Mandylubug Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We homeschool all over the house. I have all of our supplies on a bookshelf or in our transformed coat closet/now homeschool supply closet. When "school" is over we clean up and put it away. However, I have found several instances that I think "man, if I just had a whiteboard to write this on so I wouldn't be repeating myself." But, me and my husband just don't 1) want our house cluttered (we are a family of six in a 3b 2bath 1500sq ft house its TIGHT) 2) we don't want to mimic school 3) we want to be able to enjoy the look of our dining room and not have our kids progress and work for all to see all the time (me have some very annoying/nosey family members that try to "evaluate" our kids progress for the sake of proving our case to homeschool as a failure).... alas, I am considering putting up a whiteboard.. and a calander :O I just realized how much they don't know the date, etc. if I ask them to write it on top of their paper, etc... So, what do you all do? Do you survive a tight space without a whiteboard? Or do you give in to the look of school exploding all over your home and get over the clutter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 So, what do you all do? Do you survive a tight space without a whiteboard? Or do you give in to the look of school exploding all over your home and get over the clutter? My whiteboard is turned sideways and slipped behind a bookcase when not in use. I've also slipped it under my computer desk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Well we are a family of 6 living in a 2bd 1bath 1,000 sq house and I have two white boards.:lol: Yes my dining room is our school area and it looks like that all of the time.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I don't use a whiteboard. I bought one at the beginning of the school year and still haven't used it. That being said, it's fairly small (roughly 24" X 48") and it slides behind a door or under a bed when not in use (which for us, would be 100% of the time, LOL.) For your calendar, have you considered something like this? Like my whiteboard, it could easily be stored when not in use: (From here: http://brittmale.blogspot.com/ ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I have one large whiteboard and about three smaller ones. Even the larger one can be held across two laps. So, they don't go on the wall, they go on our laps, and then I put them vertically next to the sofa or other furniture when we're done. So they don't take up wall space, and we can use them anywhere in the house. I also have a very large chalkboard that I have screws on the wall for, over a door (not enough wall space!) I hang it up when I need it, and take it down when we're done (or no going to the basement!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 My whiteboard is turned sideways and slipped behind a bookcase when not in use. :iagree: Me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I forgot to add that for calendar we have one of those cheap large office calendars and it is hung on the wall. My dd puts an X on it each day. We also have two small lap white boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We move a lot...we have moved 8 times in the last 10 years. I have had several small white boards and one larger but portable one. The current sizes I have, and they work really well, are: Big portable one: 18" X 24" ($15 from Wal-Mart) One for each child: current size, 14" x 14" (less than $10 from Wal-Mart.) I used to have a slightly smaller rectangular size for each child, they like the 14 x 14 size better, more surface area. They like to draw on it outside of school time, too. The bigger one stores well behind a door or beside or behind a bookcase, the smaller ones I currently store under a chair in the schoolroom. I get a lot of use out of them. I also use my 18" by 24" one for teaching group phonics lessons for remedial students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virg Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We have a white board. It is approximately 2 ft x 4 ft. I set it up on a chair during school and take it down when we are done. I may not if I worked with kids individually but all 3 littles are in the same grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I use a simple 18x24 inch white board that gets put up. The kids have individual-sized ones. Calendar? We have a calendar up in the kitchen but it is just a normal wall calendar. This year we all decided on the Elements one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) I have an exposed fridge side. I attached big magnets to the back of a smallish (18x24) white board and stuck it on. it's right across from the dining room table where most seat work gets done. I really need something bigger but I haven't found a successful way of attaching the larger whiteboard I own to the side of the fridge. I did however discover that the side is not perfectly flat which caused most of the problem in trying to attach a large flat thing to the side of it .. that and the weight of it+weight of magnets intended to hold it UP off the floor. eta (since I "read" too fast and skipped vital info) that the side of our fridge is usually a mess of stuff attached to it anyway so the whiteboard actually tidies it up. It's also not really in anyone's line of sight besides the two that happen to sit on the far side of the dining room table. As for snooping relatives - I never thought of that. No one has ever commented. It's covered in abbreviated Scripture references and Latin so perhaps it's just because they can't decipher it. Edited January 31, 2012 by SCGS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Oh, I love Starfall's calendar...fun, easy way to start learning the calendar. http://www.starfall.com/ The calendar is linked to the right, a little icon with Calendar under it, just click the link or the calendar icon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I'm fine with our dining room looking like a school room. :) While we do read alouds on our family room couch, the majority of school takes place in the dining room. The computer desk, 4 bookshelves full of books, art supplies, and school supplies, posters, maps, and a large chalkboard on the walls fill our dining room along with our table and chairs. It is part of our lifestyle and I want our home to fit our lives. It would be way too inconvenient for me to try to have it any other way. We are a family of 5 living in a house about 1200 sq ft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I have several. None are attached to the wall. You can easily tuck one behind the couch or something. I have found that kids will do math on white board with less whining for some bizarre reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narrow Gate Academy Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We get by without a large whiteboard. Each of the kids has a small individual one that I can use to teach them or they can use to do some of their work. We also have a small one one the fridge for the dinner menu. Now when they ask what is for dinner, I just point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I had never used one until this school year. I got one that's slightly larger than a piece of notebook paper. It was under $5. I don't see the need for a big one. I stick it in my binder that has my lessoplans when I am done for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I have a big white board, but can't usually get to it because there's other stuff in the way. What gets used more often are the lap sized white boards that the kids and I have- those are all over the house. You can also get a slightly larger one that you could move around easily. We have a larger one that's magnetic and one of my kids uses that for his magnet craft projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 No. Never felt the need for one. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 No white boards here. We use clip boards and scrap paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Well we are a family of 6 living in a 2bd 1bath 1,000 sq house and I have two white boards.:lol: Yes my dining room is our school area and it looks like that all of the time.;) This is us as well, except a family of 8 in a 3bd 1bath 1,200 sq ft. Our kitchen (which is very small) looks like a school area. I didn't have a whiteboard for the longest time (when living in our 2bd 1bath 900sq ft house) I use to tape then tacked the legal or is it letter (the longer one :tongue_smilie:) on the wall and use that. When I started tacking the paper I would put a few more under and just pull the top paper off. When living in a small house it's hard for it not to look like a school-house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma aimee Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 i have 2 potable white boards -- the size of lap trays or a little bigger. we use them, then they get put up -- nothing big and on a wall. I love it, i don't care if i mimic school -- we do math on them, and erase it, he does "spelling " on it ( i call out CVC words for him). We use it constantly -- saves trees. i put a number line on it, etc. But they get put up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We don't want our living space looking like a school room either. We keep our white board tucked behind the china cabinet. It is only for AAS. When the girls were learning calendar skills, they had paper calendars in their notebooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma aimee Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 also have you seen this http://mama-jenn.blogspot.com/2010/02/our-calendar-notebook.html it is for doing calendar in a note books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We didn't use a whiteboard until I started doing AAS with my kids. I'll admit--I do like a white board for spelling. We purchased white showerboard from a hardware store to mount on our stair railings so that babies wouldn't fall through. :001_smile: When we didn't need the stair protection anymore, the kids used the showerboard as dry-erase whiteboards. Since they are hardly even 1/4" thick and can be cut into any size, they are easily stored under and behind things--beds, closets, the piano. Sadly, I don't think that writing on a whiteboard necessarily promotes good handwriting for my youngest writers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Thank you ladies! Nice to be put into perspective with larger families in smaller spaces :) What is ironic is I have probably a 20ft wall that is just empty... its not that I don't want anything on there. Its the fact that I don't want the room to feel smaller than it is and I didn't want to stare at a whiteboard all of the time. As for the snooping family members; they are certified teachers that don't agree with me stepping away from state standards. That being said, I shouldn't worry about their snooping because it isn't their opinion that matters anyway and I bet the kids would like some of their projects displayed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy5 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We do have a whiteboard (didn't for the first year of hsing) ... we just recently found a space in our HS room where we could hang it nicely ... but would work fine if it wasn't hung up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 also have you seen this http://mama-jenn.blogspot.com/2010/02/our-calendar-notebook.html it is for doing calendar in a note books I like that idea, thank you for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poke Salad Annie Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) As for the snooping family members; they are certified teachers that don't agree with me stepping away from state standards. That being said, I shouldn't worry about their snooping because it isn't their opinion that matters anyway and I bet the kids would like some of their projects displayed. I have several large whiteboards (from Lowe's) that I use every day. I frequently use one or two of them for Latin "cheat sheets" or math vocab or whatever, and this info stays on the boards for a week or so at a time. They are put to the side of the wall in a hallway when we're through. If a family member is a bit *nosy*, just write a few sentences from a Latin exercise, a difficult word problem or a beautiful, classic poem and leave it up for their perusal. That should handle it! Edited January 31, 2012 by Poke Salad Annie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I have a small one that I use. Sometimes, I use a large extra floor tile from our kitchen. There have been times that I wished I had a big one to write on but I make do with what I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homefree3 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We have a whiteboard in basement that is used mostly for spelling. When working at the dining room table I write on the sliding glass doors. It works great on cloudy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We have a half dozen whiteboards. They are not on the walls. They get pulled out for use and put away just like everything else. I even have a couple that I have written some reference stuff on, and they are just fine. I put them away with the others and pull them out as needed and the words don't even get smeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Thank you ladies! Nice to be put into perspective with larger families in smaller spaces :) What is ironic is I have probably a 20ft wall that is just empty... its not that I don't want anything on there. Its the fact that I don't want the room to feel smaller than it is and I didn't want to stare at a whiteboard all of the time. Put a white board on that wall, then stick a curtain up there to cover it when not in use. I have a white board that I tuck behind a dresser. I use an easel to hold it during school time. I especially use it for math and have found that we have better discussions that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We have several white boards. I would say that they have been one of the best investments in our homeschool. I use them daily. I write assignments on them, I write copy work on them, and the kids use them for math and spelling. They think it is more fun to write on the white board than on paper. None of them are on the wall, however when we move, I do want the larger one on the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amie Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Not the same, but we use Magnadoodles a lot... Also, have you seen those dry-erase window markers? Those can be versatile for various tasks around the house if you have any windows or mirrors available... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We have two of lapboard size whiteboards that are SO great because they are doublesided -- plain white on one side, and several choices of pre-printed on the other side! http://rainbowresource.com/searchspring.php?q=lapboard They are a little less wide than 2 8-1/2"x11" pieces of paper side-by-side, and are stored/hidden from view between the end of the couch and the wall, or between the end of the bookcase and wall. Those lapboard/white boards along with a pack of colored dry-erase markers have TRULY been the BEST homeschooling purchase EVER! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 I had an ah ha moment with the window marker usage suggestions :D I have a glass door and a large picture window in my dining room.. could fit three kids writing at once.. and just pull down the blinds if I didn't want to erase the words... PERFECT idea to try. Thank you ladies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We will be getting an easel that we can store when needed. We also don't want school all over our house. We have space to have a room and will try to limit it to that one space... realistically though I know that isn't happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendag Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I love the whiteboards! Ours gets put away as well, but they are nice and portable so we can use them wherever we want. Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 don't have a whiteboard---I have a small write on/erase board that we sometimes use.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 No, I don't have a whiteboard but I do have a regular old chalkboard my DH made for me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 No, I don't have a whiteboard but I do have a regular old chalkboard my DH made for me... Yes, I have a blackboard. Use it everyday. It's 4'x 3' and on its own stand. Mimic school? Heck, I'm mimicking my life. I presented for a living for many years before I stayed home to homeschool. A blackboard or whiteboard is much better than boring my children to death by PowerPoint. :D Which was my other alternative. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TX6 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I love our whiteboard! We bought a white board at Lowe's for $10, and my husband framed it with molding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Mimic school? Heck, I'm mimicking my life. Good point! White boards are used extensively in the engineering and software development professions. My house had a white board in my DH's office long before we had kids. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4879 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Our magnetic white board for AAS is tucked between the washer and the dryer between lessons. We also have a small one that the kids use for lessons from time to time. This one is propped up on a shelf. We are at a severe lack of space in my house as well. We do have a calendar that hangs in the kitchen, but we also have one for each of the kids that they can write on, cross days off, and so on and so forth. They keep their calendars in the cupboard with the school supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom24arrows Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Hi- We have a whiteboard in its own cabinet. You know the kind that are found in offices (realty, law, etc.). They usually go for about $200 - depending on size - from office stores, but I kept an eye out on Craigslist and got it for $50. It doesn't look like a yucky White board in my dining room. It also has room for chart paper on both sides... could use it for calendar activities.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 We're packed in tight and there's no way to NOT have school all over the house. You can't miss that we're homeschoolers. We have an easel with one side as a whiteboard and I use it almost every day. You could also just get a smaller whiteboard to hold up when you need it - that got a lot of use for math with Rebecca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyseal Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Ikea has a $15 chalk board/white board combo that folds flat for under a bed, behind a door, etc. It also has a spot for a roll of butcher paper for painting. Very handy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Last August/ September, I found some simple whiteboard with lines for writing at Target for $1. They've been pretty helpful for us. I'd say they are approximately 12x18". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma aimee Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 We have two of lapboard size whiteboards that are SO great because they are doublesided -- plain white on one side, and several choices of pre-printed on the other side! http://rainbowresource.com/searchspring.php?q=lapboard They are a little less wide than 2 8-1/2"x11" pieces of paper side-by-side, and are stored/hidden from view between the end of the couch and the wall, or between the end of the bookcase and wall. Those lapboard/white boards along with a pack of colored dry-erase markers have TRULY been the BEST homeschooling purchase EVER! we have them too Also -- use the white board CRAYONS -- they do not smear like the markers do. (they clean off just as easy). We now use the crayons for everything -- the write and erase books my 4 yo LOVES, the white board for momma and kids. we write on this I laminate too . I love them, love them, loooove them. Marker smuges or wipes off at the slightest touch -- crayon stay on till you take it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizaG Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I have a white board that I tuck behind a dresser. I use an easel to hold it during school time. I especially use it for math and have found that we have better discussions that way. :iagree: We have a medium sized white board from Costco. I put it on a wooden art easel when we're using it. But I'm not sure if the easel would fit any better with your decor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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