where do you homeschool?

[hmalbumaker]

I'm wondering what you find usually works best? This is our first year homeschooling and my daughter wants to do it in the basement. However, I'm wondering if that might be harder because I won't be able to get any chores done while she's working? Just curious if most of you have a seperate room or do you homeschool at the kitchen/dining room table?

[Karen in CO]

I home school just about everywhere in my house. The living room works great with the kids on the floor. The dining room table is great for projects. The kitchen is used for science and art. The family room make a nice reading place. I have an office in the basement that I use one kid at the time with me. Bedrooms are used for reading. On nice days, we can also be found in the yard, on the porch, or at the park.

[Jay3fer]

At the table. Our house is tiny; there's only one table. We have a basement, but it's too damp and low-ceilinged to ever be nice, and I like having everything at hand. Our table gets nice natural light, with strong fluorescents above it for cloudy days.

When we're "just" reading and narrating, we move to the sofa or my bed, however.

[Karenciavo]

I prefer the kitchen table. I have a finished basement, but I like the light in the kitchen and then flexiblity to get some chores done.

[scrapbabe]

Our kitchen, dining room, and family room are one large room. We used to have a separate school room, but this year we moved it out into this common room. I have a school table in the family room. The kids can use this, the kitchen table, or the kitchen counter. The office is just off of this room for computer work or if my oldest (14) wants peace and quiet while he works on an online class or homework. We have a little piano, reading nook too just off of the family room. So I can see everyone but they are all in separate spaces at different times. We just started in this schoolroom today, but it felt so much more free than when we were stuck to one room. If I ever get it cleaned up I'll post a picture.

 

:D

[Mommy22alyns]

Our house is tiny and the school table is in the middle of the living room. Often we do science experiments in the kitchen.

[WishboneDawn]

We have a pretty big house but we still homeschool at the kitchen table. I do like to get other stuff done while the kids are working and it's the most central location. I tried a school room in the basement but I hated it.

[Satori]

We started in the basement. I painted it cheery colors, but it didn't work out. We needed more natural light and a central place. We also tried in the kitchen, but I can't stand clutter and the school work everywhere bothered me. We ended up in our loft, which is very central in our house and has an abundance of natural light. The disadvantage is that we have no walls, as one is taken up by a huge desk and the other by a huge whiteboard.

[paceofnature]

 

I home school just about everywhere in my house. The living room works great with the kids on the floor. The dining room table is great for projects. The kitchen is used for science and art. The family room make a nice reading place. I have an office in the basement that I use one kid at the time with me. Bedrooms are used for reading. On nice days, we can also be found in the yard, on the porch, or at the park.

:iagree: You can also find us in the living room on the sofa for a lot of the work. I do insist on sitting at a table for handwriting, but otherwise I'm pretty relaxed about where they school.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Kitchen table if they need to write, my bed if I'm reading to them and they sit on the couch if they are reading to themselves. Of course there's all the books on tape in the car too.

[MerryAtHope]

All over the house, LOL! Our main school area is in our downstairs livingroom--there are bookshelves there & couches where we read Bible and do one on one time there. My kids do their independent work up in their rooms, and we do read-alouds before bedtime in our family room. Occasionally we use the kitchen, but mostly for art or science projects. Sometimes we do testing there.

 

Merry :-)

[boscopup]

Living room. I got some school desks so they have a good place to write. Sometimes we'll school on my bed or in the den on the couch. Just depends on our mood. :)

 

As far as not being able to get chores done while she works... I set aside school time as school time, and chore time as a separate time. That just works better for me. If he's going to be doing something independent like reading a couple chapters of a book on his own, I'll go do a chore while waiting for him to finish, but if he's doing his math or handwriting, I need to be there to make sure he stays on task and is doing it properly.

 

We get finished quicker if I focus on school during school time. It might work differently in your family though!

[linguistmama]

We school on the living room couch or kitchen for art/projects. Dd has some clipboards to provide a hard work surface for writing. I used to think we would someday want a schoolroom, but I really like the simplicity of the couch :)

[Tarreymere]

I like to be able to do chores while I am homeschooling, so we are usually in the kitchen or the living room. We live in a mobile home so there aren't very many choices. Sometimes we head out to the local park to do school or sit on our porch to get a change of scenery. I couldn't use a dedicated schoolroom. I admit it would really help with keeping things organized and it would eliminate a lot of clutter in the other rooms, but it is really a big timesaver for me to be able to multi-task and get some chores done at the same time. I like to be able to do dishes and still keep an eye on what is going on to make sure the kids stay on task, or to be able to fold laundry and still talk about a school topic while I work. I think it also makes learning a more natural part of our day.

[mjbucks1]

Both of my older children have a dedicated desks in our office. My ds usually does most of his work in there (although he will read upstairs in his bedroom). Dd and I go where the toddler is (we have even done school in the bathroom while the little one plays in the bathtub!!!) Most of dd's school work is done at the kitchen table, though.

[trailofsparks]

I enjoy schooling in our basement, but I'm sure I would not if we didn't have a fairly large window. When my dc were younger, I also liked that I could see my younger playing in the backyard while schooling the other.

 

I absolutely love shutting myself off to the rest of the world while focusing on school. Otherwise, I am easily sidetracked. In the basement, I am "free" from phone (or even hearing the answering machine), dishes, and seeing "all the things that need to be done". Free to focus on my number one priority. The only time this changes up is when we want to be near the fireplace on a cold winter day!

 

Anyway, maybe some food for thought :)

[LucyStoner]

We live in a small townhouse. Our homeschool room is the teeny bedroom that is off of the years on the ground floor. You go up one level to the living spaces and 2 levels to the rest of the bedrooms and the big bathroom/laundry. He also sometimes uses the computer which is in shared space on the main floor and the piano is on the main floor. I like that his school room is off of the yard...makes it easy to watch the two year old while he plays outside and it means our older son can read in the yard or take breaks. There is a 1/2 bath off of this schoolroom which is nice as well for water access and not having to walk up the stairs for a toilet all the time. :glare:

[monkeymama07]

we do it wherever we are (my son does it at the babysitters somedays, at the playground, at my work, in the car during our million our jouneys(okay really 7 hours each way everyother weekend), pretty much everywhere)

[Ecclecticmum]

We homeschool in the dining room, but we have a open plan large room with a 2nd dining alcove off the main one, we use this for "school" stuff, for instance we have a couch, rug, lounge table, and a big on wheels whiteboard in there right now, and I have to put together the chalk table.

 

Since we're just doing informal schooling now, with just the "bookwork" we mainly use the dining table.

 

We have an outdoor verandah off the dining room, so I plan to turn this into an indoor/outdoor messy room.

 

We love using the dining table for bookwork, its perfect, BUT then you have to clear it off for each meal, so its becoming tiresome.

 

If your family eats in the lounge or somewhere other than the dining table, then its fine, but when using the table all the time for meals, it gets old really fast. Since my kids are young, we plan to just sit on the floor and use the lounge table for next term, I officially gave up with the dining table after a piece of spaghetti became a bookmark in the maths book :001_huh:

[kewb]

Mostly the dining room table. Sometimes in the living room. If one of the kids needs more quiet they go to the basement or their rooms.

[Pat in MI]

We have a dedicated school room off from the kitchen. It is the old living room so it is a good sized room. Desks, books, crafting table and computer are all in there. We still need to do experiments in the kitchen and reading can be done wherever dd is comfortable.

Blessings,

Pat

[Lily_Grace]

It's been so hot these past few weeks that we've been doing a lot in the living room/kitchen. I figure when it gets cooler we'll use the upstairs and outside a bit more.

[NanceXToo]

We don't have a designated "school room." Most "desk work" gets done at the kitchen table. We carry in the things we need and carry them back out when we're done.

 

Occasionally, she'll want to just flop on the computer room/den floor and do schoolwork there.

 

We might do reading together on the recliner or couch.

 

If it's a particularly nice day, we might sit at the patio table in the backyard.

 

Sometimes, something gets done in the car on the way to a field trip or some such.

 

Whatever works! :D

[kolamum]

We spent about 30 minute doing chores in the am. We have about 30 minutes of free time. Then we begin school. We have had many different places designated to schooling but usually land in the kitchen during the winter/fall because it's just cozy and warmer. In the summer we often school outside on the veranda or in the front garden on a quilt. :D

[Narrow Gate Academy]

The dining room table for seat work, the desk for computer work, the living room for any DVD lessons or reading aloud, one of the bedrooms for discussion or quiet reading, activities and labs could be in the kitchen, bathroom, basement, or outside depending on the requirements. That pretty much covers the whole house.

[ThelmaLou]

Kids do independent work anywhere they can find a quiet spot.

 

Online courses and computer intensive stuff at the upstairs computer, which is in our office, connected to the "library."

 

Read alouds in the living room or upstairs in the library.

 

One-on-one teaching/corrections either at kitchen table or upstairs in library at table. Writing revisions and writing input at the computer.

 

Last year, I did most of my school interaction with kiddos downstairs, but I felt like I didn't really have my finger on what was going on upstairs behind my back :)

 

Now that I've got a table upstairs in my library, I'm trying to move my home base up that-a-way. It's still tough because of the 4 year old, who is a distraction wherever he goes. I really don't want him upstairs all day long being a distraction, but oh well. And I can't leave him downstairs for long by himself.

[duckens]

We do our work on the living room floor. Our books are stored in magazine holders on the computer desk....uh...when they ARE put away, and not scattered on the living room floor. I've started encouraging dd4 to put her workbook on top of the lego box so she is not bent over so deeply when working.

 

Loverboy also has a large plastic sheet under the computer chair to save wear on the carpet. We often move the chair away, and just work on the hard surface of the plastic. Plus, this is a good place for markers or gluing.

 

Of course, dd(9 months) is now mobile, and she soooooooooo wants to homeschool, too!!! :tongue_smilie: We may move to the little brown children's table in the kitchen as soon as she starts walking.

 

P.S. We're timidly househunting. I dream of a schoolroom. :D:D:D

[scrapbookbuzz]

Anywhere the work gets done! I'd love to have a "school room" but I doubt we'd be in there the whole time.

 

As for getting chores done while your daughter works on school work . . . don't count on it! Depending on the age of the child, and the fact that you are the TEACHER, you will probably have to be nearby during most of the first year.

 

My son usually walks around the downstairs of our townhome as I am reading our Read Aloud assignment, sits/lays on the couch, or lays on the dog, while reading; lays on the living room floor to do math, etc. Daughter reclines in easy chair or couch or bed while doing reading assignment, does math at the computer, and science wherever we need to do it.

 

HTH!

[mytwomonkeys]

we usually homeschool in the den. i have TV trays available for them when they need to write. when it isn't so hot, we'll go outside too, that's especially lovely for our reading time.

[Prairie]

Dd and I go where the toddler is (we have even done school in the bathroom while the little one plays in the bathtub!!!) Most of dd's school work is done at the kitchen table, though.

 

:iagree:

 

(Note, we are babysitting public school teacher's kids! ha ha)

 

And we school on the deck, out around the firepit at night (reading) and on the way to one of our many adventures throughout the year. We school anywhere we can.

 

However, that being said, I love winters in ND because the kids and I have the whole basement living area all warm and toasty with the fireplace going and doing school.

 

The basement is also where the washer/dryer is....laundry gets done a lot quicker in the winter! ha ha:001_smile:

[Veritaserum]

We moved to the basement this year and set up a dedicated school space. I like it. I do chores before school, during our lunch break, and after school.

[WIS0320]

We have our school room set up in the finished basement which is adjacent to the play area, which ends up being a very good thing since my younger two are underfoot while we are "in school".

 

We are new homeschoolers, my oldest is in first grade. I am actively involved in every single part of her schooling at this point, there is no way I could be busy with chores while she works due to her age and our curriculum choices. I've found that for us, a very solid and predictable school routine coupled with a dedicated school work space keeps my 6 year old on task and we move through our material more smoothly.

 

So, we school in our schoolroom almost always. The only exception is that sometimes, on very nice days, when the stars align and my younger two are napping/at play dates, we drag everything upstairs and school on our back covered porch.

[LillyMama]

We technically have a school room, but our house has such an open floor plan that this dedicated space only has three walls. (The other opens to the "foyer," basically it's right inside our front door.) The kids have a table their size under the front window of our house, and we sit there for written work. But really, for me, the school room is where I store school stuff, not necessarily where we do school. One of the reasons we avoid the public schools is I feel my kids are too young to spend that much time in any one room, even if it's a room in our home. For consistency sake, we are developing routines where we like to do our reading on the landing upstairs, math games on the dining room floor, phonics games in the great room, projects on the island in the kitchen... But we've allowed those to develop organically as we progress. There's no right or wrong, just whatever works for you.

[miracleone]

Wish we have a separate study room but the kitchen table works best now because it's bright and I get to do some meal prep while dd is working on her math or copywork. Little sister has her easel and art projects there too.

[chepyl]

I created a learning space in out dining room. I have a desk and each of the kids has a desk. They were so excited to have the desks! Lilly sits in hers for hours each day, coloring and playing.

[Hedgehogs4]

We do our lessons here.

 

We are fortunate to have a full basement which serves as our play room / school room / family room. When it is extra-chilly out (it is usually fine down there) we move up to the kitchen table, but usually the basement is fine. Every thing is down there and set up. If i am cooking while they are working on something idependently, I will also have them work at the kitchen bar counter so I can help if they need it.

[skueppers]

I essentially don't do chores during school time; school requires all of my attention.

 

I'm sure when my kids are older, it will be a different story!

 

Anyway, we have an area upstairs in amongst everyone's bedrooms that is set aside for school. We also do some reading and things in the living room, and some science in the kitchen/dining room.

[laughing lioness]

On the first floor and 1 room on the 2nd (the rest of the 2nd is still a construction zone). The first floor is all open- the living room flows into the dining room which flows into the kitchen, with an enclosed porch off of the living room. We kinda flow through the rooms. The 17 yo goes to the office upstairs if the noise level gets too loud, but he'd prefer to be in the midst of the people.

[swellmomma]

Everytime I read the title of this thread I jsut want to say "at home" in my "duh" voice. ;)

 

To answer seriously we mostly work at the kitchen table but spend some time in the livingroom or outside too.

[Desert Strawberry]

We have a combo dining and sitting room. There's a sofa, table and chairs and bookshelves. The kids do most of their work at the table, we read on the sofa. They have a separate playroom and the kitchen is also attached. I can do whatever I need and still have them all in sight.

[oneplustwoIdaho]

At the table. Our house is tiny; there's only one table. We have a basement, but it's too damp and low-ceilinged to ever be nice, and I like having everything at hand. Our table gets nice natural light, with strong fluorescents above it for cloudy days.

When we're "just" reading and narrating, we move to the sofa or my bed, however.

 

:iagree:Same, except no basement here.

[Beth in SW WA]

We do school in my office, in the kitchen, in our schoolroom and in the backyard on nice afternoons at my outdoor patio table. I have tried doing school at a coffee shop. No can do. :)

[naturalhomestead]

We turned out dining room into a school slash room where we eat all of our meals. The kids do have their own desks cause they were free for us and they love to do their independent stuff at them and we use our family table for group things. The only thing that we don't do in the school room is when I read to them or when they read. Then we get to cuddle on the couch. :001_smile:

[curlygirlzx2]

We homeschool in the office, on the couch, and at the kitchen island.

[BetterthanIdeserve]

We start Bible (and sometimes Memory work) at the kitchen table during/after breakfast. I spend a little bit of time on chores and then put the toddler in his room for crib time. We spend an hour in our unfinished basement doing math and spelling with a baby monitor on to make sure the little guy is okay. Then we move back upstairs to the family room. We go back and forth between the family room and kitchen for the rest of the day, but occasionally we venture outside to do some reading or oral work on the swing. I keep the math and spelling supplies in the basement, a binder for seat work (usually anything with handwriting) and some of the art supplies in the kitchen, and the rest of the supplies are in our built-in cabinets in the family room that is next to the kitchen. My dd6 really does better with a frequent changes of scenery. It seems that a lot of our stuff is spread out, but it works for us and I don't seem to be running from one end of the house to the other for supplies...well, at least not very often.;)

[nowimscrappin]

Emma has a kid sized table that I have put in the dining room. She does most of her work there and reads on the couch. No dedicated schoolroom - next to her table is the buffet with our china displayed in it. Across the room in another buffet with dishes and in the middle of the room is a dining room table that we never eat at but is there nontheless. My son worked at the dining room table last year and it seems that is where he is going to want to do his homework.

[blessedmother]

We tried a homeschool room once, but found that the couch and kitchen table work the best for us. In the kitchen I can work on chores while they work on their studies and the couch is the best for snuggling!

[lexi]

I really need the dedicated space for our school. I like being able to shut the door and keep track of all the kids. I like that we can focus in there. And I love that I'm not constantly having to pick up our stuff and then drag it back out when we are ready to work on it again. I'm so thankful for our homeschool room. You can see some pics of our space here

[Aquinas Academy]

On the floor, at the dining room table, on the couch, in bed, on the deck, in the bathroom, in the car, in a tree, on the the kitchen counters... In short, everywhere.:)