KatDilan Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I struggle pretty hard to keep an organized homeschool office/classroom without much success. So I am curious, and hoping for a lot of great ideas from all you veterans out there! What do you consider your most useful, essential, lifesaving, brilliant, ingenious, etc. items or ideas for your homeschooling? It can be a piece of furniture, a tool, an office supply, an organizational tip, even a curriculum item. The only requirement is that it made you go, "wow! That's one less thing I have to worry about." I'm all ears! :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatDilan Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Or is everyone in the same boat?:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meggie Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 well, I did post a bunch of stuff on the other thread (I'm sorry, I can't help it. I talk a lot) But one thing that I have that I didn't post there is my smartphone. We would have never gotten smartphones, but my brother let us join on his family plan and so we pay the exact same money but get unlimited texting and data now too. How this enters into the organizing equation? Well, let me tell you. Pigby is obsessed with Angry Birds. OB. SESSED. :lol:Soooooo....that little white board that I was talking about on the other thread? On it he gets 20 tallies a day. Whenever he whines, back talks, is mean, disobedient, etc, he starts losing tallies. When he does his school work without whining, arguing, you get the idea, he gets four more tallies (he only does four subjects). Each tally is worth one minute of playing on my phone after dinner. It's also useful for making him do his chores. I set the timer for a chore, if it's not done when the timer goes off, he loses more tallies. Since I'm not gonna be cleaning up after him his whole life and I can't keep everything organized without help, I use my phone to motivate him. It works. For now, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southcarolinamom Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 A globe Electric pencil sharpener A fairly new computer with plenty of storage for educational games, etc. Bookshelves - lots and lots of bookshelves! Netflix (it was really nice while it lasted ....) Large timelines that wrapped around the walls of our dining room to help the kids place events in history (it made for interesting dinner conversation) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I have a drawer very handy where I put every essential paper. Once a week I wander right through it. I have a "current issues" file that unresolved things move too after they leave my once-a-week drawer. I throw out junk mail as I walk in the door. When I put things in my files, I put the crucial stuff in the front .... things I will keep over a year. The less crucial goes in back, and twice a year I go through my files (okay, once a year) and start at the back of each file and chuck mercilessly. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatDilan Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 well, I did post a bunch of stuff on the other thread (I'm sorry, I can't help it. I talk a lot) But one thing that I have that I didn't post there is my smartphone. We would have never gotten smartphones, but my brother let us join on his family plan and so we pay the exact same money but get unlimited texting and data now too. How this enters into the organizing equation? Well, let me tell you. Pigby is obsessed with Angry Birds. OB. SESSED. :lol:Soooooo....that little white board that I was talking about on the other thread? On it he gets 20 tallies a day. Whenever he whines, back talks, is mean, disobedient, etc, he starts losing tallies. When he does his school work without whining, arguing, you get the idea, he gets four more tallies (he only does four subjects). Each tally is worth one minute of playing on my phone after dinner. It's also useful for making him do his chores. I set the timer for a chore, if it's not done when the timer goes off, he loses more tallies. Since I'm not gonna be cleaning up after him his whole life and I can't keep everything organized without help, I use my phone to motivate him. It works. For now, at least. Have you found any educational games/apps as well? I used to have a smartphone, but just did not have the upfront this last time around.:glare: Now I'm regretting it. The more apps I see, the more I think it may be worth the investment. I already have the everything plan anyway.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeghanL Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 3-ring binders. I seriously have a love affair with binders. I use them for everything. Storing lesson plans, keeping the kids portfolio, keeping track of medical records, keeping my daily planner in one, you name it and it can probably be solved with a 3-ring binder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatDilan Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Electric pencil sharpener I'm all about that! And an electric stapler!:tongue_smilie: Why no more Netflix? I find BrainPOP and YouTube to be very useful for adding relevant media as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Electric pencil sharpener, small personal whiteboards, globe, 3 ring binders= top items I've used over and over this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatDilan Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 3-ring binders. I seriously have a love affair with binders. I use them for everything. Storing lesson plans, keeping the kids portfolio, keeping track of medical records, keeping my daily planner in one, you name it and it can probably be solved with a 3-ring binder. Lol. You sound like me with Excel on the computer! I'd use it for e-mail if I could! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 My Kindle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meggie Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Have you found any educational games/apps as well? I used to have a smartphone, but just did not have the upfront this last time around.:glare: Now I'm regretting it. The more apps I see, the more I think it may be worth the investment. I already have the everything plan anyway.:tongue_smilie: Well, we have checkers, chess, backgammon, reversi, tic tac toe. He loves strategy games and it's easier to play on the phone where it can show him the possible moves. He's so young, he has a hard time with it in real life. Once he's older, I'll take that option away so he'll have to think about it more. We also have one called Let's do Math (I think) where they can do their math tables. Beyond that....not yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virg Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 How this enters into the organizing equation? Well, let me tell you. Pigby is obsessed with Angry Birds. OB. SESSED. :lol:Soooooo....that little white board that I was talking about on the other thread? On it he gets 20 tallies a day. Whenever he whines, back talks, is mean, disobedient, etc, he starts losing tallies. When he does his school work without whining, arguing, you get the idea, he gets four more tallies (he only does four subjects). Each tally is worth one minute of playing on my phone after dinner. It's also useful for making him do his chores. I set the timer for a chore, if it's not done when the timer goes off, he loses more tallies. OMG I have to use this! My twins are always stealing my phone. Whenever I can't find my phone, a twin has it somewhere playing Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, or Angry Birds Rio! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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