Classroom Organization

[tuzor]

I am wondering how do you keep your classroom organized and decluttered. I am doing a renovation on the classroom but I would like a tool that help me keep the classrom clean. It really affects my planning and mood when the classroom is out of order.

[Momma2Many66]

I keep all our curriculum in individual labeled clear plastic totes on a large white wire shelf in the middle of our school room for easy access.

 

I have a homemade by my husband book cart on wheels that holds all our school subject binders in each of my children's individual colors. Red for my 13 year old, Yellow for my 11 year old, Orange for my 9 year old and Blue for my 7 year old. The binders hold all their weekly assignments and paper work for them to complete each day. I fill the binders up with the work every Sunday so they are always ready for the following week.

 

I then keep a large file box with files labeled for each of my 4 children in their color. For example the files will be in Red for my oldest son and the subjects are Math, Spelling, Grammar, Reading, Science, History, Music, Art, Bible. My children each file their work daily after I check it into the file box. At the end of the year when we make up our portfolios I just pull out the files and add samples of each subject to the portfolio binder that I need to hand into both our evaluator and school district superintendent. This cuts down on my end of year work tremendously and always keeps their paperwork organized and neat.

 

When a reading book is finished each child will mark it in on their reading list that is kept in their individual reading folder. They mark down the book read, the author and any short comments that they want to make about the book. This is then filed in the file box to be handed in at the end of the year during our evaluation with the school district. We have to keep a list of all reading material used in our school year and hand it in at the end of every school year, keeping it organized allows me quickly meet this requirment.

 

We have a very large whiteboard hanging in the middle of our schoolroom that I mark each week with all our daily assignments as well as their weekly copywork. I have another large whiteboard on the opposite wall that I mark their weekly spelling list in both print and cursive with the weekly spelling rule for them to easily copy and finish in a speedy manner each day. My children use individual 9X12 lined whiteboards and dry erase markers to write their spelling words on each day. This cuts down on paper waste and mess. On Fridays when we take our weekly spelling test they will write the words on lined loose leaf paper and file the test into their individual spelling folder in the file box.

 

For our math manipulatives and teaching toys, I keep them all in individual labled clear plastic shoe box totes on a separate white wire shelf for easy access.

 

Our homeschool flashcard memory work is all on 3X5 index cards that are laminated and hole punched and on rings. These rings are then put on grappling hooks that are in individual colors for each subject. Red for math, blue for science, yellow for grammar, Purple for Art History...ect. The grappling hooks are all suspended from a rotating white wire spinning carosel that sits in the middle of our school table for easy acess.

 

My children each sit at our large homemade by my husband horseshoe table to do their school work each day. I sit in the center of the horseshoe on a rotating office chair so that I can easily manuever to help each child that sits around me at the table. Each child has a Aussie Chair Pouch attached to their chair in their own specific color to hold their individual school items like notebooks, 9X12 whiteboards, pens, pencils, weekly assigned reading book ect. This cuts down on my children having to rummage around or loose any of their school supplies and keeps everything neat and organized and my children from wandering around aimlessly trying to find things. You wouldn't believe how much time is lost in a schoolday from 4 children that tend to get distracted and wander away. ;) Keeping everything neat and organized cuts down on wasted time in our school day and helps us to stay on track and finish our day efficiently.

 

At lunchtime they all eat at that same table in their individual spot. I use colored cafeteria trays and dishes/cups in their individual colors to serve their food dishes for easy clean up after meals. My children simply carry out their trays to the kitchen when they are done eating, rinse their cups and dishes/utensils and put in dishwasher, throw away their trash and continue with their schoolwork after our lunch break. This cuts down on cleanup for me later in the day and allows me to keep the kitchen tidy at the same time.

 

We school daily from 9AM to 3:30PM with a half hour lunch break in between. During lunchtime they watch an educational video like Liberty Kids or some educational netflix documentary.

 

By keeping our homeschooling room and day organized we are able to run a speedy and efficient homeschool day and get all our school work completed in a quick and orderly manner. After school is completed for the day, we have free time or in good weather go outside to play until supper time. I usually have the crockpot going with our supper meal that I start early in the morning before school. This allows me the freedom after school to go outside with my children to enjoy the day instead of having to make supper, since it is already made and just needs to be served.

 

After supper my children each do their individual chores like emptying the dishwasher, folding laundry and putting away, emptying trash cans, cleaning up toys and school room ectera.

 

Bedtime routines run with the same basic efficiency. Over the years managing a large family of 6 children has honed my organizational skills and helped me to incorporate time efficient routines to keep our household running well. Without organization and routines everything would fall apart and our homeschooling endeavors would fall way behind...ask me how I know this. :lol:

[Oak Knoll Mom]

I would like a tool that help me keep the classrom clean.

 

The absolutely best organization tool I have is my Brother P-Touch label maker. I label everything! My kids (and even DH) can help keep things neat because they know where things go.

 

Other things that help:

Magazine holders for thin little books that otherwise get lost on the shelf.

Desk Apprentice (bought on sale)

Pencil boxes for organizing all kinds of small office supplies.

and lots and lots of bookshelves

[Shannon in TN]

I am wondering how do you keep your classroom organized and decluttered. I am doing a renovation on the classroom but I would like a tool that help me keep the classrom clean. It really affects my planning and mood when the classroom is out of order.

 

:bigear: because my classroom is most certainly not organized and decluttered. Can we say "summer project"? :D

[tuzor]

I keep all our curriculum in individual labeled clear plastic totes on a large white wire shelf in the middle of our school room for easy access.

 

I have a homemade by my husband book cart on wheels that holds all our school subject binders in each of my children's individual colors. Red for my 13 year old, Yellow for my 11 year old, Orange for my 9 year old and Blue for my 7 year old. The binders hold all their weekly assignments and paper work for them to complete each day. I fill the binders up with the work every Sunday so they are always ready for the following week.

 

I then keep a large file box with files labeled for each of my 4 children in their color. For example the files will be in Red for my oldest son and the subjects are Math, Spelling, Grammar, Reading, Science, History, Music, Art, Bible. My children each file their work daily after I check it into the file box. At the end of the year when we make up our portfolios I just pull out the files and add samples of each subject to the portfolio binder that I need to hand into both our evaluator and school district superintendent. This cuts down on my end of year work tremendously and always keeps their paperwork organized and neat.

 

When a reading book is finished each child will mark it in on their reading list that is kept in their individual reading folder. They mark down the book read, the author and any short comments that they want to make about the book. This is then filed in the file box to be handed in at the end of the year during our evaluation with the school district. We have to keep a list of all reading material used in our school year and hand it in at the end of every school year, keeping it organized allows me quickly meet this requirment.

 

We have a very large whiteboard hanging in the middle of our schoolroom that I mark each week with all our daily assignments as well as their weekly copywork. I have another large whiteboard on the opposite wall that I mark their weekly spelling list in both print and cursive with the weekly spelling rule for them to easily copy and finish in a speedy manner each day. My children use individual 9X12 lined whiteboards and dry erase markers to write their spelling words on each day. This cuts down on paper waste and mess. On Fridays when we take our weekly spelling test they will write the words on lined loose leaf paper and file the test into their individual spelling folder in the file box.

 

For our math manipulatives and teaching toys, I keep them all in individual labled clear plastic shoe box totes on a separate white wire shelf for easy access.

 

Our homeschool flashcard memory work is all on 3X5 index cards that are laminated and hole punched and on rings. These rings are then put on grappling hooks that are in individual colors for each subject. Red for math, blue for science, yellow for grammar, Purple for Art History...ect. The grappling hooks are all suspended from a rotating white wire spinning carosel that sits in the middle of our school table for easy acess.

 

My children each sit at our large homemade by my husband horseshoe table to do their school work each day. I sit in the center of the horseshoe on a rotating office chair so that I can easily manuever to help each child that sits around me at the table. Each child has a Aussie Chair Pouch attached to their chair in their own specific color to hold their individual school items like notebooks, 9X12 whiteboards, pens, pencils, weekly assigned reading book ect. This cuts down on my children having to rummage around or loose any of their school supplies and keeps everything neat and organized and my children from wandering around aimlessly trying to find things. You wouldn't believe how much time is lost in a schoolday from 4 children that tend to get distracted and wander away. ;) Keeping everything neat and organized cuts down on wasted time in our school day and helps us to stay on track and finish our day efficiently.

 

At lunchtime they all eat at that same table in their individual spot. I use colored cafeteria trays and dishes/cups in their individual colors to serve their food dishes for easy clean up after meals. My children simply carry out their trays to the kitchen when they are done eating, rinse their cups and dishes/utensils and put in dishwasher, throw away their trash and continue with their schoolwork after our lunch break. This cuts down on cleanup for me later in the day and allows me to keep the kitchen tidy at the same time.

 

We school daily from 9AM to 3:30PM with a half hour lunch break in between. During lunchtime they watch an educational video like Liberty Kids or some educational netflix documentary.

 

By keeping our homeschooling room and day organized we are able to run a speedy and efficient homeschool day and get all our school work completed in a quick and orderly manner. After school is completed for the day, we have free time or in good weather go outside to play until supper time. I usually have the crockpot going with our supper meal that I start early in the morning before school. This allows me the freedom after school to go outside with my children to enjoy the day instead of having to make supper, since it is already made and just needs to be served.

 

After supper my children each do their individual chores like emptying the dishwasher, folding laundry and putting away, emptying trash cans, cleaning up toys and school room ectera.

 

Bedtime routines run with the same basic efficiency. Over the years managing a large family of 6 children has honed my organizational skills and helped me to incorporate time efficient routines to keep our household running well. Without organization and routines everything would fall apart and our homeschooling endeavors would fall way behind...ask me how I know this. :lol:

Thank you for your words of wisdom. I really like the spelling words on the dry erase board. For your memory work that's color coated by subject is there a system you use to implement the memory work? What do you do with the card once the information is learned.

[meggie]

I posted about my organization method here (I apologize if you've already seen it, I'm sure some people are sick of it by now:lol:)

 

Basically, I have my Desk Apprentice organized with everything we need each day (worksheets, teacher manuals, colored pencils, pencils, erasers, dry erase crayons and board, AAS cards, MUS DVD, SOTW, etc). I have all the work divided into five manila folders. Each day, we do the work in the folder. When it's completed, I put it in a "Completed Work to Be Filed" folder. On Sunday, I take the work from that file and file it in a large 3 ring binder with all the subjects sorted out. I take new sheets from his curriculum binders and organize it into the five folders for the next weeks.

 

His MUS blocks are in a big Tupperware kept out of his reach. He likes to play with the 10 blocks (and lose them) so I only give him two to play with and he can't get anymore.

 

I just got some filing cabinets that can lock. I have all the art supplies in one drawer (that's probably the wrong label for it, but it's all the chalk, dry erase crayons that aren't being used [they only get 2 at a time in their DA so they can't lose too many or make a big mess at one time], colored pencils, etc etc.

 

The next drawer has all of Pigby's tot school stuff....ish. It has pom poms and glass beads and tongs and sensory bin type stuff. It also has Pigby's Learning Wrap Up, so it's more of a hands-on-learning type of drawer. The bottom drawer has craft supplies, like popsicle sticks and paper bags and pipe cleaners. The other cabinet is empty right now, but I want to make a bunch of file folder games. Those will be kept in a locked drawer so they can't pull out all the pieces at one time.

 

As far as keeping it organized, well it's just a matter of keeping up with it everyday. It's a habit that has to be learned. I don't know the ages of your children, but if you have littles, keep things locked up and out of their reach. Kids tend to follow entropy, if you're not on top of it, everything will turn to chaos. I think it's good for them to learn to only get one or two things out a time and get in a habit of putting it away in order to get more.

[Momma2Many66]

Thank you for your words of wisdom. I really like the spelling words on the dry erase board. For your memory work that's color coated by subject is there a system you use to implement the memory work? What do you do with the card once the information is learned.

 

 

Typically I get the memory work for the cards from things we are studying in our curriculum during the time. For example Bible verses or Planets, Historical Figures, The US Presidents, Art History Paintings, The 9 Supreme Court Justices, States and Capitals, Continents, Major US Rivers and their miles, Wars with US involvement and dates, The Periodic Elements, Parts of Speech, Rules of Divisibility, Poems, Latin, ectera.

 

I give them 5 memory cards at a time in each subject "Bible, History, Science, Geography, Latin ect.

 

Currently in Art History my children are studying paintings from Van Gogh, Picasso, Mary Cassett, Renior, Monet, ectera. I purchased on Amazon post card sized prints of paintings from these artists. Then I used a label maker to label each with the artist and the name of the painting. I then laminated these postcards and hole punched them and hung them on a heavy metal ring. These "rings" are then attached to grappling hooks that are color coated by subject and hung from a metal wire spining carosel that is placed during memory time in the middle of our school table.

 

My children have a time each day when they work on memory work. They just move through all their "cards" that is on each grappling hook for each subject and memorize them. Every Sunday they take out their own large Memory Binder and complete a Test on the memory work that was on the cards and put into a test format. I laminate the test sheets so that my children can do them weekly over and over again until they get them down pat. Once they get a perfect score on the test, I then assign them new memory cards for that subject. This way they can all work at their own pace, some of my children move faster through the cards then others and nobody has to wait for anyone to "catch up".

 

The "laminated test" once perfected is then placed at the back of the Memory Binder into the monthly catagory. At the begining of each new month they re-take the test to refresh themselves on the past memory work. If they continue to get a perfect score they continue to proceed with their new cards, if they miss any of the answers, then we add that "card" from the past back into their weekly memory work rotation. For the most part, the weekly testing really helps them to keep the information in their brains and they rarely have to redo the cards again.

 

For a fun day, once a month on a Sunday instead of testing with the memory binder I use this item

Click here: Amazon.com: Educational Insights Eggspert: Toys & Games

to test them in a exciting and competitive format. They quickly "buzz in" the answer with their own colored buzzer and win M & M candy treats for each correct answer they get. They love the competition of it and trying to "best" their brothers and sisters. It is all in good fun, even Daddy gets into the act and plays along with us. :lol: Daddy then goes to work and impresses his co-workers with all his new knowledge from our memory cards ;)

 

I hope I explained this clearly, sometimes I am better at showing how to do something then describing it in written format. :lol:

 

If you have any other questions about how we school, I'd be more than happy to answer them for you. :001_smile:

[swellmomma]

I am doing a renovation on the classroom but I would like a tool .

 

How about a hammer ;)

 

 

Okay enough cheekiness, for your actual question I can't help you there, it is a constant work in progress here :D

[momofsbandeg]

I keep all our curriculum in individual labeled clear plastic totes on a large white wire shelf in the middle of our school room for easy access.

 

I have a homemade by my husband book cart on wheels that holds all our school subject binders in each of my children's individual colors. Red for my 13 year old, Yellow for my 11 year old, Orange for my 9 year old and Blue for my 7 year old. The binders hold all their weekly assignments and paper work for them to complete each day. I fill the binders up with the work every Sunday so they are always ready for the following week.

 

I then keep a large file box with files labeled for each of my 4 children in their color. For example the files will be in Red for my oldest son and the subjects are Math, Spelling, Grammar, Reading, Science, History, Music, Art, Bible. My children each file their work daily after I check it into the file box. At the end of the year when we make up our portfolios I just pull out the files and add samples of each subject to the portfolio binder that I need to hand into both our evaluator and school district superintendent. This cuts down on my end of year work tremendously and always keeps their paperwork organized and neat.

 

When a reading book is finished each child will mark it in on their reading list that is kept in their individual reading folder. They mark down the book read, the author and any short comments that they want to make about the book. This is then filed in the file box to be handed in at the end of the year during our evaluation with the school district. We have to keep a list of all reading material used in our school year and hand it in at the end of every school year, keeping it organized allows me quickly meet this requirment.

 

We have a very large whiteboard hanging in the middle of our schoolroom that I mark each week with all our daily assignments as well as their weekly copywork. I have another large whiteboard on the opposite wall that I mark their weekly spelling list in both print and cursive with the weekly spelling rule for them to easily copy and finish in a speedy manner each day. My children use individual 9X12 lined whiteboards and dry erase markers to write their spelling words on each day. This cuts down on paper waste and mess. On Fridays when we take our weekly spelling test they will write the words on lined loose leaf paper and file the test into their individual spelling folder in the file box.

 

For our math manipulatives and teaching toys, I keep them all in individual labled clear plastic shoe box totes on a separate white wire shelf for easy access.

 

Our homeschool flashcard memory work is all on 3X5 index cards that are laminated and hole punched and on rings. These rings are then put on grappling hooks that are in individual colors for each subject. Red for math, blue for science, yellow for grammar, Purple for Art History...ect. The grappling hooks are all suspended from a rotating white wire spinning carosel that sits in the middle of our school table for easy acess.

 

My children each sit at our large homemade by my husband horseshoe table to do their school work each day. I sit in the center of the horseshoe on a rotating office chair so that I can easily manuever to help each child that sits around me at the table. Each child has a Aussie Chair Pouch attached to their chair in their own specific color to hold their individual school items like notebooks, 9X12 whiteboards, pens, pencils, weekly assigned reading book ect. This cuts down on my children having to rummage around or loose any of their school supplies and keeps everything neat and organized and my children from wandering around aimlessly trying to find things. You wouldn't believe how much time is lost in a schoolday from 4 children that tend to get distracted and wander away. ;) Keeping everything neat and organized cuts down on wasted time in our school day and helps us to stay on track and finish our day efficiently.

 

At lunchtime they all eat at that same table in their individual spot. I use colored cafeteria trays and dishes/cups in their individual colors to serve their food dishes for easy clean up after meals. My children simply carry out their trays to the kitchen when they are done eating, rinse their cups and dishes/utensils and put in dishwasher, throw away their trash and continue with their schoolwork after our lunch break. This cuts down on cleanup for me later in the day and allows me to keep the kitchen tidy at the same time.

 

We school daily from 9AM to 3:30PM with a half hour lunch break in between. During lunchtime they watch an educational video like Liberty Kids or some educational netflix documentary.

 

By keeping our homeschooling room and day organized we are able to run a speedy and efficient homeschool day and get all our school work completed in a quick and orderly manner. After school is completed for the day, we have free time or in good weather go outside to play until supper time. I usually have the crockpot going with our supper meal that I start early in the morning before school. This allows me the freedom after school to go outside with my children to enjoy the day instead of having to make supper, since it is already made and just needs to be served.

 

After supper my children each do their individual chores like emptying the dishwasher, folding laundry and putting away, emptying trash cans, cleaning up toys and school room ectera.

 

Bedtime routines run with the same basic efficiency. Over the years managing a large family of 6 children has honed my organizational skills and helped me to incorporate time efficient routines to keep our household running well. Without organization and routines everything would fall apart and our homeschooling endeavors would fall way behind...ask me how I know this. :lol:

 

 

When I grow up I want to be just like you.....:001_wub::001_wub:

[Tmhearn]

Momma2many66, please tell me that when your first 3 or 4 were little, your house was a disaster and you didn't get any school work done half the time. I want to believe there is hope for the future. Ha ha ha!

[Momma2Many66]

Momma2many66, please tell me that when your first 3 or 4 were little, your house was a disaster and you didn't get any school work done half the time. I want to believe there is hope for the future. Ha ha ha!

 

I lucked out because when my now grown adult children ( ages 28 and 24) were little I worked in my own in home daycare and it taught me to become very efficient and organized in order to stay sane and maintain any sembelence of order in our home.

 

Back then, some 24 years ago ( I am showing my age) I used to watch 12 different kids a day besides my own. I watched 2 or 3 toddlers and 2 infants fulltime and 3 school age children after school in the afternoon. In the evenings I watched several children until their parents finished working 2nd shift and I even had a few overnight children that I kept while their parents worked 3rd shift. I constantly had parents and children filtering through my kitchen, playroom and house non-stop through out the day and evening to pick up and drop off. I had to keep organized and on top of things to keep everything neat and tidy.

 

I also was only 22 at the time and I had tons more energy then I do today. I could never even do a quarter today of what I was able to do back then in my prime :lol: But, back then I learned a lot from my experience watching so many kids and maintaing order and organization that I still use that knowledge today in our homeschooling endeavors. Basically, I had to "train" myself ;).

 

Back then my own children went to school, so I didn't have to homeschool. Homeschooling takes an immense amount of work and effort on my part, I could not do it all. Daycare and homeschooling and keeping an organized house and a happy husband and children, something always has to give.

 

So for me to now homeschool 4 children that are all my own is much, much easier then what I had to deal with back then. But the lessons I learned back then about how to keep an orderly homeschool day, teach my children to be well behaved and keep my children moving along each day in an efficient manner has been priceless to me.

 

You also must understand that when my now 13 year old was little and his brothers and sister were coming one after another ( I was always pregnant or nursing), I had the help of my now oldest daughter. My oldest daughter was homeschooled starting at age 12 and helped me in both the care of my toddlers and infants and running the household as well as taking on the task of most of her homeschooling herself. She became very independent in her studies and it served her well when she got to college. She was my saving grace when my 4 youngest were so little.

 

My oldest daugher is now all grown up and married and a mommy herself and living only 3 blocks away. She plans to homeschool her 8 month old daughter in a few years and all future children (they want a large family) and she is also planning to come here to do it :lol:. I have everything already set up for her and all the homeschooling materials and curriculum she will ever need. We are looking forward to homeschooling in a team effort to teach our children together and making our life a little easier for each other. :001_smile:

Edited March 10, 2012 by Momma2Many66

[TXMary2]

My schoolroom was so disorganized I "had" to buy new shelving/furniture to make it work for me. I bought all IKEA stuff to make it happen.

 

I use magazine holders, baskets/IKEA boxes (to hide things that previously cluttered the room) and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Desktop Apprentice that I bought at Staples - I keep it smack in the middle of our work table so we can all reach pens, scissors, stapler etc from our seats. I also use binders and a label maker to label the binders.

 

I organize all the books by subject and I keep the basket of related manipulatives etc., right in the same section.

 

You can see pictures at my blog.

[tuzor]

My schoolroom was so disorganized I "had" to buy new shelving/furniture to make it work for me. I bought all IKEA stuff to make it happen.

 

I use magazine holders, baskets/IKEA boxes (to hide things that previously cluttered the room) and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Desktop Apprentice that I bought at Staples - I keep it smack in the middle of our work table so we can all reach pens, scissors, stapler etc from our seats. I also use binders and a label maker to label the binders.

 

I organize all the books by subject and I keep the basket of related manipulatives etc., right in the same section.

 

You can see pictures at my blog.

Mary I love your classroom but, I am looking more for ideas on how to handle clutter and the ever mounting pile of paper. On a good week I can get in the classroom and vacum, dust, file etc. Truthfully I don't have as many good weeks as I would like. We are doing a rennovation very soon:D (can't wait) but if I dont have a better system of organization/cleaning the new and improved classroom will turn out to be just like the current. Messy and cluttered is not my ideal haven of learning.

[Paula in MS]

My schoolroom was so disorganized I "had" to buy new shelving/furniture to make it work for me. I bought all IKEA stuff to make it happen.

 

I use magazine holders, baskets/IKEA boxes (to hide things that previously cluttered the room) and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Desktop Apprentice that I bought at Staples - I keep it smack in the middle of our work table so we can all reach pens, scissors, stapler etc from our seats. I also use binders and a label maker to label the binders.

 

I organize all the books by subject and I keep the basket of related manipulatives etc., right in the same section.

 

You can see pictures at my blog.

 

I love your IKEA furniture! Are there any IKEA alternatives? The closest IKEA to me is 7 hours away.

[tuzor]

I love your IKEA furniture! Are there any IKEA alternatives? The closest IKEA to me is 7 hours away.

 

Home Depot or Lowes you can build your own shelves. You can also try the Container store. IKEA will deliver so you could view online and have items shipped.

[AdamsFamily]

Closetmaid Cubeicals are similar to IKEA's Expedit shelves. The shelves are great because I have my books separated by subject, year, SL cores, reference materials and current year's extra stuff.

 

I also use milk crates - one for each dd's books and another one for teacher's manuals.

 

I bought a 9-drawer buffet at a yard sale. It holds all of our art supplies. Our science supplies are in a plastic 7-drawer tower.

 

I have two filing cabinets for paper work and extra materials.

 

I use a color system for subjects. Since I only have 2 dd's, I don't have to worry about whose work is whose. Blue is for all LA, turquoise for Spelling, green for science, purple for history, red for latin, pink for handwriting, yellow for math, black for MCT's stuff. Completed work goes in a corresponding 3-ring binder. Their names are on the outside of their binders.

 

I bought plastic divided buckets from the dollar store for pencils, erasers, etc. Each dd has a basket from Hobby Lobby for extra papers that only they need.

 

From these forums, I found the idea of separating loose schoolwork/tests/quizzes in hanging files kept in a milkcrate. I love that! I can also store flashcards and timeline figures in the files.

 

I am like you; you my schoolroom has to be neat, or I can't function! :001_smile:

[Paula in MS]

Home Depot or Lowes you can build your own shelves. You can also try the Container store. IKEA will deliver so you could view online and have items shipped.

 

 

IKEA delivery? Shipping costs for IKEA are hundreds of dollars. Seriously, several months back I checked into ordering the desk setup you have in your schoolroom. The price more than doubled. It was unbelievable. I guess I need to plan a vacation somewhere near an IKEA.

[fourcatmom]

Typically I get the memory work for the cards from things we are studying in our curriculum during the time. For example Bible verses or Planets, Historical Figures, The US Presidents, Art History Paintings, The 9 Supreme Court Justices, States and Capitals, Continents, Major US Rivers and their miles, Wars with US involvement and dates, The Periodic Elements, Parts of Speech, Rules of Divisibility, Poems, Latin, ectera.

 

I give them 5 memory cards at a time in each subject "Bible, History, Science, Geography, Latin ect.

 

Currently in Art History my children are studying paintings from Van Gogh, Picasso, Mary Cassett, Renior, Monet, ectera. I purchased on Amazon post card sized prints of paintings from these artists. Then I used a label maker to label each with the artist and the name of the painting. I then laminated these postcards and hole punched them and hung them on a heavy metal ring. These "rings" are then attached to grappling hooks that are color coated by subject and hung from a metal wire spining carosel that is placed during memory time in the middle of our school table.

 

My children have a time each day when they work on memory work. They just move through all their "cards" that is on each grappling hook for each subject and memorize them. Every Sunday they take out their own large Memory Binder and complete a Test on the memory work that was on the cards and put into a test format. I laminate the test sheets so that my children can do them weekly over and over again until they get them down pat. Once they get a perfect score on the test, I then assign them new memory cards for that subject. This way they can all work at their own pace, some of my children move faster through the cards then others and nobody has to wait for anyone to "catch up".

 

The "laminated test" once perfected is then placed at the back of the Memory Binder into the monthly catagory. At the begining of each new month they re-take the test to refresh themselves on the past memory work. If they continue to get a perfect score they continue to proceed with their new cards, if they miss any of the answers, then we add that "card" from the past back into their weekly memory work rotation. For the most part, the weekly testing really helps them to keep the information in their brains and they rarely have to redo the cards again.

 

For a fun day, once a month on a Sunday instead of testing with the memory binder I use this item

Click here: Amazon.com: Educational Insights Eggspert: Toys & Games

to test them in a exciting and competitive format. They quickly "buzz in" the answer with their own colored buzzer and win M & M candy treats for each correct answer they get. They love the competition of it and trying to "best" their brothers and sisters. It is all in good fun, even Daddy gets into the act and plays along with us. :lol: Daddy then goes to work and impresses his co-workers with all his new knowledge from our memory cards ;)

 

I hope I explained this clearly, sometimes I am better at showing how to do something then describing it in written format. :lol:

 

If you have any other questions about how we school, I'd be more than happy to answer them for you. :001_smile:

 

I really love this idea. Do you have any pictures of your area that you can share?

 

Thanks for sharing!

Edited March 11, 2012 by fourcatmom

[tuzor]

I really love this idea. Do you have any pictures of your area that you can share?

 

Thanks for sharing!

This is exactly what I was going to ask? I need a visual.

[meltf928]

The furniture in our hs room is also from Ikea. We are lucky that we have a huge room in our finished basement that is dedicated to homeschooling. I have some bookshelves from Target and a giant table in the center of the room. The kids keep their individual books on the shelves under their desk. At the end of each day, they have to put their books and assignments away. On Fridays we wrap up our day after lunch and give the room a more thorough cleaning, including wiping down the tables and desks and vacuuming. If this doesn't happen, they are required to help me on Saturday instead of playing....that doesn't happen often.

 

The kids also each have an individual private workstation in the adjoining rooms that they can escape to if they need quite time.

 

Edited March 11, 2012 by meltf928

[Momma2Many66]

I really love this idea. Do you have any pictures of your area that you can share?

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Here is some pictures of our school room in 3 different posts so they would all fit. I teach 4 different grades with 4 different students in this room, so I had to combine and condense everything to make sure all needs were met in this one room. I use the floor, ceiling and all 4 walls to achieve that !

 

In the first picture you can see our individual tote boxes with labeled home school curriculum on the large white wire shelf as well as our 2 sided white board that I use for both spelling lessons as well as Latin.

 

Our binders no longer sit on this bookshelf. Since this picture was taken my husband has now made a rolling bookcart with 3 bookshelves where all the binders are kept for an easy organization method.

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2012 by Momma2Many66

[Momma2Many66]

The second picture shows our homemade horseshoe table with my swivel chair in the middle so that I can rotate to help each child around me. Off to the left is our computer center with two computers for my children to do homeschool research and after school to use for their computer games. On the wall is our Ancient Egypt display, our rain gutter bookshelf stuffed full of books on Ancient Egypt to coincide with our studies from SOTW and our Ancient Civilization time line.

 

Edited March 11, 2012 by Momma2Many66

[Momma2Many66]

In this 3rd picture you can see our flashcard/memory card carosel that during memory time I carry by the heavy handle on the top to our table so everyone has easy access to it. Also you view our shoebox totes individually labeled with all our math manipulatives and learning toys. In this picture is also our Dr. Who inspired skeleton with the major bones of the body labeled on him for a fun learning experience.

 

[Momma2Many66]

sorry, accidentle double post

Edited March 11, 2012 by Momma2Many66

[fourcatmom]

sorry, accidentle double post

 

 

Thank you for the pictures. You have so many materials! I love the skeleton!

 

:lol:

[ThreeBlessings]

I posted pics of our school room on my blog. Our dining room is our school room. I have 4 tall bookshelves lining the wall that hold most everything school related.

[tuzor]

I find myself having to pick up almost every day to keep on top of it. Everything has a specific place so that is helpful.

Thanks I guess I will implement a daily clean up, instead of weekly.

 

sorry, accidentle double post

What a wonderful learning environment you have provided for your children.

Thanks for posting your pictures.

I posted pics of our school room on my blog. Our dining room is our school room. I have 4 tall bookshelves lining the wall that hold most everything school related.

I love the simplicity. I have a question are all of your supplies stored on the four bookshelves. For example, craft paper, glue, paintbrushes, gitter etc. Or are those items stored elsewhere.

[LucyStoner]

I don't have anything to offer except from Madeye Moody:

 

Constant Vigilance! :lol:

 

A place for everything and everything back in that place as we finish with it. 1-3 tidies during the day to keep on top of the space.

[blondeviolin]

We use the dining room table, so things HAVE to be put away constantly. Annoying, but effective.

[joannqn]

For me, it's all about decluttering and baskets. I have one small bookshelf that holds all of our curricula and books. I have two 5-drawer plastic carts that holds all of our office supplies. Then I have a few Ikea shelving units that hold all of our manipulatives, art supplies, science supplies, games, etc. in baskets.

 

I recently put pictures up on my blog of our current room which is large but lacks wall space.

[ThreeBlessings]

 

I love the simplicity. I have a question are all of your supplies stored on the four bookshelves. For example, craft paper, glue, paintbrushes, gitter etc. Or are those items stored elsewhere.

 

It's all there. :) The upper two shelves on all four bookshelves have school supplies, not books. There's math manipulatives on one shelf, paint supplies on one, the main art supplies on one, Science materials on one, and the other four are craft type supplies, cards, random stuff I guess, lol. The lower three shelves on all four bookshelves hold books and binders. I do have my youngest child's markers, crayons, scissors and such in small baskets down low sharing a shelf with some of her books. On top of the shelves are Science kits and a plastic bin that holds my supplies for making file folder games and such. I do have a couple shelves in a different room devoted to school books and binders not currently in use.