outgrow anyways 0 thank goodness, because I'd have needed an excuse not to sit at them. :tongue_smilie:But if I shorten the table, where would I get shorter chairs to match that I could still sit on comfortably?