Workbox Day 1
Written by admin on March 9th, 2009Guys. Today was a wonderful school day. I can’t recommend the Workbox System highly enough. And remember, I don’t even have my book yet.
On tap for school today were 9 assignments sitting in those 9 pretty boxes. Princess of the Universe was very excited to pull one box at a time off the shelf and do the assignment in it. The excitement lasted all day. We were organized. Everything went smoothly. This is only day 1, but I’m sold. This was a work day for me.
What were the assignments:
- Math
- Paperdolls
- One page from a test prep booklet
- Handwriting sheet
- Practice piano
- Bake sugar cookies
- Five In A Row writing assignment from Angelo
- Spelling lesson
- New chapter book
The day was seamless. Smooth.
I realize that not every day will need to be done from 9 or 10 or 12 boxes, but for my work days, this is PERFECT. And to be clear, I DO intend to use this system even on non-work days, but I know there will be days that we get lost in Hamlet, or have a fieldtrip, or do something major in the doll house and we won’t do all the boxes. That’s okay, that just means a few are already loaded for the next day!
The beauty of it is the accountability factor. The JUST DO IT factor. Just put the things in the boxes. Even if they are sweet little projects that I bought and keep thinking that we’ll get to them the next day and the next day and I just keep waiting because it’s something special and needs a spotlight or something. Duh.
Princess of the Universe made cookies totally by herself today. Totally. I mean, I got up a couple of times to show her how to properly place the tray into the oven with care and I was totally right around the corner the entire time, typing, and asking every so often (of course), do you need help?
No.
These cookies were so good. Who cares if the only cookie cutters we have are from Christmas? Stockings and stars and Santas can go spring any time. Just use blue and green icing.
This gave us garden time this afternoon when my work day was done. GUILTLESS garden time. Everything was done. I easily refilled the boxes up this evening for her work tomorrow.
A little side note here. It’s not that we weren’t doing school before. We were. I was certainly writing out lesson plans and had things on her school shelf. STACKS of things. But can you envision me at my desk and Princess of the Universe coming to me and saying, “So what’s next?”
“Uh, let me get out the planner.” Then a dark cloud forms over my head when I remember that I want her to do some writing, but did I mark the page in the Story Starters
Can you see how easy it would be for me to then say, “Just go read for a minute and I’ll be around there to show you what I want you to do.”
An hour goes by.
It was so different today. Actually, one of her boxes at this very minute contains her Story Starters
Let’s go out into the garden now, shall we?
I just had to show you this. Princess of the Universe and I could not believe it. This spirea is filled with oothecas. I’ve circled a few of them, but we counted 8 in all and we are sure there are more that we just overlooked. How many praying mantises will we have this year?
I counted about five or six violets in bloom. All I could think of was spring infusions. I didn’t really spot any chickweed yet, but it’s coming. I know it. I love to eat violets in salads and to use the leaves and blooms in my infusions. Ahhh.
Thank you, spring, for thinking of coming and staying at last.
We played around in the garden to our hearts’ happy content and I finally got around to turning the old, empty aquarium into a terrarium. I had a piece of plastic from an old poster frame that I cut to fit as a perfect snug lid with heavy scissors. Then I used Sculpey to make a little birdbath and baked it so that it’s nice and hard and is now sitting in the little wonderland in the terrium. The terrarium is on my workdesk, so I can be in a little garden even when I’m working.
When the sun is up in the morning and I can open all the curtains and get a few good pictures without the flash, I’ll try to show you the birdbath and the other little things in the garden. A terrarium tour. Won’t that be nice?
This has been a splendid day. I hope yours was.
Lynn
for you to leave a comment, but you can also e-mail me at lynn AT thehealthyhomeschool.com
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What kind of plants do you put in your terrarium? I love that idea and I don’t have a hamster right now so that would be fun.
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I wish I would have known about the Workbox system when the kids were a little younger. I think it would even work now–even for me. Very simple, but impressive and appealing to both the student and teacher.
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Good morning Lynn
Happy belated Birthday to Joe!
Spring hasn’t arrived here yet, so I love the pictures you’ve been posting.
I loved the cooking with Clara video. What a sweetheart she is
I hope your day is beautiful!
hugs,
rue
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Becky, I went to a spot in my yard that I LOVE. There are a lot of mosses, small decaying branches, violets and wildflowers. I dug up a bit of everything to recreate that spot in a terrarium. We’ll see how it does!
Ken, this system is awesome. I can see us going to 12 boxes, and maybe even the clear boxes for next school year. Michaela enjoys surprises though and will “hold out” to see what’s in the next box, so that is appealing to her, I think. However, I believe part of the program is that it was written to give a visual to children, to know what’s next and to be able to see what’s been done, and some children greatly need a visual. So we’ll see.
Lynn
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Rue, thank you so much for your comment! Spring is certainly springing here, but it’s supposed to cool off this weekend. Sigh.
Lynn
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love the new workbox system….i need to check into that! and i know she had to love her cookie assignment! i think i’ll assign that task to my boys this afternoon! that way, all temptation is safely kept away from me!
hope your week is a splendid one!
Sandra
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Dear Lynn,
I’m so glad the boxes are working out-I was thinking of getting plastic file boxes for my girls, since I don’t have a lot of space for boxes, etc. It definitely looks like a great thing, though!
And I was just reading what Euell Gibbons said about violets; they have more vitamin C than anything else (the leaves)! So you’ll be real healthy, I bet!
Love,
Marqueta
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Yippee! So glad y’all are liking it too! We did a cooking box on day 1 too – and it was a hit with several of us!
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Hi Lynn,
Love your cereal boxes. How pretty and fun!
I know the plastic boxes will not work for us because of having 5 children (hmmm…60 boxes!) and space issues. I saw that one mom is using envelopes and I love your “cereal boxes”. What do you do if using the envelopes or cereal boxes when you have a large item or a shared item like an Usborne History book that my girls share.
If I use the envelope system I certainly wouldn’t be able to fit their books in those. Do you just sticky note stuff. A little confused. Hmmm….
Would love to hear suggestions.
Have a blessed and beautiful day.
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Sandra, we are really enjoying the system here. We are on day 3.
Marqueta, I love violets! I made a tincture from violets a few years back. I want to make another one this year. I did not get that one strong enough.
Leslie, thanks so much for introducing me to it!
Tracy, I actually encountered that very situation yesterday, although some of these cereal boxes are pretty large, like the very largest Cheerios box you can buy, so even my Story Starters book fits in the box. That said, if something won’t fit, I put a little note in the box and we have a school “display” shelf in the hallway on which I stand the book or item required. So she would read the note and then go to the shelf-top and find the book required.
Lynn
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Thanks for sharing about the workboxes. I think this might work for us!
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I am right there with you… Totally hooked on workboxes!! I love your boxes and I might do that for me!
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Somehow I get the feeling that the beautiful cookies did not last long! What a pretty “cook” an ever so pretty cookies. Wish I had such a wonderful helper.
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Christy, we are still loving them.
Kristina, we are loving them here too!
Susan, thank you! No, the cookies went pretty quickly.
Lynn