Schedule board (in lieu of work boxes)

Keeping school moving along during the day can sometimes be a struggle. However, we tried something new this year that worked very well for us. I had been reading about Sue Patrick's work box method for organizing the homeschool day. The basic idea is to have a drawer or box for each subject. Then the night before a school day you fill each box with the child's work for the next day. The child then just goes box by box to get all their work done. I love the idea but space and cost were both issues. Also I was concerned I would not keep up with it as well as I should. What to do?

One day I stumbled across an idea from a homeschooling blog and instantly I was in love! I took a piece of poster board about 12 x 18 and Zoey and I decorated it. Then I put 16 Velcro circles on the board. Next I made the subject cards. For these I took pictures of the workbook or subject matter and printed on regular paper. Then I glued those pictures on poster board cards about 1 1/2 x 2, covered with clear packing tape (I didn't have contact paper on hand) and put a Velcro dot on the back of that. 

Once we found the perfect place for the chart we hung it on the wall. Now in the morning I put on the board everything that needs to get done that day. Every time Zoey completes a subject she gets to take down the card. When the cards are all off she is done for the day! 

Many things in homeschool life are trial and error. I have been amazed how well this approach is working. We do not do the exact same thing every day and the schedule board helps Zoey to see how much she has to do that day and keeps us BOTH on task. In addition to cards for her subject areas I also included cards for 15 minute break, outside time, lunch and snack. These help motivate Zoey and remind me to give her a break. 

The schedule board also must be done in the order the cards are in the board. After we had been using it a few weeks and then I let Zoey have input on what order the cards went on the board. She stuck with the same order I had been using most of the time. Some days she put her cards up on the board before I finished breakfast. :-)  Another benefit of this system is I can more easily see where the handwriting heavy subjects are and spread them out. This way she is less likely to have tired hands. 

Over all the schedule board has worked very well. Soon I will need to make a second one for Sierra who starts kindergarten in August. I hope it works as well for her and maybe I won't lose my mind homeschooling two children. Ok, I am going to lose my mind but we will be getting things done at least.  

Not a great picture but you get the idea.