How to Set Up Your Household for Homeschooling

By eHow Education Editor

Rate: (2 Ratings)

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.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

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

Step1
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!).
Step2
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.
Step3
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.
Step4
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.
Step5
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.

Comments

| View All Comments
Anonymous

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

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!

Anonymous

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

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.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 If you've no room for a whiteboard on the wall, try whiteboard software on your computer instead. The one I'd recommend is NotateIt ($29). By changing the backgrounds to graph paper, lined paper or even Venn diagrams, it's a really versatile learning tool for home. Plus you can save and print your boards as well.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 Instead of purchasing a dry erase board from an office supply store, try using tile board from a home improvement store. It runs about $12 for a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet, and it works just fine.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 Hang a blackboard on the kitchen wall. Its uses include practicing alphabet letters, working math problems, keeping little ones busy while older ones work - lots of things!

View All

Post a Comment

POST A COMMENT

Request a New How-To Article

Looking for more How To information? Chances are there’s an eHow member who knows how to do what you’re looking to do. Submit an article request now!

eHow Article:  How to Set Up Your Household for Homeschooling

eHow Education Editor

eHow Education Editor

Category: Education

Articles: See my other articles

Related Ads

Education

Schwengel
Meet Kurt Schwengel eHow’s Education Expert.