Homeschool Workbox System-How Does It Work?

Homeschool Workbox System, The homeschool workbox system was created by Sue Patrick although many homeschoolers have been using boxes for years. It is a system for organizing a student's work. There are many adaptations to the system and many different types of boxes you can use.

Homeschool Workbox System Methodology

The mom decides what type of box she will use for each child and then she will put something in each box for her child to do. The student works through each container one at a time. Once the child has completed every crate, they finish their schoolwork for the day. Parents usually need about 10-12 boxes for each student.

Homeschool Workbox System Advantages

Sometimes more fun for a student to anticipate what will be in each box and be able to work through them.
Contents don't have just to be workbooks or textbooks.
Encourages independent learning.
Can be used with any curriculum.
Resources for homeschooling are all in one place.

Homeschool Workbox System Disadvantages

Can sometimes be overwhelming for the student to see how many boxes he has to complete rather than a stack of books.
Can sometimes be labor intensive for the mom to have to fill each box each day for each student.
Ten boxes for each child can take up a lot of space if someone has many children.
The parent might have a hard time finding creative ideas for things to put into the workboxes or might have trouble buying enough items.

Homeschool Workbox System Personalization

Workboxes can be adjustable to a homeschool families needs. Many different types of boxes can be used to store materials. Parents can use shoeboxes, magazine racks, plastic tubs, magazine holders and even clean dish drainers with file folders in them. The Dollar Store is one of the best places for inexpensive containers. The boxes don't have to be completed by the student alone. The parent can mark individual receptacles for work done with mom. . I color-code mine to make it easier. Each child had a color, and mom assignments have a label. Most parents number the boxes that their students use. Some parents even get very fancy and use dry make labels on each container with different directions which change from time to time. There are sites on the World Wide Web where you can find parent groups and free materials associated with the workbox system.

Although the homeschool workbox method is not for everyone, some families have adopted this system and have made it work for them. Parents can be as creative or as simple as they would like to be. As with every method, some students like it and others do not. In any case, students want to know what is expected of them so that they can complete the assignments and move on with different stuff they like.

Homeschool Workbox System Summary

Another option is to combine a morning basket with this approach. Rather than producing a morning basket, have a day basket or box. This idea works well if you have only several children you are homeschooling or you combine some of your subjects. You can set up your container the day before with everything you require. I sometimes use this system, and it works exceptionally well and takes up very little space, I suggest using a small 3-ring binder for all of your Master copy printables. While setting up the notebook, I like to make answer sheet copies so if we are running out of time; the children can correct their work.