First off I want to point out that our work boxes are really inner-office envelopes. They are stored in a Rubbermaid shoe box. (I will post a picture after I have actually taken one) They are numbered, must be done in order (except for Chip) and when they are finished with an envelope, put in the back of the other envelopes on its side. They see what is left to be done. I have started requiring Dill and Chip to come to me to sign off on what is done before moving on. It is monotonous BUT I have found Dill thinks he is done with projects when in fact he has never started them and Chip tends to overlook what he doesn't want to do. So having me check them off as done (not necessarily correct, but done) helps with a battle later on.
I generally have between 10 and 12 envelopes each day. I load them very eclectically. Some classical, some Montessori, some unschooling, some formal curriculum, some fly by the seat of my pants curriculum. Some days I put fun items in, some not. Today not so much because I was sick 2 days in a row and no schooling got done at all cause I was in bed sleeping.
Chip's work comes to him a bit differently than the other 2. We are trying to instill a sense of responsibility in him. Trying to have him schedule his own time. So, he gets his work given to him in 1 envelope. It is up to him as to how and when he finishes it. That is vague, I know but, there is no TV, no Ipod, no computer, no outside play, no friends and no gymnastics until it is all complete. Not that I am a total meanie. He sometimes gets to work out as he listens to books on tape. (Those rules go for all the picklets not just Chip) You will notice the capital letters (like I am yelling) on the last requirement. This is because I have put this in his folder4 times now. He is an artist. He does some wonderful work. He needs to use that talent in his school work when required. (This is also why it is now required to have me sign off on his work)
☼ Butterflies lesson 3
☼ Sketch butterfly and moth—see me
☼ Piano practice
☼ Bass practice
☼ Writing Journal: 3 sentences of dictation, copy work 5 stanzas from Boston
☼ 30 minutes free reading
☼ Write 2 paragraphs..1 from your writing prompts, 1 free write
☼ George Eliot biography
☼ Periodic Table of Elements history and biography of Mendeleev
☼ Math Unit Review
☼ Jog on treadmill
☼ Play math multiplication
☼ Spanish book on computer
☼ fix pet store and REDO SIGN AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON YOUR STORE FRONT…DO NOT BE LAZY…DO NOT IGNORE THIS…JUST DO IT!
I find that I don't have enough to keep Dill busy an he is not good at keeping himself busy unless it involves the TV or DS. Because of this I now have a shelf of games that 1 can play by themselves, a list of "required free reading" and other items. More on that later.
1. piano practice 15 minutes
2. recorder practice 10 minutes
3. email author with review of book and post on your blog
4. Butterflies lesson 3
5. The Story of Geographical Discovery Chapter 3 (oral narration)
6. Grammar lesson 4
7. Secret Map
8. Comic Book Math
9. Periodic Table of Elements
10. Butterfly and moth sketch
11. 30 minutes free reading
12. multiplying mixed fractions worksheet
13. Spanish book on computer
Sweet is a dawdler but usually finishes her work up before the boys. she is a talker and I have to guide her back to her work quite often but she does her work well.
1. Piano practice 15 minutes
2. Build a Beaver dam
3. Glog on making Beaver Lodge with recipe
4. South Korean Geography map drill
5. Watch movie about Islamic empires, Read about Muhammad
6. Spanish book on computer
7. Butterfly lesson 3
8. Butterfly math
9. Butterfly and moth drawing
10. Memorization of poem
11. Book It!
12. Absolute value and ordering integers
Anyway, that is what today looks like. It is not fool proof by any means but it is a move into an organizational type tendency that I need badly. The thing I really need to work on now is having work printed a week in advance so all I really have to do is fill envelopes instead of print and fill. I guess I need another day in the week.
3 comments:
Your workbox system sounds a lot like mine. I am very eclectic about filling envelopes, and some days it is all reading, somedays it is mostly fun stuff. I do see a growing independence in my oldest- she wants to grab the whole bin and finish everything ASAP. I am still working on getting her to read non-twaddle stuff outside of school assignments. Guess I need a better list.
I love this idea. I think that this might actually work in my house. Now where would I find the room for more stuff. Better not ask Fire Rat. LOL.
SWMNMN...lmao!! I have not heard that in a while. :)
My son is like your middle boy would you mind sharing your list of games for 1 and such? Sorry if you already did that somewhere but I missed it. Love that you sign off on the work, your boys sound a lot like mine.
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