TreeHouse Academy/Others using workboxes--question!

[MommyInTraining]

I am trying to get our workbox system set up. I am wondering how to schedule them and also how to fit in things like history projects that we do together.

Can anyone share how this works for you or give me a link to help me understand the flow of workboxes when you have independent AND family-together work that needs to be scheduled?


I don't know if that is making much sense. I am still trying to wrap my mind around how the workboxes work. Do you have them scheduled for a certain time? For example, on your schedule do you have something like: 9:00-Workbox 1, 9:30-family read-aloud, 10:00- Workbox 2?

And if so, then what do you do if the child finishes the workbox before the time is up or what if they AREN'T finished by the time they are supposed to be ready to do the together family activity?

Thanks for any advice!


Terri

[Tree House Academy]

I think I understand your question, so let me try and answer. If this is NOT what you were asking, just let me know and I will try again.

No, I do not schedule by time. Each child has a weekly/daily schedule with the workbox number, the subjects, and the assignment listed for each day. Here is an example of that.



I fill each box according to this schedule. I have to get the supplies needed based for each subject so I always have the HOD manual and the schedule open at the same time. If I have an assignment that the kids will do together, I put all of the materials in one child's workbox, a note in the other child's workbox that says, "see mom" or "experiment with brother." I note it on their daily schedule as well so when they get to that subject, they know what is going on.

Here is a sample of my HOD manual. I mark it like this so it corresponds with the color on the schedule and the workbox number on both the workbox AND the schedule. My kids and I are very visual.



You will see that the Math and English boxes are marked with an X...this is because we use CLE for those. Otherwise, we follow the schedule pretty closely.

And here is a small sample of the contents of my workboxes...

In this one, you can see the combined areas - we have Bible, Music, rotating HOD activities, and History. There is the History book, the Music CD, Hymns for a Kid's Heart, a dictionary to look up the word mentioned in the bible box (can't remember the word just this second), and a drawing pad for the Artistic Expression activity of drawing a tree.



This is his extensions box. The card on the top has the pages he needs to read as well as the assignment to orally narrate to mom when he finishes. This is done so he doesn't have to flip around in the HOD manual to look for the extensions assignments. It is also there to remind him (and me) that it is oral narration day).



And this one is my box for DITHR. On top is a synopsis of what he is to do and the card tells him to work with mom. Sometimes DITHR tells me the order he needs to do things in my teacher guide, but it is not obvious to him. So, the card tells him steps. 1. Read pages X-X to yourself. 2. Read pages xx-xy to mom. 3. Complete the activity for Day x alone (or with mom), and so on.



Hope this helps!

[Tree House Academy]

bumping for mommyintraining

[MommyInTraining]

Thanks Rebecca for taking the time to do all of that!

So, if you don't schedule their workboxes into certain time frames, then what happens when they are supposed to be finished with a subject in 15 minutes in order to be on time for the next item of the day (i.e. lunch, family read-aloud, leaving for practice, etc.) and it takes them 45 minutes instead to finish?

Thanks so much for walking me through this!

Blessings,

[MommyInTraining]

Bump for Rebecca or others using workboxes.

Thanks!

[Tree House Academy]

We don't time the day. We just go with the flow. If I have something planned for the day, we work around it by doing as much as we can in the morning, going to the appt, etc., and then doing the rest in the afternoon. I guess if you DO want to time your day, then you will need to just make sure the schedule by how much time you have between when you start and when you need to stop and line the boxes up that way.