Render to Caesar.....

A difference in schooling

I want to share a comment posted on my Mandymom.com blog, that I found in my inbox this morning.


"Hi there, I just found your blog and I have been reading it all. :) Just wanted to share my $0.02. I am a native of Brazil and married and living in the USA. I have 3 children and one more on the way and we homeschool. In Brazil, children go to school for half a period. They either go to school in the morning or in the afternoon. We spent 11 years in school instead of 12 years. We don't waste our time with classes like Home Economics, Typing, Drama, Music, etc in school. those are subjects that are taken in your personal time at your own cost, after school. We are still a gifted and talented country. :) Everyone has to take Algebra, Chemistry, Physics, Foreign language in High School. By the time you finish HS you had Calculus.

I went to Public school in California for 2.5 years. I went to Middle and high school. I can tell you that the US school system is weak and deficient. Teachers do not use their time wisely in school. There is a lot of wasted time. There is NO need for 10 hours of school a day, 5 days a week!!! I believe like you do that we as parents are the ones that should be training our children. They are precious gifts from God and we need to spend time pouring our lives into theirs. I truly enjoy my children and love to see them learn and blossom AT HOME. I think we Christian homeschoolers are blessed that we have seen the Light. :) I believe the whole Public school system has nothing to do with education but indoctrination, but that is another subject for another day. :) Be blessed, Tereza"

One thing I want to point out is that, in reality, children today go to school for 14 years, from Pre-K to 12th grade. When I was a kid, Kindergarten was a half-day event, but now, it's not uncommon to have a full-day Kindergarten.

I don't think American children could even fathom attending half-days for their whole grade school "career", but they sure would enjoy it!

Thanks for sharing, Tereza!

How is it going?

So, we're officially into Autumn now. How is your school year going so far? What are the ages of your "students"?

This year, my daughter, Merika, is in first grade and my second child, Nolyn, is in preschool. However, both of them are doing the same curriculum. Having children close in age has been a great benefit in this area, as the same curriculum can be slightly altered to fit both kids, even though they are about two years apart. They work together, helping each other out.

Keagan is two, so he's not doing any official work, but enjoys doing his activity tray and sitting in on lessons and activities with his siblings.

Some days are a little slow, as I am currently 10 weeks pregnant, and sometimes feel very queasy or overwhelmingly tired!

Anyway, let us know how things are going for you- what are your frustrations, what excites you about this year, and what are your hopes?

So many workbox blog links your mind will explode

Okay, so I gave in and bought Sue Patrick's e-book- The Workbox System. Let me tell you, I love it. I already knew I loved the idea, but reading her book made me adore it even more.

Of course, this should be no surprise to her as her system has taken the homeschool community by storm! It's hugely popular! I wish I had the money to go purchase this all right now, but my husband has a big job coming up and, unforunately, has to shell out money from his own pocket for it. He'll be paid back by his company, but this means that money will be a little tight for now.

So, to prove it's popularity, more links to SPWSers!

I love Julie's set-up. It's always nice to see how people implement this for multiple children. I like her use of magazine holders. That's a really nifty and space conscious idea.

I hope she doesn't mind that I borrowed her photo, but doesn't it look so beautifully organized and colorful?

I have to admit, I am really drawn to colorful, organized spots. And, I've always wanted a wall full of shelving like this.

Maybe you're like Mimi over at Frump's Findings. You're happy with most of your organizational methods, but you do like some of the ideas within the workbox system. Mimi tweaked her system a bit by using "workboxes" labeled with the days of the week. If nothing else, we can all glean some wisdome from the workbox method and come up with our own system that works for us.

My friend Amy from Milk & Cookies (and also co-owner of Heart of the Matter Magazine) has some great ideas, along with printables. Sue Patrick was one of the speakers at HOTM's online conferences, which I sadly missed. I am sure there's a whole new wave of homeschooling mothers getting pumped up about it now!

And, speaking of Heart of the Matter, Heather Woodie's article, Thinking Inside the Box: Using the Workbox System, is definitely a good read!

Leah is a mom of four who is using a modified version of the system for her children. She's given several examples of what goes in the clear drawer units, along with photos and other tidbits.

Hilltop Homeschool does the same in her blog. It's always interesting to read how others implement this sytem, and how it improves their homeschooling experience.


Sometimes (okay, often) I come across photos of workbox setups which are just so lovely that I want to grab it out of the picture and place it in my own homes. Cassie's set up is beautiful and ... *sigh*. She used an IKEA shelving unit I was eyeing earlier today in the catalog. Seeing it used as I had intended make me want it all the more. I wonder if my husband could build it for cheaper... hmmmmmmmm...

Her bins are from Target, and man, do they fit nicely! Oh, and Cassie's "check in/check out" cards are "totally awesome duuude". [FYI, Sue Patrick's method calls for children to "clock in" and "clock out" of school, which I think it a great idea. Clocking in helps them get in "school mode".]

Have you noticed how my easy going/unschooling ways have morphed into more structure? Well, I'm finding that my kids are actually hungry for the structure now, which is pleasing, because I'm at the point in life where having a plan and a structure of sorts is really helpful and brings a feeling of peace.

Anyway, I haven't been able to find Cassie's actual blog (if she has one), but you can read more about the system she's organized at Spell Out Loud. I think what is really appealing about it for me, besides the fact that is included IKEAness (one of my obsessions) is that she has used digital scrapbooking (my other obsession) to jazz it up.

Spell Out Loud has also blogged about her own setup, including her toddler workbox system.

Now, I'm a bit nosey, so I love to see what others are putting in their workboxes. Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love to see the workbox setup in photos, but it's like peeking inside someone's bathroom medicine cabinet.... (which I have never, ever done, btw *wink*) .... you often find some interesting stuff! Enduring Prize has opened up her "medicine cabinet", so to speak, and given us a glimpse of the items inside her children's workboxes.

Aimee reminds me of myself. "I am an unschooler at heart but it does drive both my parents and husband crazy that the kids should be doing more formal learning," the blogger at Journey2Learn writes. "I knew to get the kids back into schooling, I would need a new approach."

I can definitely relate. However, as I mentioned before, I've noticed my children are actually craving stucture, and.. well, so am I.

Meet Me In Melange is yet another homeschooling mom that has tweaked the system to fit her needs and style. "I didn’t want to change what we were doing completely, but I did see imense value in altering Sue Patrick’s origional idea to fit our needs. Any idea that helps organize a homeschooling family is worth it’s value in gold, as far as I’m concerned," she writes.

Exactly my thoughts!

Allison at Wazley Academy also uses the Sterilite-style drawer system, and, bless her heart, has actually posted pictures of what's inside. It's like Christmas in Workbox Land!

A Mother's Journal tells the story of her first day of Workboxism. Her day sounds so fantastic, it'll make any mother want to run out and purchase her system today! (Or at least buy Sue Patrick's book!)

Heather talks about some of the amazing organization systems out there, several of which she has already put into use in her own home, and how these revolutionary ideas invented by parents are so darn simple that we could have thought them up ourselves!

"What's most interesting to me about the vast majority of the wonderful ideas that float in homeschool circles is the absolute simplicity of so many that are embraced. We all know that necessity is often the mother of invention. Why, then, do so many of us seem to walk around with the same necessity and no invention?" she muses.

Oh, come on, you know we've all had those moments when a new idea is introduced to us by someone, and we exclaim, "Wow! That's simple and easy... but profound!" shortly followed by, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Tree House Academy uses shelves to divide out the work, which is also a great idea. The bins are nice for the kids to be able to take to their work station, but going binless is much cheaper, and the kids can (obviously) still see the work they need to do. This is something woodworking husbands could make fairly, maybe with leftover bits of wood (if you're like our family, you may have small shelf-sized pieces littering your garage).

Tina at Being Made New also put the system into play, and I love the bright pink and blue boxes she chose. She said her first week using the system was "the best school week ever". She admits she had some reservations going in, but obviously she was cured within the first few days!

And, if all these links aren't enough to keep your head spinning with ideas, you can join the Workbox Yahoo! Group! I told you it was a major homeschooling craze! You might want to put it on digest, instead of single emails, as some months have brought in over one-thousand messages.

But wait... there's more! There's a whole blog devoted to this workbox system. It's called "What's in the Box?" and it is loaded with ideas (and fun memes!)

Now, I really, really can't wait to get started on it. I'm not a patient woman, but I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?

More on Workboxes

I'm back with more links to bloggers who have implemented Sue Patrick's Workbox System.

There's a site with a comprehensive review of the workbox system explaining everything from how it works to how others have modified it.

Jess @ Color Me Orange shares a way she has modified this system for her eight children. (Could you imagine having 12 boxes for each child?)

Jess sorts things into folders, which she places in bins. When her students have finished a folder, they take the number off the folder and place it on the velcro spot on the bin.

This is also a great idea for small spaces. Some families do not have much room, so condensing the system would be a great idea. I would recommend finding clear envelopes as one of the key components of Sue Patrick's system is that the students can also see what is ahead, not just how much work they have left.

For those who have young preschoolers who need a little more flexibility, I recommend this Tot Tray idea. This Montessori inspired method will allow your toddler to choose what he or she is interested in testing out. I use this for my 20 month old and he loves it. This site gives you plenty of ideas, and her blog also has photos plastered with "Tot School" inspiration.

Ginger has a great modification as well. She uses those plastic (clear) drawers instead of clear shoe boxes. Another great idea for small spaces.

Over at Homeschool Creations, Jolanthe has set up a great system for her four children.

"While I love the Workbox System and understand why Sue Patrick set it up the way she did {and why it works that way}, we seriously do not have room for 48 boxes, 4 shelving systems and to implement it the way she recommends," Jolanthe comments. You must check out her colorful system. I just love the photographs!

In another post, she details the system. I think it's one of the best reviews of the Workbox System I've read, so check it out.

If you are using the workbox system and have posted an entry in your blog about it, please leave a link! :)

Sure Patrick's Workbox System

There's a new homeschooling craze out there, and, in case you haven't heard about it, I'm sharing it with you now!

It's called the Workbox System, created by homeschooling mom Sue Patrick.

Sue's system divides school work into twelve numbered different bins (about shoe box size) for the student to work through (in order).

Leslie from Joyful Mother of 6 explains, "As the child works through a box, the box is then removed from the shelf so that they can see their work diminishing. They can see exactly what is expected of them each day and how much they have left to do before their school day is over. They can also see fun things in boxes which helps to motivate them to finish the more difficult boxes." Click on blog link to see photos of the system these women have set up for their families.

Aureila from Sowing Precious Seeds has also hopped on the bandwagon.

I believe "Walking by the Way" is also doing the workbox system. Her blog has plenty of photos of activities her children are doing! Looks like a blast!

Little Men in My Library gave it a try. I think she accurately describes why it is such a neat and nifty system!

Love To Know managed to sit Sue Patrick down for an interview which you can read here.

At their own pace

Do you ever have moments when you wonder if you should be homeschooling? My oldest child has always been behind in everything, but sometimes, I get it in my head that it is my fault- that I'm not capable of teaching her. At times, I have wondered if I should enroll her in a tutoring program for reading. She just wasn't getting it. Grant it, she's only six, and when I was six I wasn't reading either, but public school children are reading by kindergarten. And, while I hate to compare our progress to that of institutional schools, it's often hard to avoid- especially when many of her little friends and church peers are public schooled or involved in Mother's Day Out preschool programs at churches which use Abeka curriculum (which is quite advanced, in my opinion).

I worry that my darling little girl will feel silly or dumb because others her age (and younger) are reading and writing. Lately, I've noticed that she's started worrying about what others think of her. I don't know where this came from, but she has always been a sensitive little girl.

After purchasing a couple different programs (including Hooked on Phonics, which I think is a ridiculous program, but at least it comes with plenty of books, which made it worth the money), I finally listened to good advice and bought the book Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons (Siegfried Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox, Elaine Bruner).

This book is all you need, and it's fantastic. It's reading curriculum for beginners in one inexpensive book. I wish I would have bought it a couple years ago!

My daughter is doing so much better, now. Mainly, she struggles with blending sounds to make words, and this book as really helped her understand blending. The book has a script which tells you what to say and how to correct mistakes to keep kids on focused and on track- which is very helpful.

I think it also helps that she's a little older. She may not have grasped this last year or the year before- even with this amazing book (although I think she probably would have, but who knows!), but she is doing well now.

There will always be something she struggles with, but, as I have mentioned before, there are other things she does incredibly well- above those her age, so it evens out in the end.

My oldest boy, who is four, has had the benefit of listening in on the lessons and such over the years, and is not far behind his sister (even though they are 21 months apart), with the exception of writing. Merikalyn's letters are well formed, while Nolyn's are still hard to recognize. Still, at four years old, he is already doing simple math (addition and subtraction), and has already caught on to some of the aspects of reading- such as blending sounds- even though I have not sat down to teach him these things. I think overhearing our lessons while he plays has probably taught him much more than if I would have sat down and tried to cram it in his head. He's just that type of child.

Each child is going to be different, even within a family- and my children are definitely proof of that. While one child may need extra attention and guidance in one subject, another child may catch on quickly. I didn't even realize Nolyn understood all that he did, until I heard him hollering out answers in the background while I walked Merika through a lesson!

Potty training was very similar to our reading issue. Merikalyn struggled with it. As her fourth birthday neared, I vowed to have her potty trained before the party. Well, her birthday came and went, and she was still in pull-ups. I was mortified! So many of my friends had potty-trained two-year-olds, and here I was with a four year old who refused to use the toilet! I wish I could say it happened that year (to her credit, she came a long way with making friends with the porcelain throne that year), but she was FIVE when she finally got it down. Nolyn, on the other hand, was potty trained when he was three... and not by me. My mother-in-law worked with both of the kids when they were at her house, but he as just generally interested in the toilet. One day, I was in the kitchen and saw him run into the bathroom, strip off his diaper and plop his heiny on the toilet! Then, I saw him get off and put back on his diaper! Ha! He had been doing this for a couple weeks, and I was clueless! (He was only wetting his diaper during naps and night time.) A month later, he was in underwear all the time.

My point here is, some kids just take longer to learn things. We may be embarrassed because it's not on the schedule most other children are on, or because it makes us feel like a failure, but eventually, it'll happen. We just have to be patient and loving. We may need to seek a different method of teaching, or we may just need to be more consistent.

We'll see many of these moments as our children grow, I'm sure. What makes it worth it is... once they get it, they really GET it.