That's a good point, Jacci. Brings me back to why I decided against making the bonus room into a classroom in the first place. The kitchen table also just seems to work better for us, so that's why I ended up not making the classroom thing. For a moment there I was starting to get ideas again. :lol: Like you, I do still like the idea of some kind of reading nook for when the kids are older and can read by themselves. . . .but without the full blown classroom look!
Right now my dd does her schoolwork in the living room, mainly, with the TV off. She comes into the kitchen with me when she needs help with her assignments now. Thankfully, she's almost completely over her fear of asking questions. She used to do it at the kitchen table, but that's where the computer is now because the TV took over my computer desk. We got a bigger TV that wouldn't fit on our TV stand, it's a 25 or 26" (I don't remember which) that we bought off hubby's co-worker for $50 when he got a new TV. DD has a desk in her room, but she never does anything at it, not even her coloring. She did do her paint-by-number at it though, but that's because I told her she couldn't do that in the floor with Sissy crawling around.
I love our classroom / Playroom. We have tried to school whereever we land, it did not work for us. However, I'm sure it will, when my kids are older. But for now, this works. Everything we have was got by way of thrift store, or "Stealing" from another part of the house, or from well thought out buys. For example, we do not buy books that can be read from the library. And all has been purchased over a matter of about 4 years. My children are practically the same age, so it is like we have a class, and thus, we need a room. For us, having the school work in a "Special" place, helps us to concentrate on our work, when we are in the classroom. Although, that work may be something like the mad-mad painting of the popcycle sticks activity we did the other day! (Man, what fun!) (See Photo) They were helping me make some "Manipulatives". Now this is 1000 popcycle sticks for $3.25 at Walmart. And we use them for EVERYTHING! haha! Basicaly, the classroom model of "School" works for us, becuase it allows us to "Centralize" our things and our brains. This works for us, because although learning goes on all the time, and just as people take breaks from "School" in the summer, we need a daily break form "Class". We are proud of our classroom. I have receintly moved my sewing table in there, and now, we are in there almost all day! We do School, Playtime, Movie watching, sewing, crafts and so on..... It is practically a "Family Room". Here are some colorful photos taken, by hubby, of us painting are $3.25 box of 1000 popcycle sticks, some paint and a box of paint buckets (The paint buckets number 5 with matching brushes, toppers and closable lids all for $7!!!!! That was a steal!. We had a blast! http://www.jennifererix.com/images/classplay-004c.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/classplay-004b.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/classplay-005b.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/classplay-006b.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/classplay-007b.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/classplay-008b.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/classplay-009b.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/classplay-010b.jpg Anyway, I do nto want it to seem like we homeschool for the fun of being able to "Play Class". Sure it is fun, and keep me FAR away from a Back to School sale! haha! But, this works for us, and it is bright and happy and fun! jen
I would also like to show some money saving things... In this photo, you see a ball that has writing on it. It iw my $0.88 version of one of those "Alphaballs" that run about $6-10, here. We went to walmart and got the cheapo $0.88 beach balls and a magic marker and wrote letters all over it. WE then play with the ball and ask stuff like, "What is under your right hand? Is it a vowel or a consonant? and so on. I also have a Math Ball, a Noun, Adjective, Verb Ball, and a Numbers ball. Again, all costing $0.88 each! http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/letterball.jpg I basically walk through the school supply stores and get ideas. I make almost everything we use. The following shows the calendar center, we have. Now, it was cheaper, to buy the premade laminated calendar from Office Depot, than to make it and go to Kinkos, so that is paid for. But Everything else is house made. WE printed in draft, which makes the ink last forever, and we buy the generic ink refills which are half the price and have twice as much ink in them.... http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/calendar001.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/calendar0002.jpg This is my chalkboard, where we write semi-permanent vocabulary words. This is up there so when the boys are looking for the answer, they are prompted to remember the verbage. This has helped emminsely! (I know I spelled that wrong! haha!) Got this from a yard sale. (I stole the White Dry-Erase Board, from Hubby's office.) http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/chalkboard.jpg Now, here is a cool idea for using those 1000's of popcycles... Puzzles.....!!! We made a tounge and cheek puzzle of us painting the sticks, themselves! haha! http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/poppuzzle.jpg Here is the bed, my husband made. It is huge, and sturdy enough to hold the whole family of five! I plan to use this as a "reading Loft" when the kids are older... http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/kidsbed.jpg And finally, I would like to show what it looks like on a typical day...... Each child has his or her own cubby box. (.50 walmart) and their own crayons (.20 walmart), for classwork only. This keeps them concentrating on their work, and not fighting over who has the green crayon.... Been there.. don't wanna go back! haha! http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/puppetmaking.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/puppetmaking2.jpg http://www.jennifererix.com/images/c/typicalday1.jpg Also, the toys you see are their toys. These are not things bought for the classroom, they are simply their toys from christmases and birthdays past. They have nearlyno toys in their bedroom. So there you have the complete story. This is what works for us, we have fun and play all day. We have built this over time and had to get creative in most cases. The store bought posters are a bonus,but they are $1.99 at Teacher Heaven. I just wanted people to know that if you like the idea of a room, it needs to reflect what works for you and that it is something that is built over time, not over a weekend. Jen
I originally was going to HS in the basement but it gets too cold in the winter down her eto do it. So I put a 2x2 table in a little knotch of my dining room and turned that area into our school space. I would love more space but I love my dining room decor too
It looks wonderful and looks like you all have lots and lots of fun together. That is my dream room. Wouldn't work in my rv no extra room to put things. LOL
The letter ball is a BLAST! And it can be used with mixed ages, which is our situation. Some companies sell a pre-printed "Letter Ball" but why buy it, you know? Again, our cost less than a buck a peice and we can put anything we are studying on it. This would be true for history facts, geography terms and so on. And the game rules are simply, toss the ball, and the asker asks, "What's under your left or right hand". Then the questions can get more comlex depending on the child. I highly reccomend this activity for further reinforcing skills. Sasha plays with us, and she is asked: "What letter is under your left thumb?", or, "What sound does it make? or, "Can you name something that starts with that sound?" The twins, playing at the same time, get asked different questions. Such as, "Is it a consonant or a vowel?" If it is a vowel I will ask them, "Why is it a vowel? (Becuase it has more than one sound), or "Can it be used as a word all by itself? (A, I). Name a NOUN that starts with that letter, Verb, Adjective? ..... and so on. The combinations are endless! We do the same for the "Math Ball". I have one with just numbers and another with addition and subtraction problems on it. Again, he combinations are endless, and the kids retain so much more! jen
Oh, Jennifer, I didn't mean to say that your schoolroom wasn't great for your family! I on purpose emphasized that I truly believed the classroom approach works for many, many families. My best friend schools her children in a lovely classroom right off their dining room. Your schoolroom is really awesome, and I'm very happy for you. Truly and really I also know that you would not expect it to work for all families. I just spoke up because there have been more than a few times that young moms I know would get all worked up trying to create a schoolroom in a tiny house or keep a baby "out" of the schoolroom, or stress about not having enough money for things like map rugs or 6 school desks, or whatever. My point was really only that we all need to figure out what works best for us and not feel inadequate or like "lesser" homeschoolers if we don't fit the school look. I just like to encourage other moms who find the kitchen table and the couch to be ideal. That's all Really Thanks, by the way, for posting all those pics. What fun!
That's cool. I understand. I got the feeling that everyone felt I was spending time "Dressing" the room, instead of "Grooming" the children. And I wanted to show that if a person wanted to have a classroom, that I really did not spend the kindo f money that it looks like. Anyway, I totally agree with you that everyone does what works for them. I can see me and the kids in a couple of years doing the kitchen table thing. Mostly because they will be older and fancy colors and stuff will not mean as much. Peace! jen
Jennifer, Thanks for sharing the photos of your children and school room.You have beautiful children. It's great you have such a special place in your home to do your activities in. When my oldest were real little I remember needing to clear the table off once or twice everyday for meals when it would have been so much nicer to just leave our projects out. You are so wise to realize that this time will pass so quickly and to make the most of it now. " I can see me and the kids in a couple of years doing the kitchen table thing.Mostly because they will be older and fancy colors and stuff will not mean as much." I do have a few school items still that all of my children have outgrown. Maybe someday there will be a neighbor child or some other child I can use some of these fun projects with. What about Grandchildren ? I didn't say that. It would stress out my son-in-law if he heard me say the G word so I refrain from that word around him.LOL. My dd and sil are waiting awhile on that. Jennifer, I have a "schoolroom" now too. It's really great to be able to have bookshelf room for the many books we have collected over the years and be able to find them. Sometimes we do school in the schoolroom and sometimes not. My oldest homeschooler , age 17, prefers to do his schoolwork in his bedroom or his Dad's office/den on the main floor most of the time. The schoolroom is upstairs.
Oh My! You said "GrandChildren"! That makes me laugh because I tell my husband all the time, that I have to hold my tounge... And that I will have to hold it in the future... because I can't wait for my kids to have kids... Oh! It is so horrible.. (I say that tounge in cheek) They are 6 and 3 and I am already grinning at the thought of being a grandma, someday! hahaha! My husband says, parish the tought for a few years! But Seriously, when my kisd tell me I will be a grandma, I will be one of those wild women you see on Americas Funniest Home Videos, who freak out, sceaming, "Oh! Thank you Jesus!" Haha!
Beautiful! I am jealous and I think I am going to spend the next hour or so fixing up my sons room (as small as it is!), God Willing. Wow. Just beautiful : )
NOTE: I have a bandaide on the tip of one of my fingers, so my typing will me more horrendous than normal, sorry.) Anyway, Just rememeber that my room is something that has been worked on for about four years. And it is not a pretty up close as you may think. ALso, I did not oplan to make a "Class room" per se, it just turned ou that way. Again, the bookshelves I "Stole" from other rooms from my home, which is why the do not match. Also, it is a multi function room; It is a classroom, a playroom a sewing room and a general family room. So it gets a lot of use. I find that with my three kido-s being close to the same age, and being so young, that for us, a classroom atmosphere, sems to work best, because we are having a "Class". We have that whole thing with repetition, such as daily changing the calendar and charting the daily weather, and we needed places for those "Stations" if you will. And that's another thing about homeschooling I love. Choices! This may work for me, and be completely wrong for someone else. Also, it workd for us today, but next year, it may be completely unnessasary. So, just enjoy yourself and do what feels right for your and yours, of course. jen
wow!!!! That is cool. WE use an extra bedroom for our school. It has desks in an a dry erase board. I thought we had it good. LOL
clothes space?? How much room does it take to hang three pairs of jeans, a pair of shorts, a "dress" shirt, and 6 holey t-shirts?
wow there space is amazing, Coming from a daycare background that is what I have always pictured my space to be like. Currently I use my main floor, the kitchen is our main space, with my walls covered in pocket charts, bulletin boards, white boards and various posters, and then the livingroom has all our books, world maps, art gallery and of course tv for video watching(we don't have cable). I lvoe theloft, what a great way to fit everything in. I think that this winter as I am turning our toyroom int he basement into the school room I will look into a loft like that.
