Anyone still using workboxes?

[Moxie]

I'm still considering something like the workbox system but I'm pretty sure I would stick with it. How is everyone else doing?

[johnandtinagilbert]

I found it to be extra work for me. They already have cubbies and use a card system to be sure they have completed their work each day. Putting everything in the boxes, particularly b/c we use many materials day after day, was not necessary, as I could just grab the materials and teach.

 

The older kids are using planners and checklists and share materials, so it wouldn't quite work for us.

 

Love the idea, I guess we're just comfy doing other things.

[Lightly Salted]

We are!

 

I don't add in many'fun' things, because we prefer to unschool all that kind of stuff in our afternoons, so we use the workboxes to divide our academic subjects into manageable chunks. We have a regular order of subjects, but sometimes I'll allow them to change up the order just for variety. I'm sure we'll continue with them; it really helps my kids, especially DD, to see what they have next and when they'll be done for the day.

[Rhonda in TX]

I've streamlined it so I only have to fill boxes once a week. Love them! We've been using them for almost a year now. A friend has been using them all this school year, too.

[KerriF]

We are still using them. I've been using them for a year and a half now and really like them. My boys like knowing what is next and how much they have to do. Keeps us on track through out the day. I've gotten a system down so it take about 10 min to fill the boxes during the week.

 

hth

[Hockey Mom]

We are! Keeps everything running smoothly, and lets the boys know when their day is done. :)

[Samiam]

We are, since September, and don't plan to stop. DS4 is just starting to utilize his boxes, so with three DS's needing school work, workboxes are the way to go for me!

[robsiew]

We have been using them about a year now. I've modified it a bit.. to fit us, but the basics are there. I only use 4-5 boxes per kid though because so much of the work we do is one-on-one. I see this taking us into logic and even into even into rhetoric as it's a good way to see the day's work. I can see as they get more and more independent, more and more boxes will fill.

 

I do not fill with "busy work" though... and my 4 y/o doesn't use them anymore. Too much work for me to pull everything together.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

We have been using it for a year now and really like it. I love organiziation and this really helps us. The kid's like knowing what they have left to complete.:001_smile:

[FawnsFunnyFarm]

I started this year with a modified version.. within a few weeks life was happening and I didn't have the time to keep up with them.

 

I'm gearing up to start some more organized things with my littles for K... and am thinking of using some sterilite drawers as some warped version of the workboxes that I will come up with for them.

[Mommyof4ks]

We are!!! The kids have caught on to the system, and I don't even have to do much with the boxes anymore. They do the next pages in the books, and all I have to do is remember to put the games and such in to switch it up a bit. The kids love it too!

[MamaSheep]

Use it (modified a little), love it, plan to keep doing it. :)

[Tonia]

I've streamlined it so I only have to fill boxes once a week. Love them! We've been using them for almost a year now. A friend has been using them all this school year, too.

 

Ditto for us. We've modified the system to fit our needs and I only fill our "boxes" once a week.

[MerryAtHope]

Yes! We've been workboxing almost a full year now, and it's still going well for us. We use tower drawers, and I love that they are big enough for workbooks etc... to lay flat (I didn't like the idea of them curling up in the shoe-boxes), and they are a bit more compact, but they are sturdy enough to hold a heavy textbook (my 7th grader is doing Apologia General Science this year).

 

The benefits for us:

 

No wasted time between subjects

 

My structure-loving son always knows what's next!

 

My kids are more independent on things they can be independent on, leaving me more energy for working with them, conversations about important topics, one on one tutoring times, etc...

 

NO LOST BOOKS! There are no frenzied searches for a lost book by the kids (wasting precious school time) or me when I want to check their work (wasting my time getting the child to track down the missing book that they forgot to turn in!). This is probably my favorite benefit! I made it a part of our system that they couldn't put their sticker up until they returned their book to their drawer. When I go to check, I just pull the books that need checking, do my thing, and put them right back. It's virtually no time for me to pull them from the drawers and replace them (and much less time than checking previously took on days when books were misplaced).

 

Now, we don't do "extra" or "fun" things necessarily (other than the subjects they naturally enjoy). I put harder subjects or subjects we are focusing on early in the day, and things they enjoy later though. We don't vary what's in the drawers much--just occasional switches--which makes the system easier for all of us too. My kids would rather get their work done and move on to their own idea of what's fun, LOL! They don't want me choosing that for them!

 

Here's pictures & a description of ours. Merry :-)

[tinkgumby]

I use mine a lot like Merry described above. They don't change a lot, but the kids know where to find their school work and what needs to be done. My 8-year-old son even got up super early the other day and was dressed, had eaten, and was halfway through his work by 7:00!!!

 

It really helps them be more independent, and I love that they always know where to find their work and what's coming next. :001_smile:

[Paintedlady]

We've been using them since we started in Sept. and still love them. I modified the original idea of boxes and use a plastic file box with hanging file folders instead. Takes me about 5 minutes every morning to organize them. Easy! And the kids still love it. We'll continue to use them. :001_smile:

[meldamo]

We have been using them (the drawer version) all this year with my K-er. They are working great and really allow her to feel a little more in control because she gets to go from drawer to drawer, always knowing what is next and how much is left. I now have her return each subject back to the drawer as soon as she is done, so there is very little daily work for me.

[Closeacademy]

We do. Although we use a modified system. I have 6-drawer carts and the work divided into 5 categories for each child. We use it as more of an organizational system than a motivational one.

 

It helps me keep things organized. My children just like having a cart.:001_smile:

[susankenny]

Yes. Kinda. We use them in a very modified manner. I love them though!

 

Susan

[dsacco]

Ok - I'm going to be the one that says it really doesn't work for us. I tried. It worked fine when we were using Seton at the beginning of the year. That was easy enough because everything was workbooks.

 

When we went back to the more eclectic style, it would never click in place right. So now - we have 2 boxes up on the main floor; 1 has their books, the other is where they are supposed to turn in assignments. Still it doesn't always work.

 

But I don't see us going back to the workboxes.....they never wanted to go in the order I put them in anyways...

[1GirlTwinBoys]

Yes! We've been workboxing almost a full year now, and it's still going well for us. We use tower drawers, and I love that they are big enough for workbooks etc... to lay flat (I didn't like the idea of them curling up in the shoe-boxes), and they are a bit more compact, but they are sturdy enough to hold a heavy textbook

:iagree:We use the tower drawers too.

[jenL]

We're using them, and Ds loves them (as do I). I've modified them by only including the academic work. The rest of the day we incorporate fun & educational things into our afternoon/evening anyway, so I stopped placing those activities in the boxes. My main goal is that Ds gets his schoolwork done, and the boxes help him to see what he has left which he needs greatly. We always start with math in box one, but all other subjects rotate. I very rarely go past boxes 7-8, some boxes include short break cards as well. The chunking out of assignments works well for Ds, so I can't see us stopping them any time in the near future.

[MerryAtHope]

But I don't see us going back to the workboxes.....they never wanted to go in the order I put them in anyways...

 

Shhhh....I don't make my kids go in order if they don't want to! Usually they do it in order, but if they want to switch it up, no skin off my nose!

[FawnsFunnyFarm]

Merry, where did you get those tower drawers?

[Frontier Mom]

I love mine and will not go back. However, saying that I must explain how we use them.

 

Ideal use: I pack the boxes with things I need them to do and things I have been wanting to do. Those weeks work the best and we get to use things I just never get around to.

 

Realistic use: I keep the "required" subjects in the boxes so they have everything together. I put games for spelling, history, etc. in the extra box and they play them together. Still get to some things we haven't had time for but not using my time.

 

I prepare tax returns so we have been doing the "realistic" version the last few weeks. I just haven't had time to be very creative. My dcs are older than yours also so they don't really need tons of one on one time with many of their subjects.

 

I love the workboxes if, for no other reason, we don't have to run around looking for lost things. That is worth it for me. Also, it is systematically laid out and they just work top to bottom the way mine are set up. If I don't have a weekly planner, they just "do the next lesson" on that subject.

 

We have achieved so much more since we implemented these. Been great here. As soon as my returns slow down a bit, I plan on getting my creative juices flowing again.

 

Not workbox, but I did buy my second desktop apprentice and I loaded it with lapbook and unit study supplies, including our library books. This has been fantastic as we tend to do this downstairs instead of upstairs in our learning room. They were on sale at the Staples store but not online.

 

I find the apprentice a necessary component of my workbox system. If you want to see pics of ours, it is on my blog - Frontier Christian Academy - in my siggy.

Edited March 6, 2010 by Frontier Mom

[Tree House Academy]

We are. We started at the beginning of this school year and I haven't missed a day yet loading them. The kids hardly even look at their schedules anymore and they work wonders for us. Workboxes will be something we use for the rest of our school time!

[3Rivers]

Yes! It has revolutionized our homeschool. We are still going strong since August. I will say, though, that the creativity comes and goes. I also rarely use all of those boxes, but yes, they are definitely here to stay.

 

The one day I tried to do school without them the kids were lost! I had to laugh because nothing else had changed except no schedule strip and no boxes-- I just gave them their work because I had not filled them the night before....or this...My daughter walks into the study where our boxes are and sees that I had not filled them the night before (sick child needing me) and SHE tells ME with a look of frustration: "Mom, I thought we were going to get back on track." :lol:

 

Love those workboxes. I'm tempted to do a modified workbox schedule for summer.

[MerryAtHope]

Staples :-).

[doubledutymom]

We are not using workboxes exactly. But, we are using a similar system. I bought a pocket chart. With 27 separate pockets. I have 12 pockets for each child. Then a few extra pockets for me. Works for us. :001_smile:

 

ORGANIZATION CENTER POCKET CHART- by [/url]

ORGANIZATION CENTER POCKET CHART - Bring organization to your classroom. Features 27 large pockets 12" wide that accepts standard file folders containing 8 1/2" x 11" papers. Includes 27 additional smaller clear pockets compl...

[Pster]

I looked at your pocket chart and thought - how many kids do you have??!!?? lol Then I realized it was a copied link.

[Pster]

have to ask.... how do you get by only filling them 1x a week?

[Pster]

We have been doing workboxes for about 2months now and it's been great! The girls love seeing what's next. I am getting them to cover much more material. I've added lots of history and science reading that just got pushed to the side before. I'm adding in more activities that relate to their science, history, & geography studies too.

 

I position the boxes differently depending on who I am working with first. If I am working with my 1 dd who needs more 1:1 teacher help - then I put more of the independent boxes first for my other dd (who can read ind but needs 1:1 for math and WWE). I try to meet up with my oldest at the end of our school day to go over her math and any other work she did independently earlier.

 

It's worked out great! They are always trying to peek in the boxes after I've filled them to see what I have them doing the following day. I tell them "no peeking!!" lol I've also been using my ipod with SOTW on it and Classical Conversation work and classical music studies for them - and that's been a big hit. Something a little different.

 

It takes me prob about 20-30 min at night to filll the boxes but... I have to say - I've been doing it! I think I've kept it up because it's been such a success for us and they have liked it so much. I'm actually eager to do it because of how it's been going!

[Tonia]

have to ask.... how do you get by only filling them 1x a week?

 

Our system - core subjects (math, grammar, writing, spelling, etc.) each have their own magazine holder that sits on the bookshelf. All other subjects get rotated through a six-drawer plastic tower. I load everything on Friday or Saturday for the next week - core subjects just stay in their holders. History and science project stuff gets tossed into a drawer. I use two drawers to rotate "fun" stuff through the week. Everything else stays in the same drawer for the week. I blogged about our set up.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Yes. We have 8dc from 1 to 13. It has been wonderful!!!

 

We use two colorful drawered sets from Mardels. The olders have boxes and files in a file folder box. For each child I divide their work between 4 boxes and 3 or so files a day. The youngers have 4 boxes each.

 

During dinner clean up time, I stock the boxes while DH and the dc clean up. Then I join them. If I stay consistant it doesn't take much time at all.

[doubledutymom]

Pster

 

LOL! I would be crazy if I had 27 kids. Two is plenty. :D

Which I would take a couple more kids if I could have more.

Edited March 9, 2010 by doubledutymom

[Johanna]

YES!!!! and loving every minute of it!! Saved my year!

[Rhonda in TX]

Look here.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Here's a picture of ours.

 

 

Books lay flat, but 3 ring binders are a tight fit. As long as we don't use the thick ones they work well.

 

ETA: In the purple box on the right you can probably see how a binder fits.

 

I use the big drawers to give the youngers a choice of two activities. They do one, then the other. It also allows me to put in larger type toys for them.

Edited March 9, 2010 by Excelsior! Academy

[Moxie]

Here's a picture of ours.

 

 

Books lay flat, but 3 ring binders are a tight fit. As long as we don't use the thick ones they work well.

 

ETA: In the purple box on the right you can probably see how a binder fits.

 

I use the big drawers to give the youngers a choice of two activities. They do one, then the other. It also allows me to put in larger type toys for them.

 

 

The drawers on the right are the ones I've been obsessing over. I'd love to get them and try but I don't want to spend the money if I won't keep up with it.

[MamaSheep]

Here's a picture of ours.

 

 

Books lay flat, but 3 ring binders are a tight fit. As long as we don't use the thick ones they work well.

 

ETA: In the purple box on the right you can probably see how a binder fits.

 

I use the big drawers to give the youngers a choice of two activities. They do one, then the other. It also allows me to put in larger type toys for them.

 

The ones on the right are the kind of drawers we have too. I do wish binders fit a little better, but I just keep the binders on top along with a small crate that has pencils, scissors, tape, etc. Then I just put the notebook pages in the drawer with a note to complete them and file in the appropriate binder when finished. It works out for us, but we only use a couple of binders.