How to Set Up Your Household for Homeschooling

Although you are schooling at home, you don't want to live at school. Here's how to set up and maintain a workable home/school balance.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Textbooks
• Bookcases
• Desk Chairs
• Desks
• File Cabinets
• Calendars
• File Folders
• Personal Organizers
• School Supplies
• Educational Software

1. Designate certain areas as school space. You will need a bookcase, a file cabinet with hanging files and folders, desk space for seat work, and a larger project area (save all shoeboxes!).

2. Separate work areas from play areas. Toddlers playing school under the table where you're actually trying to hold school with older children is just too distracting.

3. Store all school supplies in their own cabinet or other space. Make a rule that they are to be used only for school projects, or you'll find yourself five pipe cleaners short of a dinosaur some afternoon.

4. Take advantage of other people's space. Think library for research projects, the park for painting, or grandma's house if she has the piano.

5. Set limits. Not everything and everywhere has to be educational. Give your kids a break and don't post the table of elements chart in the bathroom.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't worry if you don't have a separate room available to designate as the school room. The kitchen works fine.
• Discourage visitors, including your preschooler's friends, during school hours. A clock-type sign on the door with a message such as "School's out at Noon" will help others respect your schedule.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Earn your degree from industry experts at University of Phoenix. Take the next step in your career.

[Aussiegirl]

on 1/18/2009 It definately takes organization!!!

[irishleo13]

on 1/3/2009 Not only do I keep school supplies for school time only, but I have a shelf of markers, crayons, glue, paper, and so on that they can use whenever they like, so they are not tempted to get into the school supplies. Paints and more expensive craft items are kept with school stuff.

[irishleo13]

on 1/3/2009 Great Article!!!! Unfortunately due to lack of space, we have a joint playroom/classroom. However it works out in the end. The children are responsible for completing their schoolwork in a specific amount of time. What is not completed in that time, they can finish when they have extra time, (like when I am working with another child) or it will have to be done after school time, (like homework). This helps keep distraction to a minimum. Giving toddlers "school time" too helped keep them out of the older child's hair. I have many resources for toddler activities. You can find them online. Tracing lines, matching colors, shapes, etc. Large counting chips from walmart make great classifying activities. You do what you must with the space available.

on 1/30/2006 Set up a small table with one or two related books, a small game or art activity all on the same theme (change it out often). You don't have to make a big "to do" about it. Just let it sit. Your naturally curious youngster will gravitate toward it and quietly absorb the information. They think they are sneaking, but you get quiet and they teach themselves!

on 1/30/2006 Get a sheet of foam core and spray with 2 or 3 coats of blackboard paint. We use it for daily handwriting exercises. Write up a quote. First, my first grader reads aloud the quote; we then discuss what it means. Then, both she and her fourth grade brother copy out into daily journals. Finally, the fourth grader uses different colors and symbols to label parts of speech. 3 subjects, 2 kids, 30 minutes.